Tropical Cyclone Vardah produced heavy rainfall in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, with estimated totals ranging from 300-500 mm. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission detected intense storms with rainfall rates exceeding 101 mm/h, indicating a lifetime of heavy precipitation.
Scientists have made significant advancements in understanding the ionosphere, a region of Earth's atmosphere that reacts to changes from both space above and Earth below. Research reveals that the ionosphere can experience 'overcooling', causing rapid energy loss and collapse, which can disrupt satellite orbits.
The Space Network will transmit double the data in a single second than it ever has before, supporting new instruments with greater data flow requirements. The upgrade enables an increase in scientific output from the International Space Station, allowing for more sophisticated experiments to be conducted.
Cold Arctic air masses brought frigid temperatures to the US, with temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius detected at high altitudes. The air mass shifted east on Dec 9, impacting Ohio Valley and New England regions.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission provided detailed images of Tropical Cyclone Vardah's cloud cover and heavy rainfall rates before it made landfall. The storm weakened to a remnant low pressure area over southern India, bringing heavy rainfall warnings for affected regions.
Satellite observations help scientists forecast impacts of habitat changes on animal populations. Studies predict a 30 percent drop in the global polar bear population over the next 35 years due to sea ice loss. Satellite data also indicate that droughts in North America will affect migratory herbivores and their predators.
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captures a visible-light image of the storm, showing bands of thunderstorms around its low-level center. Tropical Cyclone Vardah brought hurricane-strength winds of 86.3 mph to areas in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing a new method to track ocean heat using satellite magnetic field observations. The approach relies on the electrical conductivity of seawater and its temperature fluctuations, which can be detected from subtle changes in Earth's magnetic field lines.
Scientists can now map the speed of glaciers and ice sheets globally, tracking unique patterns and identifying areas with rapid change. This near-real-time data enables researchers to understand the impact on sea level and coastal communities.
Tropical Cyclone Vardah showed strongest storms expanding west of its center, influenced by moderate vertical wind shear. The storm is expected to intensify and make landfall as a tropical storm south of Visakhapatnam, India, by December 12.
Tropical Cyclone Vardah is moving west-northwest across the Bay of Bengal, threatening eastern India. The storm's maximum sustained winds reached 52 mph with gusty winds and rainfall affecting the Andaman Islands.
Tropical Cyclone 05B has formed over the Anadaman and Nicobar Islands, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. The storm is expected to move northwest toward India, making landfall by Dec. 12 south of Visakhapatnam.
NASA analyzed Hawaii's heavy snowfall using GPM satellite data, finding precipitation rates exceeding 9.3 inches per hour in intense storms. The average freezing level was determined to be around 14,127 feet, with slopes reaching as low as 12,795 feet.
AIM observes early noctilucent cloud season on Nov. 17, 2016, tied with the earliest start yet in the Southern Hemisphere's record. The earlier seasonal change at lower altitudes sparks complex atmospheric responses.
IRIS collects data on the temperature and movement of solar material to determine how it drives the constant changes on our sun. The mission aims to answer questions about coronal heating and solar activity, with recent studies suggesting distinct bomb-like events.
Tropical Cyclone Nada has shown minimal strength with no associated deep convection or strong thunderstorms. The storm is forecast to move west-northwest over southern India before dissipating over land.
The GPM core satellite gathered data on severe storms that impacted the southeastern US, resulting in at least seven fatalities and significant damage. The storms, which included tornadoes, hail, and heavy downpours, affected several states, including Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Tropical Cyclone Nada is being significantly impacted by wind shear, causing clouds to be pushed west of the center. As a result, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts that Nada will not intensify before making landfall in southern India on December 1.
Tropical Cyclone Tokage weakened to near maximum sustained winds of 28.7 mph as it crossed the Philippines and entered the South China Sea. The storm's remnants were later spotted by NASA's Aqua satellite, showing clouds pushed north of the center of circulation.
Tropical Storm Otto is strengthening into a hurricane as it approaches Central America, with maximum sustained winds reaching 75 mph. The storm's center will move onshore within the hurricane warning area on Thursday and reach the Pacific coast of southern Nicaragua or northern Costa Rica early Friday.
Heavy rainfall over Hispaniola led to widespread flooding in the northern Dominican Republic, with rainfall totals exceeding 230 mm. NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) data revealed the extent of the flooding, which was caused by slow-moving frontal systems and a tropical wave.
The NASA IceBridge mission has concluded its eighth consecutive Antarctic deployment, carrying out a record number of research flights and providing valuable insights into changes in polar ice. The campaign's findings shed light on the impact of sea level rise on climate change.
NASA's GOES-West satellite captured remnant clouds of Tropical Storm Tina, which weakened to a low-pressure area. The storm's remnants are expected to track west and encounter hostile atmospheric conditions, leading to further weakening.
Tropical Storm Tina rapidly formed and weakened off Mexico's southwestern coast, with maximum sustained winds decreasing from 40 to 35 mph by Nov. 14.
Multiple wildfires are currently burning across several states in the southern United States, including the Boteler, Maple Springs, Tellico, Party Rock, Chestnut Knob, Rough Ridge, and Rock Mountain fires. The largest fire, the Rough Ridge fire, has burned over 19,411 acres in Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness Area.
New observations from NASA's THEMIS mission reveal electrons can be accelerated to extremely high speeds in a region farther from Earth than previously thought possible. This discovery opens up new questions about the mechanisms that accelerate these particles, which can cause equipment malfunctions and affect space travelers.
Tropical cyclones have formed frequently in the Western Pacific since July 2016, with 36 named storms emerging in under five months. NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement mission observed Tropical Depression Ma-on forming on November 10, 2016, with heavy showers and strong convective storms.
Tropical Storm Meari is forecast to intensify in the western Pacific Ocean, with a high chance of reaching 85 knots (97mph). The storm's organized low-level circulation and favorable environment will contribute to its steady growth.
NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) is breaking records with a Guinness World Record for the highest altitude fix of a GPS signal, reaching 43,500 miles above Earth. The four MMS spacecraft maintain tight formations to map magnetic reconnection and study phenomena around the universe.
NavCube, combining NASA's SpaceCube and Navigator Global Positioning System (GPS) flight receiver, enables X-ray communications in space. The technology has the potential to significantly enhance performance at low altitudes, potentially even near the moon and lunar orbits.
Meari intensified from a tropical depression to a tropical storm in one day, now located 295 miles north of Yap and 500 miles west of Guam. Its maximum sustained winds are at 40 mph, and it is expected to turn west and northwest over the next few days.
Engineers successfully completed the first Center of Curvature test for the James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror, measuring its shape and alignment with incredible precision. The test will be repeated after launch environment testing to confirm the optics' performance in space.
A new instrument prototype, BILI, uses fluorescence-based lidar to search for organic bio-signatures on Mars and other targets in the solar system. The instrument can scan terrain from a distance of several hundred meters, detecting small levels of complex organic materials in real-time.
The oldest and thickest Arctic sea ice is disappearing, weakening the 'bulwark' of ice that previously protected it. This has led to an increase in sea ice loss, especially during summer months, with multi-year ice decreasing from 20% to only 3% of total sea ice cover.
The post-tropical cyclone has lacked organized deep convection, resembling a wedge of clouds, and is expected to dissipate due to hostile environmental conditions. The storm's remnants are moving toward the north near 8 mph, with maximum sustained winds decreased to near 35 mph.
Tropical Cyclone Kyant formed in the Bay of Bengal on October 25, 2016, and was analyzed by NASA's GPM core satellite. The satellite detected intense storms with heavy rainfall rates of over 215 mm per hour, and some thunderstorms had unusually high storm tops reaching above 20 km.
Astronomers using Kepler and Swift missions discover 18 stars that rotate rapidly, producing X-ray emissions at more than 100 times the sun's level. These stars are believed to have formed from the merger of two sun-like stars in close binary systems.
Hurricane Seymour is experiencing a fast weakening trend in the Eastern Pacific, with maximum sustained winds dropping to 125 mph and then further decreasing to near 90 mph. The storm's asymmetry indicates it's losing its rotational strength.
Tropical Cyclone Kyant's maximum sustained winds reached 45 knots near its center, with a track taking it just north of Chennai, India. The cyclone is expected to weaken and dissipate by October 29 due to adverse conditions.
The Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator (EMTG) has been upgraded to simulate the full problem of designing a spacecraft, considering multiple performance criteria. This enables mission planners to optimize both trajectory and spacecraft design, especially for electrically propelled low-thrust missions.
Hurricane Seymour became a major hurricane on Oct. 25, with heavy rainfall and a 3-D image of its structure provided by the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest at 15 mph, with expected weakening and rapid decline in forward speed.
Hurricane Seymour rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph and higher gusts. The storm's small eye is located approximately 565 miles south-southwest of Baja California, Mexico.
Tropical Storm 3B is consolidating into a defined low-level circulation center, with strong thunderstorms wrapping tightly curved banding around the storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts the storm will strengthen and move west across the Bay of Bengal, making landfall north of Chennai, India on October 27.
Tropical Depression 20 intensified into Hurricane Seymour in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The storm's organization increased with symmetrical cloud patterns and deep convection near the center.
Photonics may provide solutions to NASA's pressing challenges in future spaceflight, including improved space communications and reducing mission payloads. Laser communications have the potential to increase data rates at least 10 to 100 times better than RF systems.
Typhoons Sarika and Haima brought extraordinary rainfall to the northern Philippines, with over 500mm of rain recorded by NASA's IMERG data. The storms also generated heavy winds and flooding, causing power outages and mudslides.
Scientists have tracked a particular kind of solar wave as it swept upward from the sun's surface through its atmosphere, adding to our understanding of how solar material travels throughout the sun. The study provides a novel tool for scientists to study the atmosphere of the sun and sheds light on the coronal heating problem.
The MAVEN mission provides unprecedented detail on hydrogen escape from Mars' upper atmosphere, revealing a dramatic variation in loss rates throughout the year. The research suggests that water escape is not a steady leak but rather an episodic flow influenced by seasonal and solar activity.
Tropical Depression Sarika made landfall in southern Guangxi province on October 19, with maximum sustained winds near 34.5 mph. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured the storm as it passed overhead.
Typhoon Haima showed powerful thunderstorms with heavy rainfall around its eyewall, indicated by a temperature of -63 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm's cloud-filled eye was clearly visible in a visible image taken on Oct. 19.