General interpretation « CIMSS Satellite Blog

Mount Pavlof erupts in the Aleutians

May 16th, 2013

MODIS 11.0 µm IR Window channel brightness temperature

Pavlof Volcano (located at about 55.5 N, 162 W) in the Aleutian Islands had been experiencing a series of small eruptions that were captured by the constellation of polar-orbiting satellites that pass over the region. For example, a MODIS 11.0 µm IR Window channel image from 08:07 UTC on 16 May (above) showed a dark (warm) pixel over the volcano. That 0º C pixel was surrounded by values closer to -15º C.

Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.7 µm Day/Night Band and 3.74 µm shortwave IR images

A comparison of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.7 µm Day/Night Band (DNB) and 3.74 µm shortwave IR images at 12:12 UTC on 16 May 2013 (above) showed the bright glow of the volcano on the DNB, centered over a warm thermal anomaly of 47.5º C (orange color enhancement) on the shortwave IR. These were both signatures of hot lava flows from the summit and down along the northwest flank of Pavlof.

Volcanic plume characteristics derived from Aqua MODIS at 13:50 UTC

The high spectral resolution of MODIS — 36 different channels in the visible and infrared — on board the Terra and Aqua satellites allows for creation of products that quantitatively describe the volcanic ash cloud, beyond just locating the hot spot of the volcano itself. False color imagery, shown above (top left panel, derived from the brightness temperature differences indicated in the figure) from Aqua MODIS at 13:50 UTC, nicely outlines the volcanic ash plume in shades of red. The other three figure panels show the Ash Cloud Height (very important information for aviation concerns), the Ash Cloud Particle Size (which is related to how long it will take to settle out — small particles stay in the atmosphere for a longer time) and Ash Cloud Loading (what is the mass of volcanic ash in the column?).

A later 4-panel suite of products derived from MODIS data on Terra, at 21:31 UTC, is shown below. In addition to the high spectral resolution on MODIS, the polar orbiter satellites have good horizontal resolution over Alaska as well.

Volcanic plume characteristics derived from Terra MODIS at 21:31 UTC

A comparison of Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.64 µm visible channel and 3.74 µm shortwave IR channel images at 22:08 UTC (below) showed the hazy signature of the volcanic plume on the visible image, as well as a warm thermal anomaly exhibiting a brightness temperature of 40º C (yellow color enhancement) on the shortwave IR image. A Volcanic Ash Advisory had been issued for altitudes between the surface and 15,000 feet, as the volcanic plume drifted southeastward at 15 knots.

Suomi NPP VIIRS 0.64 µm visible channel and 3.74 µm shortwave IR channel images

GOES imaging of this eruption suffers because of limited channels (5) on the GOES Imager, and because of degraded spatial resolution at the high latitudes (as result of the very large satellite viewing angle). However, the hazy signature of the volcanic plume could still be seen drifting southeastward from Pavlof on GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (below; click image to play animation). The location of the Pavlof volcano is denoted by the “P” on the images. Also of interest in the animation is the motion of sea ice in the Bering Sea north of the Aleutians, which could be seen once a break in the clouds moved over that area.

GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (click image to play animation)

Posted in General interpretation, GOES-15, MODIS, Suomi NPP, VIIRS, Volcanic activity | No Comments »

Convective Downbursts and Heatbursts in Wisconsin

May 15th, 2013

GOES-13 Sounder Derived Lifted Index (click image to play animation)

Strong convection in the late afternoon/early evening produced wind damage and heat bursts over southern Wisconsin late in the day on May 14, 2013 in a region where severe convection was not considered likely. GOES Sounder data did an excellent job of depicting the instability that developed in the late afternoon. The animation above shows strong destabilization starting shortly after 1800 UTC, and persisting as the convection moved through southern Wisconsin.

GOES-13 Sounder Derived Lifted Index

The instability associated with this convective event was very localized, and easily slipped in between the radiosonde stations. This is therefore another example of the benefit of the GOES Sounder DPI products: Not only do they provide hour-by-hour coverage, so that an evolving situation can be monitored, but they can show mesoscale features that are poorly sampled by conventional radiosonde data. The above image shows the 2346 UTC 14 May GOES Sounder DPI LI over the upper midwest; superimposed upon the image are the Lifted Indices computed from radiosondes and the LI computed from the GFS model. The strongest instability is not well sampled by the radiosonde network.

GOES-13 Sounder Derived CAPE

Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) can also be used to diagnose the potential for convection. In regions where CAPE values are large, convection can grow explosively. The AWIPS screen capture of CAPE computed from the sounder, above, shows values exceeding 4000 J/kg even after the convection has passed!

GOES-13 Visible (0.63 µm) Imagery (click image to play animation)

Visible imagery from GOES-13, above, shows the development of the convection as it moves into the area of diagnosed instability. The Microburst Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI) predicts maximum wind gusts that might occur given the thermal profiles associated with developing convection. Attributes that promote downbursts are steep mid-level lapse rates (to enhance convective instability) and abundant dry air (to enhance evaporative cooling). The two animations below (created using McIDAS-V and this bundle) show a maximum in MWPI (with values near 50 — the relationship between MWPI and convective gusts is here) developing over southwest WI as the convection develops. (Data are from the Rapid Refresh model run at 2200 UTC on Tuesday 14 May). The animation of model soundings over Madison (bottom) indicates strong destabilization and mid-level drying, two components that enhance the potential for microbursts. (McIDAS-V animations courtesy of Ken Pryor, NOAA/NESDIS)

Microbust Windspeed Potential Index (MWPI) from 2200 UTC 14 May-0100 UTC 15 May over Wisconsin. Data from Rapid Refresh Model

Rapid Refresh Model Soundings over Madison, WI from 2200 UTC 14 May-0100 UTC 15 May over Wisconsin

GOES Sounder DPI products are available here. YouTube videos of the convection, obtained from the cameras on the roof of SSEC, are available here (looking east) and here (looking north).

Posted in General interpretation, GOES sounder, GOES-13, McIDAS-V, Severe convection | No Comments »

Germann Road fire in northern Wisconsin

May 14th, 2013

GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel (top) and 3.9 µm shortwave IR channel (bottom) images (click to play animation)

McIDAS images of GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel and 3.9 µm shortwave IR channel data (above; click image to play animation) showed the large smoke plumes and fire “hot spots” (dark black pixels on the shortwave IR imagery) associated with the Germann Road Fire in northwestern Wisconsin and the Green Valley Fire in Minnesota on 14 May 2013. The Germann Road Fire burned 8495 acres, making it the largest wildfire in northern Wisconsin in 33 years. In Minnesota, the Green Valley fire burned 7100 acres.

Items of interest to note on the GOES-13 imagery: (1) the presence of a well-defined lake breeze (lighter gray color enhancement on the IR images) which extended quite a distance inland from the colder waters of Lake Superior (which still exhibited Sea Surface Temperature values in the middle to upper 30s F); (2) the change in wind direction from southwesterly to westerly/northwesterly as a frontal boundary moved eastward across the region; (3) the apparent “flare-up” of the Germann Road Fire as the frontal boundary arrived around 00:45 UTC — the size of the cluster of black “hot spot” pixels increased on the shortwave IR image, concurrent with the rapid growth of an area of pyrocumulus clouds; (4) the eastward motion of the thin lake ice that remained on Mille Lacs in Minnesota (the large lake just south of the Green Valley smoke plume).

2 days after the fire, the burn scar was apparent on an Aqua MODIS false-color Red/Green/Blue (RGB) image (below), viewed using the SSEC Web Map Server. Note the “right turn”on the northern end of the burn scar, caused by a change from southwesterly winds to strong westerly winds in the wake of a frontal passage (which altered the direction of the fire’s progress).