15 July 1998 -- GOES-9 3.9 Micron Shortwave IR
Ship Condensation Trails Off the California Coast

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This loop of GOES-9 3.9 micron shortwave IR imagery shows ship condensation trails ("ship tracks") off the California coast on 15 July 1998. The ship tracks are more reflective to solar radiation at the 3.9um wavelength, and appear warmer (darker) than the surrounding clouds; these features were being distorted as they were carried southward by northerly winds within the marine boundary layer. This shortave IR imagery also reveals some ship tracks within the southernmost stratocumulus cloud deck, which were not apparent in the visible imagery.

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