3D Water Vapor shows an Atmospheric River
- Visualizations by:
- Cindy Starr
- View full credits
In this visualization the swaths of 3D water vapor are revealed as the NOAA-20 satellite circumnavigates the globe. Water vapor is shown as clouds of white particles with higher density (more opaque) where the water vapor is denser and lower density (more transparent) in regions of less water vapor.
Beneath the water vapor the total precipitable water (TPW) is shown as a color on the surface of the globe with low values in blues and high values shown in red. TPW is the sum of all forms of water (ice, snow, rain, water vapor) through the column at all altitudes in the atmosphere.
Toward the end of this visualization, about 12-hour time steps are shown in sequence to reveal the structure of the atmospheric river that formed in the Pacific ocean and approached the west coast of the United States in January 2021. Here the low values of the TPW have been faded out in order to more clearly see the water vapor of the atmospheric river as it progresses down the coastline.
A total of 21,600 data files are combined in order to portray the water vapor and the TPW over a four day time period. The topography is exaggerated by 20 times at the beginning of the animation and is reduced to 12 times as the view moves closer to the west coast of the US. The water vapor is exaggerated by 100 time at the start of the visualization and is reduced to 66 times for the closer views.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Visualizers
- Cindy Starr (GST) [Lead]
- Alex Kekesi (GST)
- Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)
- Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC)
- Kel Elkins (USRA)
Writer
- Jenny Marder Fadoul (Telophase)
Scientists
- Christopher Grassotti (NOAA)
- Edward Kim (NASA/GSFC)
- Matthew Sammons (SGT)
Producers
- Ashley Hume (ASRC Federal System Solutions)
- Jefferson Beck (KBRwyle)
- Peter H. Jacobs (NASA/GSFC)
Technical support
- Ian Jones (ADNET)
- Laurence Schuler (ADNET)
Data provider
- Jorel Torres (Intern)
Datasets used in this visualization
NOAA-20 MiRS Imaging Products (A.K.A. MiRS Imaging Products) (Collected with the ATMS sensor)
NOAA-20 MiRS Microwave Sounding Products (A.K.A. MiRS Microwave Sounding Products) (Collected with the ATMS sensor)
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
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