- Original Caption Released with Image:
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Figure 1
This image was taken on June 26, 2007, UTC 20:00. In this image an obvious
storm hangs over the middle of the United States. Figure 1 shows CloudSat
data looking, in profile, at the cloud in this storm. The vertical axis
represents the altitude from the ground to the top of the atmosphere. The
variations of color intensity are differences in reflectivity and an
indication of the differing amounts of water and ice in the storm clouds.
The bright line at the bottom of the panel is the ground return from the
radar. This indicates that the radar penetrated to the ground most of the
time, even through heavy rainfall. Where the ground return disappears is
an indication that the radar was attenuated by heavy precipitation, likely
exceeding 30 mm/hr, based on previous studies. From one side to the other,
the bottom panel is approximately 800 km, and the vertical scale from top
to bottom is approximately 30 km. The CloudSat data provide analysts and
forecasters with a view of storms never before available. Cross-sections
like these provide a view of the internal structure of these storms,
giving information about the intensity, rainfall rates, and cloud
organization.
Quicklook Images can viewed at the CloudSat Data Processing Center.
- Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL/The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA),
Colorado State University
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