View of Gulf Oil Spill Over Time

Two NASA satellites are capturing images of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which began April 20, 2010, with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. This series of images reveals a space-based view of the burning oil rig and the ensuing oil spill, through May 24.

The imagery comes from the MODIS instruments aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. The oil slick appears grayish-beige in these images. The shape of the spill changes due to weather conditions, currents and the use of oil-dispersing chemicals.

Tropical Cyclone Near Hong Kong

May 27 at 1:35 a.m. EDT shows System 93W as a comma-like area of showers and thunderstorms. There are two areas of strong thunderstorms with very high, cold cloud tops (purple) east of the center of circulation.

The low pressure area is located near 20.4 North and 115.3 East, about 130 nautical miles southeast of Hong Kong. NASA's Aqua satellite flew over System 93W and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument onboard captured an infrared image of it on May 27 at 1:35 a.m. EDT (05:35 UTC). The AIRS image showed System 93W as a comma-like area of showers and thunderstorms. AIRS infrared imagery indicated there were two areas of strong thunderstorms with very high, cold cloud tops east of the center of circulation.

Eastern Pacific for Tropical Development

On May 27 at 1:35 a.m. EDT (05:35 UTC) AIRS imagery showed System 90E developing the trademark tropical cyclone approximately 205 nautical miles south of Salina Cruz, Mexico near 12.8 North and 94.5 West.

AIRS infrared imagery indicated there were four areas of strong thunderstorms with very high, cold cloud tops around the center of circulation. Infrared satellite imagery indicates a slowly consolidating, broad low-level circulation center.

Keep Watch on Gulf Current Near Spill

Scientists and agencies monitoring the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are keeping a wary eye on changes in the nearby Loop Current, a warm ocean current that is part of the Gulf Stream. Beginning as a large flow of warm water from the Caribbean, the Loop Current heads up into the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico and then turns south before finally moving out through the Straits of Florida and northward into the Gulf Stream. Deep and fast moving, the Loop Current often breaks off and forms strong, clockwise rotating eddies called anticyclones that travel westward into the Gulf. The currents along the outer edges of the Loop Current, as well as these eddies, have been clocked at speeds as high as three to four knots (three to five miles per hour), comparable to the fastest ocean currents ever observed.

Because the Loop Current and its eddies are warmer, and thus higher in surface elevation, than the surrounding waters, they are easily spotted by satellite altimeters, such as those aboard the NASA/French Space Agency Jason 1 and Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 satellites. Scientists use the latest satellite measurements of sea-surface height from these and other satellite altimeters to create maps showing the location, direction and speed of currents in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Laila Northern Indian Ocean

The waning Laila over southeastern India on May 21 at 3:53 a.m. EDT. The purple indicates remaining strong thunderstorms.

This 3-D image of Cyclone Laila was made using data from TRMM's Precipitation Radar. It shows that the powerful thunderstorms northwest of tropical cyclone Laila shot up to heights above 17.5 kilometers (~57,415 feet/10.8 miles).

Tropical Storm 02A

Tropical Storm 02A on May 19 at 21:59 UTC (5:59 p.m. EDT) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder known as the AIRS instrument captured an infrared image of the storm. The infrared image showed 02A has some stronger thunderstorms around its center. Additionally, the image showed warm waters of more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (threshold for maintaining tropical cyclones) in the Gulf of Aden and western Arabian Sea. The imagery also showed much warmer land temperatures in Yemen to the storm's north.

Second Tropical Storm Form Near the Horn of Africa

Tropical Storm 2A at 09:41 UTC (5:41 a.m. EDT) just as the storm was strengthening to tropical storm status. The visible image clearly shows higher thunderstorms around the center.

The Northern Indian Ocean cyclone season is off to a roaring start, as the second tropical storm formed within a day of the first one. NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Tropical Storm 02A today, May 19 and captured infrared, microwave and visible images of the storm.

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on May 19, Tropical Storm 02A had maximum sustained winds near 39 mph, with higher gusts. It was located in the Arabian Sea (part of the Northern Indian Ocean) about 135 miles east-southeast of Cape Guardafui, Somalia. That's near 11.3 North and 53.5 East. It was moving west-northwest near 6 mph (5 knots).

Tropical Cyclone 1B (Northern Indian Ocean)

The first tropical storm of the Northern Indian Ocean cyclone season has formed and NASA's Aqua satellite captured its birth. Tropical Storm 1B formed in the early morning hours as the convection around the low level circulation center increased since May 17.

NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of 1B from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) at 7:25 UTC (12:25 p.m. Asia/Kolkata time) today, May 18, where if formed off of India's east coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Eyjafjallajokull’s Ash Plume Mixing with Weather System

Today, May 13, the brown ash plume is mixing with the clouds associated with that system. Imagery from NASA's Terra satellite's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument taken at 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. EDT) on May 13, shows the ash plume is no longer forcefully streaming to the south-southeast.

Volcanic Plume Meets and Occluded Weather

A visible image on Wednesday, May 12 at 13:10 UTC (9:10 a.m. EDT) from NASA's Aqua satellite's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument captured the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano's ash plume (brown).

Ash Plume of Icelandic Volcano

Eyjafjallajokull Volcano's Ash Plume Streaming

The image was captured on May 11 at 12:15 UTC (8:15 a.m. EDT), and shows a dark brown ash plume streaming south from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano and over the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Gulf Oil Slick Appears as Dull Gray

The oil slick appears as a dull gray color in the shape of a letter “U,” and is located southeast of the Mississippi Delta.

the growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

The growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on May 7, 2010. On April 20, an explosion destroyed the Deepwater Horizon oil platform operating in the Gulf 80 kilometers (50 miles) offshore, resulting in substantial loss of life and releasing 5,000 barrels of oil per day into the water.

Sky on the Gulf Oil Spill

The tail end of the Mississippi Delta showing the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico on May 4, 2010. Part of the river delta and nearby Louisiana coast appear dark in the sunglint. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight reflecting off the water surface, in a mirror-like manner, directly back towards the astronaut observer onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Keeping Eye on the Gulf Oil Spill

The oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, May 4, at 18:50 UTC, or 2:50 p.m. EDT. The Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS, instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured this visible-light image. The bulk of the spill appears as a dull gray area southeast of the Mississippi Delta.