A remarkable trio of images of smoke from the fires in Idaho and Montana from 3 satellite instruments: GOES-8, SeaWiFS, and TOMS. The GOES-8 image, from NOAA's Operational Significant Event Imagery web site, was taken at 23:45 UT (7:45 PM EDT) on August 7, 2000. The TOMS and SeaWiFS images were taken near the middle of the day on August 8, 2000. Note that, since the GOES image was taken obliquely (looking north and west), GOES is looking a little sideways at the plume and the plume seems further north than in the images from SeaWiFS and TOMS, which look straight down. Also, the time difference has some effect.

SeaWiFS (from their website)

TOMS

GOES-8

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Another comparison, this one between a SeaWiFS and TOMS image
for August 7, 2000

SeaWiFS (from their website)

TOMS (with the AI scale blown up)

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Dust and smoke over the Mediterranean Sea

The SeaWiFS web site posted a spectacular image of the Mediterranean Sea on August 25th showing smoke from fires on the Algerian coast as well as lots of dust. TOMS therefore saw not just dust but a combination of smoke and dust over the Mediterranean during this time. Most of the aerosol, however, is dust.

Here's a comparison of images for 25-August-2000

SeaWiFS

TOMS

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^*The surface background image used here is NOT part of the TOMS aerosol index retrieval.

Our thanks to the Goddard Science Visualization Studio (SVS) for developing the Display Imaging Software for the TOMS Aerosol Product.

Back to the TOMS Global Aerosol Hot Spots Page.