Explore Our Planet

The Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) integrates remote sensing and GIS technologies to deliver MODIS active fire locations to natural resource managers and other stakeholders around the World in near real time. With a resolution of 1 square kilometers the service detects fires or thermal anomalies (volcanoes, …).

Fire detection is performed using a contextual algorithm that exploits the strong emission of mid-infrared radiation from fires. Under ideal conditions the smallest flaming fire that can be routinely detected is approximately 50 m

Last weekend Sweden was hit by a strong storm with wind speeds of more than 100kph. Falling trees killed at least five people and hundreds of thousands were left without power. An estimated amount of that 12 million cubic metres of forest was felled.

The bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark was temporarily shut to all traffic, while nearly all train departures in southern Sweden and parts of Norway were canceled. The Swedish weather service SMHI said the storm was the worst to hit the country in two years.

Germany’s famous North Sea island and symbol Sylt lost 700,00 m3 sand used to protect the coast. Climate scientists warn more and more efforts are needed to save island from rising sea levels and Climate Change.

Tomorrow depression Kyrill is expected to arrive in Germany with hurricane strength. German weather service DWD warns gusts will have up to 150kph and whole country should prepare for heavy rain and Beaufort 11-12.

zdf.de: Orkan “Kyrill” kommt nach Deutschland

Picture credit: Naval Research Laboratory

Last december and this January appears unusually mild to many people of the northern hemisphere. There are not only reports of higher temperatures, trees and flowers started to bloom in winter, ice bears dropped hibernation and migratory birds decided to stay home in their summer habitat.

NASA’s Earth Observatory used data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite and compared December surface temperature with average December temperatures from 2000-2005. Picture above shows hotter regions in red, some places have been up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than in the recent past.

Nature prepares for Global Warming, when do mankind adapt?

Picture credit: Jesse Allen, based on data from Zhengming Wan, MODIS Land Surface Temperature Group, Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara.

The Cape Verde islands are in the mid-Atlantic, roughly off the coast of Mauritania and Senegal. Though 300miles away from continent Karman vortices are build and visible in this picture captured by Daily Terra, 2006-01-02.

Today tropical cyclone Clovis struck Madagascar. Clovis brought 1-minute maximum sustained winds to the region of around 120 km/h. Wind gusts in the area have been considerably higher. Captured by Daily Terra, 2007-01-02.

Ice shelves are much thicker than sea based ice like the Arctic ice shield. The thickness of modern-day ice shelves ranges from about 100 to 1000 meters. They consist of former land based ice up to thousands years old floating on the oceans now but still connected to continents.

When shelves melt they do not contribute to sea level rising. On the other hand they held back land ice and control the pouring rate. Land ice going off the continent causes rising sea level.

Most ice shelves are found in Antarctic, the biggest the Ross Ice Shelf is as big as France or in Greenland. Canadian ice shelves are attached to Ellesmere Island. (more…)

More than 40,000 travellers are affected by heavy fog descended on the capital. BA cancelling a further 174 flights today.

The Met Office says the current radiation fog, caused by a clear skies in recent days followed by a large high pressure front and very light wind, could remain in place for a further four days. Currently Heathrow reports -1°C, 100% humidity and no wind.

As an impressive part the forest gallery presents photos of the biggest 18 forests on Earth from leading photograpers.

Moreover the documentation explains the importance of forests and trees for humans and biodiversity.

Take some time, enjoy the ambient background music and explore worlds most important plants and their habitat.

via: Ehrensenf.de

About 1800 firefighters are battling fifty bushfires ignited by lightning in the Alpine National Park north of Licola and Dargo. The resort is discouraging tourists and others from making non-essential trips up the mountain. Seen by Daily Terra, 2006-12-06

WMO reports cancelled sports events in Austria, Czech Republic, France, Slovakia and Switzerland caused by warm weather in these countries. With temperatures above 10°C and heavy rain even artificial snow is not an option.

Picture above shows the Alps last and this (right) year by December 1st.

Yahoo! News: 2006-07 World Cup Ski Schedule

Die Zeit: Der Schneekanonier, der Pistenraupenfahrer, der Lawinensprenger