Rainforest: Mission: Biomes - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBThe tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long. It is known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers. The top layer or canopy contains giant trees that grow to heights of 75 m (about 250 ft) or more. This layer of vegetation prevents much of the sunlight from reaching the ground.
NASA Earth Observatory - Home
WEBEarth at Night. Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness. Published Apr 12, 2017. Atmosphere Land Human Presence.
Tundra: Mission: Biomes - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBDescription. The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America, to Europe, and Siberia in Asia. Much of Alaska and about half of Canada are in the tundra biome.
Grassland: Mission: Biomes - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBGrasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Grasses vary in size from 2.1 m (7 ft) tall with roots extending down into the soil 1.8 m (6 ft), to the short grasses growing to a height of only 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 ...
Temperate Deciduous Forest: Mission: Biomes - NASA Earth …
WEBThe deciduous forest regions are exposed to warm and cold air masses, which cause this area to have four seasons. The temperature varies widely from season to season with cold winters and hot, wet summers. The average yearly temperature is about 10°C. The areas in which deciduous forests are located get about 750 to 1,500 mm of precipitation ...
A New Look at Earth’s Lightning - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBJan 10, 2022 · A New Look at Earth’s Lightning. Since the dawn of humanity, lightning has been a source of both curiosity and awe. Though dozens of flashes are crackling at any moment somewhere on Earth, these brief electrical discharges—typically lasting less 30 microseconds —remain unusually challenging to study. However, satellites have done much to ...
Temperature and Precipitation Graphs - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBclimate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover ...
Catalog of Earth Satellite Orbits - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBTwo medium Earth orbits are notable: the semi-synchronous orbit and the Molniya orbit. The semi-synchronous orbit is a near-circular orbit (low eccentricity) 26,560 kilometers from the center of the Earth (about 20,200 kilometers above the surface). A satellite at this height takes 12 hours to complete an orbit.
Desert: Mission: Biomes - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBDesert biomes are the driest of all the biomes. In fact, the most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little rainfall. Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared to rainforests, which receive over 2,000 mm. That means that the desert only gets 10 percent of the rain that a rainforest gets!
The Carbon Cycle - NASA Earth Observatory
WEBThe Slow Carbon Cycle. Through a series of chemical reactions and tectonic activity, carbon takes between 100-200 million years to move between rocks, soil, ocean, and atmosphere in the slow carbon cycle. On average, 10 13 to 10 14 grams (10–100 million metric tons) of carbon move through the slow carbon cycle every year.