Here is another fine visualization from Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio. In particular I like the tidbit that even humans emit microwave radiation. That leads to the question: How many humans would it take to pop a bag of popcorn?
Everything on Earth’s surface – including humans – emits microwave radiation, though the properties vary with the emitter. The AMSR-E microwave sensor on Aqua relies on those emissions to map the planet. Ice emits more microwave radiation than water, so ice-covered waters appear much brighter than the open ocean to the AMSR-E sensor (see top image). This difference allows the satellite to capture a year-round sea ice record, despite cloud cover and months of polar night.
Visualization created by Cindy Starr and Trent Schindler, Goddard Scientific Visualization Studio. MODIS imagery by Jesse Allen, working with data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Kathryn Hansen, NASA Earth Science News Team, and Mike Carlowicz, Earth Observatory.
