NASA’s Terra spacecraft is now providing daily views of firesaround the world. With the high resolution and sensitivity of theModerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and theinstrument’s regular global coverage, Terra is providingan improved fire-detection capability over previousspace-based sensors.
The global 5km daily MODIS fire browse product shows active fires(red dots) superimposed on the MODIS surface reflectance browse product.The global image, taken on August 23, 2000, showsfires in South America, southern Africa, and Australia. These regionsexperienced an above average burning season in 2000.
Terra scientists plan to contribute the new MODIS global fire product tothe Global Observation of Forest Cover (GOFC) Project, an internationalinitiative to improve the provision and use of satellite and insitu data for forest monitoring both for global change research andnatural resource management. Fire information from MODIS willcomplement data from other sources.
MODIS is also capable of much higher-resolution imaging of fires, asseen in this image offires in northern Australia taken on October 2, 2000.The red boxes indicate location of active fires superimposedover a MODIS image that shows smoke plumes from these fires.
References & Resources
Image courtesy the MODIS Land Team.
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