January 3, 2023 - Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand
Southern Alps
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On December 26, 2022, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of
an early summer day in New Zealand.
Stretching hundreds of miles across New Zealand’s South Island, the
Southern Alps form a spine of white that contrasts with the surrounding
green and brown landscape. The highest peak in the mountain range,
known as Aoraki Mount Cook, rises approximately 3,750 meters (12,300
feet) above sea level and appears as the brightest and largest area of
snow atop the Southern Alps.
The elevation of the range creates a rain-shadow effect east of the
mountain range. The mountains and their foothills on the west side,
which is also nearest the coastline, experience frequent rain and
snowfall year-round, while the downwind (east side) of these peaks have
a more arid climate and many cloud-free days. This difference is
apparent in this image, with the coastal area (actually the west side
of the island) covered with green vegetation while the opposite side is
colored in tans.
South Island is also marked by the Alpine Fault, the major surface
expression of the boundary between the Indo-Australian and the Pacific
tectonic plates. The central section of the fault runs the length of
South Island. As the plates progressively converge, the Southern Alps
should continue to rise skyward over time.
Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 12/26/2022
Resolutions: 1km (247.1 KB), 500m (662.7 KB), 250m (492.6
KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-01-03
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