Dust Storm off the Western Sahara Coast

Thick tan streamers of dust blow out from the Western Sahara over the Atlantic Ocean in this true-color Aqua MODIS image from New Year's Day 2005. The Saharan Desert dust stretches for a few hundred kilometers off the coast, while underneath the veil blue-green sediment creates a halo along the shore. At the bottom edge of the dust storm, a phenomenon similar to atmospheric gravity waves creates ripples pointing toward land.

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Jacques Descloitres

Published January 5, 2005
Data acquired January 1, 2005

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Aqua > MODIS

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