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Burn Scars in Alaska
Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS
team; NASA
Warm weather and sunshine are returning to Alaska,
and the snow is
quickly disappearing for the summer.
Signs of growth can be seen in Alaska’s
interior, which is beginning
to bloom with the receding snows and increasing
temperatures.
Despite a generous amount of snow this winter, the region is in a
mild hydrological
drought. This false-color image shows numerous large red burn
scars
from previous fires, the brightest of which probably happened last year.
As the burn scars age, they fade in color until they are indistinguishable from
the surrounding vegetation. The region’s remaining snow and ice are light
blue.
As the water thaws, it darkens to an inky black. Alaska’s numerous
lakes
and rivers appear to be gradually changing from
the solid light blue to the dark
blue of liquid water.
The Aqua MODIS instrument captured this image on May 4,
2004.
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