Like dancers pirouetting in opposite directions, the
rotational patterns of two different tropical storms
are contrasted in this pair of MISR nadir-camera images.
The left-hand image is of Tropical Storm Bud, acquired on
June 17, 2000 (Terra orbit 2656) as the storm was dissipating.
Bud was situated in the eastern Pacific Ocean between Socorro
Island and the southern tip of Baja California. South of the
storm's center is a vortex pattern caused by obstruction
of the prevailing flow by tiny Socorro Island. Sonora, Mexico
and Baja California are visible at the top of the image.
The right-hand image is of Tropical Cyclone Dera, acquired on
March 12, 2001 (Terra orbit 6552). Dera was located in the
Indian Ocean, south of Madagascar. The southern end of this large
island is visible in the top portion of this image.
Northern hemisphere tropical storms, like Bud, rotate in a
counterclockwise direction, whereas those in the southern
hemisphere, such as Dera, rotate clockwise. The opposite spins
are a consequence of Earth's rotation.
Each image covers a swath approximately 380 kilometers wide.
Image credit: NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team.
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