EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Factors Determining Snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains

November 11, 2022

TomMC_EPOD.ColoradoRockiesSnowpack (004)

TomMC_EPOD.60.ColoradoRiverConditionsJuly2022 (003)

Photographer: Thomas McGuire

Summary Author: Thomas McGuire

Some 40 million people in the Southwestern United States depend, in a
large part, on the Colorado River for agricultural and municipal
water. About 90% of Colorado River water originates from melting
snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains, such as shown on the photo above at
Independence Pass, Colorado (taken in July 1977).

2021-2022 was a relatively decent year for snowfall in the Rockies, yet
both major reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are at
dangerous and historic low water levels. And they’re expected to
continue to go down in the coming year.

With warming of the climate in the Southwest, the tree line has
been creeping up mountain slopes. Trees lose water by transpiration
from leaves and needles. Snow surfaces lose water by the process known
as sublimation. Because trees absorb more sunlight than highly
reflective snow, an early snowmelt exposes the dark soil, which absorbs
more solar energy. Additionally, dust blown from the dry soil onto
the snow makes the snow surface darker, absorbing even more sunlight
and further contributing to earlier snowmelt -- see chart above. This
confluence of factors is a challenge for the inhabitants of the
Southwest. Fortunately, there are many alternatives allowing the
residents to adapt to the “new normal.”


Independence Pass, Colorado Coordinates: 39.1086, -106.5640


Related EPODs

Factors Determining Snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains Storm
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Preparing for Winter in Northern Illinois Archive - South
Atlantic Hurricane

Climatology Links

* Aerosols: Tiny Particles, Big Impact
* JetStream - An Online School for Weather
* Climate History
* National Centers for Environmental Information
* Global Climate Animations
* NOAA Climate Analysis Branch
* Vital Climate Graphics

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 36 weeks, 6 days, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Twinned Rainbow

December 13, 2022


Doblearcojpg

Photographer: Facundo Jauri
Summary Author: Facundo Jauri

The rainbow panorama above, composed of 4 photos, was captured over
Quilmes, Buenos Aires. It was taken looking east at 17:29 (local time)
on September 22, 2022. Notice how this bow appears to split along the
highest portion of the arch, creating a different rainbow but with the
same color pattern as the primary rainbow, unlike a normal double
rainbow where the secondary outer bow has a reverse color pattern
than the primary bow. This is known as a twinned rainbow. It's not
known for certain just how these bows form, but model simulations
suggest that rain showers having slightly different shaped and sized
raindrops (spherical and oblate, for instance) could explain their
formation.

Photo details: Canon 6D camera; Canon lens 50 mm; f/8; 1/4000 exposure;
ISO 800; stitched and processed in Photoshop.


Quilmes, Buenos Aires Coordinates: -34.72441, -58.26049


Related EPODs

Twinned Rainbow Double Cloud Shadow off the Coast of Croatia
Dust Devils on a Dry Lakebed Moondog and Etna Lava Flow Two
Types of Bewildering Sunset Mirages Meteors from Fragments of Chang
Zheng 2F Rocket Launch
More...

Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Optic Picture of Day: Gruppo Astrofili Galileo Galilei
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 41 weeks, 1 day, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)