Dust Plumes over Algeria and Niger

Dust Plumes over Algeria and Niger

Plumes of dust blew through Algeria and Niger on July 31, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) flying on NASA’s Terra satellite took this picture the same day. In the northern- and easternmost portions of this image, buff-colored blurs of dust hide the landscape below. Where dust is absent, the ground appears in shades of tan and brown, with sharp ridges appearing in places. Where it hovers over the land, the dust plume presents a uniform color. Bright white clouds float above the plumes of dust.

NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images of this region.