Gravity Waves and Sunglint, Lake Superior
Gravity waves and sunglint on northeastern Lake Superior, as observed by the ISS astronauts. At the top of the image, the Canadian Shield of southern Ontario is covered by an extensive forest canopy typical of early summer. Offshore and to the west and southwest of Pukaskwa National Park, distinct sets of parallel cloud bands are visible. Gravity waves are produced when moisture-laden air encounters imbalances in air density, such as might be expected when cool air flows over warmer air. This can cause the flowing air to oscillate up and down as it moves, causing clouds to condense as the air rises and cools and to evaporate away as the air sinks and warms. The orientation of the cloud bands in this image, parallel to the coastlines, suggests that air flowing off of the land surfaces to the north is interacting with moist, stable air over the lake surface, creating gravity waves. The second phenomenon sunglint affects the water surface around and to the northeast of Isle Royale. Sunglint is caused by light reflection off a water surface; some of the reflected light travels directly back towards the observer, resulting in a bright mirror-like appearance over large expanses of water.
Size: 3924px × 2616px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: aerial, america, atmospheric, bands, canada, canadian, cloud, clouds, earth, geography, gravity, great, image, isle, lake, lakes, map, national, north, ontario, parallel, park, phenomena, pukaskwa, royale, satellite, shield, space, sunglint, superior, surface, view, water, waves
