El Niño Visualizations -
NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center
These animations and images show a combined perspective
of the El Niño induced change in the sea surface topography as viewed
from space by the NASA TOPEX radar altimetry satellite and sea surface
temperature observed by NOAA's AVHRR sensor for the period from January
1997 to December 1997 . The three dimensional relief map shows a sea
level rise along the Equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean of up to 34
centimeters with the red colors indicating an associated change in sea
surface temperature of up to 5.4 degrees Celsius. Also shown is a
combined perspective of the the weakening of the Trade Winds across the
Pacific Ocean and the associated increase in sea surface temperature.
The convergence of the surface wind field into the anomalous warm water
regions indicates a continued strengthening of this El Niño event.