Skip to main content
Home

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Main Menu

  • EROS Home
  • Image Gallery
  • Video Library
  • Earthshots
  • Remote Sensing Classroom

Earthshots

  • Earthshots
    • Selkirk Island, Chile
      • More Selkirk Cloudscapes
      • Rare Clear Views
      • A Note on the Images
      • Reflectivity of Water
      • Other Vortices
  • Download Cards
  • More Information
  • Contact Information
Earthshots Logo

Other Vortices A Selkirk Island, Chile story

Coasts  / 
Water
  1. Earthshots
  2. Selkirk Island, Chile
  3. Other Vortices
Description

Selkirk Island is not the only place where Landsat has seen vortex streets. Other places where this phenomenon is common are nearby Robinson Crusoe Island; the Kuril Islands, Russia; Guadalupe Island, off the western coast of Mexico; and the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The reason for the cloud patterns is the same: tall, steep-sided islands that affect the motion of passing clouds. That first image over Selkirk Island in September 1999, however, is still the clearest vortex street Landsat has recorded.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

Jan. 12, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 5/83) — Robinson Crusoe Island

Jan. 12, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 5/83) — Robinson Crusoe Island

Aug. 12, 2002, Landsat 5 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Aug. 12, 2002, Landsat 5 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Jan. 20, 2015, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Jan. 20, 2015, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

July 1, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

July 1, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Aug. 18, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Aug. 18, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Sep. 3, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

Sep. 3, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island

June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands close up

June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands close up

July 28, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

July 28, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

Nov. 15, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

Nov. 15, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands

July 4, 2002, Landsat 7 (path/row 79/24) — Aleutian Islands

July 4, 2002, Landsat 7 (path/row 79/24) — Aleutian Islands

May 4, 2005, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

May 4, 2005, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

Sept. 5, 2001, Landsat 7 (path/row 102/28) — Kuril Islands

Sept. 5, 2001, Landsat 7 (path/row 102/28) — Kuril Islands

May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands close up

May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands close up

Apr. 19, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

Apr. 19, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

Jan. 12, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 5/83) — Robinson Crusoe Island
Aug. 12, 2002, Landsat 5 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island
Jan. 20, 2015, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island
July 1, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island
Aug. 18, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island
Sep. 3, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 40/40) — Guadalupe Island
June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands
June 4, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands close up
July 28, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands
Nov. 15, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 85/24) — Aleutian Islands
July 4, 2002, Landsat 7 (path/row 79/24) — Aleutian Islands
May 4, 2005, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands
Sept. 5, 2001, Landsat 7 (path/row 102/28) — Kuril Islands
May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands
May 6, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands close up
Apr. 19, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 101/26) — Kuril Islands

Selkirk Island, Chile Additional Imagery & Stories

A Note on the Images
A Note on the Images

The Landsat images that are shown on Earthshots are combinations of three different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Typically, the images...

Read More
More Selkirk Cloudscapes
More Selkirk Cloudscapes

Since its launch in 1999, Landsat 7 has not again seen such nice vortices over Selkirk Island. A single vortex formed on March 25, 2000, from a simila...

Read More
Rare Clear Views
Rare Clear Views

April 19, 2009, could have been a rare clear view of the island, but some of the data are missing because of Landsat 7’s Scan Line Corrector (SLC) mal...

Read More
Reflectivity of Water
Reflectivity of Water

Have you noticed that in these images, clouds look white but the ocean looks black? Both are made of the same substance, water—why would they appear a...

Read More
  • DOI Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
  • Contact USGS

  • U.S. Department of the Interior
  • DOI Inspector General
  • White House
  • E-gov
  • No Fear Act
  • FOIA