June 21, 2023 - Popcorn Clouds over the Amazon River Delta

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Bright white clouds hung over green forests and muddy-tan water poured
into the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of northeastern Brazil in
mid-June 2023. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of a
sunny day over the Amazon River Delta on June 19.

The widespread, fluffy clouds are low-altitude cumulus clouds, and
often are called by the nickname “popcorn clouds”, most likely because
they resemble popped kernels of popcorn scattered over the landscape.
They are common over forests at certain times of the year. They form
when warm, humid air rises from the forest and cools as it rises,
resulting in the development of the clouds. They don’t form over rivers
or oceans because those waters—and the air above them—are cooler, so
there is less moisture rising into the air.

The Amazon River travels a tremendous distance across South America,
picking up sediment along the way, including the foothills of the Andes
Mountains in Peru and Bolivia near its source. Hydrologists estimate
that erosion from the mountainous far western part of the river basin
contributes about 85 to 90 percent of all the sediment that reaches the
Atlantic Ocean.

By the time it reaches the Amazon Delta, the muddy waters are loaded
with nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) and organic matter.
These nutrients help to nourish a rich marine ecosystem. The estuary
region at the Delta is known for its many freshwater and marine catfish
and croakers. Many of the commercial fisheries in the estuary target
piramutaba and marine shrimp.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/18/2023
Resolutions: 1km (133.8 KB), 500m (414.8 KB), 250m (3.7 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-06-21

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