![]() ![]() “Along the Altiplano, but especially in its southwestern edge, precipitation is largely concentrated in austral summer, when transient periods of intense convection are fueled by moisture from the Bolivian lowlands and Amazon basin. Note the discoloration of the water and the salt flat, which could be due to a combination of runoff, volcanic sediments, and microbes or algae thriving in the water. The natural-color images above were acquired on January 31, 2022, by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. The images were composed from a combination of visible light, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared (MODIS bands 7-2-1) to better distinguish standing water (blue and dark blue) from clouds (white) and the salt flats (shades of teal). ![]() ![]() Each satellite used its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The false-color images above were acquired by NASA’s Aqua satellite on August 22, 2021, and NASA’s Terra satellite on February 19, 2022. Strong La Niñas during the rainy season are related to positive rainfall anomalies in the southern Altiplano.” ![]() “This was probably related to the onset of a significant La Niña event. The rainy season started earlier than previous years, and rainfall was well above average over the southern Altiplano,” said hydrologist Jorge Molina Carpio of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. “The extent of the filling of Salar de Uyuni this year is above normal. In fact, local newspapers reported flooding in some areas and temporary prohibitions on travel across the salar during the busy tourist season. In early 2022, that watery mirror grew larger and lingered longer than it has in several years.Ībundant rainfall around the Altiplano in November, December, and early January had the Salar de Uyuni brimming with water nearly to its edges. During the rainy season, water can fill part of the salt flat and give it a stunning, mirror-like appearance. For much of the year, it stretches out in a seemingly endless expanse of white, with a salt crust covering 10,000 square kilometers (4,000 square miles). Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat (or playa) in the world. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |