Thundercloud over the Pacific Ocean,seen from the International Space Station (ISS). The anvil-shape of the thundercloud is at upper left,towering up from the surrounding clouds. Its top has flattened beneath the tropopause,a natural temperature inversion at a height of around 15 kilometres. A thundercloud forms when warm moist air (as found over tropical oceans) is pushed up by a mass of cold air. The rapid growth sees updrafts of over 150 kilometres an hour. The Sun (top centre) throws long cloud shadows across this seascape. Earth's curved limb is seen here,from the ISS's orbital altitude of around 380 kilometres. Photographed on 21 July 2003 | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / NASA |
Taille de l’image : | 3032 px × 1995 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |