Haze Along the Himalaya

Credit: Jesse Allen; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Monday, 25 December 2006, 09:26 CST Download full size image

Haze continued to hug the southern side of the Himalaya in mid-December 2006. The MODIS flying onboard NASA's Aqua satellite took this picture on December 11. In this image, the dingy gray haze partially obscures the view of northern India. Over the Himalaya, opaque white clouds fill the sky.

Atmospheric pressure combined with geology often trap haze at the base of the Himalaya Mountains. India's rapid industrialization has clearly played a role in producing so much haze. According to a a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2006, the pollution dims incoming sunlight and reduces rainfall, both of which reduce India’s rice harvest.

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