Agricultural biomass burning in southeastern Asia provides quite a show for the Suomi NPP satellite during its pass over the area. Fires set to clear fields for spring planting in the area are seen as red dots in this image. Each dot represents an area which has a higher temperature than the surrounding area and is usually indicative of fire. This is usual practice in this area of the world in order to get the fields ready for new crops by returning nutrients to the soil and clearing the ground of unwanted plants. The Suomi NPP satellite’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument captured a look at the multiple fires and smoke on February 28, 2017.
The Suomi NPP satellite is a joint mission between NASA, NOAA and the U.S. Department of Defense.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner