ISS astronaut captures 'Wall of haze' above Pakistan
The image showing thick wall of clouds and haze crashing to the peaks of Sulaiman Mountains in Pakistan. The phenomenon is called terrain-forced flow. PHOTO: NASA Earth Observatory/ISS program
Clouds and haze crash into high-elevation ridges in this oblique fascinating photograph, taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station.
Though the stunning image was captured in December, 2023, but it was posted on Nasa’s earth observatory website as Image of the Day, on April 28, 2024 and now echoes on many websites for instance livescience.com.
The image showing thick haze and clouds crash into high elevation ridges was a fascinating event observed near the Dhana Sar, area where a gorge cuts through the famous Koh e Sulaiman or Sulaiman Mountain Range.
The geological marvel, Sulaiman Mountains serve as a natural divide between the western plateaus and the Indus River Valley to the east, with winds from the Indian Ocean and the Indus floodplain carrying moisture and particulates inland. This interaction results in a mix of haze, mist, and clouds forming on the windward side of the mountain range.
Unable to cross the high elevations, the haze and clouds are funneled around the mountains, with a narrow stream of vapor visible through gaps near Dhana Sar, where a gorge cuts through the range.
Astronaut photography offers a unique perspective of Earth's landscapes, as seen in this image that uses an oblique angle to emphasize the rugged terrain of the Sulaiman Mountains, accentuated by the shadows cast by its topography.
According to the Nasa website:
“Astronaut photograph ISS070-E-42565 was acquired on December 17, 2023, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 460 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 70 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed."
The Sulaiman Mountains, rising approximately 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level, act as a formidable natural barrier. To the west lie elevated plateaus, while the Indus River Valley stretches to the east, where moisture from the Indian Ocean often gathers, forming a blend of haze, mist, and clouds. According to NASA's Earth Observatory, these water vapors are unable to surmount the mountain peaks and are instead diverted around them through a process known as terrain-forced flow.