Australian Dust over the Pacific Ocean

Strong westerly winds roaring across Australia’s desert interior were able to suspend dust particles for hundreds of miles before reaching the South Pacific Ocean. This image, taken by NASA’s Terra satellite on September 12, 2009, reveals the wedge of dust as it parts from the continent. Nearly weightless in nature, the wispy layer of dust is visible by its tan hue floating above the underlying stratus cloud deck.

The dust is thought to have originated from the dry Lake Eyre basin, covering nearly one sixth of the continent. The lake fills during exceptionally wet rainy seasons (December-February) but remains dry during other months. As water evaporates from the lake, it leaves a fine layer of sediment that is easily lifted by wind. Sediment from dry lakebeds is a significant source of airborne dust worldwide.