File:Atmospheric Gravity Waves Imagery (SVS14445 - 14445 AGW ArabianSea).jpg

English: On May 23, 2005, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of a large-scale, overlapping wave pattern in the sunglint region of an image of the Arabian Sea. The wave pattern seen in the image is not from large ocean waves, however. The pattern is the “impression” of atmospheric gravity waves on the surface of the ocean.As the name implies, atmospheric gravity waves form when buoyancy pushes air up, and gravity pulls it back down. On its descent into the low-point of the wave (the trough), the air touches the surface of the ocean, roughening the water. The long, vertical dark lines show where the troughs of gravity waves have roughened the surface. The brighter regions show the crests of the atmospheric waves. Beneath the crests, the water is calm and reflects light directly back toward MODIS.Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC