The varied terrain of the Canary Islands was clearly visible from space when NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead on June 9, 2009.

The islands consist of two provinces of Spain, which conquered the archipelago in the fifteenth century. Tourism is the primary industry in the principal islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, with up to 10 million visitors each year. Most arrive from Europe.

The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain, and has the distinction of being the third-largest volcano on Earth on a volcanic ocean island.

Mainly cloud-free skies prevailed over all of the seven principal islands when the image to the right was taken during the late-morning hours. But patches of coastal stratus could be seen hovering over the surrounding Atlantic waters.

The intricate swirls visible in the lower left of the image are phenomena known as von Karman vortices. They are formed when the rough terrain of the Canary Islands disrupts the prevailing wind flow that blows mainly toward the south and southwest of the archipelago. They are especially visible in the enlarged version of the image.

Eddies in the atmosphere are often formed by the wind coming in contact with the islands. They become visible after creating swirls in the stratus clouds. Von Karman vortices occur in many areas of the world and in a variety of terrain. They are most visible when they shape the clouds in which they stream through and around. They are a common occurrence in the motion of fluids (which the air acts as) and are also known as vortex streets.

The phenomenon was named after Theodore von Karman, who first described it. Dr. von Karman was a co-founder of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Image: NASA MODIS Rapid Response System