Greening in the Northern Hemisphere
September 10, 2001
This view of the top of the world shows enhanced plant growth over the last 20 years, from the North Pole, stretching southward to the 30 degree N latitude line (dark circle). The color key represents changes in vegetation lushness or greening over the past 20 years. Yellow denotes a low increase in vegetation lushness, and purple indicates the highest increase in lushness. Researchers from Goddard Space Flight Center, the Goddard Institute of Space Science and Boston University have discovered that during the past 2 decades the growing season, northward of 40 N latitude, has increased by several days in both Eurasia and North America. This has been attributed to rising temperatures as a result of more greenhouse gases being added to the atmosphere.