Darvaza Gas Crater seen by VIIRS Nightfire

By Chris Elvidge

The Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan, also known as the “Gates of Hell,” is seen by VIIRS Nightfire. The nightly temporal profile shows a gradual decline in the activity levels and an indication of annual cycling. The temperature has been steady near 1224 K. That is about 400 K cooler than the typical gas flare, perhaps an indication of inefficient combustion.