ISS006 Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

TOP PICKS

Click here to view the complete online collection of astronaut photography of Earth >>

ISS006-E-40458

ISS006-E-40458         Click the photo number to access all resolutions available and the database record.

South-central Andes, Chile and Argentina: 21 March 2003, 28mm. The wide angle view of South America between latitudes 24°S - 33°S shows cloud over the Pacific coast (foreground) and cloud free but dark landscapes of Argentina across the top of the evening view. More than 700 miles of the south-central Andes span the view. This is one of the most interesting parts of the Andes chain which is a wide high plateau on the left of the view, but a single, narrow and low range of mountains in the middle and left of the view. The main explanation of these differences relates to the tectonic plates in the region. The tectonic plate that is diving underneath South America from the Pacific side ("subducting") changes its angle of dive in this region: the plate dives at a steep angle under the wide Andes on the left of the view, but dives at a very shallow angle in the center and right. Another effect of this change in dive angle is that there are numerous volcanoes in the Andes further north (left), and few in the narrow Andes (center and right).

< Back

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science Directorate. Recommended Citation: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." .
	NASA Responsible Official: Susan Runco Curator: jsc-earthweb@mail.nasa.gov Contributors: Earth Sciences Web Team	National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center	International Space Station National Laboratory Last Update:
Server: 1