Space Shuttle Mission Report Series: Earth Observations during STS-066 November 3 - 14, 1994

(continued)

South America

DEFORESTATION IN BRAZIL (STS066-103-020). This near vertical photograph illustrates the differences in agricultural land patterns typically seen in many parts of southwestern Brazil, near the Bolivian border (fig. 9). The larger rectangular field patterns reflect a mature, fully developed agricultural environment. The smaller areas are less well defined and indicate new agricultural development. Photographs such as this one provide scientists with insight into the rate at which the tropical rain forest and its marginal transition zones are being altered by human activity.      Figure 9: Land use in Brazil Moderate resolution (150 dpi, 221 Kb) High resolution (300 dpi, 3.5 Mb)

CENTRAL ANDES (STS066-152-022). This photograph captures the exotic volcanic terrain of the Altiplano of the Central Andes. Some of the remarkable details include the west-pointing wind streaks, resulting from fine dust being transported across the Andes by the high winds; paleo (old) shorelines along the margins of the salars (or dry lake beds), recording the changes in water levels on the high Altiplano; beautiful alluvial fans emptying onto some of salars; and the hundreds of volcanic land forms which can be mapped and interpreted to help decipher the volcanic history of the region. See figure 10.      Figure 10: Altiplano of Central Andes Moderate resolution (150 dpi, 184 Kb) High resolution (300 dpi, 3.8 Mb)

North America

GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA (STS066-90-083) Snow covers the Kaibab Plateau on the northern side of the Colorado River in this view of the Grand Canyon (fig. 11). North is to the bottom of this view. The Colorado River has created a canyon which cuts through billions of years of geologic time. The Grand Canyon is 446 kilometers (277 miles) long, averages 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide, and is approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) deep. The Coconino Plateau is located on the upper left side of the view, or to the south of the Colorado River. The direction of flow of the Colorado River is from the east to the west. Eventually the river turns south and empties into the Gulf of California. The southern portion of Lake Powell in Utah can be seen at the bottom center of the view.      Figure 11: Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA Moderate resolution (150 dpi, 367 Kb) High resolution (300 dpi, 4.7 Mb)

MALASPINA GLACIER, ALASKA (STS066-117-014). Malaspina Glacier can be seen in this north-northeastern photograph taken in figure 12. The glacier, located in the south shore of Alaska is a classic example of a piedmont glacier lying along the foot of a mountain range. The principal source of ice for the glacier is provided by the Seward Ice Field to the north (top portion of the view) which flows through three narrow outlets onto the coastal plain. The glacier moves in surges that rush earlier-formed moraines outward into the expanding concentric patterns along the flanks of the ice mass.      Figure 12: Malaspina Glacier, Alaska, USA Moderate resolution (150 dpi, 180 Kb) High resolution (300 dpi, 2.2 Mb)

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