Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

STS-103 Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Photographic Highlights

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STS103-732-5 Namib Desert, Namibia: Sand dunes in the Namib Desert reflect the local wind direction and topography. The Namib Desert extends for 1900 km (1200 miles) along the Atlantic coast and reaches inland 128 km to 160 km (80 to 100 miles). Sand is transported from southern and western coastal areas towards central, northern, and eastern parts of the desert. Dunes along the coast tend to be cresentic or dune types that form in areas where the winds come from one predominant direction. Linear dunes are the common dune type found toward the interior of the Namib.

STS103-732-30 Betsiboka River, Bombetoka Bay, Madagascar: Large sediment plumes and freshwater lenses emerging into the Mozambique Channel imply that Madagascar has had the benefit of recent rainfall. November to April is the hot wet season for Madagascar and STS-103 astronauts took this photograph in December 1999. At almost center is the Bombetoka Bay, located on the northwestern coast and it is fed by the Betsiboka River. The city and major port of Mahajanga is under clouds on the northeast side of the bay. The bright white color of the coast and parts of rivers is caused by the reflectance of the sun (sun glitter).

STS103-734-20 Dust Blow, Mauritania: Hot, dry winds that blow out of the northeast or east primarily during the winter are the probable cause for the dust blowing out of Mauritania and into the Atlantic Ocean. These clouds of dust can extend several hundreds of kilometers out into the Atlantic. The winds are part of a low pressure center that forms on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea.

STS103-301-17 Florida Peninsula: The entire Florida peninsula occupies the right side of the view. The Miami metropolitan region appears near the tip of the peninsula as a grey patch along the coast. The Gulf coast stretches west towards the bulge of the Mississippi R. delta (top left). Lake Okeechobee is the large lake in the middle of the peninsula and Cape Canaveral is the prominent point on its east (right) side from which the Shuttle was launched a few days earlier.
A large cloud mass (lower left) lies offshore in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, silhouetting the tailfin of the orbiter.

STS103-729-63 St. Vincent Island, Apalachicola River Delta, Florida: Sediments from the Apalachicola River delta complex form islands of sand ridges (cheniers). During high flow, the river delivers abundant sediment to the delta; as flow wanes the stream drops its load of coarser material around the channel mouth, to be redistributed primarily by waves. Variations in sediment supply and wave energy result in alternating bands of sand and mud. To see more detail of cheniers see St. Vincent Island, STS102-349-35.

STS103-711-1 Erg Admer Dunes: The Erg Admer sand dunes near Djanet, Algeria.

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Recommended Citation: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." .

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STS103-732-5	Namib Desert, Namibia: Sand dunes in the Namib Desert reflect the local wind direction and topography. The Namib Desert extends for 1900 km (1200 miles) along the Atlantic coast and reaches inland 128 km to 160 km (80 to 100 miles). Sand is transported from southern and western coastal areas towards central, northern, and eastern parts of the desert. Dunes along the coast tend to be cresentic or dune types that form in areas where the winds come from one predominant direction. Linear dunes are the common dune type found toward the interior of the Namib.
STS103-732-30	Betsiboka River, Bombetoka Bay, Madagascar: Large sediment plumes and freshwater lenses emerging into the Mozambique Channel imply that Madagascar has had the benefit of recent rainfall. November to April is the hot wet season for Madagascar and STS-103 astronauts took this photograph in December 1999. At almost center is the Bombetoka Bay, located on the northwestern coast and it is fed by the Betsiboka River. The city and major port of Mahajanga is under clouds on the northeast side of the bay. The bright white color of the coast and parts of rivers is caused by the reflectance of the sun (sun glitter).
STS103-734-20	Dust Blow, Mauritania: Hot, dry winds that blow out of the northeast or east primarily during the winter are the probable cause for the dust blowing out of Mauritania and into the Atlantic Ocean. These clouds of dust can extend several hundreds of kilometers out into the Atlantic. The winds are part of a low pressure center that forms on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea.
STS103-301-17	Florida Peninsula: The entire Florida peninsula occupies the right side of the view. The Miami metropolitan region appears near the tip of the peninsula as a grey patch along the coast. The Gulf coast stretches west towards the bulge of the Mississippi R. delta (top left). Lake Okeechobee is the large lake in the middle of the peninsula and Cape Canaveral is the prominent point on its east (right) side from which the Shuttle was launched a few days earlier. A large cloud mass (lower left) lies offshore in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, silhouetting the tailfin of the orbiter.
STS103-729-63	St. Vincent Island, Apalachicola River Delta, Florida: Sediments from the Apalachicola River delta complex form islands of sand ridges (cheniers). During high flow, the river delivers abundant sediment to the delta; as flow wanes the stream drops its load of coarser material around the channel mouth, to be redistributed primarily by waves. Variations in sediment supply and wave energy result in alternating bands of sand and mud. To see more detail of cheniers see St. Vincent Island, STS102-349-35.
STS103-711-1	Erg Admer Dunes: The Erg Admer sand dunes near Djanet, Algeria.

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: Tracy Calhoun 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