Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Debriefing with Crewmembers, 9 April, 2002

STS-109 Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Debriefing with Crewmembers
April 9, 2002

GEOLOGY & GEOMORPHOLOGY

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STS109-724-18 Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii: The volcanoes Kilauea and Mauna Loa on Hawaii reflect the activity at depth of a mantle hotspot, a topographically high region of extreme heat on the surface of the Earth's mantle. Loihi, southeast of the Big Island, is growing and evidence of subsea eruptions can sometimes be seen in the surrounding waters.

STS109-724-21 Hawaiian Islands, Maui: Dormant volcano Haleakala, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe. These islands formed earlier over the Hawaiian hotspot and have subsided somewhat; the Pacific plate has since moved northwestward, and the hotspot is now feeding magma to the islands of Hawaii.

STS109-323-18 Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl: Volcanoes, central Mexican Volcanic Belt, in dawn light. Popocatepetl continues to spout ash and gas, although it was quiet when this detailed photo was taken. This photo and STS 109-323-20 are an excellent stereopair.

STS109-323-27 Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl: Volcanoes, central Mexican Volcanic Belt, regional view to west.

STS109-708-79 NW Colombia, Venezuela: Rare view of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (dark, shield-shaped mountains) west of the Gulf of Venezuela, the Guajira and the Paraguaná peninsulas. Panoramic view of the Cordillera Oriental, Colombian Andes (foreground) an area that is almost always obscured by clouds. Cordillera de Mérida is the distant ENE-trending range that lies south of Lake Maracaibo. Santa Marta massif and the Cordillera Oriental are blocks of billion-year-old crust that have been forced up as the Nazca tectonic plate (part of the Pacific) collides with South America.

STS109-712-66 Maracaibo, Venezuela: The city of Maracaibo occupies the west bank of the strait connecting Lake Maracaibo with the Gulf of Venezuela.

STS109-712-73 Venezuela: Paraguaná Peninsula, Golfete de Coro (angular patch of muddy water). The Golfete de Coro is cross-cut by faults of the Caribbean plate boundary system, hence the sharp, straight shorelines. South of the gulf, details of other faults and structures are clearly seen.

STS109-720-75 Colombia, Cordillera Oriental detail: Possibly the only photo of this span of the Andes -- always cloud-covered. The Cordillera is another block of ancient continental crust that has been forced up during the Nazca-S. American plate collision. Lago Tota is near center.

STS109-724-10 Venezuela: Llanos plains fans (compare STS109-729-89); Lake Maracaibo in background.

STS109-729-89 Argentina: High desert plains ("altiplano") of the Andes Mts, and Chaco plains-panorama looking south.

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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

STS109-724-18	Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii: The volcanoes Kilauea and Mauna Loa on Hawaii reflect the activity at depth of a mantle hotspot, a topographically high region of extreme heat on the surface of the Earth's mantle. Loihi, southeast of the Big Island, is growing and evidence of subsea eruptions can sometimes be seen in the surrounding waters.
STS109-724-21	Hawaiian Islands, Maui: Dormant volcano Haleakala, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe. These islands formed earlier over the Hawaiian hotspot and have subsided somewhat; the Pacific plate has since moved northwestward, and the hotspot is now feeding magma to the islands of Hawaii.
STS109-323-18	Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl: Volcanoes, central Mexican Volcanic Belt, in dawn light. Popocatepetl continues to spout ash and gas, although it was quiet when this detailed photo was taken. This photo and STS 109-323-20 are an excellent stereopair.
STS109-323-27	Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl: Volcanoes, central Mexican Volcanic Belt, regional view to west.
STS109-708-79	NW Colombia, Venezuela: Rare view of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (dark, shield-shaped mountains) west of the Gulf of Venezuela, the Guajira and the Paraguaná peninsulas. Panoramic view of the Cordillera Oriental, Colombian Andes (foreground) an area that is almost always obscured by clouds. Cordillera de Mérida is the distant ENE-trending range that lies south of Lake Maracaibo. Santa Marta massif and the Cordillera Oriental are blocks of billion-year-old crust that have been forced up as the Nazca tectonic plate (part of the Pacific) collides with South America.
STS109-712-66	Maracaibo, Venezuela: The city of Maracaibo occupies the west bank of the strait connecting Lake Maracaibo with the Gulf of Venezuela.
STS109-712-73	Venezuela: Paraguaná Peninsula, Golfete de Coro (angular patch of muddy water). The Golfete de Coro is cross-cut by faults of the Caribbean plate boundary system, hence the sharp, straight shorelines. South of the gulf, details of other faults and structures are clearly seen.
STS109-720-75	Colombia, Cordillera Oriental detail: Possibly the only photo of this span of the Andes -- always cloud-covered. The Cordillera is another block of ancient continental crust that has been forced up during the Nazca-S. American plate collision. Lago Tota is near center.
STS109-724-10	Venezuela: Llanos plains fans (compare STS109-729-89); Lake Maracaibo in background.
STS109-729-89	Argentina: High desert plains ("altiplano") of the Andes Mts, and Chaco plains-panorama looking south.

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