Earth from Space - Image Description

ISS001-E-5317 Chetumal Bay, Ambergris Cay
Chetumal Bay lies on the Border between Mexico and Belize. To the east of the bay, Ambergris Cay connects the Belize Barrier Reef to the Yucatan Peninsula. The north of the island is Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. Here, the barrier reef comes very close to the east side of the island. In 1998, reefs in Belize were hit by two major events that led to heavy coral mortality: El Nino-related
coral bleaching and Hurricane Mitch.

Astronaut photographs of coral reefs are being used to provide perspective on coral reef geography, coastal development, and related land habitats. Numerous photographs taken by astronauts were included in the recently published World Atlas of Coral Reefs . Coral reef images acquired by astronauts can also be used as mapping data in more
detailed remote sensing applications.

Images of coral reef areas are being acquired by astronauts on Space Station Alpha as part of the Crew Earth Observations Project. Coral reefs are one of the areas selected as a scientific theme for this project (see also the recent Earth Observatory article, Mapping the Decline of Coral Reefs).

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.