Earth from Space - Image Description

STS61A-37-0076 Brunei Bay, Malaysia November 1985
This near-vertical photograph of the southwest coast of Sabah Province on the island of Borneo within the country of Malaysia vividly shows a huge sediment plume in the northeast corner of Brunei Bay, with smaller plumes entering from the south. The plume results from cutting rain forests and losing top soil with subsequent rains, a cycle that creates massive environmental damage in the former rain forest area. The course of the meandering, silt-laden Padas River can be traced into the interior as it passes through the remaining rain forest and the Crocker Mountain Range. The town of Beaufort is situated along the Padas River at the intersection of three highways. Numerous trails and roads (probably logging roads) are scattered throughout the eastern half of the photograph. Most of the land north of the large sediment plume is marsh and swampland; very little development appears in progress. Major highways help identify higher ground, especially along the coastal area. Inland from the smaller plumes, light green landscapes show no vegetation; perhaps plantations are being established.

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