< ISS028-E-44444 >
NASA Photo ID | ISS028-E-44444 |
Focal Length | 180mm |
Date taken | 2011.09.08 |
Time taken | 09:59:51 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
1000 x 722 pixels 540 x 390 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4288 x 2848 pixels 640 x 425 pixels
1000 x 722 pixels 540 x 390 pixels 720 x 480 pixels 4288 x 2848 pixels 640 x 425 pixels
Country or Geographic Name: | CHINA |
Features: | JUNGGAR BASIN, SAND DUNES, IRTYSH RIVER, WETLANDS |
Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 10 (1-10)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 26° |
Sun Azimuth: | 248° |
Camera: | Nikon D2Xs Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 180mm |
Camera Tilt: | 08 degrees |
Format: | 4288E: 4288 x 2848 pixel CMOS sensor, RGBG imager color filter |
Film Exposure: | |
Additional Information | |
Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000 pixels | 722 pixels | No | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
540 pixels | 390 pixels | Yes | Yes | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
720 pixels | 480 pixels | Yes | Yes | NASA's Earth Observatory web site | Download Image |
4288 pixels | 2848 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
640 pixels | 425 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
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No GeoTIFF is available for this photo.Image Caption: Sand Dunes, Junggar Basin, Northwestern China
This striking astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station highlights a sand dune field within the Burqin-Haba River-Jimunai Desert near the borders of China, Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The dune field (approximately 32 km long) is located immediately to the west-northwest of the city of Burqin (not shown), and is part of the Junggar Basin, a region of active petroleum production in northwestern China. The Irtysh River, with associated wetlands and riparian vegetation (appearing grey-green in the image) flows from its headwaters in the Altay Mountains to the east towards Siberia to the west (right to left across the image).
Tan sandy linear dunes at image center on the south side of the Irtysh River dominate the view. The linear dunes are formed from mobile barchan (crescent-shaped) dunes moving from left to right in this view; the barchans eventually merge to form the large linear dunes which can reach 50 -100 meters in height. Sand moving along the southern edge of the dune field appears to be feeding a southeastern lobe with a separate population of linear dunes (image lower right).
The Burqin-Haba River-Jimunai Desert area also includes darker gravel covered surfaces that form pavements known locally as gobi. These are somewhat indistinguishable from vegetated areas arresting some of the dunes at the resolution of the astronaut photograph, but tend to be located on the flat regions between the dunes.
This striking astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station highlights a sand dune field within the Burqin-Haba River-Jimunai Desert near the borders of China, Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The dune field (approximately 32 km long) is located immediately to the west-northwest of the city of Burqin (not shown), and is part of the Junggar Basin, a region of active petroleum production in northwestern China. The Irtysh River, with associated wetlands and riparian vegetation (appearing grey-green in the image) flows from its headwaters in the Altay Mountains to the east towards Siberia to the west (right to left across the image).
Tan sandy linear dunes at image center on the south side of the Irtysh River dominate the view. The linear dunes are formed from mobile barchan (crescent-shaped) dunes moving from left to right in this view; the barchans eventually merge to form the large linear dunes which can reach 50 -100 meters in height. Sand moving along the southern edge of the dune field appears to be feeding a southeastern lobe with a separate population of linear dunes (image lower right).
The Burqin-Haba River-Jimunai Desert area also includes darker gravel covered surfaces that form pavements known locally as gobi. These are somewhat indistinguishable from vegetated areas arresting some of the dunes at the resolution of the astronaut photograph, but tend to be located on the flat regions between the dunes.