< ISS063-E-54142 >
| NASA Photo ID | ISS063-E-54142 |
| Focal Length | 400mm |
| Date taken | 2020.07.23 |
| Time taken | 17:19:53 GMT |
3691 x 3588 pixels 720 x 700 pixels 5568 x 3712 pixels 640 x 427 pixels
Photo center point: 14.9° N, 24.3° W
Photo center point by machine learning:
Country or Geographic Name: | CAPE VERDE ISLANDS |
Features: | SAO FILIPE ISLAND, PICO DO FOGO |
| Features Found Using Machine Learning: | |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 50 (26-50)% |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 38° |
Sun Azimuth: | 286° |
Camera: | Nikon D5 Electronic Still Camera |
Focal Length: | 400mm |
Camera Tilt: | 36 degrees |
Format: | 5568E: 5568 x 3712 pixel CMOS sensor, 35.9 x 23.9 mm, total pixels: 21.33 million, Nikon FX format |
Film Exposure: | |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3691 pixels | 3588 pixels | Yes | Yes | Download Image | |
| 720 pixels | 700 pixels | Yes | Yes | Download Image | |
| 5568 pixels | 3712 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 640 pixels | 427 pixels | No | No | Download Image |
This photo captures an astronaut's view of Fogo, an island 600 kilometers (400 miles) off the coast of West Africa. The name Fogo translates from Portuguese to English as “fire.” The name epitomizes the volatile nature of the Cabo Verde (or Cape Verde) volcanic islands.
Pico de Fogo is the highest peak in Cabo Verde, towering 2829 meters (9,280 feet) above sea level. It is the active cone at the summit of the Fogo stratovolcano (//sci.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/stratovolc_page.html) that forms the island. As seen from the International Space Station, the semicircle of surrounding cliffs marks the edge of the Cha das Caldeiras summit caldera. Research by geologists shows that the entire east side of Fogo volcano slid into the sea in a process known as lateral collapse. That event, now known as the Monte Amarelo landslide, formed the caldera approximately 80,000 years ago.
Scientists using subsea backscatter sonar techniques have been able to identify the landslide rubble on the seafloor offshore of the east side of the island. So much material slid off the volcano flank that the debris field covers an area larger than the area of Fogo Island itself. Landslides are common on active volcanic islands - such as Fogo and the Hawaiian islands - as the repeated burial of unconsolidated rock debris by subsequent eruptions can create fault zones. Acidic solutions can also form from volcanic gases; these can alter rock-forming minerals to clay minerals, leading to weaker rock masses.
Read more about the 2014 eruption at Fogo.
