NM22-726-22
| NASA Photo ID | NM22-726-22 |
| Focal Length | 100mm |
| Date taken | 1996.10.26 |
| Time taken | 08:39:25 GMT |
Resolutions offered for this image:
4055 x 4079 pixels 636 x 639 pixels 5700 x 6000 pixels 500 x 526 pixels 516 x 508 pixels
4055 x 4079 pixels 636 x 639 pixels 5700 x 6000 pixels 500 x 526 pixels 516 x 508 pixels
Cloud masks available for this image:
Spacecraft nadir point: 35.5° N, 51.6° E
Photo center point: 28.0° N, 42.5° E
Photo center point: 28.0° N, 42.5° E
Nadir to Photo Center: Southwest
Spacecraft Altitude: 202 nautical miles (374km)
Country or Geographic Name: | SAUDI ARABIA |
Features: | PIVOT IRRIGATION, DUNES |
Cloud Cover Percentage: | 0 (no clouds present) |
Sun Elevation Angle: | 42° |
Sun Azimuth: | 187° |
Camera: | Hasselblad |
Focal Length: | 100mm |
Camera Tilt: | Low Oblique |
Format: | 5046: Kodak, natural color positive, Lumiere 100/5046, ASA 100, standard base |
Film Exposure: | Normal |
| Additional Information | |
| Width | Height | Annotated | Cropped | Purpose | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4055 pixels | 4079 pixels | No | No | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 636 pixels | 639 pixels | No | No | Earth From Space collection | Download Image |
| 5700 pixels | 6000 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 500 pixels | 526 pixels | No | No | Download Image | |
| 516 pixels | 508 pixels | Download Image |
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Image Caption: NM22-726-022 An Nafud, Saudi Arabia Fall-Winter 1996
The reddish-orange desert sands of the eastern An Nafud (red desert) of north central Saudi Arabia is visible along the top of the image. A corridor of sand dunes and sand ridges, known as the Ad-Dahna, is evident as a northwest-southeast extension of the An Nafud. This corridor constitutes a sandy plain that enhances the movement of wind blown sand from the An Nafud to the great Rub'al-Khali (Empty Quarter) of southern Saudi Arabia. Literally hundreds of circular features are observed along the western margin of the Ad-Dahna. These are center pivot irrigation fields where a variety of agricultural crops, mainly wheat and cereal grains, are being grown in this arid environment. Each circle is about half a mile in diameter. In spite of extremes in aridity and temperatures, the Saudi farmers have successfully turned their desert into productive farmlands, at the expense of depleting ground water resources. Since there are virtually no permanent surface streams (only wadis) in Saudi Arabia, farmers must use well water. With their finite supply of well water, the Saudi's have been developing desalinization techniques, so that when ground water supplies are exhausted, desalinized seawater will be available to continue the extensive farming operation that is now in place. The darker looking landscape (lower left) is more rugged higher elevations that include the Aja (granites) and Salma (basalts) Mountains.
The reddish-orange desert sands of the eastern An Nafud (red desert) of north central Saudi Arabia is visible along the top of the image. A corridor of sand dunes and sand ridges, known as the Ad-Dahna, is evident as a northwest-southeast extension of the An Nafud. This corridor constitutes a sandy plain that enhances the movement of wind blown sand from the An Nafud to the great Rub'al-Khali (Empty Quarter) of southern Saudi Arabia. Literally hundreds of circular features are observed along the western margin of the Ad-Dahna. These are center pivot irrigation fields where a variety of agricultural crops, mainly wheat and cereal grains, are being grown in this arid environment. Each circle is about half a mile in diameter. In spite of extremes in aridity and temperatures, the Saudi farmers have successfully turned their desert into productive farmlands, at the expense of depleting ground water resources. Since there are virtually no permanent surface streams (only wadis) in Saudi Arabia, farmers must use well water. With their finite supply of well water, the Saudi's have been developing desalinization techniques, so that when ground water supplies are exhausted, desalinized seawater will be available to continue the extensive farming operation that is now in place. The darker looking landscape (lower left) is more rugged higher elevations that include the Aja (granites) and Salma (basalts) Mountains.
