File:Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel (MODIS 2020-04-11).jpg
Original file (1,865 × 1,502 pixels, file size: 263 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)
Captions
Summary
[edit]DescriptionMadagascar and the Mozambique Channel (MODIS 2020-04-11).jpg |
English: On April 10, 2020, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a stunning true-color image of red sediments pouring into the Mozambique Channel from northwestern Madagascar.
The Mozambique Channel separates the island of Madagascar from the southeastern coast of Africa. Bombetoka Bay, the brick-red estuary in the center of the image, is fed by the Betsiboka River. It is easy to see why it is famous for to its striking red floodplain sediments. To its right (northeast) Mahajamba Bay is fed by several rivers, including the Mahajamba and Sofia. Like the Betsiboka, the floodplains of these rivers contain reddish sediments eroded from their basins upstream. Historical maps of Madagascar describe the sandy to clay-rich soils around the Betsiboka River as terres rouges, or “red lands.” (The island was a French territory from 1895 to 1960.) They were describing laterites—soils rich in iron oxides—that form in tropical climates from the chemical breakdown of iron-rich rocks. These soils and sediments lend the river a rusty orange color when the island experiences heavy seasonal rain or downpours from tropical cyclones. The opening months of 2020 have brought heavy rains to northern Madagascar, including a very large flooding event in January. |
||
Date | Taken on 10 April 2020 | ||
Source |
Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel (direct link)
|
||
Author | MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
This media is a product of the Terra mission Credit and attribution belongs to the mission team, if not already specified in the "author" row |
Licensing
[edit]Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse |
This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (See Template:PD-USGov, NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy.) | ||
Warnings:
|
File history
Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.
Date/Time | Thumbnail | Dimensions | User | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
current | 03:11, 17 February 2024 | 1,865 × 1,502 (263 KB) | OptimusPrimeBot (talk | contribs) | #Spacemedia - Upload of http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/images/image04112020_250m.jpg via Commons:Spacemedia |
You cannot overwrite this file.
File usage on Commons
There are no pages that use this file.