Images
September 25, 2010 - Central Alaska
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This strikingly clear image of Central Alaska was captured on September 20, 2010 at 21:40 UTC, shortly after four small earthquakes were recorded in the region. The last and largest of the morning tremblors was recorded by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) as a magnitude 2.4 and occured at 20:41 UTC, only 59 minutes before the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra captured this true-color image.
Fairbanks, Alaska can be seen near the center of this image. It is indicated by a gray area on the bank of the northward bow of the Tanana River, which is the southernmost of the two rivers seen. The more northerly river is the Yukon. South of Fairbanks lies the Denali Fault, an area of lively seismic activity and the source of the morning’s earthquakes. The fault can be seen as a curved line along the brown colored area that marks the mountains of the Alaska Range. The fault line is partially covered by an arc of white snow. Snow also covers the adjacent mountains of Denali National Park. Due south of Fairbanks and the Denali Fault, but lying just off the lower edge of this image, lies Prince William Sound.
Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state of the United States and one of the most seismically active regions of the world. According to the USGS, Alaska experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year and a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake every 14 years, on average. The largest recorded earthquake in the United States was a magnitude 9.2 that shook Prince William Sound, Alaska on March 28, 1964.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 9/20/2010
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
This strikingly clear image of Central Alaska was captured on September 20, 2010 at 21:40 UTC, shortly after four small earthquakes were recorded in the region. The last and largest of the morning tremblors was recorded by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) as a magnitude 2.4 and occured at 20:41 UTC, only 59 minutes before the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra captured this true-color image.
Fairbanks, Alaska can be seen near the center of this image. It is indicated by a gray area on the bank of the northward bow of the Tanana River, which is the southernmost of the two rivers seen. The more northerly river is the Yukon. South of Fairbanks lies the Denali Fault, an area of lively seismic activity and the source of the morning’s earthquakes. The fault can be seen as a curved line along the brown colored area that marks the mountains of the Alaska Range. The fault line is partially covered by an arc of white snow. Snow also covers the adjacent mountains of Denali National Park. Due south of Fairbanks and the Denali Fault, but lying just off the lower edge of this image, lies Prince William Sound.
Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state of the United States and one of the most seismically active regions of the world. According to the USGS, Alaska experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year and a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake every 14 years, on average. The largest recorded earthquake in the United States was a magnitude 9.2 that shook Prince William Sound, Alaska on March 28, 1964.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 9/20/2010
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
