August 9, 2009 - The Gulf of Ob

The Gulf of Ob

A clear day over north central Russia gave the MODIS on the Aqua satellite this view on August 1, 2009. In the top left corner, you can see the bottom part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and the Kara Strait, which separates it from mainland Russia. The body of water east of the Kara Strait, at the top center of the image is the Kara Sea.

The body of water that dominates the right side of the image is the Gulf of Ob. At the southwestern-most part of the Gulf is the mouth of the Ob River. Freshwater from the Ob flows into the Gulf of Ob and then out into the Kara Sea. Brown sediment colors the relatively shallow waters of the Gulf.

The Gulf of Ob is about 1,000 km (600 miles) long; its width is around 50-80 km wide (30-50 miles).

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 08/01/2009
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC