Images
January 30, 2017 - Yucatan Peninsula
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On January 25, 2017, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a stunning true-color image of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Turquoise colors of the northern shores of the Yucatan are caused primarily by sediment. Close to the shore, tan color predominates but then shifts to greens and turquoise as the sediment sinks into the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the color may also be due to phytoplankton – small, single-cell marine organisms that proliferate when conditions for growth are ideal. Similar colors in the Caribbean Sea south of the jungle-green landscape of the peninsula are found in the near-shore bays. Off the shore of Belize, however, the bright colors are primarily caused by coral reefs. Belize’s Barrier Reef is approximately 180 miles (290 km) long, making it the second largest in the world.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 1/25/2017
Resolutions:
1km (368.2 KB), 500m (1.3 MB), 250m (3.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On January 25, 2017, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a stunning true-color image of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Turquoise colors of the northern shores of the Yucatan are caused primarily by sediment. Close to the shore, tan color predominates but then shifts to greens and turquoise as the sediment sinks into the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the color may also be due to phytoplankton – small, single-cell marine organisms that proliferate when conditions for growth are ideal. Similar colors in the Caribbean Sea south of the jungle-green landscape of the peninsula are found in the near-shore bays. Off the shore of Belize, however, the bright colors are primarily caused by coral reefs. Belize’s Barrier Reef is approximately 180 miles (290 km) long, making it the second largest in the world.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 1/25/2017
Resolutions:
1km (368.2 KB), 500m (1.3 MB), 250m (3.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
