Images
September 30, 2018 - France
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On September 27, 2018, NASA’s Terra satellite passed over northwestern Europe, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired a beautiful true-color image centered on France.
France is a land of diverse landscapes – high mountains, sunny beaches, gorgeous rivers, cultivated vineyards, large cityscapes – France has all of these, and more. The country is bounded by big waters, mountains, and a number of countries. Starting from the north and progressing clockwise, the boundaries include: the English Channel, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, and the North Atlantic Ocean. The boundaries with Italy and Switzerland sit in the Alps, while the boundary with Spain is found in the peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains.
The upper central section of France is dominated by the Paris Basin, which consists of a layered sequence of sedimentary rock. The region is a prime agricultural region, thanks to a thick layer of fertile soil which covers the rock base. The city of Paris sits roughly in the center of Basin and can be seen in this image as a large area of smudgy gray pixels surrounded mostly by green vegetation. Paris has been called the “City of Light” – an appropriate name for a city that had a leading role in the Age of Enlightenment and that was one of the first European cities to light its streets with gas lamps.
The Normandy coast, of World War II fame, sits along the northwest edge of the country. This area is also remarkable for high, chalk cliffs. The peninsula west of the Normandy coast marks the highly-indented Brittany coast; south of this is the Biscay coast known for flat, sandy beaches along the Bay of Biscay.
The south-central part of France is dominated by the ancient Massif Central. Created by volcanism, which has only quieted in the last 10,000 years, this central mountain range is separated from the Alps by the basin of the Rhone River.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 9/27/2018
Resolutions:
1km (2.2 MB), 500m (6 MB), 250m (5.8 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On September 27, 2018, NASA’s Terra satellite passed over northwestern Europe, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired a beautiful true-color image centered on France.
France is a land of diverse landscapes – high mountains, sunny beaches, gorgeous rivers, cultivated vineyards, large cityscapes – France has all of these, and more. The country is bounded by big waters, mountains, and a number of countries. Starting from the north and progressing clockwise, the boundaries include: the English Channel, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, and the North Atlantic Ocean. The boundaries with Italy and Switzerland sit in the Alps, while the boundary with Spain is found in the peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains.
The upper central section of France is dominated by the Paris Basin, which consists of a layered sequence of sedimentary rock. The region is a prime agricultural region, thanks to a thick layer of fertile soil which covers the rock base. The city of Paris sits roughly in the center of Basin and can be seen in this image as a large area of smudgy gray pixels surrounded mostly by green vegetation. Paris has been called the “City of Light” – an appropriate name for a city that had a leading role in the Age of Enlightenment and that was one of the first European cities to light its streets with gas lamps. The Normandy coast, of World War II fame, sits along the northwest edge of the country. This area is also remarkable for high, chalk cliffs. The peninsula west of the Normandy coast marks the highly-indented Brittany coast; south of this is the Biscay coast known for flat, sandy beaches along the Bay of Biscay.
The south-central part of France is dominated by the ancient Massif Central. Created by volcanism, which has only quieted in the last 10,000 years, this central mountain range is separated from the Alps by the basin of the Rhone River.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 9/27/2018
Resolutions:
1km (2.2 MB), 500m (6 MB), 250m (5.8 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
