Posted: Nov 8, 2021 16:35 GMT
Among the locations shown by the snapshots are various areas of the US, the northern coast of Australia, and the Himalayas in Asia.
NASA published last Saturday the first images captured by the Landsat 9 satellite, launched in late September this year by the space agency and the US Geological Survey, in order to help “manage vital natural resources” and understand the impact of climate change on our planet.
“NASA will continue to work with the US Geological Survey to improve access to Landsat data so that decision makers in the United States and around the world better understand the devastation caused by the climate crisis, manage agricultural practices, conserve valuable resources and respond more effectively to natural disasters, “said NASA Chief Bill Nelson.
Among the locations shown in the images taken on October 31 are Detroit, Michigan with neighboring Lake St. Clair, the confluence of cities and beaches along a changing Florida coastline, and images of the Navajo territory. Country in Arizona, (all in the United States), which will provide data to help examine crop health and irrigation water management, the space agency said.
Lake Erie is earning its name as one of the Great Lakes in this image of both Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. In warmer months, #Landsat 9 will help monitor potentially harmful algal blooms in lakes like these. pic.twitter.com/L3OCCXOZx8
– NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) November 5, 2021
In addition, the new images of Landsat 9, which has a similar design to its predecessor Landsat 8 launched in 2013 and still in orbit, they provide insight into the changing landscapes of the Himalayas in Asia and the islands off the northern coast of Australia.
Glaciers high in the Himalayas provide drinking water for communities in the region. In this image of High Mountain Asia, we see glaciers and meltwater lakes. pic.twitter.com/08jUlXNYT8
– NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) November 5, 2021
Compared to its predecessor, the Landsat 9 satellite, which is able to differentiate 16,000 shades of colors, transmits data with higher radiometric resolution to Earth, allowing more subtle differences to be detected, especially in darker areas such as water or dense forests.
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