Namib Desert
Edited MODIS image of Namibia and the Namib Desert in southern Africa.
Original caption: On September 9, 2018, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of southwestern Namibia.
The soft orange color along the coast marks the Namib Desert. The large coastal desert is said to be one of the world’s oldest desert. It is created by the action of a very cool ocean current, the Benguela Current, which flows from the south just offshore of the African coast. The cold current suppresses rainfall so the region is quite arid. In fact, most of the moisture comes in the form of morning fog which often lies across the top of some of the tall sand dunes and provides enough moisture for the growth of sparse vegetation.
The eastern, inland edge of the orange-sand desert rise to a rugged interior plateau. This is the land of spectacular outcroppings of colorful rocks, with increased vegetation, compared to the desert. Namibia’s inland plateau is a continuation of the South African Plateau and stretches from the southern to the northern border, covering more than half of Namibia. The plateau contains mountains, highlands, and the Great Western Escarpment.
Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/9/2018
Resolutions: 1km (148.4 KB), 500m (383.6 KB), 250m (265.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Namib Desert
Edited MODIS image of Namibia and the Namib Desert in southern Africa.
Original caption: On September 9, 2018, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of southwestern Namibia.
The soft orange color along the coast marks the Namib Desert. The large coastal desert is said to be one of the world’s oldest desert. It is created by the action of a very cool ocean current, the Benguela Current, which flows from the south just offshore of the African coast. The cold current suppresses rainfall so the region is quite arid. In fact, most of the moisture comes in the form of morning fog which often lies across the top of some of the tall sand dunes and provides enough moisture for the growth of sparse vegetation.
The eastern, inland edge of the orange-sand desert rise to a rugged interior plateau. This is the land of spectacular outcroppings of colorful rocks, with increased vegetation, compared to the desert. Namibia’s inland plateau is a continuation of the South African Plateau and stretches from the southern to the northern border, covering more than half of Namibia. The plateau contains mountains, highlands, and the Great Western Escarpment.
Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/9/2018
Resolutions: 1km (148.4 KB), 500m (383.6 KB), 250m (265.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC