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Dair Mountain, Central Sudan (October 1992)

STS052-078-080

Drainage patterns dominate this hot, semiarid landscape in central Sudan west of the White Nile River. Several major wadis, intermittently flowing watercourses, merge west and northwest of Dair Mountain (the very dark, highly fractured structure near the center of the photograph). This igneous mountain rises about 3500 feet (1065 meters) above the surrounding terrain. The flanks of the mountain (fairly broad reddish-tan ring) apparently have been denuded of vegetation, although it appears that water exists in some of the meandering stream channels within the darker, vegetated wadis. A small muddy reservoir can be seen near the northwest corner of the photograph. With the exception of Dair Mountain, most of the region is fairly flat and is marginally suited for subsistence agriculture, as well as for commercial crops of peanuts, sesame, and gum arabic. A series of low, linear sand dunes discernible along the northwest edge of the photograph is a reminder that this region experiences wide variations in annual precipitation, making agricultural activities somewhat tenuous.

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia (September 1995)

STS073-711-096

Darwin, with an estimated population of 80 000, is the largest urban center along the entire north coast of Australia and is tied for fourteenth in size in the country. It is the only general seaport, the principal trading town, and the administrative center of the Northern Territory. Darwin is close enough to the tropics to be influenced by the monsoons during the winter months; however, for 8 or 9 months of the year, severe drought prevails. Both manmade and natural features are visible in this near-vertical photograph—several roads and a railroad southeast of the urban area; an airport near the downtown area; Beagle Gulf and Shoal Bay, north and east, respectively, of the city; and dark stands of mangrove vegetation along the shoreline.

800 DPI

Dead Sea Rift Valley, Israel and Jordan (October 1984)

STS41G-120-0056

Seen from an altitude of 190 nautical miles (350 kilometers) in this near-vertical photograph, the Dead Sea Rift Valley slices south-north through the Middle East. The surface of the Dead Sea, 1292 feet (394 meters) below sea level, is the lowest point on Earth and is a continuation of the East African Rift through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Rift faulting connects the Dead Sea with the Jordan River Valley and through the Sea of Galilee; however, northward in Lebanon the rifting splays out into a series of north-northeast trending faults. East of the rift are two large ancient lava fields about which little is known. Close to the southwestern edge of the photograph, the Gaza Strip can be seen near the border between Egypt and Israel.

Denakil Desert, Eritrea and Ethiopia (November 1985)

STS61A-43-0042

The Denakil Desert, one of the most hostile environments in the world, can be seen in this high-oblique, northeast-looking photograph. This part of the great Rift Valley, known as the Afar Triangle, stretches north-south 350 miles (570 kilometers), varying in width from 50 to 250 miles (80 to 400 kilometers). Bounded on the north and east by the Red Sea and on the west by the highlands of Ethiopia (both visible in the photograph), much of this extremely hot and dry desert is below sea level. Erta Alle (dark gray area near the center of the photograph), a large shield volcano referred to as the "smoking volcano" by local tribesmen, has been in a constant state of eruption since the late 1960s. Just north of Erta Alle Volcano are the Dalol Salt Flats. Formerly a shallow lake, the area now sits 400 feet (120 meters) below sea level and is covered with salt deposits, some of which are estimated to be 3 miles (5 kilometers) thick. Across the Red Sea, the Hijaz Mountains are visible. Beyond these mountains are the northwestern portions of the Empty Quarter Desert of Saudi Arabia. The Denakil is a great example of the forces of nature at work, altering and changing the landscape.

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