From ASTER Images
The western-most part of the Ganges Delta is seen in this 55 by 72 km (34 by 44 miles) ASTER sub-scene acquired on March 29, 2000. The Hugli River branches from the Ganges River 300 km to the north, and flows by the city of Calcutta before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. High sediment load is evident by the light blue colors in the water, particularly downstream from off-shore islands. The deep red colors of some of these islands are mangrove swamps.
The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface.
Image Title: ASTER Views Hugli River Delta
Target Name: Earth
Spacecraft: ASTER
Credit: NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
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Last Modified On: Monday, Friday, December 15, 2000