Earth from Space - Image Description

New center pivot systems, Bahia State, Brazil

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station would have seen a different human pattern in this part of Bahia State in central Brazil in 2013 where imagery shows only one center-pivot irrigation circle (image extreme lower left). This detailed astronaut image--the circles are 2 km in diameter--shows a raft of new circles tightly packed on top of the original rectangular farm grid. Like a Pac-Man one circle appears to be swallowing up a farm house (image upper left). The ragged lines of a forested stream a (far left) contrast with the sweeping, ghostly shapes of ploughed stream beds appear image center.

As Brazil's economy rapidly expands, center-pivot irrigation technology is being introduced to counter the effects of irregular rains and drought in Bahia's drier interior. Agribusiness crops grown in this part of the state are soy beans, corn, cotton and sisal. The nearby town of Magalhaes has experienced the fastest growth in all of Brazil - its population more than doubled between 2004 and 2007.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.