Earth from Space - Image Description

STS078-740-076 Taurus Mountains, Turkey June 1996
Stretching 350 miles (565 km) roughly paralleling the Mediterranean Coast of Southern Turkey, this nadir-looking view shows a small portion of the rugged Taurus Mountains. The Taurus Mountains form the southern border of the Anatolian Plateau. Karst (limestone) topography and deeply eroded surfaces are abundant in this particular area, with numerous underground channels, caves, sinkholes, and springs. Population is sparse in the area. Elevations in this particular scene range to over 7500 feet (2288 meters). The Taurus Mountains have important chromium deposits and other minerals.

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