Earth from Space - Image Description

STS081-742-029 Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica January 1997
Missing only the southern end of the Nicoya Peninsula, this color infrared image includes most of the low mountainous terrain that makes up this rugged peninsula. Since this picture is a color infrared image, the darker reds indicate an abundance of vegetative cover (in some areas even a rainforest environment exists) over the landscape. The deep reds near the mouth of the Tempisque River, shows an extensive region of low-lying swamplands and tidal marshes. Some of the darker areas around the Gulf of Nicoya include large stands of mangrove forests. The highly reflective areas and the large angular-looking field patterns are human induced development activities-either mining or agricultural endeavors. The coastline that faces the Pacific Ocean is irregular with numerous small bays and steeply sloping cliffs. Chira Island is the large island in the Gulf of Nicoya. (Refer to STS81-742-028 and STS81-742-030 for other color infrared images of the Nicoya Peninsula).

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