Earth from Space - Image Description

STS091-719-053 Safid River/Delta, Iran June 1998
The Safid River has created a sizeable, swampy delta (upper left corner) along the southwest coast of the Caspian Sea in northwest Iran. Notice the "new" delta (middle left) actively being created by the sediment that is being deposited at the mouth of the Safid River. The Safid River originates in the Elburz Mountains, a small section of which is visible in the upper right corner of the image. This river is the only one to cross the entire width of the Elburz Mountains. The densely forested mountain slopes (dark landscape) are visible along the right edge of the image. Rasht, a major Iranian city noted for its unique cusine and pleasant climate, can be identified (grayish-looking area) slightly below the center of the image. Several other smaller urban areas can also be located on the narrow coastal plain.

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