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  Image: Geographic Location Direction Photo #: ISS005-E-11189 Date: Aug. 2002
Geographic Region: LIBYA
Feature: OILWELL, SMOKE, CALANSCIO DUNES

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  Well-head flare, Calanscio Sand Sea, Libya

A plume of black smoke blowing westward is silhouetted against linear dunes in the great sand sea of northeast Libya. Smoke from flares at remote well heads is commonly seen by astronauts flying over the Sahara Desert. The plume dispersal pattern visible at the left edge of the image may be due to upper-level winds or gravitational settling of heavier particulates.

The regular pattern of linear dunes is generated by two major winds: the dominant north wind (north is towards the top right) determines the orientation of the sand dunes. Gentler easterly winds, as were blowing when this view was taken, make the dunes asymmetric, with a gentle windward (west) slope and an oversteepened downwind slope. Some oversteepened slopes even cast shadows in the early morning light. One mound of sand (top right), due north of the well head, does not fit the pattern of linear dunes. This type is known as a star dune.


 
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Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 186k
Mission: ISS005  
Roll - Frame: E - 11189
Geographical Name: LIBYA  
Features: OILWELL, SMOKE, CALANSCIO DUNES  
Center Lat x Lon: 28.7N x 22.7E
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera: E4
 
Camera Tilt: 23   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 800  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: W   The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number: 1484  
 
Date: 20020825   YYYYMMDD
Time: 061618   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 28.5N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 24.2E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 93   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 214   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 29   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: DESERT, DUNE  
Water Views: SEA  
Atmosphere Views: PLUME, SMOKE  
Man Made Views:  
City Views:  
Photo is not associated with any sequences


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