Earth from Space - Image Information


LOCATION Direction Photo #: ISS063-E-40184 Date: Jul. 2020
Geographic Region: USA-UTAH
Feature: BEAR RIVER BAY, SALT PONDS, GREAT SALT LAKE


 

While passing over northern Utah, an astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) captured this photograph of an eastern portion of the Great Salt Lake. Water and sediment flow from Bear River Bay, past salt flats, and into the Great Salt Lake. These colorful salt flats are nestled between the Promontory Mountains and an industrial area to the east. Much of the light-colored area adjacent to the salt pans is dried lakebed.

Named for the method of mineral extraction, solar evaporation ponds are key to this area's industry. These shallow, man-made salt pans slowly evaporate water, crystalizing minerals and making it easier for them to be bulldozed, collected, and processed for sale. Ranging from blue and green to orange and red, the color of each salt pan is dependent on the concentrations of salt, bacteria, and algae. In general, blue-hued ponds have lower salt levels than red or orange ponds.

The second image, acquired by Landsat 5, depicts the same location in July 1985. The watersheds supplying Great Salt Lake experienced abnormally high amounts of precipitation throughout the early 1980s, causing the lake to rise to its historic high water elevation of 4,211 feet (1,284 meters) in 1986. Compared to the astronaut photograph, the Great Salt Lake was about 18 feet (5 meters) higher at the time, and many salt flats had a blue-green hue, indicating lower salinity and higher water levels. Due to years of drought and increasing human water use, the Great Salt Lake has since experienced significant reductions in water levels, leading to more exposure of lakebeds.

centered image



Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 341k
Mission: ISS063  
Roll - Frame: E - 40184
Geographical Name: USA-UTAH  
Features: BEAR RIVER BAY, SALT PONDS, GREAT SALT LAKE  
Center Lat x Lon: 41.2N x 112.3W
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera:: N8
 
Camera Tilt: 13   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 800  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: E   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:  
 
Date: 20200705   YYYYMMDD
Time: 144818   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 41.5N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 113.1W  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 83   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 222   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 28   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views:  
Water Views:  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views:  
City Views:  

Photo is not associated with any sequences


NASA
Home Page
JSC
Home Page
JSC Digital
Image Collection
Earth Science &
Remote Sensing

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