Earth from Space - Image Information


LOCATION Direction Photo #: STS054-152-16 Date: Jan. 1993
Geographic Region: ZIMBABWE
Feature: GREAT DIKE


IMAGE
 
STS054-152-016 Great Dike, Zimbabwe January 1993
The Great Dike of Zimbabwe is a linear geological feature that is easily recognizable running 300 miles (483 kilometers) north-south through the midsection of Zimbabwe. This photograph shows only the southernmost extent of the Great Dike. The highly mineralized composition of the dike (igneous rock) makes this an important economic region for Zimbabwe. Copper, asbestos, chromium, gold, and platinum are some of the minerals that make up the strategic mineral reserves found throughout this region. Some of the lighter brown areas in this photograph are large areas of overgrazed "tribal trust lands" that are scattered throughout Zimbabwe. There is also visual evidence that east-west surface displacement (faulting) has occurred at several points along the Great Dike. Much narrower, paralleling mineralized veins observed east and west of the Great Dike exhibit the same horizontal displacements as the much broader dike.

The Great Dike of Zimbabwe (17.5S, 31.5E) bisects the entire length of Zimbabwae in southern Africa and is one of the prominent visual features easily recognized from low orbit. The volcanic rocks which make up the dike are about 1.2 billion years old and are rich in chromite and platinum which are mined from it. The straight line of the dike is offset in places by faults which are often occupied by streams flowing through the fractures.


Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 116k
Mission: STS054  
Roll - Frame: 152 - 16
Geographical Name: ZIMBABWE  
Features: GREAT DIKE  
Center Lat x Lon: 17.5S x 31.5E
Film Exposure: N   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 5
 
Camera:: LH
 
Camera Tilt: LO   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 250  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction:   The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?: N   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number:  
 
Date: 199301__   YYYYMMDD
Time:   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth:   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude:   nautical miles
Sun Elevation:   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: FAULT, ESCARPMENT, PLATEAU  
Water Views:  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views: AGRICULTURE, MINING  
City Views:  

Photo is not associated with any sequences


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