First ASTER Visible/Near-Infrared Image

First ASTER Visible/Near-Infrared Image

This ASTER image of the San Francisco River region in Brazil was recorded in the near-infrared wavelength region (band 3N). Bright clouds and their shadows obscure some of the area, but the the river and numerous lakes are well defined by their low reflectance in this wavelength region. Bright areas along the river suggest dense vegetation, perhaps related to tropical rain forests and agricultural development.

(Image area: approximately 20km. x 20 km.; ground resolution - 15m x 15m)

Image courtesy of MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team