Images related to Cancún, Mexico

Chetumal Bay Coral Reef
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Chetumal Bay Coral Reef

Chetumal Bay lies on the Border between Mexico and Belize. To the east of the bay, Ambergris Cay connects the Belize Barrier Reef to the Yucatan Peninsula. The north of the island is Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. Here, the barrier reef comes very close to the east side of the island. In 1998, reefs in Belize were hit by two major events that led to heavy coral mortality: El Niño-related coral bleaching and Hurricane Mitch.

Published Oct 28, 2001

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Seeing the Reef for the Corals
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Seeing the Reef for the Corals

Studying corals from above could help scientists understand how these critical ecosystems will weather a changing climate.

Published Jan 31, 2016

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Great Barrier Reef near Whitsunday Islands
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Great Barrier Reef near Whitsunday Islands

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system on Earth, with more than 3,000 separate reefs and coral cays. It is also one of the most complex natural ecosystems.

Published May 31, 2016

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Fringing Coral Reef, Red Sea
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Fringing Coral Reef, Red Sea

The Sudanese coast of the Red Sea is a well-known destination for diving due to clear water and abundance of coral reefs (or shia’ab in Arabic). Reefs are formed primarily from precipitation of calcium carbonate by corals. (In addition to its commonly used meaning, precipitation can also describe how something dissolved in a solution becomes “undissolved” through chemical or biological processes.) Massive reef structures are built over thousands of years of succeeding generations of coral. In the Red Sea, fringing reefs form on shallow shelves of less than 50 meters depth along the coastline. This astronaut photograph illustrates the intricate morphology of the reef system located along the coast between Port Sudan to the northwest and the Tokar River delta to the southeast.

Published Mar 14, 2005

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Îles Glorieuses
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Îles Glorieuses

The Îles Eparses (scattered islets) dot the Indian Ocean to the west and north of Madagascar. The islands were protected by the French government in 1975 because of their importance for turtles and seabird nesting. This astronaut photograph, taken on June 17, 2001, from the International Space Station, shows details of the reefs surrounding Îles Glorieuses, one group in the Îles Eparses. The image was used to plan the 2002–03 field expeditions conducted by Agence pour la Recherche et la Valorisation Marines.

Published Aug 3, 2003

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Wave Sets and Tidal Currents, Gulf of California
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Wave Sets and Tidal Currents, Gulf of California

Sunglint (reflection of sunlight from the water surface directly back to the camera or satellite sensor) off the Gulf of California gives the water a silver-gray appearance rather than the normal azure color in this astronaut photograph. The sunglint allows us to see several active features which wouldn’t be visible otherwise. The image captures a moment in time displaying very active and complex ocean wave dynamics. In this view of Punta Perihuete, Mexico, we can see three major features: biological orman-made oils floating on the surface; the out-going tidal current; and complex wave patterns. The oils on the surface are recognizable as light-grey, curved and variable-width streamers shaped by the local winds and currents. Plankton, fish, natural oil seeps, and boats dumping their bilges are all potential sources for these oils.

Published May 29, 2006

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Astronauts’ New Window on the World
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Astronauts’ New Window on the World

Primarily designed to give astronauts a way to see the outside of the ISS, it also provides stunning panoramic views of Earth and space.

Published Feb 20, 2010

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Florida’s Rocks and Rocketeers
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Florida’s Rocks and Rocketeers

Most of the state’s land surface overlies thick limestone deposits that have been transformed into a distinct aquifer system.

Published Jul 16, 2019

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Measuring Water Depth from the International Space Station
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Measuring Water Depth from the International Space Station

Looking out the window of the International Space Station, astronauts often take the time to admire and photograph tropical islands and coral reefs. From an altitude of 400 kilometers and with only a digital camera as a tool, it seems impossible to make detailed measurements of the depth of underwater features. However, a new technique developed by NOAA scientists has done just that—plotted the depths of lagoon features at Pearl and Hermes Reef, northwest Hawaii, using digital astronaut photography from the International Space Station (ISS).

Published Jan 12, 2004

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Fringing Reef, Mayotte
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Fringing Reef, Mayotte

Published Mar 14, 2001

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