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
This unique photograph of shallow Red Sea waters off the coast of Saudi Arabia gives us a glimpse of both the coral reefs under the surface, and the texture and movements of surface waters. On the left side of the image we see through the water column to the reefs below the surface. On the right side of the image, the sun reflects off of microscopic oily films formed by a combination of natural biological sources and human activities on the sea surface. The films are concentrated by surface water movements and variably dampen surface capillary waves, which effect how the sun’s light is reflected. This creates patterns of brighter and darker reflections when viewed from orbit. These patterns trace the complex surface water dynamics along the coast.
Published May 11, 2003
Rowley Shoals, a series of atolls off northwestern Australia, are popular with divers and fisherman interested in the hundreds of marine species.
Published Nov 7, 2011
In 2002, Earth Observatory published one of the site’s most popular images: the Great Bahama Bank. Eighteen years later, the science has advanced but the sand has not.
Published May 14, 2020
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
his image shows chlorophyll concentrations in the waters of the Red Sea observed by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) on March 16, 2000. The chlorophyll is present inside single-celled marine plants called phytoplankton, which use the pigment to harvest light for photosynthesis. Places where concentrations of phytoplankton were high are colored yellow. Like the arid terrain surrounding it, the Red Sea is not especially productive. A few patches of blooming plants (yellow swirls) are surrounding by large areas of relatively unproductive waters (blue).
Published Sep 13, 2007
Studying corals from above could help scientists understand how these critical ecosystems will weather a changing climate.
Published Jan 31, 2016
This arid part of Africa sees frequent dust plumes.
Published Jun 28, 2017
Airborne dust draws the eye to the place where Africa and Arabia once fit together.
Published Jul 8, 2013
Over just a few decades, this Red Sea settlement has morphed from a small village into a haven for tourists.
Published Jan 15, 2015
Acquired July 13, 2011, this natural-color image shows a dust storm blowing over the Red Sea.
Published Jul 13, 2011
Acquired September 8, 2011, this natural-color image shows dust blowing off the coast of Sudan and over the Red Sea.
Published Sep 9, 2011
An eruption and an apparent new island appeared in the Red Sea in December 2011.
Published Dec 28, 2011
