Based on data collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission in 2002, this map shows the location of the April 13, 2010, earthquake in Qinghai, China, as well as tectonic features of the eastern Tibetan Plateau.
Published Apr 14, 2010
Acquired September 30, 2010, this natural-color image shows an arid landscape south of Esfahan, Iran.
Published Oct 31, 2010
The Semien Mountains are the highest parts of the Ethiopian Plateau (more than 2,000 meters; or 6,560 feet). They are surrounded by a steep, ragged escarpment (step), with dramatic vertical cliffs, pinnacles, and rock spires. Although the plateau lies in the latitude of the Sahara–Arabia deserts, its high altitude makes for a cool, wet climate. In fact, the Semien Mountains are one of the few places in Africa to regularly receive snow, and they receive plentiful rainfall (more than 1,280 millimeters, or 55 inches). The moderate climate is shown by light green vegetation on the mountains, compared with the brown canyons, which are hot and dry.
Published Apr 7, 2008
A series of maps showing land use in 1850 and 1920.
Published Feb 9, 2008
Farms in the historic Oltenia province display a compelling array of shapes and sizes.
Published Oct 14, 2020
This spring and summer the Rocky Mountains have been relatively dry.
Published Aug 30, 2000
These true-color images show a wadi in northern Niger on September 19, 2007, and September 18, 2009. The 2007 shows the wadi populated by plants that have taken advantage of recent precipitation.
Published Nov 8, 2009
A representation of the pressure local populations put on their ecosystem, this map shows how much plant matter people need for food and other products compared to the amount of plant material produced in each region.
Published Dec 15, 2010
In a unique ecosystem with several rare and endangered species, grazing and fires are altering the landscape.
Published Feb 27, 2018
For more than two decades, satellites have been observing seasonal patterns of Earth's vegetation. In eastern North America, the spring “green up” is one of the most dramatic changes satellites observe.
Published Sep 15, 2007
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