The Banks Peninsula, New Zealand was created by volcanic activity in the
Miocene epoch about 10 million years ago. It is located off the east coast
of South Island, about 80 km from Christchurch, the largest city on South
Island. This stunning feature was created by the combined effects of
glacial erosion and water erosion. The name of the peninsula comes from
Sir Joseph Banks, a British biologist who sailed with Captain Cook. Now
the peninsula is maintained as a tourist site. Akaroa city and harbor is
the only place in New Zealand where the French colonized.
The image was acquired on November 10, 2006, covers an area of about 60 x
60 km, and is located near 43.6 degrees south latitude, 172.9 degrees east
longitude.
With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared
wavelength region and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters
(about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing
surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments
launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was
built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint
U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of
the instrument and the data products.
The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides
scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface
mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example
applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring
potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud
morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution
monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils
and geology; and measuring surface heat balance.
The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission
Directorate.
More information about ASTER is available at http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/.