The north coast of the Island of Hokkaido, Japan lies at the southern end
of the Sea of Okhotsk. In this northern sea winter navigation is extremely
difficult, and at times impossible, due to ice. Normally completely frozen
in winter, this year the Hokkaido coast is partially free of ice. A mass
of ice floes clearly defines the pattern of winds and currents that sweep
across the water’s surface.
The image was acquired February 11, 2009, covers an area of 58.5 x 56.5
km, and is located near 44.3 degrees north latitude, 143.6 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/.