September 29th, 2012 Category: Deforestation, Fires, Rivers

Brazil – September 1st, 2012

Rivers winding their way through Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest appear as tan lines due to the sediments they carry. Visible in the upper part of the image is the Amazon River, the world’s largest river by waterflow. The city of Manaus can be seen near the confluence of the Negro and Solimões (Amazon) Rivers.

Visible cutting diagonally across the lower part of the image is the Madeira River, the Amazon’s biggest tributary, with a length of about 3,250 km (2,020 mi). Some haze can be seen in the lower right quadrant, mostly south of the river. This is caused by smoke from fires, one of which is visible in the full image. As the fire is located near an area of deforestation, it may have been set in order to clear land for grazing, planting crops or human habitation.

Tags: Amazon Rainforest Amazon River Brazil Deforestation Fires Madeira River Manaus Negro River Solimões River | Comments |

September 26th, 2011 Category: Rivers

Brazil - August 16th, 2011

This image stretches from the northenern coastline of South America, including Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, across the Brazilian state of Roraima to the state of Amazonas.

Visible near the lower edge is the Amazon River. In the lower left corner, near the city of Manaus, the Meeting of Waters (Portuguese: Encontro das Águas) can be observed. It is the confluence between the Rio Negro, a river with dark (almost black coloured) water, and the sandy-coloured Amazon River or Rio Solimões, as it is known the upper section of the Amazon in Brazil. For 6 km (3.7 mi) the river’s waters run side by side without mixing. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Manaus, Brazil.

This phenomenon is due to the differences in temperature, speed and water density of the two rivers. The Rio Negro flows at near 2 km per hour at a temperature of 28°C, while the Rio Solimões flows between 4 to 6 km per hour a temperature of 22°C.

Tags: Amazon River Amazonas Amazonas Rainforest French Guinana Guyana Manaus Meeting of the Waters Rio Negro Roraima Suriname | Comments |

September 16th, 2010 Category: Fires, Rivers

Smoke from Fires in Bolivia - September 14th, 2010

The Negro River (dark, upper left) and Solimões River (tan) cross the upper half of this image. The two rivers meet near Manáus, the capital of the state of Amazonas in Brazil.

Their confluence is quite particular, as the rivers’ different colored waters run side by side without mixing for about 6km due to differences in temperature, speed and water density.

The lower half of the image is partially veiled by smoke blowing northward from many fires in Bolivia and Brazil that have been burning over the last month.

Tags: Bolivia Brazil Fires Manaus Negro River Solimões River | Comments |

August 28th, 2010 Category: Fires, Image of the day, Lakes, Mountains, Salt Flats

Smoke from Fires in Bolivia - August 25th, 2010

Fires in Bolivia have burned more than 3.7 milion acres (1.5 million hectares) in the past few weeks and are advancing “dangerously” in four of the nation’s nine states, reported the government’s news service.

A state of emergency has been declared in Bolivia’s Santa Cruz state, one of four states in the nation battling wildfires. In addition to Santa Cruz, the fires are burning large segments of Pando, Beni and La Paz states. The flames are fanned by high wind gusts and arid conditions caused by drought, officials said.

The thumbnail image focuses on the area near the border between Peru (below) and Bolivia (above). The Andes Mountains are preventing the smoke from spreading further south into Peru. Clearly visible south of the mountains are Lake Titicaca and the Salar de Uyuni. The full extent of the veil of smoke can be seen upon opening the full image, reaching northward all the way to Manáus, Brazil.

Tags: Bolivia Fires Manaus Peru | Comments |