January 18th, 2012 Category: Vegetation Index

Malaysia and Indonesia - January 3rd, 2012

This FAPAR image shows the vegetation index of Sumatra (below), an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands, and of southern Malaysia (above). The two are separated by the Strait of Malacca. The vegetation index ranges from good (green) to high (rusty red), although it is generally higher along the coastlines of the two countries.

The longest axis of Sumatra runs approximately 1,790 km (1,110 mi) northwest–southeast, crossing the equator near the centre. At its widest point the island spans 435 km (270 mi). The interior of the island is dominated by two geographical regions: the Barisan Mountains in the west and swampy plains in the east.

Tags: Barisan Mountains FAPAR Indonesia Malaysia Sumatra Sunda Islands | Comments |

September 28th, 2011 Category: Volcanoes

Indonesia - September 25th, 2011

Java (below) is an Indonesian island that lies between Sumatra to the west (left edge) and Bali to the east. Borneo (above) lies to the north and Christmas Island to the south. Java is surrounded by Java Sea in the north, Sunda Strait in the west, Indian Ocean in the south and Bali Strait and Madura Strait in the east.

Java is almost entirely of volcanic origin; it contains thirty-eight mountains forming an east-west spine which have at one time or another been active volcanoes. Several of these can be seen here, their peaks capped with white clouds or snow.

Tags: Borneo Indonesia Java Sumatra Volcanoes | Comments |

July 5th, 2011 Category: Snapshots

Indonesia - June 21st, 2011

This image focuses on Aceh, a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. It is close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India and separated from them by the Andaman Sea.

Aceh was the closest point of land to the epicenter of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which triggered a tsunami that devastated much of the western coast of the region.

Tags: Aceh Indonesia Sumatra | Comments |

June 3rd, 2011 Category: Sediments

Indonesia and Malaysia - May 18th, 2011

Sediments flow off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and into the Strait of Malacca. The sediments are dark brown to the west and tan to the east.

The dark brown sediments are from rivers such as the Siak, whose mouth is opposite Tebing Tinggi Island, which is separated by a narrow channel from Sumatra. It is directly west of Padang Island and directly south of Rangsang Island, and is west of Singapore across the Strait of Malacca.

Tags: Indonesia Padang Island Rangsang Island Siak River Strait of Malacca Sumatra Tebing Tinggi | Comments |