SPACEPHOTOS

This image of the Mississippi River in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana shows regions of the southern United States that are prone to flooding. Data acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar- C/X- band Synthetic Aperture imaging radar system, which flew on two space shuttle missions in April and October 1994, can help scientists assess flooding potentials and improve land management for future agricultural development. This image was acquired on October 9,1994, during orbit 151 of the space shuttle Endeavour. The image is centered at about 32.75 degrees north latitude and 90.5 degrees west longitude and covers an area of about 23 kilometers by 40 kilometers (14.2 miles by 24.8 miles). North is toward the upper right of the image. The different colors represent the data return in different radar channels: red is L- band, vertically transmitted and received; green is L-band vertically transmitted and horizontally received; and blue is C- band vertically transmitted and received. This site along the Mississippi River lies north of Vicksburg along the Arkansas- Louisiana-Mississippi state borders. The river marks the stateline. Louisiana and Arkansas lie above the river and Mississippi is below the river. This region is characterized by rich farmland where a variety of crops are grown. The town located in the extreme upper left hand corner is Eudora, Arkansas. The long,narrow lakes which lie roughly parallel to the river are called oxbow lakes, named for the U-shaped harness worn by an ox. Oxbows are formed when a river changes course, abandoning old channels in favor of a new course. As the river changes course, the surrounding land dries out, leaving these lakes isolated. Oxbow lakes are common in areas where rivers flow through generally flat terrain, allowing the river to easily change course. The green regions bordering the river are undeveloped forested areas.