SPACEPHOTOS

In northwestern Australia, the Fitzroy River has a seasonal flow pattern. During the dry season, the river can consist of pools like beads on a thin string, while during the wet season, massive floods can occur. These four show the dramatic flooding that occurred earlier this week all along the Fitzroy when 300 mm of rain came down in the region pictured in the image over the past weekend. In the images acquired on February 15, 2002, both true and false color, the river is a non-distinct green line. The sediment from the outflow can be seen pouring into the King Sound at the upper left of the true-color image. After the rains, the river had become a torrent, and in the true color image from February 27, made a thick brownish swath in the center of the image. The false color image from the same day, which uses a combination of visible wavelengths and short-wave infrared, enhances the appearance of water, which stands out darkly against the green land surface.