SPACEPHOTOS

Despite dense cloud cover along the western edge of this photograph, this synoptic view shows more than half of the total acreage in the State of Rondônia, Brazil. The discernible main northwest-southeast highway begins in the city of Pôrto Velho (under cloud cover), located along the south side of the Madeira River. Several smaller cities (areas of higher reflectivity) can be seen along the main highway; in fact, the city of Rondônia is located near the center of the photograph. The solid, darker area is tropical rain forest, with several wispy smoke palls blowing toward the north. A fairly accurate trend and rate of deforestation can be calculated by comparing photographs of an area over time.