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Taklimakan Desert, Western China

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’ Terra satellite captured this photo-like image of Western China’s Taklimakan Desert on October 22, 2005. The desert looks like a dust-filled bowl surrounded by steep mountains. The Hotan River cuts north-south across the western side of the desert. To its right is the Keriya River, which disappears before it reaches the center of the desert. Other patterns seen on the desert floor have been made by the wind. Dune fields ripple across the surface of the desert, looking like ocean waves from above.


Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Published October 28, 2005
Data acquired October 22, 2005

Source:
Terra > MODIS