Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired July 2, 2005 1200 x 1550 653 KB - JPEG
Data acquired July 2, 2005 2400 x 3100 2 MB - JPEG
Data acquired July 2, 2005 4800 x 6200 6 MB - JPEG
Tan and pale green squares intrude into the deep green of the Amazon rainforest along the top of this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), taken by the Terra satellite on July 2, 2005. The squares are made by land that has been cleared either by loggers or farmers. Along with deforestation comes burning. The fires that MODIS has detected are shown as red dots. Most are along the edge of the forest and were probably started by farmers clearing land for agriculture.
In the top center, the green Xingu National Park hangs down like a pendulum around the Xingu River. This land has been set aside to preserve the rainforest and to protect indigenous peoples. The region shown here is the southern edge of the rainforest. To the south, the landscape gives way to light green and tan savannahs around turquoise Parana River. Here too fires dot the landscape. On the left side of the image, a cluster of red fire markers and dense white smoke show where a large fire is burning along the Bolivia-Brazil border. Paraguay sits in the lower left corner of the image.
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
Published July 8, 2005 Data acquired July 2, 2005