Sahara Desert visible from outer space, Space Agency says

Recently, the Sahara Desert in Algeria has been seen in outer space, according to the European Space Agency on May 22nd. The desolate and arid terrain was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.

Some of the most isolated and secluded parts of the Sahara Desert were observed in space.

The images show the Tanezrouft Basin, a region that is known for its high temperatures and inhospitable conditions.

Organisms and plants struggle to thrive in the Tanezrouft Basin, which has been nicknamed ‘Land of Terror.’ 

Reportedly, the Space Agency’s images show the region’s false colourings. This is done by selecting bands from shortwave and infrared channels that are able to be used for detecting geographical features.

In the areas that are deprived of vegetation, the band blend develops different surfaces and patterns, making it easier to recognise a difference from the natural shades.

The Space Agency’s image also highlights the colours that symbolise mineral composition, which is more visible due to the lack of vegetation.

Darker shades of red and brown represent the large sandstones and the canyon’s rocky perimeters.   

Sections showing the colours cyan and white represent waterless riverbeds, salt flats, evaporite basins and other dunes, named ‘ergs’.

In the centre of the picture, the prominent white feature is Erg Mehedjibat. This is formed from groups of small star dunes that develop upwards.

Across Algeria, powerful winds triggered masses of Saharan sand to blow in mid-February. Taken on February 14th, the picture’s right corner shows a large dust cloud.

The colour combination presents the distinguishable dust cloud with shades of cyan. Before the powerful winds, the rigid and rocky terrain was distinct in the left image on February 9th.

However, the subsequent sandstorms have camouflaged the terrain in the more recent images. 

Dust from the Sahara Desert is harmful to human health, not least because it contributes to poor air quality.

Satellites can be utilised to monitor large areas of the desert to track and help predict the movement of dust; this data can be used to initiate early warning alerts. 

European Space Agencies and agencies, Maghrebi.org