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Unlike the other instruments aboard Terra, ASTER will not collect data continuously; rather, it will collect an average of 8 minutes of data per orbit. Two of its subsystems are tiltable (+/- 8.54 degrees), enabling it point and zoom (up to 15-meter resolution) in on targets of interest. Given its high resolution and ability to change viewing angles, ASTER will produce stereoscopic images, such as the 3-D terrain height shown in this animation. This 60 x 60 km scene, taken from an aircraft over Death Valley, CA, illustrates ASTER's capacity to provide detailed surface composition and structural information. The colors on the surface depict different surface materials--green areas are vegetated; blue areas are wet or have standing water; orange areas are iron-rich volcanic rocks; brown, pink, blue-gray areas are volcanic and sedimentary rocks. |