**Earth Science Branch**

**STS-79 Crew Debrief**

**October 21, 1996**

**I. Imaging Science and Analysis Group**

**DTO 312 Mike Gaunce**

**DTO 1118 Robert Scharf**

**Ranjit Bhaskar**

**II. Earth Observations**

**Tectonics Pat Dickerson**

**Water Levels Kim Willis**

**Texas Dave Amsbury**

**Weather & Water Sue Runco, Don Frank**

**Aerosols Justin Wilkinson**

**Changing Coasts and Floods Cindy Evans**

**Great Views and Cities staff**

**STS-79 Earth Observations Debrief Captions**

**Pat Dickerson**

**Tectonics**

**[Slide Id]{.underline} [Caption]{.underline}**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-808-014**   View to east of entire Ethiopian rift from Red Sea
                       coast, inland to the transform zone between the
                       Ethiopian and the Kenyan segments of the greater
                       East African rift system. Beautifully illustrates
                       the long, continuous normal faults of a major rift
                       valley as well as the numerous volcanic centers and
                       abundant lava flows of the eastern branch of the
                       East African rift.

  **STS079-808-011**   Lake Turkana (formerly Lake Rudolf) in the Kenyan
                       segment of the East African rift. Uncommonly large
                       volume of sediment being deposited in the lake at
                       the time of this photo. Old shorelines and young
                       faults can be distinguished in active rift basins
                       from such vertical views. Archaeologists at the
                       University of Texas - Austin are using similar
                       Shuttle photos of Ethiopian rift valleys to identify
                       old lake shorelines and probable habitation sites
                       for investigation. The two photos above will be
                       illustrations in a global tectonics tutorial on
                       Rifts now in preparation for use on the Space
                       Station.

                       

  **STS079-811-038**   An exceptional southeastward view of the boundary
                       between the North American and Pacific tectonic
                       plates in central California. On the west are the
                       forested Sierra Nevada and the central valley, which
                       formed during collision of the two plates about 90
                       million years ago. The collisional margin evolved to
                       a transform one about 30 million years ago; the San
                       Andreas fault is the best-known element of that
                       transform fault system. Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake are
                       visible in the eastern Sierra Nevada, beyond which
                       extends the Basin and Range province of stretched
                       continental crust.

                       

  **STS079-835-068**   New Zealand, on the tectonic plate boundary between
                       the Pacific and the Indian-Australian plates. In the
                       center of the view the near-vertical Alpine fault
                       zone sharply defines the plate edge. The coastal
                       zone west of the fault is moving north (to the
                       right) relative to the alpine country on the
                       opposite side. Farther north (right edge of frame)
                       the fault zone begins to step northeastward from
                       South Island to North Island; this view clearly
                       illustrates the change in fault pattern at the jog
                       in the plate boundary.

  **STS079-835-070**   New Zealand, Northern South Island, the plate
                       boundary zone widens at the step-over, and the
                       master fault breaks into several northeasterly
                       splays. The style of mountain ridges produced where
                       opposing sides of faults are moving laterally past
                       each other and, at the same time, moving toward each
                       other are readily seen here.
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | These photographs of the southern front of the    |
| STS079-785-037** | Himalayan ranges provide a needed perspective on  |
|                  | stream adjustments along the mountain front in    |
| **               | response to rapid uplift. At the boundary where   |
| STS079-786-054** | the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates are       |
|                  | colliding, the Himalaya are rising \-- and being  |
|                  | denuded \-- at an estimated rate of 1 cm/year.    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | The five photographs above will be illustrations  |
|                  | in a global tectonics tutorial on Tectonic Plate  |
|                  | Boundaries Observable from Space now in           |
|                  | preparation for use on the Space Station.         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | This northeastward photo is the first clear       |
| STS079-808-021** | coverage of the transform fault zone that links   |
|                  | the Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi rift valleys  |
|                  | in the western branch of the East African rift.   |
|                  | Fault-bounded Lake Rukwa occupies much of the     |
|                  | transform zone. The photograph permits visual     |
|                  | comparison of these East African rift/transform   |
|                  | structures with those of the Border Corridor      |
|                  | transform in the Rio Grande rift of West Texas    |
|                  | and adjacent Mexico (from El Paso to Big Bend     |
|                  | National Park). Smoke from fires can be seen      |
|                  | throughout the region, and another frame in this  |
|                  | series (Frame 024) includes the gorilla habitat   |
|                  | in the Virunga Mts. north of Lake Kivu.           |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| *                | This photo will illustrate a manuscript being     |
| *STS031-77-071** | readied for submission, in which the structural   |
|                  | and volcanic histories of the western East        |
|                  | African and Rio Grande rift/transform complexes   |
|                  | are compared.                                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Rio Grande Rift: northwest rift transform         |
| STS077-703-079** | intersection near El Paso                         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| *                | Rio Grande Rift: southeast rift transform         |
| *STS034-74-095** | intersection in Big Bend.                         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Kim Willis**

**Water Levels**

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Comparison of Mono Lake, California water levels  |
| STS079-810-005** | from September 1992 to September 1996 shows a     |
|                  | slight increase in lake level.                    |
| *                |                                                   |
| *STS047-94-032** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Comparisons of Owens Lake, California from        |
| STS079-810-011** | September 1992, 1994, and 1996 shows no           |
|                  | discernible change over time.                     |
| *                |                                                   |
| *STS047-84-072** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| **               |                                                   |
| STS068-168-009** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | The rising and falling of lake level in the Great |
| STS079-817-061** | Salt Lake is recorded in these views from Skylab  |
|                  | in 1973 to STS51B in April 1985, to STS-79 in     |
| **               | September 1996.                                   |
| STS51B-146-119** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| **SL3-116-1996** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Growing islands in the Aral Sea indicate a        |
| STS079-788-036** | continuing decline of lake level as evidenced by  |
|                  | Shuttle photographs dating from 1985 to September |
| *                | 1992, to September 1996.                          |
| *STS51F-36-059** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| *                |                                                   |
| *STS047-79-083** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| **               |                                                   |
| STS079-821-060** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Mir over the Aral Sea. Syr Darya Delta            |
| STS079-821-060** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Amu Darya irrigation fields \-- the main          |
| STS079-786-022** | diversion of the Amu Darya waters. Much detail is |
|                  | seen in the irrigation fields, the canals and the |
|                  | small agricultural towns.                         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Amu Darya irrigation fields and canals            |
| STS079-786-023** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | The changing water levels in Lake Nasser from     |
| STS079-792-046** | 1988 to 1996. The current level of the reservoir  |
|                  | is near record levels. Comparative view is        |
|                  | STS059-153-097 (April 1994).                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Lake Nasser with high water. The comparative      |
| STS079-786-096** | views are STS026-46-006 (1988) and STS065-95-025. |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Deforestation in Rondonia, Brazil, from 1985 to   |
| STS079-785-103** | 1996.                                             |
|                  |                                                   |
| *                |                                                   |
| *STS51G-41-066** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| *                |                                                   |
| *STS061-82-041** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Panorama of the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater.   |
| STS079-808-077** |                                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
| **               |                                                   |
| STS040-151-014** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Dave Amsbury**

**Texas**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-823-013**   West Texas to Gulf Coast (9/21), frontal system
                       offshore

  **STS079-823-016**   West Texas to Gulf Coast

                       

  **STS079-822-068**   South Padre Island

  **STS079-822-059**   El Paso in sunglint

                       

  **STS079-822-065**   Wide view of Texas coast, Corpus Christi Bay. A red
                       tide bloomed in the bay just prior to you flight.
                       The tide covered over half the bay, and resulted in
                       a large fish kill. At this time, it has spread to
                       much of the Texas Coast.

  **STS079-822-070**   Corpus Christi
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

**Sue Runco and Don Frank**

**Weather and Water**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-785-098**   Mississippi River delta in dark sunglint

  **STS079-809-012**   Sunglint along Namib, Benguela current, swell

                       

  **STS079-787-082**   Multilevel clouds, Atlantic Ocean. 42N 49 W

                       

  **STS079-791-051**   Low pressure system and frontal band, Atlantic Ocean
                       at 41N, 8W (entering Bay of Biscay)

  **STS079-791-057**   Low pressure system, thunderstorms, N. Atlantic
                       Ocean. The low has become occluded. The area forming
                       a triangle of intense activity is called a triple
                       point. A candidate for Weatherwise magazine.

                       

  **STS079-792-020**   Typhoon Violet, W. Pacific Ocean

  **STS079-817-031**   The Mir over Indian Ocean low pressure system. (50S,
                       68E)
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

**Justin Wilkinson**

**Aerosols and Landforms**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-789-074**   Aerosol color N and S of the Tibetan Plateau---view
                       east

  **STS079-788-044**   Aerosol color N and S of the Tibetan Plateau---view
                       east

                       

  **STS079-788-046**   Ganges basin haze: comparison of exposure settings

  **STS079-788-048**   Ganges basin haze: comparison of exposure settings

                       

  **STS079-782-101**   Irish Sea/Wales---smog?

                       

  **STS079-781-043**   Surabaya, Indonesia---smog event

  **STS079-781-044**   Surabaya, Indonesia---smog event

                       

  **STS070-714-060**   Surabaya, Indonesia smog event (1995)

  **STS070-714-060**   Surabaya, Indonesia smog event (1995)

                       

  **STS079-788-039**   Central Asian republics: dark streaks
                       query---panorama

                       

  **STS079-786-036**   Central Asian republics: dark streaks query---detail
                       , vertical view

  **STS079-788-101**   Red Sea dust event

                       

  **STS079-787-045**   Iran dust event: comparison of exposure settings

  **STS079-787-046**   Iran dust event: comparison of exposure settings

                       

  **STS079-781-058**   Netherlands, Scheldt River mouths, Rotterdam

  **STS079-785-016**   Central Andes (salars)
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Papua New Guinea/Australia landbridge, northern   |
| STS079-783-079** | end of the Great Barrier Reef                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | North end of Cape York, Australia, and the Great  |
| STS079-783-080** | Barrier Reef                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Wide view of Beijing and Yellow River flood       |
| STS079-792-010** | plain.                                            |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Wide view of lower Yellow River                   |
| STS079-792-011** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | N China Plain---Xinye R., ancient mouth of the    |
| STS079-784-040** | Yellow R.                                         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Beijing Region                                    |
| STS079-784-036** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Beijing                                           |
| STS079-784-022** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Lower Yellow River                                |
| STS079-784-035** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Yellow River mouth. Compare the shape of the      |
| STS079-784-025** | delta with                                        |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | STS028-098-046 and STS045-609-025.                |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Cindy Evans**

**Deltas, Floods**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-791-028**   Ural River, NE Caspian. Compare with STS28-87-059

  **STS079-815-084**   Ural River delta

                       

  **STS079-787-064**   Omo Delta with new delta forming. Compare with
                       STS32-97-66 and STS64-104-030

                       

  **STS079-818-028**   Wide view, Mekong River and delta in flood.

                       

  **STS079-818-024**   Mekong delta in flood after Typhoon Willie (9/22/96)

  **STS079-818-025**   Mekong \--lower river\--in flood after typhoon
                       Willie

                       

  **STS079-835-092**   Ganges in flood (9/21/96)

  **STS079-835-093**   Ganges in flood

                       

  **STS079-834-022**   Betsiboka in flood, 9/18/96

  **STS079-816-100**   Betsiboka River, not flooded (unknown date)

                       

  **STS079-786-102**   Turbidity in Lake Nasser

  **STS079-785-078**   Potomac River, muddy

                       

  **STS079-808-068**   Amazon mouth, sediment plume and cloud pattern

  **STS079-816-046**   Sediment plume and oil? off India (?? possibly
                       Chambey?)

                       

  **STS079-824-014**   Hawaii, wide, with volcanic haze and island wakes

  **STS079-781-013**   Hilo and Kilauea plume

                       

  **STS079-781-008**   Kilauea plumes. Compare with STS070-725-049

                       

  **STS079-816-088**   Lake Natron and Oldoinyo Lengai. Compare with
                       STS071-746-021
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

**Staff**

**Great Views, Events and Cities**

  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
  **STS079-786-049**   K2, high oblique

  **STS079-783-098**   K2 region, wide angle

                       

  **STS079-812-014**   Karakoram glaciers (south of K2)

                       

                       

  **STS079-783-081**   N. Australia fire

  **STS079-782-072**   Australian fires, September 17, 1996

                       

  **STS079-781-088**   Big fire in Africa

  **STS079-817-094**   Smoke in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

                       

  **STS079-808-046**   Wide view, Carolina coast

  **STS079-834-071**   Cape Fear, September 19, 1996

                       

  **STS079-790-010**   Quebec City

  **STS079-834-011**   Paris

                       

  **STS079-781-073**   Jerusalem

  **STS079-786-085**   Kuwait City

                       

  **STS079-782-095**   Sydney, Australia

  **STS079-820-056**   Boston

                       

  **STS079-810-023**   Phoenix

  **STS079-810-015**   Las Vegas and aerosol

                       

  **STS079-811-019**   Yellowstone and Tetons

  **STS079-821-005**   Mir over Great Lakes

                       

  **STS079-783-011**   Detroit

  **STS079-817-040**   Cleveland

                       

  **STS079-822-009**   St. Louis (compare with STS-58 shot after 1993
                       floods)

                       

  **STS079-783-027**   DC and sediment-filled Potomac

  **STS079-783-018**   Pittsburgh

                       

  **STS079-790-089**   Montevideo

  **STS079-790-085**   Buenos Aires
  -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------