As scientific knowledge of the world's oceans increased and as accuracy of the physics in oceanographic forecasting models improved, the need became clear for a real-time, global, daily oceanographic observation system. To be cost effective, such a system had to be unmanned with various sensors onboard to collect image data. However, the human eye and brain, with the aid of optics, can observe oceanographic phenomena in the visual part of the electromagnetic spectrum over broader physical scales and between more subtle changes in color than any unmanned sensor technology currently flying in space. Consequently humans in space and books of this nature are unique tools for oceanographic research. This volume is an excellent collection of oceanographic photos taken by U.S. astronauts from space.
Thumbnail images give a preview of each chapter's hi-res photographs.
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