SPACEPHOTOS

The eastward flowing Ganges River (upper left to bottom center) makes a dramatic but brief course change around the northern end of hills (center of image) that protrude northward. Two small Indian towns, Monghyr and Jamalpur, are located along the western edge of the hilly protrusion. The highly reflective (white-looking) surfaces within the broad floodplain of the Ganges River are sandbars. Note that some of the sandbars have green vegetation (represented by shades of red) growing on the sandy, alluvial soils. The reddish colors (green vegetation) of this color infrared image maps vegetation density differences throughout the scene. The hills, for example, (left center) with their deep reds shows a dense forest cover, while the lighter pinks map agricultural lands or areas of less dense vegetation. The color infrared film also helps to identify numerous scars on the landscape that are attributable to course changes in the Ganges River. The dark linear feature that skirts (runs vertically, top to bottom) the northern border of the Ganges floodplain is a railroad right of way that has been built on a levee. The meandering Ghugri River, a tributary of the Ganges, is visible near the right margin of the image.