False color satellite view of the very tip of the Mississippi River Delta.
May 24, 2010 - False color satellite view of the very tip of the Mississippi River Delta. Ribbons and patches of oil that have leaked from the Deepwater Horizon well offshore are silver against the light blue color of the adjacent water. Vegetation is red. In the sunglint region of a satellite image, where the mirror-like reflection of the Sun gets blurred into a wide, bright strip, any differences in the texture of the water surface are enhanced. Oil smoothes the water, making it a better mirror. Oil-covered waters are very bright in this image, but, depending on the viewing conditions (time of day, satellite viewing angle, slick location), oil-covered water may look darker rather than brighter. The cause of the dark patch of water in the upper left quadrant of the image is unknown. It may indicate the use of chemical dispersants, skimmers, or booms, or it may be the result of natural differences in turbidity, salinity, or organic matter in the coastal waters.
Size: 4859px × 3645px
Photo credit: © Stocktrek Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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