SL3-34-336

SL3-34-336 (July-September 1973) --- A vertical view of a portion of northern California near the Pacific coast as photographed from Earth orbit by one of the six lenses of the Itek-furnished S190-A Multispectral Photographic Facility Experiment in the Multiple Docking Adapter of the Skylab space station. A cloud deck covers the Pacific Ocean. Most of Cape Mendocino is clear of clouds and extends into the Pacific as the westernmost part of California. The sinuous pattern of the Bel River (in center) flows northward into the ocean and is characteristic of the rivers that drain the coastal ranges. This area is immediately southeast of Eureka. During Skylab 3 extensive forest fires occurred near Briceland and the smoke rising from the fires is clearly visible next to the cloud bank. Redwood and fir forests are sources of lumber in this region; and a variety of clear cut (timbering) patterns appear as light against the dark forest. The patterns appear to be related to the topography. Analysis of this photograph will aid Dr. P.G. Langley, Earth Satellite Corporation, in developing methods for forest inventory using space photography. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP project are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. Photo credit: NASA