Re: ATM OT-Light pollution: Incredible photo

["B. Pepin" <atmjedit@conceptsnet.com>]

Dominic please see:

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/

for a complete description of the program.

The one sensational picture posted was a single image placed on the
Astronomy Picture of the Day Website. Unfortunately areas that were
cloud-covered during the image run necessarily appear dark or blacked out.

There is no attempt here to cover or doctor the images. There is no reason
to do so. The Defense Meteorological Satellite photographs are fully
described on their site. The means of taking the exposures, the durations
(remember, they have to overlay many, many photos to catch, bit by bit, the
surface of the earth when it is not covered by clouds) and the wavenlengths
are all published. There are other published photos that also show the
Russian oil fields, other Atlantic and Pacific installations, etc., etc.
These are used for research, and are available with specialized data for
various disciplines.


----- Original Message -----
From: Dominic-Luc Webb molmed <Dominic.Luc-Webb@molmed.ki.se>
To: Donovan Buck <donovan@bravoz.com>
Cc: <atm@shore.net>; Work All <everyone@bravoz.com>
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2000 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: ATM OT-Light pollution: Incredible photo


>
> On Fri, 15 Dec 2000, Donovan Buck wrote:
>
> >
> > Apologies to the list. I know this is OT, but not many pictures make me
> > spontaneously exclaim "holy ****", and I thought it might do the same
for
> > you. I can't decide if it's depressing or awe inspiring. Judge for
yourself.
> >
> > http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg
>
>
> This must be a deliberate attempt at disinformation on the part of the
> Soviet Union. That, or the US is trying to be politically correct with
> Russia. Note that the arctic region above Russia is pitch black. As if
> someone had deliberately gone over it with a black marker. Indeed, they
> must have. I have seen plenty of such (unmodified) night images both
> relatively recent and older. They all show (by far) the brightest thing
> on Earth (at night) to be the Russian oil fields in the arctic. Not even
> New York or Tokyo come close. Come to think of it, the massive set of
ocean
> rigs west of Norway are missing too... Hmmm???? I think these are
> doctored images. I can't imagine what kind of filter you could use to
> filter out massive burning oil rigs larger than cities and leave behind
> tiny little street lights. Anybody know how/why this was done? Seriously,
> its really puzzling if it isn't doctored.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Dominic
>
> North 59 37' 30"
> East  17 48' 10"
>
> _______________________________________
>
> Dominic-Luc Webb, doktorand
>
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