A part of the Gibson Desert in Western Australia is featured on this picture, captured by the Φsat-2 mission in June 2025.
Protecting an space of over 150 000 sq km, the desert consists of gravel terrains coated by desert grasses, in addition to crimson sandy plains and dune fields. As we are able to additionally see within the picture, the standard soil floor colors vary from reddish brown to crimson, owing to the iron-rich sediments. Moreover, the dry local weather and climate set off soil oxidation, giving the panorama its distinctive heat colors.
Parallel sand dune ridges are a defining attribute of the realm and may be seen spreading throughout the picture. These are formed by the wind and may stretch for tens of km.
The biggest blue function seen within the decrease a part of the picture is a dry lakebed, the place the Fortescue River empties. On this area, rivers are primarily ephemeral, which signifies that they continue to be dry for many of the 12 months and circulate solely briefly and briefly, normally in direct response to precipitation. The Fortescue River is dry on this picture as a result of no vital rain fell throughout the days earlier than the acquisition.
Inland drainage is typical of most of Western Australia, and the nice majority of the lakes listed here are saline dried-up lakebeds, somewhat than freshwater our bodies. The partially white physique of water seen on the high is a part of the Fortescue Marsh wetlands somewhat than a traditional everlasting lake. The white color inside the lake is as a result of presence of sediments within the water.
The Fortescue Marsh is an unlimited seasonal floodplain with lakes, marshes, and swimming pools that act as a pure water retention basin throughout and after rains. It’s nationally recognised as a wetland of significance and helps numerous wildlife that has tailored to the arid and ephemeral river surroundings.
Launched in August 2024, Φsat-2 is a miniature satellite tv for pc – a cubesat – designed to reveal how completely different Synthetic Intelligence (AI) applied sciences can advance observing Earth from area.
