This image of the Mississippi River in Mississippi and Louisiana shows

regions of the southern United States that are prone to flooding. Data

acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture

(SIR-C/X-SAR) system, which flew on two space shuttle missions in April and

October 1994, can help scientists assess flooding potentials and improve

land management for future agricultural development. This image was acquired

on October 9, 1994, during orbit 151 of space shuttle Endeavour. The image

is centered at about 32.75 degrees north latitude and 90.5 degrees west

longitude and covers an area of about 23 kilometers by 40 kilometers (14.2

miles by 24.8 miles). North is toward the upper right of the image. The

different colors represent the data return in different radar channels: red

is L- band, vertically transmitted and received; green is L-band vertically

transmitted and horizontally received; and blue is C-band vertically

transmitted and received. This site along the Mississippi River lies north

of Vicksburg along the Louisiana-Mississippi state border. The river marks

the stateline. Louisiana lies above the river and Mississippi is below the

river. This region is characterized by rich farmland where a variety of

crops are grown. The town located in the extreme upper left hand corner is

Eudora, Louisiana. The long, narrow lakes which lie roughly parallel to the

river are called oxbow lakes, named for the U-shaped harness worn by an ox.

Oxbows are formed when a river changes course, abandoning old channels in

favor of a new course. As the river changes course, the surrounding land

dries out, leaving these lakes isolated. Oxbow lakes are common in areas

where rivers flow through generally flat terrain, allowing the river to

easily change course. The green regions bordering the river are undeveloped

forested areas.

P-45737 May 25, 1995

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bruce.chapman@jpl.nasa.gov