Exploring for Oil and Coal
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This SIR-C/X SAR radar image of the area surrounding Sunbury, Pennsylvania, reveals
the geologic structure and land use patterns in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge province.
During the continental collision that formed the
Appalachians some 370 to 390 million years ago, the rocks in this area were pushed
from the side and buckled much like a rug when pushed from one end. Subsequent erosion
has produced the landscape we see in this image.
The more erosion-resistant rocks, such as sandstone, form the tops of the ridges, which
appear as forested greenish areas on this image. The less erosion-resistant rocks, such as limestone,
form the lower valleys, which are cleared land and farm fields and appear as purple in this image.
In addition to defining the geography of this region, the Valley and
Ridge province also provides this area with natural resources. The valleys provide fertile
farmland and the folded mountains form natural traps for oil and gas accumulation; coal
deposits are also found in the mountains.
LightSAR's Additional Contribution:
LightSAR's L-band wavelength, multiple-polarization-mode radar will be able to image potential
sites of petroleum resources at an even higher resolution. LightSAR's global coverage will allow preliminary exploration of potentially productive sites, thus preventing expensive and unnecessary drilling of non-productive sites.
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