Earth from space: the land of rainforests

This picture comes from Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission Capture the coast of Gabon in striking color.

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Gabon is located in the equatorial region of Africa, bordering Cameroon, the Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea, with its coast facing the Gulf of Guinea. Huge forests thrive in the country’s humid tropical climate, covering about 88% of Gabon. It’s home to Africa’s most diverse tropical rainforest and a haven for wildlife, including western lowland gorillas and critically endangered forest elephants.

The country’s hot and humid climate also means the area is often covered by clouds, making it difficult to achieve optically cloud-free views. where is this Sentinel-2 InstrumentsWith 13 spectral channels, it can help.

The false-color image was generated using selected near-infrared and shortwave spectral bands to reduce haze and enhance changes in vegetation, moisture patterns and land cover, resulting in higher color contrast than standard optical images.

This combination also shows clouds of varying colors from white to pink, depending on the cloud’s altitude and the number of water droplets or ice particles in the cloud. Bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes, appear black, while densely forested areas appear orange.

The image clearly illustrates how the country’s geography is dominated by forests and the Ogooué River, which is clearly visible flowing through the center of the image. It flows west through Gabon, collecting water from numerous lakes along the way before draining into the Gulf of Guinea, where it forms a large delta.

With the exception of bodies of water, the image is primarily orange, representing dense, undisturbed rainforest, with darker orange or brown tones representing wetter, low-lying vegetation, often found in streams and swampy areas. Patches of yellow and acid green throughout the image often indicate grassland or bare soil.

The city’s built-up areas take on an aquamarine color. Port Gentil, Gabon’s second largest city, is located near the Ogoue River Delta, close to the country’s westernmost point, Point Lopez, which juts into the Atlantic Ocean. Libreville, the capital of Gabon, is located on the northern shore of the Gabon Estuary, with a large inlet visible in the upper part of the image.