Chilean Volcanoes

On the border between Chile and the Catamarca province of Argentina lies a vast field of currently dormant volcanoes. Over time, these volcanoes have laid down a crust of magma roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) thick. It is tinged with a patina of various colors that can indicate both the age and mineral content of the original lava flows.

Image date: 1 May 1999

Part of the US Geological Survey's "Earth as Art" collection of images taken by the Landsat 7 satellite.

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have collected from space information about Earth’s continents and coastal areas, enabling scientists to study many aspects of the planet and to evaluate changes caused by both natural processes and human practices. This image was created by visualizing both visible-light and infrared data in colors visible to the human eye; band combinations and colors were chosen to optimize their dramatic appearance.

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey [source has higher resolution version]

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