New Earth Map

The US Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) said on October 17 that it has published the most complete digital Earth topographic map, created in collaboration with Japanese research experts. and use satellite data.

Photo of Mount Whitney in California with ASTER device - (Photo: NASA)

The map above, called the global digital elevation model, is made up of Japanese images taken with ASTER (space-reflecting and radiant radiation measuring device) on Terra's space ship. NASA.

The ASTER device , launched with Terra in 1999, received images from visible to infrared heat wavelengths.

The first version of this map was announced in June 2009 by NASA and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The new ASTER map, which is provided free online, covers 99% of the mainland area and extends from 83 degrees north to 83 degrees south latitude.

'This updated version of the global digital elevation model provides users with global topographic data with the highest resolution , ' said Mike Abrams of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. California (USA) said.

'These data can be used for a range of applications, from highway planning to protecting land areas of cultural and environmental importance, to finding natural resources. ' he added.