English: (P-43882)

A false-color composite of the Raco, Michigan area, centered around 46 degrees north latitude and 85 degrees west longitude. Acquired by SIR-C/X-SAR on April 9, 1994, during the 6th orbit of the space shuttle Endeavour (STS-59), the image has been used by science team members at the University of Michigan to produce detailed maps of land cover in Raco. Accurate information about land cover is important for area resource management and for scientific models used to understand global change.

The area shown is approximately 24 by 40 kilometers (15 by 25 miles). Located at the eastern end of Michigan's upper peninsula, at the boundary between boreal and northern temperate forests, Raco occupies a transitional zone that may be ecologically sensitive to possible global changes resulting from climatic warming. In the image, darker areas represent smooth surfaces such as frozen lakes or other unforested areas. Colors relate to the types of trees; brightness relates to the amount of plant material (forest biomass) covering the surface. The black area in the upper right corner is an ice-covered part of Lake Superior.