This indicates how sensitive the multispectral instrument on Sentinel-2A is to differences in chlorophyll content, providing key information on vegetation health. The mountains and several parks appear in varying shades of red, owing to this false-colour band combination. Using this band combination the variations in the water are more evident, however, the drawback is that we lose the efficiency of the infrared band in monitoring vegetation. To appreciate this better, we can compare the natural colour composite of the same area. This acts as a dam, where the northern end of the lake became more saline than the southern end. In 1904, the Southern Pacific Causeway was built to create a shorter route across the lake, visible across the top part. The lake contributes an estimated $1.3 billion annually to Utah's economy, comprising the harvesting of brine shrimp, industry in mineral extraction, and recreation.Īlthough it has been referred to as 'America's Dead Sea”, the lake provides habitat for millions of native birds, brine shrimp, shorebirds and waterfowl. The lighter blue areas denote solar evaporation ponds at the edges of the lake, which produce salts and brine. Owing to its shallowness, its size shifts substantially. The Great Salt Lake, partly visible on the left side of the image, is the largest salt-water lake in the Western Hemisphere.

Utah’s capital in the United States, Salt Lake City, sits at 1300 m, bordered by the waters of the Great Salt Lake and the peaks of the Wasatch Range, which rise over 1.6 km above the Salt Lake valley floor. In this false colour image from 20 August, Sentinel-2A brings us to Utah’s Salt Lake City and surroundings.

Dead space ignition meteor puzzle