Viewing page 80 of 107

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[image]]

Atacama Desert

The 51-D crew photographed this portion of the Atacama Desert of Chile, one of the driest and most desolate areas in the world. The city of Antofagasta (1) can be seen to south of the unusual peninsula-like feature (2) jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. Salar Punta Negra (3) is visible in the lower right portion of the photograph. Huge, worked-out nitrate mines are visible (4). A new copper mine (5) has just been discovered south of Chuquicamata, one of the world's largest copper mines. (S23-46-056)

Atacama Desert

The northern Atacama Desert near the city of Arica (1) on the Peru/Chile border was photographed by the 51-G crew in June 1985. Water from melting winter snowfalls is the major source of moisture for the population of the region and this is visible in gullies and stream valleys progressing seaward from the upper ranges. Nevado de Payachata Volcano (2) is visible at the right center of the photograph. (51-G-37-095)

180