Italy - MERIS, 19 February 2003

The snow-covered Swiss Alps and Northern Central part of Italy can be observed in this Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) image. In the northern part of the Alps in contrast with the surrounding snow are the lakes of Constance, Ammersee, Starnberg and Chiemsee. On the Italian side of the Alps are the lakes of Maggiore, Como and Garda. Continuing further east is the Venetian Lagoon and the city of Venice. The light green colour of the sea in the lagoon and along the Adriatic coast is likely to be caused by increased sedimentation. Scrolling across the peninsula to the Tyrrhenian Sea we see the Gulf of Genoa. To the south is the island of Elba and returning on the mainland further south are the volcanic lakes of Bolsena and Bracciano.

Technical Information:
Instruments: MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS)
Date of Acquisition: 19 February 2003
Orbit number: 05086
Instrument features: Full Resolution image (300 - metre resolution)