NASA MODIS Image of the Day: May 7, 2012 – Lake Baikal, eastern Russia
The crescent-shaped Lake Baikal, said to be the oldest and deepest lake in the world, has been called one of the Earth’s most impressive natural wonders. The blue waters are surrounded by steep mountains, creating dramatic and beautiful scenery. The lake is long, with a coastline of about 2,100 km (1,305 mi), the bottom is lined with underwater mountains, craters and hot springs, and about 30 rocky islands are scattered across the lake. This varied landscape creates ecological niches that support more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, about two-thirds of which are unique to this site, as well as 50 species of fish. Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Although beautiful, Baikal has been described as having many moods. One of the most dramatic times at Baikal is in late April to early May, when the thick winter ice begins to melt. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of ice melting across Lake Baikal on May 4, 2012. In this image, the mountain tops of the Primorsky and Baikalsky Ranges (west), the Barguzinsky and Ulan-Burasy Ranges (east), and the Khamar Daban Range (south east) are covered with bright white snow, while the lower-lying land to the south has become relatively snow-free. A thick layer of ice remains over the waters in northern Baikal, while in the southern end of the lake, the deep blue of unfrozen water is seen. Near the middle of the lake, the ice has been broken into chunks and ranges in color from light blue (thinnest ice) to bright white (thicker ice). Lake Baikal remains icebound for approximately four months each year. The lake typically completely freezes by late December to early January, and the ice breakup begins in the south of the lake in April or early May. The northern ice, which often freezes 2 m (6.5 feet) thick, typically melts by late May or June.
