[Geysers] Google Earth imagery updates

[caverns]

Just to clarify, TruEarth is a Landsat-derived product. However, the
producer has compiled the "best" imagery--cloud-free,
high-contrast--and then color-balanced it. The imagery still does not
approach the quality of the high-resolution areas.

Other notes:
If you visit Whakarewarewa Geyser Field, Rotorua, New Zealand, notice
Sulphur Bay is now visible. It's the turquoise inlet at the southern
portion of lake. Several redundant imagery glitches now exist,
however, near Orakeikorako. Much of the cloud cover at Kamchatka and
Iceland is now gone. The United States' second largest remaining
geyser field--Geyser Bight, Umnak Island, Alaska--is now mostly cloud
free. El Tatio appears to have higher contrast in the TruEarth
imagery. There is less bleeding of the overexposed siliceous sinter
regions onto adjoining pixels.

Here's a photo of the Whakarewarewa area.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5382/375/1600/whaka.jpg

Alan

Alan Glennon
UCSB Geography