The three technicolor lakes in Ethiopia are visible in stunning detail in a satellite image released by NASA. The unusual colors are the result of many factors.
Lake Shala has a deep blue hue, Lake Abijatta is green in color, and Lake Langano is sandy yellow. The lakes are located in a valley south of the capital.
The Landsat 8 satellite snapped the striking real-color image months ago. NASA's Earth Observatory uploaded the image to their website.
There are amazing images of Earth from space.
The deepest of the three lakes is Lake Shala, which has a maximum depth of 873 feet and is the deepest of the three lakes. The sulfur is pumped into the water by the vent on the lake's bottom. The alkaline nature of the lake means it has a high pH. According to the Earth Observatory, despite the extreme conditions, the lake contains a large number of small crustaceans.
The deepest of the three lakes is Lake Abijatta, which has a maximum depth of 46 feet. According to Earth Observatory, the lake has lost one-third of its area in the last 50 years. There is a bloom on the lake's surface.
The lake is fed mostly by streams to the east. The lake's yellow color is caused by brown silt that is transported from nearby mountains by the rivers. Langano is a popular destination for beachgoers because it is the only lake in the region that isn't home to parasites that can cause a fatal disease.
The image is the first of three.
The contrasting appearance of the lakes is even more surprising since they used to be part of the same ancient lake. Up until around 10,000 years ago, the lake was connected to the sea by the Awash River. Changes in rainfall patterns caused the lake to dry up. According to the Earth Observatory, the lake broke into different lakes by 2,000 years ago.
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