Location #1: Underwater Patterns, Yucatan Peninsula
|
Image Center Coordinates
Latitude: 21.26 Longitude: -74.8
Original ASTER VNIR image taken from the USGS online archives, May, 2003. ASTER image ID: AST_L1B.003:2013880516
|
The waters off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula are shallow enough to reveal ocean floor patterns. The maximum depth to the North and North West of the Yucatan Peninsula is 500 feet and these shallow waters proceed past the shoreline for over 150 miles in some places.
The image to the right is approximately 13-15 miles off the shore of the city of Campeche. Visible patterns can be seen that continue on in areas for over 10 miles. The image close-ups can be seen below. |
To download a full size image of the ASTER VNIR original click here. |
Enhanced Close-up Image
|
The area to the left is approximately 9 miles wide by 11 miles long. This particular area of the ocean floor is covered with patterns that follow the contours of the sea floor bottom. These patterns are circular and linear with rectilinear features. Some of the patterns seem to be covered over with sand more than other areas. The areas where the patterns can be seen the best are around landform features such as underwater hills and ridges. These areas are ideal for searching for anomalous features because the sand doesn't settle on the patterns as much on hill or valley sea floor features due to the elevation and exposure these areas receive to ocean currents.
|
|
|
Some of the pattern features appear to be indentations like the strange U shaped feature below. There is also a Y shaped feature to the right of the U shaped object.
|
 |
|
Location #2: Underwater Patterns, Yucatan Peninsula
 |
Image Center Coordinates
Latitude: 21.4 Longitude: -89.3
Original ASTER VNIR image taken from the USGS online archives,
July, 2002. ASTER image ID: AST_L1B.003:2007906311 |
| Beginning around 7 miles off shore of the city of Dzilam on the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula are more underwater patterns. These patterns are best seen around a series of underwater valleys and hills that are visible within the red square to the right. |
|
To download a full size image of the ASTER VNIR original click here.
After applying Brightness/Contrast and Unsharp mask in Photoshop, the patterns become more apparent in the close-ups below. The close-up below right reveals a large right angle feature that appears to be part of the ridge line. |
Enhanced Close-up Image |
Enhanced Close-up Image |
|
Location #3: Underwater Patterns, Yucatan Peninsula
 |
Image Center Coordinates
Latitude: 21.3 Longitude: -90.3
Original ASTER VNIR image taken from the USGS online archives,
August 2000. ASTER image ID: AST_L1B.003:2014215583
|
| The image to the right is an area to the North West of the coastal town of Sisal in the Yucatan. This area also contains some extremely interesting patterns. |
|
| |
| To download a full size image of the ASTER VNIR original click here. |
Enhanced Close-up Image |
The image to the left reveals the complexity of the patterns and also reveals GPS coordinates for an interesting area worthy of further investigation. |
|
| The images below are more enhanced close-ups of the main reference image above. Notice the linear feature that runs diagonally across the left image below. Also notice the complexity of the pattern on the right and how the pattern follows the contours of the ocean floor. |
Enhanced Close-up Image |
Enhanced Close-up Image |
|
Part 2. Underwater Landscape Patterns, Yucatan Peninsula
|
