Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] #NASA

Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia : Image of the Day

earthobservatory.nasa.gov 04 Mar '12, 11pm

Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] #NASA

Northern Saudi Arabia hosts some of the most extensive sand and gravel deserts in the world, but modern agriculture has changed the face of some of them. This photograph from astronauts on the International Space Station presents an almost surreal view of abundant green fields in the midst of a barren desert. As recently as 1986, there was little to no agricultural activity in the Wadi As-Sirhan Basin. But over the past 26 years, agricultural fields have been steadily developed, largely as a result of the investment of oil industry revenues by the Saudi government. Crops grown in the area include fruits, vegetables, and wheat. The fields are irrigated by water pumped from underground aquifers. That water is distributed in rotation about a center point within a circular field—a technique known as center-pivot agriculture. The approach affords certain benefits compared to tr...

Full article: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=77300&s...

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@geojcarlos » 06 Mar '12, 12pm
RT @SkyTruth: Astronaut photo - RT @nasa_eo: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@SkyTruth » 05 Mar '12, 5pm
Astronaut photo - RT @nasa_eo: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@WatersDave » 04 Mar '12, 11pm
RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@CRKARLA » 04 Mar '12, 11pm
Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [Image] [link] #NASAEarth @NASA_EO
@linusblomqvist » 04 Mar '12, 11pm
1/2 "Almost surreal" photo of desert agriculture in Saudi Arabia, taken from ISS [link] via @NASA_EO
@NASA_EO » 04 Mar '12, 11pm
Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@HindustanUniver » 05 Mar '12, 6am
RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
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RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
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RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
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RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@ThomasGBalzer » 05 Mar '12, 12am
RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA
@GlobalEcoGuy » 04 Mar '12, 11pm
RT @NASA_EO: Agricultural Fields, Wadi As-Sirhan Basin, Saudi Arabia [image] [link] #NASA