24 April 2007

Google Earth spies stranded ships in sea of sand

Google Earth's ongoing high resolution image updates to its global mapping application have given users access to new images of one of the biggest environmental disasters the planet has ever seen - the shrinking Aral Sea.

This body of water, which lies between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the fourth largest lake in the world; but now the shore lines have shrunk and Google Earth users can see images of stranded ships lying on salty plains, miles away from any water.

The reason for these lonely vessels is due to a human induced environmental catastrophe. In 1918, the two major rivers that fed the Aral Sea were diverted by Soviet Russia to irrigate the surrounding desert area in order to grow rice, melons, and cotton. Without the water supply from these tributaries, the Aral Sea began to shrink and has continued to do so over the last four decades. Today, the Aral Sea's volume is just 20% of what it once was.

This led to towns that were once thriving fishing ports, with extensive harbours and sea vessels, eventually being stranded miles away from the waterline. Huge ships now lie rusting in the dusty, salty plains, which were once the sea bed. These relics can be seen with Google Earth, sometimes at the end of a now dry channel, which are thought to have been dug as a last ditch attempt to rescue the ships.

The shrinking waters have also lead to a huge increase in salinity and pollution from industrial projects and agricultural runoff. Moreover, a now defunct Soviet biological weapons facility has greatly reduced the biodiversity of the Aral Sea and the surrounding area.

Google Earth is continually updating its imagery and adding high resolution graphics to its patchwork of satellite pictures. Google says that no one part of Google Earth is more than three years old, and many areas are considerably newer.

However, Google's eye on the world has been a concern to certain national officials who have, in the past, expressed misgivings over the potential threat to national security that these high resolution images may pose. India, South Korea, Australia and the USA have all voiced their objections to the availably of high resolution pictures of sensitive locations, such as military installations and government residences.

Google Earth's imagery has allowed users who are concerned or interested in environmental issues to see the effects of man's impact on the planet with their own eyes. In addition to the Aral Sea disaster, Google Earth also allows users to view the retreating snowlines and glaciers caused by global warming, as well as large areas of deforestation.

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