Sark, English Channel Islands

Sark (lower right) is part of the English Channel Islands off the coast of Normandy, France. It is a royal fief, part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey (left side), and has its own set of laws based on Norman law, its own parliament, and exchequer. Until 2008, it was the last feudal state in Europe with hereditary government. Sark is one of the few places in the world where cars are banned. The image was acquired June 16, 2017, covers an area of 14.1 by 25.3 km, and is located at 49.4 degrees north, 2.5 degrees west. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region and its high spatial resolution of about 50 to 300 feet (15 to 90 meters), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched Dec. 18, 1999, on Terra. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and data products. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils and geology; and measuring surface heat balance. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25859