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October 11, 2012

Vol. 1, No. 6

VIEWWORLD

Non-commercial, non-media use only

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH

Kulluk begins drilling in the Arctic Beaufort Sea, Alaska, U.S.

Crack in Antarctic glacier continues to expand Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica

Peru to build new airport near Machu PicchuCuzco, Peru

RAF Lossiemouth hosts tactical exercises Lossiemouth, United Kingdom

Restoration project at the Acropolis Athens, Greece

Tension mounts along Turkey-Syria border Akcakale, Turkey

National Flag Square and Eurovision site Baku, Azerbaijan

Taj Mahal features symmetry, white marble Agra, India

Activity at Sohae Satellite Launch Station Tongch’ang-ni, North Korea

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CONTENTS

On the cover: Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

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Unless otherwise noted, all WorldView content is copyrighted by DigitalGlobe. Copyright © DigitalGlobe, Inc. 2012

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Kulluk begins drilling in the Arctic Beaufort Sea, Alaska, U.S., October 3, 2012 70°23’29”N, 145°58’53”W

On October 3, 2012, Shell Oil Co.’s conical drill ship, the Kulluk, began initial drilling approximately 28 kilometers off the northern coast of Alaska in the Beaufort Sea. The vessel, shown here beneath hazy clouds with two support ships, anchored two weeks ago in preparation for initial work on the exploratory oil well. According to news reports, the ship left Alaska’s Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands on August 20, 2012, and headed for its anchors, which had already been put in place. Shell waited six years for gov-ernment approval to drill and then waited for the people of Kaktovik, Alaska, to complete the bowhead whaling season. This is the first time in two decades that two rigs have been simultaneously drilling offshore in Alaska, according to reports from Shell. Another drill ship, the Noble Discoverer,

began drilling at the Burger prospect nearly 600 kilometers to the west in the Chukchi Sea earlier last month, though drilling was temporarily suspended as a huge ice flow drift-ed across the site. Shell received permission to drill pilot holes in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and is drilling a pilot hole 427 meters (1,400 feet) below the seafloor to check for obstructions and pockets of hydrocarbons. This pilot hole will then be widened to add pipe and cement. Shell will also place a blowout preventer on the floor of the Beaufort Sea to provide protection should future ice flows damage the platform. Drilling for oil and gas deposits is not expected to start until next summer because of equipment delays and the impending Arctic winter.

Drill ship Kulluk

Support ship

Support ship

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Beaufor t S ea

Scale = .5 kilometers

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 2

Crack in Antarctic glacier continues to expand Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, September 30, 2012 75°05’17”S, 101°35’20”W

This image shows Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf where a crack, which formed on the opposite side of the glacier last fall, is now within one kilometer of reaching the shelf ’s edge. When it does, a chunk of ice that is 800 square kilometers, or nine times the size of Manhattan Island, will break off the glacier. These events are normal phenomena, but this crack formed further inland than previous ones, indicating that the glacier is retreating, according to glaci-ologist Ian Howat with the Byrd Polar Research Center. The crack extends for 30 kilometers and is 80 meters wide and

60 meters deep. The Pine Island Glacier is a major ice stream flowing west-northwest into Pine Island Bay and then on to the Amundsen Sea. The Pine Island Glacier Basin accounts for 10 percent of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and contributes more ice to the sea than any other ice drainage basin in the world, according to reports. Some scientists believe the weak-ening ice shelves are a result of warm water melting their un-dersides. Satellite imagery has helped identify changes in the glacier, but more research is needed to determine the nature of the processes occurring under the ice.

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Crack in glacier

Scale = 5 kilometers

Pine Island Bay

Ice debris

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 3

Peru to build new airport near Machu Picchu Cuzco, Peru, September 30, 2012 13°09’52”S, 72°32’45”W

Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most important archaeo-logical sites, might soon be attracting more visitors with the help of a new airport. News outlets recently reported that Peru President Ollanta Humala has announced plans to build a USD $460 million international airport near the southern city of Cuzco to increase tourism to Machu Picchu and the surrounding areas. Built by the Incas in the 15th century, Machu Picchu is located on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley approximately 75 kilometers northwest of Cuzco. The easiest way to get to Machu Picchu from Cuzco is by train. The existing airport is insufficient for the major-ity of incoming tourists; it offers limited daytime flights and cannot handle the large aircraft associated with international

flights because of its location in the mountains. President Humala said the new airport, which will be farther from the mountains, will allow more tourists to visit and create jobs for the local economy. Some are concerned, however, about the effect this will have on the UNESCO World Heritage Site and its surrounding environment. This image shows agricultural terraces on the west side of Machu Picchu as well as temples, homes, plazas and palaces within the perimeter. The hous-es are notable for their stone construction; the stones were polished and so intricately placed together that no mortar was needed to secure them. The original roofs, which were made of thatch, have long since disappeared, leaving their tall gables to dominate the skyline.

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Approximately 75 kilometers to Cuzco

Scale = .25 kilometers

Agricultural terraces

Temple of the Sun

Royal Palace

Tourist entrance

The Sacred Rock

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 4

RAF Lossiemouth hosts tactical exercises Lossiemouth, United Kingdom, October 4, 2012 57°42’32”N, 03°20’07”W

RAF Lossiemouth, the most active air station in the Royal Air Force (RAF), is in the midst of an especially busy training period. The air station is an ideal training location for RAF pilots, as it enjoys some of the best weather of any airfield in the U.K. Both the 51 Squadron and the 2622 Auxilia-ry Squadron are based here under the 5 Force Protection Wing headquarters. RAF Lossiemouth, seen in this satellite image from October 4, 2012, is supporting “Joint Warrior,” a large tactical exercise to help integrate and prepare forces for possible joint exercises. “Joint Warrior” was designed by the U.K.’s Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) and

includes participants of land, air and sea units from the U.K., U.S., France, Canada, Holland, Belgium, Estonia, Norway and Sweden. JTEPS uses the coast of Scotland as the location to test tactical combat and piracy kidnapping scenarios. RAF Lossiemouth is contributing Tornado GR4 combat fighters and hosting Typhoon multi-role fighters to support this exercise. The air station is also hosting the Combined Weap-ons Instructor Course (CQWI). NATO and RAF pilots are participating in this course to better prepare them to handle real-world scenarios and ensure that mixed assets are used efficiently in the future.

Scale = 1 kilometer

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Typhoon multi-role fighters

Tornado GR4 combat fighters

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 5

Restoration project at the Acropolis Athens, Greece, October 2, 2012 37°58’16”N, 23°43’37”E

The UNESCO World Heritage Site the Acropolis, seen in this image, was constructed by the Ancient Greeks. The Persians nearly destroyed the Acropolis, which had been a military, political and religious sanctuary since Mycenae-an times, but an allied Greek fleet won a decisive battle off the island of Salamis in 480 B.C.E., ushering in a period of relative peace. The Greeks had defeated the Persians on land and sea by 479 B.C.E. The four buildings erected after that time opened a new period in Greek architecture known as the Classical Period (479-323 B.C.E.). The largest and most famous of these four buildings is the Parthenon, a temple to Athena, patron goddess of the city. The architects Iktinos

and Kallikrates built the temple from the finest marble from Mount Pentelicus. Since then, the temple has been used as a Christian church and then a mosque. In 1687, it was used for munitions storage and took a direct hit when the Venetians attacked the Ottomans occupying Greece, which resulted in a massive explosion. Other buildings on the Acropolis are located based on the particular qualities of the site. These buildings include the Propylaea, the Old Temple of Athena and the Erechtheion. Today, the greatest threat to the site is heavy atmospheric pollution, which creates a black crust or coating on the surfaces of the site’s buildings. A restoration project, which started in 1975, is nearing completion.

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Scale = .25 kilometers

Parthenon

Propylaea

Erechtheion

Old Temple of Athena

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 6

Tension mounts along Turkey-Syria border Akcakale, Turkey, October 4, 2012 36°42’29”N, 38°57’36”E

The situation along the Turkey-Syria border remains tense as mortar rounds continue to be launched from Syria into Turkey. For six days in a row, mortars had been launched near the Akcakale border crossing; in the initial instance, the mortar attack killed five Turkish residents. In response, Turkey has moved military units and equipment in Ak-cakale, including the two probable ACV-IFVs (infantry fighting vehicles) with Sharpshooter turrets seen on this

satellite image collected on October 4, 2012. Turkey has responded by returning fire across the border for each mortar attack. According to reports, Turkey President Abdullah Gül said worst-case scenarios were playing out in Syria, and Turkey would do everything necessary to protect itself. Turkey authorized further cross-border mili-tary operations if necessary, but stopped short of declaring war against Syria.

Scale = .5 kilometers

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Sy r ia

Turke y

Akcakale

Probable ACV-IFVs with Sharpshooter turrets

Syria border control point

Turkey border control point

Border crossing

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 7

National Flag Square and Eurovision site Baku, Azerbaijan, September 27, 2012 40°20’38”N, 49°50’50”E

Located on the Caspian Sea, the city of Baku dates back to the first century and now houses approximately 25 percent of Azerbaijan’s population. The name “Baku” is thought to be derived from the old Persian name Bād-kube, meaning “wind-pounded city.” In 1813, Persia signed the Treaty of Gulistan, ceding Baku and most of the Caucasus to Russia. Azerbaijan remained under subsequent Soviet control until it gained independence in 1991. Baku is now one of the world’s most polluted cities as a result of its legacy as a Sovi-et industrial center. This image shows National Flag Square, which opened September 1, 2010, and the accompanying museum on the southwestern side of the city near Baku Bay.

The site’s 162-meter flagpole was the world’s tallest until the 165-meter Dushanbe Flagpole in Tajikistan was built in 2011. American designer David Chambers designed both flagpoles. National Flag Square’s flag measures 70 meters by 35 meters and is the third to fly at this site; high winds in the area destroyed the first flag and its replacement. This image also shows Baku Crystal Hall, which was completed in April 2012. The indoor arena can hold 25,000 specta-tors and hosted the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in May. On October 6, 2012, pop singer Rihanna performed at the arena to celebrate the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in a concert financed by the Azerbaijan state oil firm SOCAR.

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Scale = .25 kilometers

Baku Crystal Hall

Baku Bay

National Flag Square and museum

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 8

Taj Mahal features symmetry, white marble Agra, India, October 2, 2012 27°10’30”N, 78°02’32”E

This image features the Taj Mahal, located along the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. Shah Jahan, who ruled the Mughal Empire from 1628-58, built the structure as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, over a period of more than 22 years. Designed by the architects Ahmad La-hauri, Abd al-karim Ma’mur Khan and Makramat Khan, the Taj Mahal features bilateral symmetry, cusped arches and white marble and is one of the world’s most famous buildings. The structure’s architectural attributes feature styles from India, Persia and central Asia. The monument appears a brilliant white color on this image because of the

polished marble that makes up its exterior. Visitors enter the tomb from the south through the main gate. The guest house and mosque on either side were intentionally left a different color than that of the tomb. The grounds also feature a square garden that is cut into four sections by a central dividing canal. These four sections were once home to flowering trees, cypresses and blooming plants, which represented rebirth and immortality. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An exact replica is scheduled to be built in Dubai in the near future, according to news reports.

Scale = .25 kilometers

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Yamuna River

Mosque

Guest house

Tomb

Non-commercial, non-media use onlyH 9

Activity at Sohae Satellite Launch Station Tongch’ang-ni, North Korea, September 28, 2012 39°39’12”N, 124°42’52”E

Since the failed launch of the U’nha 3 space launch vehi-cle in April 2012, activity at North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launch Station (a.k.a., Tongch’ang-ni Launch Facility) has dramatically slowed—but not abated. The more notable activities observed in the past six months include the par-tial razing of the worker’s village at Kwi-gol, completion of support buildings, removal of telemetry equipment, con-struction of retaining ponds and more. Actual missile-re-lated activities, however, have been limited until recently. In this September 28, 2012 image, a heavy construction crane is seen on the ramp of the facility’s vertical engine test stand. North Korea has reportedly used this test stand

to test both Nodong and Taepodong/U’nha-class rocket engines. Such tests are important for improving engine reliability, verifying modifications and developing new engines. In the past, engine tests here and at North Korea’s other launch facility—the Tonghae Satellite Launch Station (a.k.a., Musudan-ni Launch Facility)—have been inter-spersed between test launches of Paektu-san and U’nha space launch vehicles. The activity seen in this image could reasonable be associated with one of three possibilities: 1) routine maintenance, although this signature has not been observed before, 2) modification of the vertical engine test stand, or 3) preparations for an upcoming engine test.

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Vertical engine test stand

Scale = .25 kilometers

Construction crane

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