Copernicus Sentinel-1 captured this radar image over French Guiana–home to Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, where ESA’s Biomass mission is being prepared for liftoff on April 29, 2025, onboard a Vega-C rocket.
This false-color view shows part of the northeast coast of South America, stretching from the estuary of the Kourou River in French Guiana in the east, to Suriname, west of the Maroni River. The latter is visible as a dark line, snaking its way across the image and marking the border between the two countries.
The colors in this image come from the combination of two polarizations from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, which have been assigned a color and converted into a single composite. This processing technique helps to distinguish different types of surface, thereby providing detailed information.
Here, water is clearly reflected in dark shades of blue. Distinct wave patterns can be seen in the Atlantic Ocean since the radar signal is highly sensitive to changes in the roughness on the water: calm waters appear darker, while rough seas appear brighter.
The dark, branching waterways of the Petit Saut Reservoir stand out in the center-right of the image. The water body was formed by a hydroelectric dam built on the Sinnamary River. The river can be seen winding its way north to eventually drain into the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2025), processed by ESA
