OpenStreetMap
what are these oddly shaped circular features?
Unviáu por rayKiddy el 17 October 2014 en English Last updated on 23 October 2014.I am editing in HOT task “#672 - Ebola Outbreak, Port Loko, Bombali districts, road network”, and I am seeing these odd somewhat circular features on the ground. This screenshot is about 600 ft (180 m) wide. Groups of them look a bit like honeycombs. What are these?
I suspect that they are man-made and are something agricultural, but I am also not seeing buildings nearby. So, it is not clear. The line is a tertiary road and probably not paved. Any guesses?
Discussion
Comentariu de BCNorwich el 18 de October de 2014 a les 07:10
Hi. A link to the area of your screenshot would help, also what is the image layer, please? Looking close at your image I would suggest that the larger blobs are palm trees you can just make out fronds. Each throwing a shadow to the SSW, the shadow of the trunks are also visible. As to the smaller lighter blobs they are shaded to the SSW side suggesting they are not high enough to cast a remote shadow on the ground. The blobs also seem to be equally spaced. Yes I think some form of agriculture. Regards
Comentariu de Sanderd17 el 18 de October de 2014 a les 13:54
It could also be the work of termites. I don’t know which (if any) termites live in that region, but some sorts of termites are able to create surprisingly regular patterns in their mounds.
Comentariu de GEOSPEX el 19 de October de 2014 a les 00:26
Hi rayKiddy, Several people in NYC for ebola mapping were in this tile today, and it did come up in discussion. Since this pattern shows up across this particular tile and others nearby, it seems likely that it is agriculturally related; that is, some type of crop on attended terrain. Exactly what that crop is, verdict still out.
Comentariu de Firefishy el 19 de October de 2014 a les 12:49
It is most likely agricultural of some sort. At a guess each circle is land cleared to tend to a single plant… Cassava or other tuber.
Comentariu de Firefishy el 19 de October de 2014 a les 12:53
Possible ground image: http://www.trust.org/item/?map=climate-change-adaptation-through-cassava-planting/
Comentariu de Firefishy el 19 de October de 2014 a les 12:57
Better ground image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79738474@N06/9509087914
Comentariu de kucai el 20 de October de 2014 a les 01:21
my guess would be a cemetery. (really, not a spin on the ebola thing)
Comentariu de Firefishy el 20 de October de 2014 a les 06:18
Could be… Image of graves: http://blogs.cfr.org/campbell/files/2011/01/africa-jos-graves-1_20_11.jpg
Comentariu de Vincent de Phily el 20 de October de 2014 a les 08:43
I’ve usually mapped those as orchards. They’re a bit too low for palm trees. My guess is pineapple, but don’t quote me on that.
As for there being no paths to reach the area, remember that main access is by foot and is often not visible from imagery.
Comentariu de rayKiddy el 22 de October de 2014 a les 22:05
Someone mentioned these in an e-mail to a HOT list. It is apparently cassava.
See: