U.S. space agency NASA said Thursday it has created a 3-D image of the volcanic Mount Oyama on Miyake Island using data collected by a Japanese astronaut.
The image of the 813-meter volcano at the center of Miyake Island was generated using topographical data obtained by mission specialist Mamoru Mohri during his 11-day mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in February, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said.
Mount Oyama has erupted several times since July 8 -- most recently on Thursday -- forcing nearby residents to evacuate. The 55-sq.-km island, located some 180 km south of Tokyo, has also been rattled by continuous earthquakes over the past few months.
NASA said the 3-D image also includes data collected after eruptions began, which show volcanic ash deposited on one side of the mountain.
The image is produced by a computer-generated light source, which illuminates elevation data of the mountain to produce a pattern of shadows, NASA said.
On flat surfaces, the pattern of shadows reveal subtle features in the terrain, NASA said.
Detailed topographic information obtained by Mohri can be used to predict the direction in which lava will flow in the future, NASA said.
During his shuttle mission, Mohri used sophisticated space radar to map Earth's surface.