LesVoix,

Your observation on "Libya Swath 3" is interesting. It may lead to a better understanding of the phenomenon. I note that if you follow that swath eastward, all dark objexts show through, even very small ones. Indeed, at all points along its length, the swath is semitransparent. That further reinforces the idea that the visual effect is caused by something happening along that path in the camera's photo receptors. It is not apparently caused by other satellites intervening below the camera, as some postings have at times duggested..