Principal Investigator

Charlie Devine (Project Co-lead)

Capacity Building Type
DEVELOP
Imagen
Turbidity derived from a January 28, 2019, Landsat 8 OLI image. The coastal region of Belize, including the Belize Barrier Reef, is displayed. Pink areas highlight high levels of turbidity. Very turbid waters may have consequences on the health of coral reefs, which require clear water in order to photosynthesize efficiently. These data may increase partners' understanding of spatiotemporal patterns of coastal water quality and will improve their capacity for allocating resources for coral reef monitoring and restoration.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a biodiverse marine ecosystem and the largest coral reef system in the western hemisphere. The reef also provides ecosystem services in the form of fisheries and tourism and is estimated to be responsible for 12...

Principal Investigator

Vanessa Valenti

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NDVI, MNDWI, and DSWE calculated using Landsat 8 OLI imagery (May-September 2019), blended with red, green, and blue color bands, respectively. The northern shore of Lake Superior is displayed, including Minnesota and Ontario. Areas of blue correspond to standing water, while dark purple areas correspond to dry uplands. Light purple areas represent likely wetland extent, where decision-makers can target conservation and monitoring efforts.  Keywords: Landsat 8 OLI, Lake Superior, DSWE, NDVI, MNDWI, Minnesota, Ontario, wetlands, wetland extent

The Great Lakes Basin is one of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystems. The Basin harbors over 200,000 acres of wetlands that provide a variety of environmental, ecological, and recreational functions to over 30 million people in the region. Some of...

Principal Investigator

Krishna Sharma (Project Co-Lead)

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A Long-Term Remote Sensing Analysis to Evaluate Changes in Water Quality of Great Bear Lake

The Sahtu Dene people of Délįnę have a strong traditional tie to Great Bear Lake (GBL), which they refer to as “The Water Heart.” The indigenous community is concerned with how changes in the lake may affect their livelihoods and fisheries. Arctic lakes like the...

Principal Investigator

Neda Kasraee

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A Multi-Sensor Approach to Determine the Impacts of Human Activity and Natural Surface Deformation on the Black Rock Playa, Nevada

Since the early 2000s, wind-deposited sediment mounds have been growing and encroaching onto the Black Rock Playa of the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. These sedimentary structures along the edge of the playa potentially increase dust emissions and alter the...

Principal Investigator

Abhishek Kumar

 
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A Multi-Sensor Approach to Enhance the Prediction of Mangrove Biophysical Characteristics in Chilika Lagoon and Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India

Mangroves, one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, play a major role in coastal ecosystem processes, from mitigating erosion to acting as a barrier against tidal and storm surges associated with tropical cyclones. India has about 5 % of the world's mangrove vegetation...

Principal Investigator

Abhishek Kumar

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A Multi-Sensor Approach to Enhance the Prediction of Mangrove Biophysical Characteristics in Chilika Lagoon and Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India

Across the globe, mangroves play a major role in coastal ecosystem processes mitigating erosion and serving as barriers against storm surges. India holds approximately 5% of the world's mangroves, over half of which are along its east coast. Situated in the state of Odisha, Chilika...

Principal Investigator

Margaret Mulhern

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A Perspective on Nighttime Sky Glow over the Colorado Plateau by Integrating the Suomi-NPP VIIRS Day Night Band Sensor with a Customized Geolocation Data Processing Program

The rapid expansion of human population in conjunction with industrialization has resulted in increased artificial light pollution, also known as sky glow. Anthropogenic light pollution hinders the reproductive, migratory, and predatory habits of wildlife relying on the predictable diurnal cycle. Artificial light pollution not only...

Principal Investigator

Gia Mancini

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An Interactive Model of Mosquito Presence and Distribution to Assist Vector-Borne Disease Management in Western Europe

Vector-borne diseases, caused by pathogens and parasites, are transmitted through living organism carriers known as vectors. Mosquitoes are the most common disease vectors and transmit illnesses such as Zika, West Nile, chikungunya, malaria, dengue, and yellow fever. These diseases affect millions of people around the...

Principal Investigator

Chris Ploetz

 
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Analyzing and Assessing Drought Conditions for Crops across Alabama Using NASA Earth Observations

Drought in Alabama has a major impact on agriculture, causing crop yields to fall well below their normal numbers throughout the state. This project researched drought conditions experienced in 2012 and 2016 and the impact the conditions had on corn production. The Alabama Office...

Principal Investigator

Charlotte Mays

 
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Analyzing and Mapping Landscape Disturbance across Glacier National Park Using a Landsat Time Series

Insects and pathogens cause extensive damage to pine forests in the northwestern United States. Bark beetles in particular cause mortality in pine stands that can impact the timber industry and national parks. Previously, studies have used spectral indices derived from Landsat time series to...