Identifying drought-prone areas and developing an early warning system for crop damage. Protecting biologically diverse areas of the National Park System with a trail monitoring tool. Confirming flooded areas to better inform decision-makers during a disaster.

Each program area supports a variety of projects that utilize Earth observations to identify challenges around the world and create innovative solutions. Our portfolio demonstrates the benefits of using NASA Earth observations to enhance decision-making and improve life on Earth.

Sort by program area to find specific projects or explore them all below.

 

Integrating Global Remote Sensing and Modeling Systems for Local Flood Prediction and Impact Assessment

Principal Investigator

Robert Brakenridge

In 2008, Myanmar/Burma suffered 138,000 fatalities from tropical storm Nargis. Approximately 260,000 people were made homeless; an estimated 90–95% of the buildings in the delta were lost. One cause of the Nargis catastrophe was the lack of communication of the storm warning directly to the...
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Monitoring Surface Water Storage Changes over the Lower Mekong with Multiple Satellite Techniques Towards Sustainable Water Management

Principal Investigator

Hyongki Lee

The fresh water resource in lower Mekong is confronted with challenges due to uncoordinated human activity in the upstream regions, such as extraction, diversion and dam impoundment of river waters. Due to the planned development, the dry season water level would rise, and the wet...
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Environmental Determinants of Enteric Infectious Disease: A GEO Platform for Analysis and Risk Assessment

Principal Investigator

Benjamin F Zaitchik

Childhood undernutrition is linked to more than 50% of child deaths worldwide. Undernutrition of a degree that results in stunting is associated with lifelong deficits in work capacity and cognitive deficits, with important social and economic consequences for individuals and communities. A key aspect of...
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Myanmar Malaria Early Warning System (MMEWS): Multi-sensor Satellite Data Fusion System for Monitoring Environmental Predictors of Malaria in the Region of Emerging Artemisinin Resistance

Principal Investigator

Tatiana Loboda

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals target to eliminate global malaria epidemics by 2030.  In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) set forth an ambitious and inspiring agenda for global malaria elimination which includes by 2030 a 90% reduction of mortality rates globally, elimination of...
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Predictive Assessment of Transmission Conditions of Cholera in the Environment and Human Population using Earth Observations

Principal Investigator

antarpreet jutla

Cholera continues to be a public health threat, particularly in regions that lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation (WASH) infrastructure. Most systematic research on the ecology of cholera over the past several decades has focused on and derived from data collected in the...
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Advancing Drought Onset Detection and Seasonal Prediction Using a Composite of NASA Model and Satellite Data

Principal Investigator

Amir AghaKouchak

This project proposes a methodology that improves capabilities to forecast 1- to 6-month precipitation and water supply anomalies. Predicting and understanding droughts' effects on water resource systems is essential to securing sustainable water resources. This project will make unique contributions through a comprehensive and challenging...

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CyAN: Cyanobacteria Assessment Network

Principal Investigator

Blake A Schaeffer

The Cyanobacteria Assessment Network is a multi-agency project among the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey to develop an early warning indicator system for algal bloom detection in U.S. freshwater systems. This research will utilize historical and...

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Advancing Water Supply Forecasts in the Colorado River Basin for Improved Decision Making

Principal Investigator

Jonathan Quebbeman

Today, there are many river basins facing the challenges and complexities of ensuring a sustainable water supply as future water demands increase and threats such as climate change alter the hydrologic regime. The Colorado River, in particular, faces these challenges and many more as the...

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Decision Support System (DSS) to Enhance Source Water Quality Modeling and Monitoring using Remote Sensing Data

Principal Investigator

Josh Weiss

Water utility managers face the difficult daily task of safeguarding the public health and complying with state and federal water quality regulations, while minimizing costs and environmental impacts. Add to that continued water quality degradation from human activities, increasingly strict regulatory standards for water quality...

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EcoCatch: Improving Ecological and Economic Sustainability of Marine Fisheries Using Remotely-Sensed Oceanographic Data

Principal Investigator

Rebecca Lewison

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Balancing sustainable ecological and economic objectives is a continuing challenge for fisheries managers. Many US fisheries harvest healthy target stocks, however, bycatch of non-target species is common, and can result in large-scale fishery closures. Technological advancements in remote sensing over the past...
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Completed Projects

Interested in our completed projects? View our project archive.

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