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#earthobservation — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #earthobservation, aggregated by home.social.

  1. In 2025, an area equivalent to **eight Norways** burned across the planet.

    That sounds like a catastrophe.
    - It isn't quite that simple.

    Not every fire is a disaster. Some are natural. Some are deliberate. Some are tiny. Some are enormous.

    So what actually happened?

    Our latest feature digs into the satellite data behind **265 million hectares of recorded burned area** — and asks a more interesting question than simply *how many fires were there?*

    **What the hell was actually going on?**

    🔥 **EIGHT NORWAYS BURNED IN ONE YEAR**
    A new feature from RABAGAS Magazine.
    rabagas.ghost.io/eight-norways

    #Rabagasmagazine #Wildfires #ClimateScience #EarthObservation #ClimateCrisis #SatelliteData #DataJournalism #Climate

  2. In 2025, an area equivalent to **eight Norways** burned across the planet.

    That sounds like a catastrophe.
    - It isn't quite that simple.

    Not every fire is a disaster. Some are natural. Some are deliberate. Some are tiny. Some are enormous.

    So what actually happened?

    Our latest feature digs into the satellite data behind **265 million hectares of recorded burned area** — and asks a more interesting question than simply *how many fires were there?*

    **What the hell was actually going on?**

    🔥 **EIGHT NORWAYS BURNED IN ONE YEAR**
    A new feature from RABAGAS Magazine.
    rabagas.ghost.io/eight-norways

    #Rabagasmagazine #Wildfires #ClimateScience #EarthObservation #ClimateCrisis #SatelliteData #DataJournalism #Climate

  3. In 2025, an area equivalent to **eight Norways** burned across the planet.

    That sounds like a catastrophe.
    - It isn't quite that simple.

    Not every fire is a disaster. Some are natural. Some are deliberate. Some are tiny. Some are enormous.

    So what actually happened?

    Our latest feature digs into the satellite data behind **265 million hectares of recorded burned area** — and asks a more interesting question than simply *how many fires were there?*

    **What the hell was actually going on?**

    🔥 **EIGHT NORWAYS BURNED IN ONE YEAR**
    A new feature from RABAGAS Magazine.
    rabagas.ghost.io/eight-norways

    #Rabagasmagazine #Wildfires #ClimateScience #EarthObservation #ClimateCrisis #SatelliteData #DataJournalism #Climate

  4. In 2025, an area equivalent to **eight Norways** burned across the planet.

    That sounds like a catastrophe.
    - It isn't quite that simple.

    Not every fire is a disaster. Some are natural. Some are deliberate. Some are tiny. Some are enormous.

    So what actually happened?

    Our latest feature digs into the satellite data behind **265 million hectares of recorded burned area** — and asks a more interesting question than simply *how many fires were there?*

    **What the hell was actually going on?**

    🔥 **EIGHT NORWAYS BURNED IN ONE YEAR**
    A new feature from RABAGAS Magazine.
    rabagas.ghost.io/eight-norways

    #Rabagasmagazine #Wildfires #ClimateScience #EarthObservation #ClimateCrisis #SatelliteData #DataJournalism #Climate

  5. In 2025, an area equivalent to **eight Norways** burned across the planet.

    That sounds like a catastrophe.
    - It isn't quite that simple.

    Not every fire is a disaster. Some are natural. Some are deliberate. Some are tiny. Some are enormous.

    So what actually happened?

    Our latest feature digs into the satellite data behind **265 million hectares of recorded burned area** — and asks a more interesting question than simply *how many fires were there?*

    **What the hell was actually going on?**

    🔥 **EIGHT NORWAYS BURNED IN ONE YEAR**
    A new feature from RABAGAS Magazine.
    rabagas.ghost.io/eight-norways

    #Rabagasmagazine #Wildfires #ClimateScience #EarthObservation #ClimateCrisis #SatelliteData #DataJournalism #Climate

  6. To Predict Tree Death, Scientists Tapped Gamma Rays To Peer Underground
    (Airborne radiation sensors could help forecast and prevent drought-driven tree mortality_
    --
    science.org/content/article/pr <-- shared technical article
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122182 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @hannah Richter
    “Over an 18-month period starting in 2023, the dense forests of Western Australia [WA] experienced a record-setting drought. Jarrah trees towering 35 metres high died off in patchy brown splotches, turning 400 square kilometres - 3% of the forest - into brittle, fire-prone stands. The event led researchers to wonder whether there was a better way to predict where such die-offs might occur both there and in other forests, a problem that has long been tricky to solve because important factors such as soil depth are hidden underground…
    Now, those same researchers have unveiled a surprising new tool for predicting tree mortality: gamma rays [link above.] Resulting from the natural decay of the potassium-40 isotope from granite-rich bedrock, the radiation acts as a proxy for soil depth, which in turn signals how much water a tree can access during drought. The new method could be applied to other highly weathered soils, which cover one-third of Earth’s ice-free land...”
    --
    "... PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: During a record-breaking drought and heat event in 2023–2024, forests in southwestern Australia experienced widespread, patchy die-off. While we know that extreme weather triggers these events, it is often a hidden factor, the thickness of soil and the depth to underlying bedrock, that determines which trees live or die. Trees growing in shallow soil over solid rock are highly vulnerable due to limited water storage. Here, [they] show how to map these hidden zones from the air using gamma rays that are naturally emitted by potassium in the ground. Like southwestern Australia, many parts of the world have highly weathered soils where potassium has been washed out of the upper layers of soil. However, [they] showed that higher potassium areas signal that potassium-rich bedrock is closer to the surface and this is sensitive for tens of meters. By comparing gamma ray maps with ground-based geophysical surveys and satellite data, [they] showed that these potassium hotspots accurately predict where forests are most likely to experience die-off during a drought. These types of soils cover about one-third of the Earth's land, so the method provides a powerful new tool for managers to identify and protect vulnerable forests from future, hotter droughts…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #Australia #WesternAustralia #WA #forests #vegetation #bush #jarrah #karri #drought #heat #extremedrought #extremeweather #climatechange #water #waterresources #dieoff #soil #weathering #erosion #moisture #nutrients #airborne #gammarays #GRS #granite #gneiss #bedrock #geology #potassium40 #potassium #K #remotesensing #earthobservation #groundwater #interstitial #subsurface #waterstorage #electricalresistivitytomography

  7. To Predict Tree Death, Scientists Tapped Gamma Rays To Peer Underground
    (Airborne radiation sensors could help forecast and prevent drought-driven tree mortality_
    --
    science.org/content/article/pr <-- shared technical article
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122182 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @hannah Richter
    “Over an 18-month period starting in 2023, the dense forests of Western Australia [WA] experienced a record-setting drought. Jarrah trees towering 35 metres high died off in patchy brown splotches, turning 400 square kilometres - 3% of the forest - into brittle, fire-prone stands. The event led researchers to wonder whether there was a better way to predict where such die-offs might occur both there and in other forests, a problem that has long been tricky to solve because important factors such as soil depth are hidden underground…
    Now, those same researchers have unveiled a surprising new tool for predicting tree mortality: gamma rays [link above.] Resulting from the natural decay of the potassium-40 isotope from granite-rich bedrock, the radiation acts as a proxy for soil depth, which in turn signals how much water a tree can access during drought. The new method could be applied to other highly weathered soils, which cover one-third of Earth’s ice-free land...”
    --
    "... PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: During a record-breaking drought and heat event in 2023–2024, forests in southwestern Australia experienced widespread, patchy die-off. While we know that extreme weather triggers these events, it is often a hidden factor, the thickness of soil and the depth to underlying bedrock, that determines which trees live or die. Trees growing in shallow soil over solid rock are highly vulnerable due to limited water storage. Here, [they] show how to map these hidden zones from the air using gamma rays that are naturally emitted by potassium in the ground. Like southwestern Australia, many parts of the world have highly weathered soils where potassium has been washed out of the upper layers of soil. However, [they] showed that higher potassium areas signal that potassium-rich bedrock is closer to the surface and this is sensitive for tens of meters. By comparing gamma ray maps with ground-based geophysical surveys and satellite data, [they] showed that these potassium hotspots accurately predict where forests are most likely to experience die-off during a drought. These types of soils cover about one-third of the Earth's land, so the method provides a powerful new tool for managers to identify and protect vulnerable forests from future, hotter droughts…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #Australia #WesternAustralia #WA #forests #vegetation #bush #jarrah #karri #drought #heat #extremedrought #extremeweather #climatechange #water #waterresources #dieoff #soil #weathering #erosion #moisture #nutrients #airborne #gammarays #GRS #granite #gneiss #bedrock #geology #potassium40 #potassium #K #remotesensing #earthobservation #groundwater #interstitial #subsurface #waterstorage #electricalresistivitytomography

  8. To Predict Tree Death, Scientists Tapped Gamma Rays To Peer Underground
    (Airborne radiation sensors could help forecast and prevent drought-driven tree mortality_
    --
    science.org/content/article/pr <-- shared technical article
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122182 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @hannah Richter
    “Over an 18-month period starting in 2023, the dense forests of Western Australia [WA] experienced a record-setting drought. Jarrah trees towering 35 metres high died off in patchy brown splotches, turning 400 square kilometres - 3% of the forest - into brittle, fire-prone stands. The event led researchers to wonder whether there was a better way to predict where such die-offs might occur both there and in other forests, a problem that has long been tricky to solve because important factors such as soil depth are hidden underground…
    Now, those same researchers have unveiled a surprising new tool for predicting tree mortality: gamma rays [link above.] Resulting from the natural decay of the potassium-40 isotope from granite-rich bedrock, the radiation acts as a proxy for soil depth, which in turn signals how much water a tree can access during drought. The new method could be applied to other highly weathered soils, which cover one-third of Earth’s ice-free land...”
    --
    "... PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: During a record-breaking drought and heat event in 2023–2024, forests in southwestern Australia experienced widespread, patchy die-off. While we know that extreme weather triggers these events, it is often a hidden factor, the thickness of soil and the depth to underlying bedrock, that determines which trees live or die. Trees growing in shallow soil over solid rock are highly vulnerable due to limited water storage. Here, [they] show how to map these hidden zones from the air using gamma rays that are naturally emitted by potassium in the ground. Like southwestern Australia, many parts of the world have highly weathered soils where potassium has been washed out of the upper layers of soil. However, [they] showed that higher potassium areas signal that potassium-rich bedrock is closer to the surface and this is sensitive for tens of meters. By comparing gamma ray maps with ground-based geophysical surveys and satellite data, [they] showed that these potassium hotspots accurately predict where forests are most likely to experience die-off during a drought. These types of soils cover about one-third of the Earth's land, so the method provides a powerful new tool for managers to identify and protect vulnerable forests from future, hotter droughts…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #Australia #WesternAustralia #WA #forests #vegetation #bush #jarrah #karri #drought #heat #extremedrought #extremeweather #climatechange #water #waterresources #dieoff #soil #weathering #erosion #moisture #nutrients #airborne #gammarays #GRS #granite #gneiss #bedrock #geology #potassium40 #potassium #K #remotesensing #earthobservation #groundwater #interstitial #subsurface #waterstorage #electricalresistivitytomography

  9. To Predict Tree Death, Scientists Tapped Gamma Rays To Peer Underground
    (Airborne radiation sensors could help forecast and prevent drought-driven tree mortality_
    --
    science.org/content/article/pr <-- shared technical article
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122182 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @hannah Richter
    “Over an 18-month period starting in 2023, the dense forests of Western Australia [WA] experienced a record-setting drought. Jarrah trees towering 35 metres high died off in patchy brown splotches, turning 400 square kilometres - 3% of the forest - into brittle, fire-prone stands. The event led researchers to wonder whether there was a better way to predict where such die-offs might occur both there and in other forests, a problem that has long been tricky to solve because important factors such as soil depth are hidden underground…
    Now, those same researchers have unveiled a surprising new tool for predicting tree mortality: gamma rays [link above.] Resulting from the natural decay of the potassium-40 isotope from granite-rich bedrock, the radiation acts as a proxy for soil depth, which in turn signals how much water a tree can access during drought. The new method could be applied to other highly weathered soils, which cover one-third of Earth’s ice-free land...”
    --
    "... PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: During a record-breaking drought and heat event in 2023–2024, forests in southwestern Australia experienced widespread, patchy die-off. While we know that extreme weather triggers these events, it is often a hidden factor, the thickness of soil and the depth to underlying bedrock, that determines which trees live or die. Trees growing in shallow soil over solid rock are highly vulnerable due to limited water storage. Here, [they] show how to map these hidden zones from the air using gamma rays that are naturally emitted by potassium in the ground. Like southwestern Australia, many parts of the world have highly weathered soils where potassium has been washed out of the upper layers of soil. However, [they] showed that higher potassium areas signal that potassium-rich bedrock is closer to the surface and this is sensitive for tens of meters. By comparing gamma ray maps with ground-based geophysical surveys and satellite data, [they] showed that these potassium hotspots accurately predict where forests are most likely to experience die-off during a drought. These types of soils cover about one-third of the Earth's land, so the method provides a powerful new tool for managers to identify and protect vulnerable forests from future, hotter droughts…”

  10. To Predict Tree Death, Scientists Tapped Gamma Rays To Peer Underground
    (Airborne radiation sensors could help forecast and prevent drought-driven tree mortality_
    --
    science.org/content/article/pr <-- shared technical article
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122182 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @hannah Richter
    “Over an 18-month period starting in 2023, the dense forests of Western Australia [WA] experienced a record-setting drought. Jarrah trees towering 35 metres high died off in patchy brown splotches, turning 400 square kilometres - 3% of the forest - into brittle, fire-prone stands. The event led researchers to wonder whether there was a better way to predict where such die-offs might occur both there and in other forests, a problem that has long been tricky to solve because important factors such as soil depth are hidden underground…
    Now, those same researchers have unveiled a surprising new tool for predicting tree mortality: gamma rays [link above.] Resulting from the natural decay of the potassium-40 isotope from granite-rich bedrock, the radiation acts as a proxy for soil depth, which in turn signals how much water a tree can access during drought. The new method could be applied to other highly weathered soils, which cover one-third of Earth’s ice-free land...”
    --
    "... PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: During a record-breaking drought and heat event in 2023–2024, forests in southwestern Australia experienced widespread, patchy die-off. While we know that extreme weather triggers these events, it is often a hidden factor, the thickness of soil and the depth to underlying bedrock, that determines which trees live or die. Trees growing in shallow soil over solid rock are highly vulnerable due to limited water storage. Here, [they] show how to map these hidden zones from the air using gamma rays that are naturally emitted by potassium in the ground. Like southwestern Australia, many parts of the world have highly weathered soils where potassium has been washed out of the upper layers of soil. However, [they] showed that higher potassium areas signal that potassium-rich bedrock is closer to the surface and this is sensitive for tens of meters. By comparing gamma ray maps with ground-based geophysical surveys and satellite data, [they] showed that these potassium hotspots accurately predict where forests are most likely to experience die-off during a drought. These types of soils cover about one-third of the Earth's land, so the method provides a powerful new tool for managers to identify and protect vulnerable forests from future, hotter droughts…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #Australia #WesternAustralia #WA #forests #vegetation #bush #jarrah #karri #drought #heat #extremedrought #extremeweather #climatechange #water #waterresources #dieoff #soil #weathering #erosion #moisture #nutrients #airborne #gammarays #GRS #granite #gneiss #bedrock #geology #potassium40 #potassium #K #remotesensing #earthobservation #groundwater #interstitial #subsurface #waterstorage #electricalresistivitytomography

  11. On-Demand Global Landsat Evapotranspiration Product - Development, Evaluation, And Dissemination
    --
    doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2026.115 <-- shared paper
    --
    espa.cr.usgs.gov <-- shared (open data) USGS EROS Science Processing Architecture (ESPA) platform
    --
    etdata.org/ <-- OpenET SSEBop platform implementation (water management)
    --
    usgs.gov/landsat-missions/land <-- shared USGS Landsat Collection 2 Provisional Actual Evapotranspiration Science Product
    --
    H/T @mac Friedrichs | Remote Sensing Scientist, KBR | USGS EROS
    “This paper summarizes new achievements in developing and distributing the Global Landsat Level-3 Evapotranspiration (ET) product. It is freely available through the USGS EROS Science Processing Architecture (ESPA) platform (2nd link above). 🛰️ …
    Since the product launch in June 2020, there have been over 1.2 million Landsat-based ET orders around the world. This indicates increasing awareness and application of the ET data to help understand and manage the relationships among food, energy, and water resources. 🌽💧 …
    It features the ESPA workflow and evaluation of the upgraded SSEBop model using a variety of observational datasets and hydrologic regions, and examination against OpenET SSEBop platform implementation (3rd link above.)…”
    --
    “HIGHLIGHTS
    • ESPA platform allows access to on-demand, global, Landsat-based, ET products.
    • SSEBop model has been used to create ET data since 1982 through ESPA.
    • A quick estimation of field-scale crop consumptive water use can be achieved.
    • Numerous orders reflect worldwide extensive interest and utilization of the data.
    • Method, workflow, and performance of the actual ET data are presented in the study..."
    #EROSScienceProcessingArchitecture #climate #global #Evapotranspiration #ET #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #water #hydrology #opendata #Landsat #OpenET #SSEBop #WaterManagement #Agriculture #USGS #EROS #datadelivery #food #foodsecurity #energy #water #watersecurity #model #modeling #ESPA #farming #cropland #wateruse #waterresources #workflow
    @USGS @EROS

  12. Comparing DESIS Hyperspectral and Landsat 10 Simulated Superspectral Data for Crop Type Classification in California’s Central Valley
    --
    doi.org/10.3390/rs18142282 <-- shared paper
    --
    usgs.gov/publications/comparin <-- shared USGs publication page
    --
    H/T @USGS
    “How can we get better at classifying crops from space? 🛰️🌽
    Some types of satellite imagery are better at distinguishing crops than others. A USGS study compared two approaches and found one produced more accurate crop maps.
    Here's what the researchers found:
    • Hyperspectral imagery achieved 86% accuracy, compared to 75% for simulated superspectral imagery.
    • Using just 14 carefully selected hyperspectral bands produced nearly the same results as using all 60 DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS) bands, showing those wavelengths contain much of the information needed to distinguish crop types.
    • Using superspectral imagery on the upcoming Landsat 10 mission will allow for routine tracking of crops and enhance finer crop mapping.
    • The findings help scientists identify which wavelengths provide the most useful information for crop mapping and future remote sensing applications.
    Better crop maps will help governments and scientists track global agriculture, monitor the current crop season, and study agricultural trends…”
    --
    “HIGHLIGHTS:
    • What are the main findings?
    - The 14 DESIS hyperspectral narrowbands (10 nm) aligned with the Landsat 10 (formerly Landsat Next) spectral dataset produced similar accuracy results to the full 60-band DESIS hyperspectral dataset for classifying crop types. These 14 DESIS narrowbands resulted in higher accuracy than the 14 simulated Landsat 10 superspectral broadbands.
    - When using DESIS narrowbands, Support Vector Machine (SVM) resulted in higher accuracy than Random Forest (RF).
    • What are the implications of the main findings?
    - A carefully selected set of 14 DESIS hyperspectral narrowbands (10 nm) can achieve classification accuracy comparable to those obtained using all 60 DESIS narrowbands across the 400–1000 nm range. These 14 strategically positioned narrowbands classified crop types with higher classification accuracy than the corresponding 14 Landsat 10 superspectral broadbands within the same spectral range.
    - This study underscores the importance of multi-temporal imagery across the full crop-growing season for achieving more detailed and accurate crop type classifications. Such temporal coverage is more feasible with the planned Landsat 10 routine acquisition of broadband imagery than with task-based hyperspectral collections…”
    #hyperspectral #superspectral #optimalbands #randomforest #supportvectormachine #agriculture #crops #croptype #classifaction #croplands #California #CentralValley #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #imagery #DESIS #Landsat #Landsat10 #satellite #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #global #AI #machinelearning #model #modeling #SupportVectorMachine #SVM #RandomForest #RF #GoogleEarthEngine
    @USGS

  13. 🚀 Thinking about building Landsat‑10 in your garage?
    Better hurry — NASA’s RFP is out and the clock’s ticking. Early delivery even gets you a bonus.
    Details: usgs.gov/landsat-missions/news
    #EarthObservation #Landsat

  14. Impact Of Urbanization Driven Land Use And Land Cover Change On Ecological Environmental Quality In Rupandehi Nepal Assessed Using The Remote Sensing Ecological Index
    --
    doi.org/10.1007/s44288-026-006 <-- shared paper
    --
    kathmandupost.com/money/2026/0 <-- shared media article
    --
    H/T@ Gaurav Parajulim
    “[The authors] studied how the ecological quality of Nepal's Rupandehi District has changed over three decades (1993–2023), using satellite imagery and the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) to track the health of the landscape year by year and to understand how urbanization-driven land use change has reshaped it.
    What [they] found tells a nuanced story: as Butwal and Bhairahawa grew and built-up land expanded, ecological quality shifted in ways that a single number can't capture, some areas recovered, others declined, and the patterns rarely moved in a straight line…”
    --
    “Rapid urbanization and population growth are major drivers of land use and land cover (LULC) change and can substantially alter ecological environmental quality (EEQ). This study assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of LULC and their effect on EEQ in Rupandehi District, Nepal, over a 30-year period (1993–2023). Four ecological indicators representing greenness, wetness, dryness, and heat were derived from Landsat imagery in Google Earth Engine (GEE), and LULC was classified using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). The Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) was then constructed from these indicators using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in ArcGIS Pro, and its spatial structure was examined using global and local spatial autocorrelation. The mean RSEI followed a non-linear trajectory, rising from 0.59 in 1993 to 0.635 in 2004, declining to 0.55 in 2013, and recovering to 0.67 in 2023, indicating an overall improvement in EEQ with a temporary mid-period decline. Over the same period, built-up areas expanded substantially and agricultural land declined, whereas forest cover fluctuated but showed a slight net increase by 2023, and barren land decreased markedly. Higher EEQ was concentrated in the forested northern hills, while lower values occurred in the urban centers of Butwal and Bhairahawa, closely matching the spatial pattern of LULC change. The results indicate that ecological quality reflects the combined influence of all land cover classes rather than any single class. This study provides a transferable and reproducible workflow for long-term ecological assessment based on openly available Landsat data, with the analysis code shared in a public repository, offering practical guidance for sustainable land management and environmentally responsible urban development...”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #RemoteSensing #GIS #RSEI #EnvironmentalMonitoring #Nepal #Research #GoogleEarthEngine #ArcGIS #EcologicalQuality #spatialautocorrelation #ecology #environment #earthobservation #RemoteSensingEcologicalIndex #landscape #urbanisation #urban #development #landuse #change #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal

  15. Enhancements To The USGS Landsat Level 2 Surface Temperature And Emissivity Product For Collection3 Reprocessing
    --
    doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2026.115 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @terry Sohl | USGS EROS Science Branch Chief
    “HIGHLIGHTS:
    • C3 advances Landsat TIR atmospheric correction, emissivity correction, and uncertainty estimates.
    • C3 enables global surface temperature products, including polar regions.
    • C3 retrievals improve accuracy and consistency across validation sites.
    • Split window and single channel methods diverge at extreme temperature conditions.
    • C3 and Landsat 10 support multi-decadal climate monitoring.
    ABSTRACT: The Landsat program provides the longest continuous global record of thermal infrared observations of the Earth's surface, underpinning critical applications in climate monitoring, water resources, ecosystem dynamics, urban heat analysis, and natural hazard assessment. The release of a global inventory of Landsat Collection 2 Level 2 surface temperature products by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) marked a major milestone in operational provision of Landsat thermal infrared analysis-ready data. Ongoing validations and community uses of Collection 2 have identified opportunities to further improve accuracy, uncertainty characterization, and emissivity correction across diverse atmospheric and surface conditions. In preparation for the planned Landsat Collection 3 reprocessing of the Landsat data record in the late 2020s, the USGS is implementing a coordinated set of enhancements to the Level 2 surface temperature products. These include revised emissivity estimation that leverages external datasets, improved atmospheric characterization and uncertainty propagation, expanded dynamic range for high temperature targets, consideration of split window atmospheric correction algorithm for Landsat 8 and 9, and decoupling of thermal infrared processing from visible to shortwave infrared constraints to enable surface temperature retrievals under low or no solar illumination conditions. These changes are designed to improve product quality and consistency across the Landsat record. Beyond near-term performance gains, the Collection 3 design establishes a scalable processing architecture to accommodate the expanded spectral and radiometric measurement capabilities of the forthcoming Landsat 10 mission. By preserving continuity across the Landsat 4–9 record while enabling future algorithm evolution, Landsat Collection 3 will provide a foundation for long-term, multi-decadal Earth system thermal infrared observations…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #satellite #remotesening #earthobservation #Landsat #thermalinfrared #TIR #surface #temperature #emissivity #thermal #infrared #analysisreadydata #Collection2 #Collection3 #opendata #atmosphericcorrection #global #climate #monitoring #waterresources #ecosystems #dynamics #urbanheat #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #naturalhazards #updates #EROS #USGS
    @USGS EROS | @USGS

  16. Coupled Hydrological And Public Health Risks From Urban Flooding - Integrated Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, And Hydrodynamic–Ecological Modelling
    --
    doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026 <-- shared paper
    --
    youtu.be/VHzYLvSYR7k?si=5oGGPe <-- recent overview video created about the research
    --
    doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2025.10 <-- share (earlier) paper
    --
    H/T @RAHUL DEOPA | Research Scholar (IIT Roorkee)
    “… [U]rban floods are not merely hydraulic events; they also transport sewage, pathogens, and other contaminants across streets and communities, leading to significant public health risks…
    How do we quantify microbial contamination in near real time during a flood event, when emergency conditions make field sampling unsafe, sparse, or even impossible?...
    [The authors] explored whether Earth observation data, combined with machine learning, could bridge this critical monitoring gap. By combining Landsat-derived water surface temperature, machine learning, a coupled MIKE+ Flood–ECO Lab hydrodynamic–ecological model, and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), [they] estimated microbial concentrations (𝘌. 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘪), simulated their fate and transport during floods, and quantified the associated human health risks.
    The takeaway: predicting flood risk isn't just about where the water goes; it's about what it's carrying and who it puts in harm's way. Earth observation and machine learning can help close that gap when it matters most, during the emergency, not weeks after…”
    #publichealth #risk #hazard #watersecurity #Floodrisk #Humanhealthrisk #Urbanflooding #Hydrodynamicmodelling #waterquality #model #modeling #SupportVectorRegression #flood #flooding #urban #city #sewage #pathogens #contaminant #disease #streets #community #quantification #remotesensing #GIS #spatial #mapping #earthobservation #spatialanalysis #water #hydrology #climatechange #extremeweather #spatiotemporal #AI #machineleraning #fateandtransport #hydrodynamic #microbial #rainfall #drainage #streamflow #topography #hydrogeomorphology #Delhi #India #floodplain

  17. Refined Modeling of Arctic Circumpolar Building Stock Increases Estimated Mid-Century Permafrost Degradation Damages
    --
    doi.org/10.1029/2026EF008578 <-- shared paper
    --
    thearcticinstitute.org/climate | thearcticinstitute.org/dwindli <-- shared technical articles
    --
    theguardian.com/cities/2016/oc <-- shared media article
    --
    news.grida.no/new-map-shows-ex <-- shared technical article
    --
    H/T @elias Manos
    “Why the increase?
    Our understanding of climate risk is only as good as our understanding of our exposure to hazards. The better we can account for what is at risk, the better we can measure risk in a changing world.
    In this new study [link above], [they] investigate[d] how damage to the building stock across the Arctic, a key impact of permafrost degradation, is underestimated because of underdeveloped exposure information. With National Science Foundation (NSF) supercomputers and 400 TB of Vantor satellite imagery, [they] detected building footprints across the Arctic and classified their use types using deep learning models. Then, using Polar Geospatial Center's ArcticDEM digital surface model, [they] estimated the total floor space of each residential building. This move from 2D to 3D representation of the building stock was the largest contributor to increased building damage.
    Properly estimating this consequence is necessary for understanding the near future of the Arctic economy. Knowing the magnitude of damages is critical for sustaining the communities and livelihoods of more than 5 million people that call the Arctic home. There are also much broader implications. With the Arctic continuing to emerge as a strategic centerpiece in global affairs and the global economy, accurately quantifying the physical shocks to its built environment will allow researchers to more effectively represent the Arctic in global climate economic models. More precise international policymaking will also be enabled by these improvements.
    Ultimately, this research highlights a similar challenge in completely different regions of the world (e.g., Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa) where exposure is constantly evolving alongside rapid population growth and urbanization. Building stock information can quickly become outdated as these changes occur; satellite remote sensing and AI are key players in keeping up with these changes and supporting data-driven disaster risk management…”
    #arctic #circumpolar #permafrost #model #modeling #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #GIS #spatial #mapping #melting #degradation #damage #cost #economics #risk #hazard #climaterisk #climatechange #remotesensing #HPC #earthobservation #ArcticDEM #buildingfootprint #LLM #AI #machinelearning #engineering #economy #buildingstock #community #policy #planning #geopolitics #risk #management @UConn Research

  18. Mapping Multifunctionality In Remote Patagonian Forest Landscapes Reveals High-Value Ecosystems Beyond Protected Areas
    --
    doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-035 <-- shared paper
    --
    H/T @Peter Potapov | Researcher at the World Resources Institute (WRI)
    “This paper is] a strong example of multifunctionality analysis applied to conservation planning. The study mapped six ecosystem functions, including carbon storage, nutrient availability, water regulation, erosion control, habitat quality, and ecological connectivity. [The author] combined satellite data, field soil sampling, and spatial modeling for this comprehensive analysis.
    Two findings stand out.
    1. Old-growth forests had the highest multifunctionality index of any land cover type.
    2. 78.5% of the top multifunctionality hotspots fall outside the region's protected areas, even though PAs already cover more than 54% of the territory.
    Together, these results make a clear case for expanding conservation of the remaining Intact Forest Landscapes and primary forests in Patagonia and elsewhere…”
    --
    “Remote forest landscapes provide critical references for understanding ecosystem functions (EFs) under low anthropogenic pressure, yet their capacity to sustain multiple EFs simultaneously remains poorly understood. [They] assessed landscape multifunctionality in western Patagonia by integrating satellite indicators, field data, and spatial modeling. Six EFs (carbon storage, nutrient availability, water regulation, erosion control, habitat quality, and ecological connectivity) were mapped, and their spatial relationships and hotspot distribution within and outside protected areas (PAs) were analyzed. Old-growth and secondary forests showed the highest functional performance. Strong synergies (ρ ≥ 0.6) between carbon storage and nutrient availability covered >50% of the landscape, whereas strong trade-offs (ρ ≤ –0.6) were spatially limited ( < 6%). Notably, 78% of multifunctionality hotspots occurred outside PAs, indicating that high-functional-value areas extend beyond formal conservation boundaries. These findings reveal spatial mismatches between multifunctionality and protection status and provide a replicable framework for integrating multifunctionality into conservation planning under global change…”
    #Patagonia #chile #aysen #coyhaique #landcover #mapping #spatial #spatialpatterns #spatiotemporal #spatialanalysis #forest #vegetation #oldgrowth #secondgrowth #shrubland #grassland #steppe #ecosystem #habitat #nutrients #water #hydrology #erosion #multifunctionality #multifunctionalityanalysis #protectedareas #landuse #conservationplanning #conservation #ecology #carbonstorage #nutrientavailability #waterregulation #erosioncontrol #habitatquality #ecologicalconnectivity #remotesensing #satellite #earthobservation #modeling

  19. Remote Sensing, Real Impact - Technology-Driven Conservation At The Jane Goodall Institute
    (How the Jane Goodall Institute [JGI] is using satellite imagery and spatial technology to help people and animals thrive.)
    --
    geoweeknews.com/news/conservat <-- shared technical article
    --
    iceye.com/blog/government/solu <-- shared technical article
    --
    [this post should not be seen as endorsement of a particular provider and/or approach]
    “Dr. Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking research at Gombe National Park in Tanzania began in 1960, and transformed our understanding of chimpanzees and redefined the relationship between humans and animals. Dr. Goodall dedicated her life to conservation and community empowerment. Her recent passing marks the end of an extraordinary career in ethology and conservation science. Yet her legacy lives on powerfully through the Jane Goodall Institute [JGI] and the countless individuals and communities she inspired worldwide. Her pioneering work revealed that chimpanzees make and use tools, have complex social structures, and possess individual personalities; discoveries that fundamentally challenged our understanding of what it means to be human, for the better…
    The institute's current work embodies Dr. Goodall's profound philosophy: that humanity can only reach its full potential "when our clever brains and our compassionate hearts are connected."
    This principle guides every aspect of JGI's conservation science strategy, from analyzing satellite data to providing local communities with the tools they need to strengthen their environment. Dr. Goodall's vision that conservation must be rooted in compassion, scientific rigor, and respect for local communities continues to shape the institute's innovative approach to using technology for conservation action.
    As time has gone on, geospatial technologies have become increasingly indispensable to this mission, enabling JGI to monitor forest health in real-time, map critical chimpanzee habitats and migration corridors, and measure the tangible impact of community-led conservation initiatives. But perhaps most importantly, these technologies help the communities understand that the lives of people, animals and their shared environment are all interconnected…”
    #ConservationTechnology #illegal #Deforestation #hunting #mining #GombeNationalPark #remotesensing #radar #earthobservation #chimpanzee #conservation #communityempowerment #JaneGoodallInstitute #JGI #satellite #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #GIS #spatial #mapping #habitat #destruction #migration #corridors #monitoring #conservationscience #strategy #resource #cloudcover #alerts #foresthealth #protection #SAR #vegetation #ecosystems #rainforest #greatape #disease #foodsecurity #DRC #Tanzania #CongoBasin #nationalpark #ranger #parkranger #security #safety #alerts #wildlifetrafficking
    @JaneGoodallInstitute @iceeye

  20. 🚨 FEMA’s Hazus v7.2 Is Here — A Major Upgrade For Disaster Risk Modeling
    --
    fema.gov/flood-maps/products-t <-- shared link to FEMA HAZUS download, documentation, use case, etc
    --
    [I used to work some with Hazus back in the back, but my career changed path; I still appreciate its strength and unity of purpose (sic) #alldataisspatial]
    H/T @Laban "L.J." Johnson | Founder, LJ Learn & Concordia Initiative | Crisis Support · Leadership Development · Community Resilience | Bridging worlds to help people rise
    “FEMA’s Hazus GIS platform has been updated with a new ArcGIS Pro–based version, bringing faster, more powerful tools for estimating losses from floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural hazards.
    Key updates in Hazus 7.2 include:
    • Streamlined workflows for flood and hurricane modeling
    • New Earthquake ShakeMap integration using USGS data
    • Expanded and improved results exports and reporting (including geodatabase outputs)
    • Stronger security with known vulnerabilities addressed
    • Performance improvements and optimized installation process
    • [Significantly enhanced and comprehensive summary reports for flood and earthquake are now available for download.]
    • Full integration with ArcGIS Pro (3.4–3.6) for a modern GIS experience
    This release represents a significant step forward in how hazard planners, emergency managers, and GIS professionals analyze and prepare for disaster impacts…”
    --
    “FEMA’s Hazus program provides software, data, methods, and guidance for estimating risk from natural hazards. Hazus can estimate building damages, economic losses, displaced households, casualties, debris generation and more resulting from a natural hazard event and can be used in all phases of emergency management…”
    #HAZUS #fedservice #fedscience #oublicgood #publicsafety #emergencyresponse #software #spatialdata #GIS #spatial #mapping #risk #hazard #riskassessment #naturalhazard #humanimpacts #earthquake #wildfire #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #flood #flooding #cost #damage #economic #publicsafety #publichealth #emergencymanagement #opensource #opendata #tsunami #tornado #hurricane #ShakeMap #infrastructure #planning #policy #preparedness #impacts #geology #engineeringgeology #remotesensing #earthobservation
    @FEMA

  21. Scientists See More Vegetation In The Himalayas - But It Is Not Good News, Because That Extra “Green” Can Disrupt Water, Snow, And High-Mountain Biodiversity | Plants Growing Higher Across Himalaya As Climate Warms
    (Vegetation On The Move: Elevational Shifts And Greening Dynamics Across The Himalayan Alpine Zone)
    --
    ecoticias.com/en/scientists-se <-- shared technical article
    --
    news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e <-- shared technical newsitem
    --
    doi.org/10.1002/ecog.08259 <-- shared (2026) paper
    --
    doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14919 <-- shared (2020) paper
    --
    “For years, the biggest climate warning from the Himalaya was easy to picture because glaciers were shrinking on the roof of Asia. Now, researchers are pointing to a quieter signal, one that can look almost harmless from a distance. The mountains are getting greener.
    New research [link above] shows alpine vegetation moving higher across six Himalayan regions from 1999 to 2022, pushed in part by warming and reduced snow depth. That might sound like nature recovering, but in this fragile landscape, more plant cover at extreme heights may change how snow is stored, how water runs downhill, and how rivers behave for communities far below…”
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #satellite #landsat #landcover #NDVI #Himalaya #Nepal #India #Bhutan #climatechange #glacier #vegetation #alpine #level #greening #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #snow #water #ice #hydrography #hydrology #ecosystems #humaninpacts #phenology #model #modeling #HighMountainAsia #greenness #ERA5 #vegetationline #altitude #climatictrends #warming #precipitation #rainfall

  22. RE: mastodon.social/@stephspace/11

    🥳
    Here we go: Sentinel-1D is available operationally and data have started to accumulate over the weekend.

    Easiest way to access them is via Copernicus Browser, where a filter for Sentinel-1D has been added last Friday.
    browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu

    Last week’s additional ESA news on the operational data opening:
    sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/se

    #earthobservation #copernicus #sentinel1

  23. ‘On A Whole Other Level’ - Rapid Snow Melt-Off In American West Stuns Scientists
    --
    Experts say brutal March heat has left critical snowpack at record-low levels – and key basins in uncharted territory
    --
    theguardian.com/us-news/2026/a <-- shared media/technical article
    --
    nifc.gov/nicc-files/predictive <-- shared National Significant Wildland Fire Potential @ 04/01/26 (for the next four months)
    --
    [ extreme lack of snowfall already in the ‘25/’26 US West winter to begin with, and now this… ☹ ]
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #weather #metrology #climatechange #extremeweather #snowpack #USWest #USA #winter #heat #melting #snowmelt #risk #hazard #water #hydrology #waterresources #watersecurity #agriculture #wildfire #risk #hazard #firerisk #watersupply #watershed #management #planning #Colorado #Utah #California #earthobservation
    @the Guardian | @nasa | @California Department of Water Resources

  24. Goodbye Sentinel-1A 🥲. Phase-out starting.

    It’s actually good news because the new Sentinel-1D satellite is almost ready to take over and data are to start flowing from mid of this month.

    The complete new Sentinel-1 constellation is expected to be in place around early July.
    The resulting constellation of Sentinel-1C and 1D will have a 6-day revisit cycle as the original constellation of 1A and 1B but shifted by 1 day.

    #EarthObservation #Copernicus #Sentinel1
    sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/se

  25. Assessment of Shoreline Change in Southeast Ireland Using Geospatial Techniques
    --
    doi.org/10.3390/su18073280 <-- shared paper
    --
    "... KEY INSIGHTS:
    • Coastlines are highly dynamic — 57% accretion vs 42% erosion
    • Strong contrasts between east-facing (Irish Sea) and south-facing (Atlantic) coasts
    • Identification of critical erosion hotspots (e.g., Tramore) and accretion zones in embayments
    • Coastal change is driven by a combination of wave climate, sediment availability, geology, and human activity
    --
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #Ireland #coast #coastal #dynamics #erosion #accretion #shoreline #change #digitalshoreline #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #remotesensing #earthobservation #SoutheastIreland #embayments #wave #climate #stormsurge #geology #humanimpacts #coastalmanagement #risk #hazard #mitigation #sealevel #RSL #risingsealevels #climatechanage #adaption #extremeweather #stormintensity #planning #monitoring #sustainable #Landsat #satellite #regional