Eyes on Earth: Natural Disasters
Earth observation satellites capture the big-picture view of natural disasters on the ground. Satellites can help identify risk, capture the incident, and determine post-disaster recovery actions. EROS plays a key role in an international effort to rapidly assess disasters.
Episode 84 – Hurricane Disturbance Mapping
In this episode, we learn about the effort to map disturbances in Florida from Hurricane Ian in near real time. When disaster strikes, near-real-time images of its effects can be invaluable. In this episode, we learn about how a newly developed system using the Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 dataset and artificial intelligence was put to the test when Hurricane Ian tore through Florida in late September 2022. By comparing pre-storm and post-storm imagery, the system quickly flagged anomalies statewide such as brightness, which could indicate exposed sand or bare land after a hurricane. Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 data is available through the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, or LP DAAC for short, located at EROS, which is also home to the entire Landsat archive.
Guest: Zhe Zhu, University of Connecticut’s Global Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory and Landsat Science Team
Host: Jane Lawson
Release date: Monday, November 21, 2022
Episode 36 - International Charter Turns 20
In this episode, we get a rundown on the International Charter Space and Major Disasters.
When a disaster like a hurricane, flood or major wildfire hits a remote part of the world, the International Charter Space and Natural Disasters springs into action. The Charter’s members collect and distribute satellite-derived data that documents the damage, as well as derived products like as fire perimeter or structural damage maps – all at no cost to national emergency management agencies. In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we learn about the Charter and EROS’ involvement on the occasion of the collaborative organization’s 20th Anniversary.
Guest: Mike Budde, USGS
Host: Tom Adamson
Release date: October 19, 2020
Episode 9: Famine Early Warning
In this episode, we learn how remote sensing helps the world respond to hunger. Nearly 85 million people around the world are currently considered “food insecure,” and that figure continues to grow. Remote sensing technology enables scientists to feed data into the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), which in turn can issue alerts that guide the distribution of humanitarian aid. In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we hear from an EROS climate scientist who works with the Network to predict drought and famine.
Guest: Chris Funk, USGS EROS Research Geographer
Host: Steve Young
Release date: Nov. 18, 2019
Eyes on Earth Episode 110 – Geospatial Information Response Team
First responders need reliable, accurate mapping capabilities as quickly as possible in the wake of a disaster—and they don’t have time to download and organize it. In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we learn how the USGS Geospatial Information Response Team draws data from multiple sources to show what an area looked like before an event as well as after, creating accessible, usable maps and data sets for those bringing relief.
Guests: Lance Clampitt and Alexandra Fredericks of the Geospatial Information Response Team
Host: Sheri Levisay (contractor for USGS EROS)
Release date: Monday, December 18, 2023