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Videos

Explore your world through the lens of our remote sensing and Earth science videos.

At EROS, we highlight new satellite images that feature striking changes to the Earth's surface. Our images come from locations around the world.

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Landsat in the Cloud: COGs and Notebooks
Landsat in the Cloud: COGs and Notebooks
Landsat in the Cloud: COGs and Notebooks

In the past, users spent 80% of their time downloading and preparing Landsat data to be processed. With Landsat in the cloud, you can get direct access to stream the Landsat archive without the need to download large amounts of files, by leveraging the Cloud Optimized Geotiff, or "COG".

In the past, users spent 80% of their time downloading and preparing Landsat data to be processed. With Landsat in the cloud, you can get direct access to stream the Landsat archive without the need to download large amounts of files, by leveraging the Cloud Optimized Geotiff, or "COG".

Image of the Week — Stream Restoration in Iowa
Image of the Week — Stream Restoration in Iowa
Image of the Week — Stream Restoration in Iowa

A small watershed restoration project proves that land farmed for half a century can be returned to a previous state. In 2002, Mike Osterholm bought 98 acres in northeastern Iowa, most of it annually tilled cropland. The land included the confluence of Duck Creek and Waterloo Creek.

A small watershed restoration project proves that land farmed for half a century can be returned to a previous state. In 2002, Mike Osterholm bought 98 acres in northeastern Iowa, most of it annually tilled cropland. The land included the confluence of Duck Creek and Waterloo Creek.

Terra MODIS & S-NPP VIIRS Observe Snowpack in Sierra Nevada Mt. Range
Terra MODIS & S-NPP VIIRS Observe Snowpack in Sierra Nevada Mt. Range
Terra MODIS & S-NPP VIIRS Observe Snowpack in Sierra Nevada Mt. Range

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor is located aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor is aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor is located aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor is aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite.

Image of the Week - Tides in the Bay of Fundy
Image of the Week - Tides in the Bay of Fundy
Image of the Week - Tides in the Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy in Canada has a unique geography funneling the Atlantic Ocean into some of the world's highest tides. At some points the water level can rise and fall over forty feet. The water's edge at Minas Basin shown in these Landsat 8 images changes dramatically depending on the day and time.

The Bay of Fundy in Canada has a unique geography funneling the Atlantic Ocean into some of the world's highest tides. At some points the water level can rise and fall over forty feet. The water's edge at Minas Basin shown in these Landsat 8 images changes dramatically depending on the day and time.

Image of the Week: Mudslide Cuts Through Big Sur Burn Scar
Image of the Week: Mudslide Cuts Through Big Sur Burn Scar
Image of the Week: Mudslide Cuts Through Big Sur Burn Scar

A mudslide near the 2020 Dolan Fire's ignition point chopped through a chunk of California's scenic State Highway 1 in late January. 

The Dolan Fire began near Big Sur on August 18th, 2020. It scarred nearly 125,000 acres before being fully contained in December. 

A mudslide near the 2020 Dolan Fire's ignition point chopped through a chunk of California's scenic State Highway 1 in late January. 

The Dolan Fire began near Big Sur on August 18th, 2020. It scarred nearly 125,000 acres before being fully contained in December. 

Earth As Art 1
Earth As Art 1
Earth As Art 1

The Earth As Art project began in the early 2000s, and its original intent remains the same: to produce images that do not look like satellite images at first glance.

The Earth As Art project began in the early 2000s, and its original intent remains the same: to produce images that do not look like satellite images at first glance.

Earth As Art 1 (AD)
Earth As Art 1 (AD)
Earth As Art 1 (AD)

The Earth As Art project began in the early 2000s, and its original intent remains the same: to produce images that do not look like satellite images at first glance.

The Earth As Art project began in the early 2000s, and its original intent remains the same: to produce images that do not look like satellite images at first glance.

Image of the Week - Glacial Changes in Chile
Image of the Week - Glacial Changes in Chile
Image of the Week - Glacial Changes in Chile

The remote ice fields of southern Chile have seen some dramatic change over the past three decades; change made clear by Landsat's deep archive of imagery. In 1987, the terminus of Erasmo Glacier was at the end of a low sloping valley. By 2015 it had retreated almost 3 kilometers, and formed a water body referred to as a proglacial lake.

The remote ice fields of southern Chile have seen some dramatic change over the past three decades; change made clear by Landsat's deep archive of imagery. In 1987, the terminus of Erasmo Glacier was at the end of a low sloping valley. By 2015 it had retreated almost 3 kilometers, and formed a water body referred to as a proglacial lake.

Image of the Week: Glacial Retreat Fills Alaska Lake
Image of the Week: Glacial Retreat Fills Alaska Lake
Image of the Week: Glacial Retreat Fills Alaska Lake

The visible impact of climate change on the Earth’s surface is often clearest in the Arctic’s receding glaciers and swelling glacial lakes. Southeastern Alaska’s Harlequin Lake is one of the fastest-growing in North America. These false color Landsat images show the rapidly-retreating Yakutat Glacier, which feeds the lake.

The visible impact of climate change on the Earth’s surface is often clearest in the Arctic’s receding glaciers and swelling glacial lakes. Southeastern Alaska’s Harlequin Lake is one of the fastest-growing in North America. These false color Landsat images show the rapidly-retreating Yakutat Glacier, which feeds the lake.

Global Land Surface Temperature from 2020 as Observed by Terra MODIS
Global Land Surface Temperature from 2020 as Observed by Terra MODIS
Global Land Surface Temperature from 2020 as Observed by Terra MODIS

The surface temperature of the land changes rapidly across the world throughout the course of one year. This video shows the changing temperatures throughout 2020 using 8-day land surface temperature (LST) data from the Terra MODIS satellite sensor.

The surface temperature of the land changes rapidly across the world throughout the course of one year. This video shows the changing temperatures throughout 2020 using 8-day land surface temperature (LST) data from the Terra MODIS satellite sensor.

Image of the Week - 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
Image of the Week - 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
Image of the Week - 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

On December 26th, 2004, a massive 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The third largest earthquake ever recorded lifted the sea floor several meters, causing tsunami waves to ripple out in all directions and race across the ocean. Banda Aceh bore the brunt of the waves just 15 to 20 minutes after the earthquake.

On December 26th, 2004, a massive 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The third largest earthquake ever recorded lifted the sea floor several meters, causing tsunami waves to ripple out in all directions and race across the ocean. Banda Aceh bore the brunt of the waves just 15 to 20 minutes after the earthquake.

Image of the Week - Fires Tear Through Former Cane Fields
Image of the Week - Fires Tear Through Former Cane Fields
Image of the Week - Fires Tear Through Former Cane Fields

The waves of sugar cane that once defined the Hawaiian island landscape of Maui, have slowly given way to non-native annual grasses in recent decades. Those grasses have become a fire hazard along the way.

The waves of sugar cane that once defined the Hawaiian island landscape of Maui, have slowly given way to non-native annual grasses in recent decades. Those grasses have become a fire hazard along the way.

Image of the Week - Dam Failure in Uzbekistan
Image of the Week - Dam Failure in Uzbekistan
Image of the Week - Dam Failure in Uzbekistan

The western wall of Uzbekistan's Sardoba Reservoir breached on May 1st, 2020 after a week of heavy rain. Thousands were evacuated as water rushed north into farmland and villages across the central Asian country and into neighboring Kazakhstan. Imagery from Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite shows water pooling across a wide area.

The western wall of Uzbekistan's Sardoba Reservoir breached on May 1st, 2020 after a week of heavy rain. Thousands were evacuated as water rushed north into farmland and villages across the central Asian country and into neighboring Kazakhstan. Imagery from Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite shows water pooling across a wide area.

Image of the Week - Petermann Glacier 2020 Update
Image of the Week - Petermann Glacier 2020 Update
Image of the Week - Petermann Glacier 2020 Update

Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland is known to generate large icebergs, most notably in 2010 and 2012. Another large iceberg may be forming now. A new rift was spotted on the glacier in 2017. Since then, imagery from both Landsat and Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites show the rift lengthening and meeting up with and older crack.

Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland is known to generate large icebergs, most notably in 2010 and 2012. Another large iceberg may be forming now. A new rift was spotted on the glacier in 2017. Since then, imagery from both Landsat and Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites show the rift lengthening and meeting up with and older crack.

Outreach EROS Overview
Outreach EROS Overview
Outreach EROS Overview

This is EROS.

It's located just north of Sioux Falls in South Dakota in the United States on the planet Earth!

This is EROS.

It's located just north of Sioux Falls in South Dakota in the United States on the planet Earth!

Image of the Week - Iowa Fields Flattened
Image of the Week - Iowa Fields Flattened
Image of the Week - Iowa Fields Flattened

The punishing derecho storm that struck the Midwest in early August had an immediate impact on Iowa's farm fields. But it took weeks for the long term damage to appear in satellite imagery. Landsat 8 passed over central Iowa just one day after 100 mile per hour winds pummeled fields of corn and soybeans leaving thousands without power.

The punishing derecho storm that struck the Midwest in early August had an immediate impact on Iowa's farm fields. But it took weeks for the long term damage to appear in satellite imagery. Landsat 8 passed over central Iowa just one day after 100 mile per hour winds pummeled fields of corn and soybeans leaving thousands without power.

Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes
Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes
Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes

The Landsat archive is the world's longest continuously collected record of the Earth's surface. In mid September, it notched another milestone by adding its nine millionth scene. This particular image from north central Paraguay helps tell the kind of story that only a long historical record like Landsat can.

The Landsat archive is the world's longest continuously collected record of the Earth's surface. In mid September, it notched another milestone by adding its nine millionth scene. This particular image from north central Paraguay helps tell the kind of story that only a long historical record like Landsat can.

EROS in Action – Landsat Data Offers Relief to West African Farmers
EROS in Action – Landsat Data Offers Relief to West African Farmers
EROS in Action – Landsat Data Offers Relief to West African Farmers

Data products from the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center have long informed the delivery of food aid through a partnership with the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).

Image of the Week - Summer Fires Rage in California
Image of the Week - Summer Fires Rage in California
Image of the Week - Summer Fires Rage in California

As fire season continues in the western United States let's look back at a number of incidents tracked by officials across California in August. These fires were captured during the day by Landsats 7 and 8, in natural color bands of the visible spectrum. Landsat sensors also record infrared wavelengths revealing burn scars and active fires.

As fire season continues in the western United States let's look back at a number of incidents tracked by officials across California in August. These fires were captured during the day by Landsats 7 and 8, in natural color bands of the visible spectrum. Landsat sensors also record infrared wavelengths revealing burn scars and active fires.

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