Publications

Land cover and land use changes can have a wide variety of ecological effects, including significant impacts on soils and water quality. In rural areas, even subtle changes in farming practices can affect landscape features and functions, and consequently the environment. Fine-scale analyses have to be performed to better understand the land cover change processes. At the same time...

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has taken the lead in the creation of a valuable remote sensing product by incorporating digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) into the National Elevation Dataset (NED), the elevation layer of 'The National Map'. High-resolution lidar-derived DEMs provide the accuracy needed to systematically quantify and fully...

The poor nations of sub-Saharan Africa face a constant struggle against weather and climate. The outcome of that struggle profoundly influences these nations’ economic growth, health, and social stability. Advances in climate monitoring and forecasting can help African nations and international aid organizations reduce the impact of these natural hazards. Satellites play a crucial role...

The Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium has supported the development of two national digital land cover products: the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 1992 and National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001. Substantial differences in imagery, legends, and methods between these two land cover products must be overcome in order to support direct comparison. The NLCD 1992-2001...

No abstract available.

Sagebrush-steppe ecosystems in North America have experienced dramatic elimination and degradation since European settlement. As a result, sagebrush-steppe dependent species have experienced drastic range contractions and population declines. Coordinated ecosystem-wide research, integrated with monitoring and management activities, would improve the ability to maintain existing sagebrush...

In this chapter, the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor active geological processes is described. Specifically, threats posed by volcanic eruptions are briefly outlined, and essential monitoring requirements are discussed. As an application example, a collaborative, multi-agency operational volcano monitoring system in the north Pacific is highlighted with a focus on the 2007...

No abstract available.

A volcano workshop was held in Washington State, near the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cascades Volcano Observatory. The workshop, hosted by the USGS Volcano Hazards Program (VHP), included more than 40 participants from the United States, the European Union, and Canada. Goals were to promote (1) collaboration among scientists working on active volcanoes and (2) development of new tools...

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center archives electronic science collections that total over two petabytes in size and over 100,000 rolls of aerial and satellite film. Limited resources, the evolution of missions, and recommendations from advisory committees have led to the development of a scientific records appraisal process as a means...

Elevation data are an important component in the visualization and analysis of geographic information. The creation and display of 3D models representing bare earth, vegetation, and surface structures have become a major focus of light detection and ranging (lidar) remote sensing research in the past few years. Lidar is an active sensor that records the distance, or range, of a laser...

The recent release of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001, which represents the nation's land cover status based on a nominal date of 2001, is widely used as a baseline for national land cover conditions. To enable the updating of this land cover information in a consistent and continuous manner, a prototype method was developed to update land cover...