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Elijah Ramsey, III, Ph.D. (Former Employee)

Science and Products

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Map of Ten Thousand Islands, Florida

Mapping Mangrove Condition

Mangroves have decreased worldwide due to human development, climate change and other forces. In southwest Florida, tremendous growth and development pressure has resulted in appreciable losses in mangrove wetlands.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Mangrove Condition

Mangroves have decreased worldwide due to human development, climate change and other forces. In southwest Florida, tremendous growth and development pressure has resulted in appreciable losses in mangrove wetlands.
Learn More
link
Figure 2. Three Dimensional LAI Profiles.

Mapping Marsh Structure with Polarimetric Radar: Highlighting Change in Oil Spill Impacted Marshes

While the historic focus of vegetation condition is the bulk live and dead compositions, these variables provide no information on the structure of vegetation (density and orientation). Canopy structure information is critical for monitoring status and trends, and essential in climate, weather, and ecological studies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Marsh Structure with Polarimetric Radar: Highlighting Change in Oil Spill Impacted Marshes

While the historic focus of vegetation condition is the bulk live and dead compositions, these variables provide no information on the structure of vegetation (density and orientation). Canopy structure information is critical for monitoring status and trends, and essential in climate, weather, and ecological studies.
Learn More
link
Hurricane Sandy storm surge map

Hurricane Sandy Surge and Marsh Dieback in the New Jersey Coastal Zone

Detection of storm surge impacts on coastal marshes requires regional or broader mapping of surge flooding above and below the wetland canopy and estimation of abnormal change in wetland condition.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy, Hurricanes
link

Hurricane Sandy Surge and Marsh Dieback in the New Jersey Coastal Zone

Detection of storm surge impacts on coastal marshes requires regional or broader mapping of surge flooding above and below the wetland canopy and estimation of abnormal change in wetland condition.
Learn More
link
PolSAR image coverage of the Gulf coast on 23-24

Mapping Oil in Marshes and Its Implications

Remote sensing helps USGS scientists detect and map surface oil in coastal environments.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Oil in Marshes and Its Implications

Remote sensing helps USGS scientists detect and map surface oil in coastal environments.
Learn More
link
Map of 2011 Optical Dieback in Red

Optical and Radar Fusion: Mapping Coastal Marsh Dieback

With the help of remote sensing, USGS maps the progression of marsh dieback along the Louisiana coast.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy, Hurricanes
link

Optical and Radar Fusion: Mapping Coastal Marsh Dieback

With the help of remote sensing, USGS maps the progression of marsh dieback along the Louisiana coast.
Learn More

Phragmites australis live fractional cover yearly map from 2009 to 2019 of the lower Mississippi River Delta using Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite data

Phragmites australis live fractional cover (LFC) maps were created of the lower Mississippi River Delta (MRD) using satellite image data. The historical 2009 to 2016 P. australis marsh LFC maps were based on yearly Landsat image data. The 2016 to 2019 P. australis marsh LFC maps were based on yearly Sentinel-2 image data.
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Radar and optical mapping of surge persistence and marsh dieback along the New Jersey Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy

This study combined a radar-based time series of Hurricane Sandy surge and estimated persistence with optical sensor-based marsh condition change to assess potential causal linkages of surge persistence and marsh condition change along the New Jersey Atlantic Ocean coast. Results based on processed TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images indicated that surge flooding pers
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Analysis of the effect of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey Atlantic coastal marshes based on landsat thematic mapper and operational land imager data: 2000-2015

This USGS Data Release represents geospatial data sets that were created for the analysis of the effect of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey Atlantic Coastal Marshes. The following listed image products were generated: 1) Fifteen marsh surface condition index (MSCI) data sets were calculated from yearly summer collections of ETM+ image data from 2000 to 2015. Three classes described the results of
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Filter Total Items: 76

Using ALOS-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and interferometric SAR to detect landslides on the mountainous island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

This study was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the detectability of landslides in the densely forested and mountainous island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. The study used existing field-observed land-cover changes and landslides visible on Google Earth (GE) images. A limited number of ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images were collected
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Grassland live fractional cover map creation and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis for rangeland management supporting Kenya Northern Rangelands Trust Conservancies

The handbooks and synchronized MP4 recordings provide hands-on instruction for creating and analyzing vegetation live fractional cover (LFC) maps. The methods and protocols used in the instruction materials follow those developed and recorded in Rangoonwala and Ramsey (2019). The LFC mapping and geographic information system (GIS) analyses highlight the consortium of rangeland conservancies coveri
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Elijah Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Synthetic aperture radar and optical mapping used to monitor change and replacement of Phragmites australis marsh in the Lower Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping of density as an enhancement of Phragmites australis optical live fractional cover (LFC) mapping was carried out in the lower Mississippi Delta during 2016 to 2019. Also, as part of the study, the replacement of P. australis with elephant-ear was analyzed. To that end, yearly maps from 2016 to 2019 of L-band SAR horizontal send, vertical receive (HV) data rep
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mapping Phragmites australis live fractional cover in the lower Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana

In response to a co-occurring non-native scale infestation and Phragmites australis dieback in southeast Louisiana, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) satellite mapping was implemented to track P. australis condition in the lower Mississippi River Delta. While the NDVI mapping successfully documented relative condition changes, identification of cause required a quantitative-biophysical
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Rebecca J. Howard, Elijah W. Ramsey III
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River

Monitoring live vegetation in semiarid and arid rangeland environments with satellite remote sensing in northern Kenya

As part of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) commitment to provide technical assistance to the Kenyan Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the DOI International Technical Assistance Program and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s regional mission in East Africa, created a high spatial and time-sensitive live vegetation monitoring
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Elijah W. Ramsey III
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hyperspectral remote sensing of wetland vegetation

Chapter 11 by Ramsey and Rangoonwala provides an overview of how hyperspectral imaging (HSI) advances the mapping of coastal wetlands that comprise a unique variety of plant species, forms, and associations. Each description begins by seeking to uncover the relationship between canopy hyperspectral reflectance and one or more of the aggregated biophysical properties of the wetland canopy: leaf spe
Authors
Elijah Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mapping the change of Phragmites australis live biomass in the lower Mississippi River Delta marshes

Multiyear remote sensing mapping of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was carried out as an indicator of live biomass composition of the Phragmites australis (hereafter Phragmites) marsh in the lower Mississippi River Delta (hereafter delta) from 2014 to 2017. Maps of NDVI change showed that the Phragmites condition was fairly stable between May 2014 and July 2015. From July 2015 t
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Operational shoreline mapping with high spatial resolution radar and geographic processing

A comprehensive mapping technology was developed utilizing standard image processing and available GIS procedures to automate shoreline identification and mapping from 2 m synthetic aperture radar (SAR) HH amplitude data. The development used four NASA Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle SAR (UAVSAR) data collections between summer 2009 and 2012 and a fall 2012 collection of wetlands dominantly fronted by
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E Jones, Zhaohui Chi, Elijah W. Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Marsh canopy structure changes and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Marsh canopy structure was mapped yearly from 2009 to 2012 in the Barataria Bay, Louisiana coastal region that was impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. Based on the previously demonstrated capability of NASA's UAVSAR polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) image data to map Spartina alterniflora marsh canopy structure, structure maps combining the leaf area index (LAI) an
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E. Jones
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Wetland shoreline recession in the Mississippi River Delta from petroleum oiling and cyclonic storms

We evaluate the relative impact of petroleum spill and storm surge on near-shore wetland loss by quantifying the lateral movement of coastal shores in upper Barataria Bay, Louisiana (USA), between June 2009 and October 2012, a study period that extends from the year prior to the Deepwater Horizon spill to 2.5 years following the spill. We document a distinctly different pattern of shoreline loss i
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E. Jones, Elijah W. Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Response and resilience of Spartina alterniflora to sudden dieback

We measured an array of biophysical and spectral variables to evaluate the response and recovery of Spartina alterniflora to a sudden dieback event in spring and summer 2004 within a low marsh in coastal Virginia, USA. S. alterniflora is a foundation species, whose loss decreases ecosystem services and potentiates ecosystem state change. Long-term records of the potential environmental drivers of
Authors
Amanda Marsh, Linda K. Blum, Robert R. Christian, Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Radar and optical mapping of surge persistence and marsh dieback along the New Jersey Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy

This study combined a radar-based time series of Hurricane Sandy surge and estimated persistence with optical sensor-based marsh condition change to assess potential causal linkages of surge persistence and marsh condition change along the New Jersey Atlantic Ocean coast. Results based on processed TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images indicated that surge flooding pers
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Nicholas M. Enwright, Elijah W. Ramsey, Joseph P. Spruce
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy
USGS, NASA Study Finds Widespread Coastal Land Losses from Gulf Oil Spill

USGS, NASA Study Finds Widespread Coastal Land Losses from Gulf Oil Spill

A new USGS-NASA study found widespread shoreline loss along heavily oiled areas of Louisiana's coast after the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and...

Read Article

Science and Products

link
Map of Ten Thousand Islands, Florida

Mapping Mangrove Condition

Mangroves have decreased worldwide due to human development, climate change and other forces. In southwest Florida, tremendous growth and development pressure has resulted in appreciable losses in mangrove wetlands.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Mangrove Condition

Mangroves have decreased worldwide due to human development, climate change and other forces. In southwest Florida, tremendous growth and development pressure has resulted in appreciable losses in mangrove wetlands.
Learn More
link
Figure 2. Three Dimensional LAI Profiles.

Mapping Marsh Structure with Polarimetric Radar: Highlighting Change in Oil Spill Impacted Marshes

While the historic focus of vegetation condition is the bulk live and dead compositions, these variables provide no information on the structure of vegetation (density and orientation). Canopy structure information is critical for monitoring status and trends, and essential in climate, weather, and ecological studies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Marsh Structure with Polarimetric Radar: Highlighting Change in Oil Spill Impacted Marshes

While the historic focus of vegetation condition is the bulk live and dead compositions, these variables provide no information on the structure of vegetation (density and orientation). Canopy structure information is critical for monitoring status and trends, and essential in climate, weather, and ecological studies.
Learn More
link
Hurricane Sandy storm surge map

Hurricane Sandy Surge and Marsh Dieback in the New Jersey Coastal Zone

Detection of storm surge impacts on coastal marshes requires regional or broader mapping of surge flooding above and below the wetland canopy and estimation of abnormal change in wetland condition.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy, Hurricanes
link

Hurricane Sandy Surge and Marsh Dieback in the New Jersey Coastal Zone

Detection of storm surge impacts on coastal marshes requires regional or broader mapping of surge flooding above and below the wetland canopy and estimation of abnormal change in wetland condition.
Learn More
link
PolSAR image coverage of the Gulf coast on 23-24

Mapping Oil in Marshes and Its Implications

Remote sensing helps USGS scientists detect and map surface oil in coastal environments.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Mapping Oil in Marshes and Its Implications

Remote sensing helps USGS scientists detect and map surface oil in coastal environments.
Learn More
link
Map of 2011 Optical Dieback in Red

Optical and Radar Fusion: Mapping Coastal Marsh Dieback

With the help of remote sensing, USGS maps the progression of marsh dieback along the Louisiana coast.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy, Hurricanes
link

Optical and Radar Fusion: Mapping Coastal Marsh Dieback

With the help of remote sensing, USGS maps the progression of marsh dieback along the Louisiana coast.
Learn More

Phragmites australis live fractional cover yearly map from 2009 to 2019 of the lower Mississippi River Delta using Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite data

Phragmites australis live fractional cover (LFC) maps were created of the lower Mississippi River Delta (MRD) using satellite image data. The historical 2009 to 2016 P. australis marsh LFC maps were based on yearly Landsat image data. The 2016 to 2019 P. australis marsh LFC maps were based on yearly Sentinel-2 image data.
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Radar and optical mapping of surge persistence and marsh dieback along the New Jersey Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy

This study combined a radar-based time series of Hurricane Sandy surge and estimated persistence with optical sensor-based marsh condition change to assess potential causal linkages of surge persistence and marsh condition change along the New Jersey Atlantic Ocean coast. Results based on processed TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images indicated that surge flooding pers
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Analysis of the effect of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey Atlantic coastal marshes based on landsat thematic mapper and operational land imager data: 2000-2015

This USGS Data Release represents geospatial data sets that were created for the analysis of the effect of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey Atlantic Coastal Marshes. The following listed image products were generated: 1) Fifteen marsh surface condition index (MSCI) data sets were calculated from yearly summer collections of ETM+ image data from 2000 to 2015. Three classes described the results of
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Filter Total Items: 76

Using ALOS-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and interferometric SAR to detect landslides on the mountainous island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

This study was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the detectability of landslides in the densely forested and mountainous island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. The study used existing field-observed land-cover changes and landslides visible on Google Earth (GE) images. A limited number of ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images were collected
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Grassland live fractional cover map creation and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis for rangeland management supporting Kenya Northern Rangelands Trust Conservancies

The handbooks and synchronized MP4 recordings provide hands-on instruction for creating and analyzing vegetation live fractional cover (LFC) maps. The methods and protocols used in the instruction materials follow those developed and recorded in Rangoonwala and Ramsey (2019). The LFC mapping and geographic information system (GIS) analyses highlight the consortium of rangeland conservancies coveri
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Elijah Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Synthetic aperture radar and optical mapping used to monitor change and replacement of Phragmites australis marsh in the Lower Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping of density as an enhancement of Phragmites australis optical live fractional cover (LFC) mapping was carried out in the lower Mississippi Delta during 2016 to 2019. Also, as part of the study, the replacement of P. australis with elephant-ear was analyzed. To that end, yearly maps from 2016 to 2019 of L-band SAR horizontal send, vertical receive (HV) data rep
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mapping Phragmites australis live fractional cover in the lower Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana

In response to a co-occurring non-native scale infestation and Phragmites australis dieback in southeast Louisiana, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) satellite mapping was implemented to track P. australis condition in the lower Mississippi River Delta. While the NDVI mapping successfully documented relative condition changes, identification of cause required a quantitative-biophysical
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Rebecca J. Howard, Elijah W. Ramsey III
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River

Monitoring live vegetation in semiarid and arid rangeland environments with satellite remote sensing in northern Kenya

As part of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) commitment to provide technical assistance to the Kenyan Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the DOI International Technical Assistance Program and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s regional mission in East Africa, created a high spatial and time-sensitive live vegetation monitoring
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Elijah W. Ramsey III
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hyperspectral remote sensing of wetland vegetation

Chapter 11 by Ramsey and Rangoonwala provides an overview of how hyperspectral imaging (HSI) advances the mapping of coastal wetlands that comprise a unique variety of plant species, forms, and associations. Each description begins by seeking to uncover the relationship between canopy hyperspectral reflectance and one or more of the aggregated biophysical properties of the wetland canopy: leaf spe
Authors
Elijah Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mapping the change of Phragmites australis live biomass in the lower Mississippi River Delta marshes

Multiyear remote sensing mapping of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was carried out as an indicator of live biomass composition of the Phragmites australis (hereafter Phragmites) marsh in the lower Mississippi River Delta (hereafter delta) from 2014 to 2017. Maps of NDVI change showed that the Phragmites condition was fairly stable between May 2014 and July 2015. From July 2015 t
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Operational shoreline mapping with high spatial resolution radar and geographic processing

A comprehensive mapping technology was developed utilizing standard image processing and available GIS procedures to automate shoreline identification and mapping from 2 m synthetic aperture radar (SAR) HH amplitude data. The development used four NASA Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle SAR (UAVSAR) data collections between summer 2009 and 2012 and a fall 2012 collection of wetlands dominantly fronted by
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E Jones, Zhaohui Chi, Elijah W. Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Marsh canopy structure changes and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Marsh canopy structure was mapped yearly from 2009 to 2012 in the Barataria Bay, Louisiana coastal region that was impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. Based on the previously demonstrated capability of NASA's UAVSAR polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) image data to map Spartina alterniflora marsh canopy structure, structure maps combining the leaf area index (LAI) an
Authors
Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E. Jones
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Wetland shoreline recession in the Mississippi River Delta from petroleum oiling and cyclonic storms

We evaluate the relative impact of petroleum spill and storm surge on near-shore wetland loss by quantifying the lateral movement of coastal shores in upper Barataria Bay, Louisiana (USA), between June 2009 and October 2012, a study period that extends from the year prior to the Deepwater Horizon spill to 2.5 years following the spill. We document a distinctly different pattern of shoreline loss i
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Cathleen E. Jones, Elijah W. Ramsey
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Response and resilience of Spartina alterniflora to sudden dieback

We measured an array of biophysical and spectral variables to evaluate the response and recovery of Spartina alterniflora to a sudden dieback event in spring and summer 2004 within a low marsh in coastal Virginia, USA. S. alterniflora is a foundation species, whose loss decreases ecosystem services and potentiates ecosystem state change. Long-term records of the potential environmental drivers of
Authors
Amanda Marsh, Linda K. Blum, Robert R. Christian, Elijah W. Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Radar and optical mapping of surge persistence and marsh dieback along the New Jersey Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy

This study combined a radar-based time series of Hurricane Sandy surge and estimated persistence with optical sensor-based marsh condition change to assess potential causal linkages of surge persistence and marsh condition change along the New Jersey Atlantic Ocean coast. Results based on processed TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images indicated that surge flooding pers
Authors
Amina Rangoonwala, Nicholas M. Enwright, Elijah W. Ramsey, Joseph P. Spruce
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Hurricane Sandy
USGS, NASA Study Finds Widespread Coastal Land Losses from Gulf Oil Spill

USGS, NASA Study Finds Widespread Coastal Land Losses from Gulf Oil Spill

A new USGS-NASA study found widespread shoreline loss along heavily oiled areas of Louisiana's coast after the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and...

Read Article
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