Dean Gesch, Ph.D.
Dean Gesch is a Research Physical Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Since 1992, Dean Gesch has worked at USGS/EROS on a variety of geographic science topics, with most related to research and development of topographic data, derivative products, and applications. Most of Gesch’s work has focused on large-area datasets and applications (global, national, regional, and local), and much of the work has been collaborative in nature, working with scientists from other USGS centers and other Federal agencies. He led the design and development of USGS baseline elevation datasets at the national scale (the National Elevation Dataset) and the global scale (GTOPO30 and GMTED2010). His research topics include large-area topographic change analysis and monitoring, hurricane storm surge mapping, elevation data accuracy assessment, and sea-level rise vulnerability assessment. He served as a guest editor for Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing for a special issue on: The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission – Data Validation and Applications, and was also a guest editor for Journal of Coastal Research for a special issue on: Advances in Topobathymetric Mapping, Models, and Applications. Gesch has served in leadership positions in several national and international forums, including the National Digital Elevation Program, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Working Group on Global Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Interoperability, and the Group on Earth Observations Global DEM Task. Currently at EROS he is the Principal Investigator leading the Terrain Monitoring and Modeling focus area in the Integrated Science and Applications Branch.
Professional Experience
2004 to present: Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center
1992 - 2004: Senior Scientist, Hughes STX / Raytheon / SAIC at USGS/Earth Resources Observation and Science Center
1989 - 1992: Programmer/Analyst, Hughes STX Corp., Lanham, MD
1986 - 1989: Member Technical Staff, Science Applications Research Corp. at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
1984 - 1986: Physical Scientist, Defense Mapping Agency, Bethesda, MD
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 2006, Geospatial Science and Engineering, South Dakota State University, Dissertation: An inventory and assessment of significant topographic changes in the United States
M.A., 1984, Geosciences, Murray State University, Thesis: An analysis of the utility of Landsat Thematic Mapper data and digital elevation model data for predicting soil erosion: East Fork Massac Cree
B.S. (magna cum laude), 1982, Geography, Carroll College
Science and Products
Hydrography change detection: the usefulness of surface channels derived From LiDAR DEMs for updating mapped hydrography
U.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework
Validation of the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 over the conterminous United States
Science strategy for Core Science Systems in the U.S. Geological Survey, 2013-2023
Elevation uncertainty in coastal inundation hazard assessments
Global digital elevation model development from satellite remote-sensing data
Global multi-resolution terrain elevation data 2010 (GMTED2010)
ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 - summary of validation results
Evaluation of the Global Multi-Resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 (GMTED2010) using ICESat geodetic control
Topographic Science
Mapping and Visualization of Storm-Surge Dynamics for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita
The National Map - Elevation
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Publications
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Hydrography change detection: the usefulness of surface channels derived From LiDAR DEMs for updating mapped hydrography
The 1:24,000-scale high-resolution National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) mapped hydrography flow lines require regular updating because land surface conditions that affect surface channel drainage change over time. Historically, NHD flow lines were created by digitizing surface water information from aerial photography and paper maps. Using these same methods to update nationwide NHD flow lines is coAuthorsSandra K. Poppenga, Dean B. Gesch, Bruce B. WorstellU.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework
Executive SummaryCore Science Systems is a new mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that resulted from the 2007 Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges: U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017.” This report describes the Core Science Systems vision and outlines a strategy to facilitate integrated characterization and understanding of the complex Earth system. The visAuthorsR. Sky Bristol, Ned H. Euliss, Nathaniel L. Booth, Nina Burkardt, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Dean B. Gesch, Brian E. McCallum, David M. Miller, Suzette A. Morman, Barbara S. Poore, Richard P. Signell, Roland J. VigerByCore Science Systems Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Community for Data Integration (CDI), Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Coastal Changes and ImpactsValidation of the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 over the conterminous United States
The ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 (GDEM v2) was evaluated over the conterminous United States in a manner similar to the validation conducted for the original GDEM Version 1 (v1) in 2009. The absolute vertical accuracy of GDEM v2 was calculated by comparison with more than 18,000 independent reference geodetic ground control points from the National Geodetic Survey. The root meanAuthorsDean B. Gesch, Michael J. Oimoen, Zhen Zhang, David J. Meyer, Jeffrey J. DanielsonScience strategy for Core Science Systems in the U.S. Geological Survey, 2013-2023
Core Science Systems is a new mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that grew out of the 2007 Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges: U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017.” This report describes the vision for this USGS mission and outlines a strategy for Core Science Systems to facilitate integrated characterization and understanding of the complex earth system.AuthorsR. Sky Bristol, Ned H. Euliss, Nathaniel L. Booth, Nina Burkardt, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Dean B. Gesch, Brian E. McCallum, David M. Miller, Suzette A. Morman, Barbara S. Poore, Richard P. Signell, Roland J. VigerElevation uncertainty in coastal inundation hazard assessments
Coastal inundation has been identified as an important natural hazard that affects densely populated and built-up areas (Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction, 2008). Inundation, or coastal flooding, can result from various physical processes, including storm surges, tsunamis, intense precipitation events, and extreme high tides. Such events cause quickly rising water levels. When rapidly rising wateAuthorsDean B. GeschGlobal digital elevation model development from satellite remote-sensing data
No abstract available.AuthorsDean B. GeschGlobal multi-resolution terrain elevation data 2010 (GMTED2010)
In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a global topographic elevation model designated as GTOPO30 at a horizontal resolution of 30 arc-seconds for the entire Earth. Because no single source of topographic information covered the entire land surface, GTOPO30 was derived from eight raster and vector sources that included a substantial amount of U.S. Defense Mapping Agency data. The quaAuthorsJeffrey J. Danielson, Dean B. GeschASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 - summary of validation results
On June 29, 2009, NASA and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan released a Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) to users worldwide at no charge as a contribution to the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). This “version 1” ASTER GDEM (GDEM1) was compiled from over 1.2 million scenebased DEMs covering land surfaces between 83°N and 83°S latitudes. A joint U.S.-JAuthorsTetushi Tachikawa, Manabu Kaku, Akira Iwasaki, Dean B. Gesch, Michael J. Oimoen, Z. Zhang, Jeffrey J. Danielson, Tabatha Krieger, Bill Curtis, Jeff Haase, Michael Abrams, C. CarabajalEvaluation of the Global Multi-Resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 (GMTED2010) using ICESat geodetic control
Supported by NASA's Earth Surface and Interior (ESI) Program, we are producing a global set of Ground Control Points (GCPs) derived from the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) altimetry data. From February of 2003, to October of 2009, ICESat obtained nearly global measurements of land topography (+/- 86deg latitudes) with unprecedented accuracy, sampling the Earth's surface at discreAuthorsC.C. Carabajal, D.J. Harding, J.-P. Boy, Jeffrey J. Danielson, D.B. Gesch, V.P. SuchdeoTopographic Science
The mission of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center Topographic Science is to establish partnerships and conduct research and applications that facilitate the development and use of integrated national and global topographic datasets. Topographic Science includes a wide range of research and applications that result in improved seamless topographic daAuthorsSandra K. Poppenga, Gayla Evans, Dean Gesch, Jason M. Stoker, Vivian R. Queija, Bruce Worstell, Dean J. Tyler, Jeff Danielson, Norman Bliss, Susan GreenleeMapping and Visualization of Storm-Surge Dynamics for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita
The damages caused by the storm surges from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita were significant and occurred over broad areas. Storm-surge maps are among the most useful geospatial datasets for hurricane recovery, impact assessments, and mitigation planning for future storms. Surveyed high-water marks were used to generate a maximum storm-surge surface for Hurricane Katrina extending from easterAuthorsDean B. GeschThe National Map - Elevation
The National Elevation Dataset (NED) is the primary elevation data product produced and distributed by the USGS. The NED provides seamless raster elevation data of the conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the island territories. The NED is derived from diverse source data sets that are processed to a specification with a consistent resolution, coordinate system, elevation units, and horAuthorsDean Gesch, Gayla Evans, James Mauck, John Hutchinson, William J. CarswellNon-USGS Publications**
Imhoff, M.L., and Gesch, D.B., 1990, The derivation of a sub canopy digital terrain model of a flooded forest using synthetic aperture radar: Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, v. 56, no. 8, p. 1155-1162.Imhoff, M.L., and Gesch, D.B., 1988, The derivation of sub-canopy surface terrain models of coastal forests using synthetic aperture radar, in Proceedings, 1988 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Edinburgh, Scotland, September 12-16, 1988, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., Piscataway, New Jersey, p. 613-617.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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