Landsat's Critical Role in Energy
Energy is a growing necessity for people worldwide. As the demand for energy grows, Landsat plays an important role in identifying new energy sources and mitigating the human and environmental impact of energy development. Landsat is useful in the energy sector both because of its unparalleled decades-long record of Earth’s land and because of its ability to measure infrared and visible light. With more than 40 years of imagery, decision makers can monitor the environmental impact of mining and energy generation and track ecological recovery after operations end. Landsat’s ability to measure infrared light allows farmers and decision makers to gauge the health of biofuel crops and natural vegetation near dams and mining sites. The infrared and visible measurements together help energy companies identify minerals on the surface when plants are sparse.
Establishing Historical Land Cover
USGS and NASA researchers teamed together in a highly ambitious effort to reconstruct historical land cover and biophysical parameters of the eastern U.S. Their resulting data sets will support future
Landsat Helps Document Alaska Coastal Erosion
An article by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists on documentation of coastal land loss, lake expansion and drainage in Alaska from 1955–2005 was recently published in the July issue of
Landsat Watches as China Constructs Giant Dam
Some call it the eighth wonder of world. Others say it’s the next Great Wall of China. Upon completion in 2009, the Three Gorges Dam along China’s Yangtze River will
