Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
Measurements from space support wildfire risk predictions
Researchers demonstrated that data from the International Space Station’s ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) instrument played a significant role in the ability of machine learning algorithms to predict wildfire susceptibility. This result could help support development of effective strategies for predicting, preventing, monitoring, and managing wildfires.
As the frequency and severity of wildfires increases worldwide, experts need reliable models of fire susceptibility to protect public safety and support natural resource planning and risk management. ECOSTRESS measures evapotranspiration, water use efficiency, and other plant-water dynamics on Earth. Researchers report that its water use efficiency data consistently emerged as the leading factor in predicting wildfires, with evaporative stress and topographic slope data also significant.
This ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station evapotranspiration image of California’s Central Valley in May 2022 shows high water use (blue) and dry conditions (brown). NASA Combining instruments provides better emissions data
Scientists found that averaging data from the International Space Station’s OCO‐3 and EMIT external instruments can accurately measure the rate of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. This work could improve emissions monitoring and help communities respond to climate change.
Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion make up nearly a third of human-caused emissions and are a major contributor to climate change. In many places, though, scientists do not know exactly how much carbon dioxide these sources emit. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 or OCO-3 can quantify emissions over large areas and Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation data can help determine emissions from individual facilities. The researchers suggest future work continue to investigate the effect of wind conditions on measurements.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 data showing carbon dioxide concentrations in Los Angeles. NASA Thunderstorm phenomena observed from space
Observations by the International Space Station’s Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) instrument during a tropical cyclone in 2019 provide insight into the formation and nature of blue corona discharges often observed at the tops of thunderclouds. A better understanding of such processes in Earth’s upper atmosphere could improve atmospheric models and weather and climate predictions.
Scientists do not fully understand the conditions that lead to formation of blue corona discharges, bursts of electrical streamers, which are precursors to lightning. Observations from the ground are affected by scattering and absorption in the clouds. ASIM, a facility from ESA (European Space Agency), provides a unique opportunity for observing these high-atmosphere events from space.
View of Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, the white and blue box on the end of the International Space Station’s Columbus External Payload Facility. NASAView the full article
-
By NASA
NASA’s SPHEREx observatory will use a technique called spectroscopy across the entire sky, capturing the universe in more than 100 colors.Credit: BAE Systems Media accreditation is open for the launch of two NASA missions that will explore the mysteries of our universe and Sun.
The agency is targeting late February to launch its SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory, a space telescope that will create a 3D map of the entire sky to help scientists investigate the origins of our universe. NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, which will study origins of the Sun’s outflow of material, or the solar wind, also will ride to space with the telescope.
NASA and SpaceX will launch the missions aboard the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Accredited media will have the opportunity to participate in a series of prelaunch briefings and interviews with key mission personnel, including a science briefing the week of launch. NASA will communicate additional details regarding the media event schedule as the launch date approaches.
Media interested in covering the launch must apply for media accreditation. The application deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 6, while international media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 11:59 p.m., Monday, Jan. 20.
NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other mission questions, please contact the newsroom at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 321-867-2468.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425, o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371.
Updates about spacecraft launch preparations are available on the agency’s SPHEREx blog and PUNCH blog.
The SPHEREx mission will observe hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies in infrared light, a range of wavelengths not visible to the human eye. With this map, SPHEREx will enable scientists to study inflation, or the rapid expansion of the universe a fraction of a second after the big bang. The observatory also will measure the collective glow from galaxies near and far, including light from hidden galaxies that individually haven’t been observed, and look for reservoirs of water, carbon dioxide, and other key ingredients for life in our home galaxy.
Launching as a rideshare with SPHEREx, the agency’s PUNCH mission is made up of four suitcase-sized satellites that will spread out around Earth’s day-night line to observe the Sun and space with a combined field of view. Working together, the four satellites will map out the region where the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, transitions to the solar wind, or the constant outflow of material from the Sun.
The SPHEREx observatory is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California for the Astrophysics Division within the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The mission principal investigator is based jointly at NASA JPL and Caltech. Formerly Ball Aerospace, BAE Systems built the telescope, supplied the spacecraft bus, and performed observatory integration. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data will be conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Data will be processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The SPHEREx data set will be publicly available.
The agency’s PUNCH mission is led by Southwest Research Institute’s office in Boulder, Colorado. The mission is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, manages the launch service for the SPHEREx and PUNCH missions.
For more details about the SPHEREx mission and updates on launch preparations, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex
-end-
Alise Fisher (SPHEREx)
Headquarters, Washington
202-617-4977
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier (PUNCH)
Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Laura Aguiar
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-593-6245
laura.aguiar@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Jan 13, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer) Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Jet Propulsion Laboratory Kennedy Space Center Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) Science Mission Directorate View the full article
-
By NASA
7 min read
Newly Selected Citizen Science Proposals: A Peek at What’s Next
Last year, the NASA citizen science community saw a prize from the White House and two prizes from professional societies: one from the Division of Planetary Sciences and one from the American Astronomical Society. Our teams published two papers in the prestigious journal, Nature, one on a planetary crash and one about a distant world that seems to have auroras. 2024 was a year of 5000 comets, two solar eclipses and plenty of broken records.
But we’re not stopping to rest on our laurels. In 2024, NASA selected 25 new citizen science proposals for funding that will lead to new projects and new results to look forward to in 2025 and beyond. Here’s a roundup of those selections and the principal investigators (PIs) of each team—a sneak peek at what’s coming next in NASA citizen science! Note that these investigations are research grants–some of them will result in new opportunities for the public, others will use results from earlier citizen science projects or develop new tools.
Bright green glow observed from Texas on June 1, 2024, by Stephen Hummel. A new grant to the Spritacular project team will support citizen science research on this newly-discovered phenomenon. Stephen Hummel Citizen Science Seed Funding Program (CSSFP)
The CSSFP aims to support scientists and other experts to develop citizen science projects and to expand the pool of scientists who use citizen science techniques in their science investigations. Four divisions of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate are participating in the CSSFP: the Astrophysics Division, the Biological and Physical Sciences Division, the Heliophysics Division, and the Planetary Science Division. Nine new investigations were recently selected through this program:
Astrophysics Division
SuPerPiG Observing Grid, PI Rachel Huchmala, Boise State University. Use a small telescope to monitor exoplanets to improve our knowledge of their orbits. Understanding the Nature of Clumpy Galaxies with Clump-Scout 2: a New Citizen-Science Project to Characterize Star-Forming Clumps in Nearby Galaxies. PI Claudia Scarlata, University of Minnesota. Label clumps of distant galaxies to help us understand Hubble Space Telescope data. ‘Backyard Worlds: Binaries’ — Discovering Benchmark Brown Dwarfs Through Citizen Science. PI Aaron Meisner, NSF’s NOIRLab. Search for planet-like objects called brown dwarfs that orbit nearby stars. Mobile Toolkits to Enable Transient Follow-up Observations by Amateur Astronomers. PI Michael Coughlin, University of Minnesota. Use your own telescope to observe supernovae, kilonovae and other massive explosions. Planetary Science Division
A Citizen Scientist Approach to High Resolution Geologic Mapping of Intracrater Impact Melt Deposits as an input to Numerical Models, PI Kirby Runyon, Planetary Science Institute. Help map lunar craters so we can better understand how meteor impacts sculpt the moon’s surface. Identifying Active Asteroids in Public Datasets, PI Chad Trujillo, Northern Arizona University, Search for icy, comet-like bodies hiding in the asteroid belt using new data from the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope. Heliophysics Division
Enabling Magnetopause Observations With Informal Researchers (EMPOWR). PI Mo Wenil, Johns Hopkins University. Investigate plasma layers high above the Earth using data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and the Zooniverse platform. High-resolution Ionospheric Imaging using Dual-Frequency Smartphones. PI Josh Semeter, Boston University. Study the upper atmosphere using cell phone signals. Large Scale Structures Originating from the Sun (LASSOS) multi-point catalog: A citizen project connecting operations to research. PI Cecelia Mac Cormack, Catholic University of America. Help build a catalog of structures on the Sun. Comet Identification and Image Annotation Modernization for the Sungrazer Citizen Science Project. PI Oliver Gerland. Search for comets in data from ESA and NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission using new web tools. Heliophysics Citizen Science Investigations (HCSI)
The HCSI program supports medium-scale citizen science projects in the Heliophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Six investigations were recently selected through this program:
Investigation of green afterglow observed above sprite and gigantic jet tops based on Spritacular project database, PI Burcu Kosar. Photograph electric phenomena above storm clouds to help us understand a newly discovered green glow and learn about atmospheric chemistry. Machine Learning competition for Solar Wind prediction in preparation of solar maximum. PI Enrico Camporeale, University of Colorado, Boulder. Take part in a competition to predict the speed of the solar wind using machine learning. A HamSCI investigation of the bottomside ionosphere during the 2023 annular and 2024 total solar eclipses. PI Gareth Perry, New Jersey Institute of Technology. Use Ham Radio data to investigate the effects of solar eclipses on the ionosphere. Dynamic footprint in mid-latitude mesospheric clouds. PI Chihiko Cullens, University of Colorado, Boulder. Collect and analyze data on noctilucent clouds, rare high-altitude clouds that shine at night. Monitoring Solar Activity During Solar Cycle 25 with the GAVRT Solar Patrol Science and Education Program. PI Marin Anderson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Track solar activity during the period leading up to and including solar maximum. What is the total energy input to the heliosphere from solar jets? PI Nour Rawafi, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Identify solar jets in images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program (CSESP)
CSESP opportunities focus on developing and implementing projects that harness contributions from members of the general public to advance our understanding of Earth as a system. Proposals for the 2024 request were required to demonstrate a clear link between citizen science and NASA observation systems to advance the agency’s Earth science mission. Nine projects received funding.
Engaging Citizen Scientists for Inclusive Earth Systems Monitoring, PI Duan Biggs, Northern Arizona University. Measure trees in tropical regions south of the equator with the GLOBE Observer App to improve models of vegetation structure and biomass models from NASA’s Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission. Integrating Remote Sensing and Citizen Science to Support Conservation of Woodland Vernal Pools, PI Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Michigan Technological University. Map and monitor shallow, seasonal wetlands in Michigan, Wisconsin and New York to better understand these key habitats of amphibians and other invertebrates. Citizen-Enabled Measurement of PM2.5 and Black Carbon: Addressing Local Inequities and Validating PM Composition from MAIA, Albert Presto/Carnegie Mellon University. Deploy sensors to measure sources of fine airborne particle pollution filling gaps in data from NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission. Expanding Citizen Science Hail Observations for Validation of NASA Satellite Algorithms and Understanding of Hail Melt, PI Russ Schumacher, Colorado State University. Measure the sizes and shapes of hailstones, starting in the southeastern United States, using photographs and special pads to help us understand microwave satellite data. X-Snow: A Citizen-Science Proposal for Snow in the New York Area, PI, Marco Tedesco, Columbia University. Measure snow in the Catskill and Adirondacks regions of New York to help improve NASA’s models of snow depth and water content. Coupling Citizen Science and Remote Sensing Observations to Assess the Impacts of Icebergs on Coastal Arctic Ecosystems, PI, Maria Vernet, University of California, San Diego. Measure phytoplankton samples in polar regions to understand how icebergs and their meltwater affect phytoplankton concentration and biodiversity. Forecasting Mosquito-Borne Disease Risk in a Changing Climate: Integrating GLOBE Citizen Science and NASA Earth System Modeling, PI Di Yang, University of Florida, Gainesville. Using data on mosquitoes from the GLOBE Observer App to predict future changes in mosquito-borne disease risk. Ozone Measurements from General Aviation: Supporting TEMPO Satellite Validation and Addressing Air Quality Issues in California’s San Joaquin Valley with Citizen Science, PI Emma Yates, NASA Ames Research Center. Deploy air-quality sensors around Bakersfield, California and compare the data to measurements from NASA’s Tropospheric Emissions Monitoring of Pollution instrument (TEMPO). Under the Canopy: Capturing the Role of Understory Phenology on Animal Communities Using Citizen Science, PI Benjamin Zuckerberg, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Measure snow depth, temperature, and sound in forest understories to improve satellite-based models of vegetation and snow cover for better modeling of wildlife communities. For more information on citizen science awards from previous years, see articles from:
September 2023 August 2022 July 2021 For more information on NASA’s citizen science programs, visit https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscience.
Share
Details
Last Updated Jan 13, 2025 Related Terms
Citizen Science Explore More
2 min read First NASA Neurodiversity Network Intern to Present at the American Geophysical Union Annual Conference
Article
3 days ago
2 min read Science Done by Volunteers Highlighted at December’s American Geophysical Union Meeting
Article
3 weeks ago
2 min read Jovian Vortex Hunters Spun Up Over New Paper
Article
4 weeks ago
View the full article
-
By NASA
Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More 35th Anniversary 4 Min Read Hubble Reveals Surprising Spiral Shape of Galaxy Hosting Young Jet
Quasar J0742+2704 Credits:
NASA, ESA, Kristina Nyland (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) The night sky has always played a crucial role in navigation, from early ocean crossings to modern GPS. Besides stars, the United States Navy uses quasars as beacons. Quasars are distant galaxies with supermassive black holes, surrounded by brilliantly hot disks of swirling gas that can blast off jets of material. Following up on the groundbreaking 2020 discovery of newborn jets in a number of quasars, aspiring naval officer Olivia Achenbach of the United States Naval Academy has used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to reveal surprising properties of one of them, quasar J0742+2704.
“The biggest surprise was seeing the distinct spiral shape in the Hubble Space Telescope images. At first I was worried I had made an error,” said Achenbach, who made the discovery during the course of a four-week internship.
Quasar J0742+2704 (center) became the subject of astronomers’ interest after it was discovered to have a newborn jet blasting from the disk around its supermassive black hole in 2020, using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio observatory. This led to follow-up with other observatories in an effort to determine the properties of the galaxy and what may have triggered the jet. While the jet itself cannot be seen in this Hubble Space Telescope infrared-light image, the spiral shape of J0742+2704 is clear, with faint but detectable arms branching above and below the galaxy center. This was a big surprise to the research team, as quasars hosting jets are typically elliptical-shaped, and its suspected that messy mergers with other galaxies are what funnel gas toward the black hole and fuel jets. These mergers would also disrupt any spiral formation a galaxy may have had before mixing its contents with another galaxy. Though its intact spiral shape means it has not experienced a major merger, Hubble does show evidence that its lower arm has been disrupted, possibly by the tidal forces of interaction with another galaxy. This could mean that jets can be triggered by a far less involved, dramatic interaction of galaxies than a full merger. The large galaxy to the lower right of the quasar appears to be a ring galaxy, another sign of interaction. Some ring galaxies form after a small galaxy passes through the center of a larger galaxy, reconfiguring its gas and dust. The brightest parts of this image — foreground stars and the bright center of the quasar — show the characteristic “starry” spikes produced by Hubble (and other telescopes’) interior structure. They are not actual aspects of the cosmic objects. NASA, ESA, Kristina Nyland (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) “We typically see quasars as older galaxies that have grown very massive, along with their central black holes, after going through messy mergers and have come out with an elliptical shape,” said astronomer Kristina Nyland of the Naval Research Laboratory, Achenbach’s adviser on the research.
“It’s extremely rare and exciting to find a quasar-hosting galaxy with spiral arms and a black hole that is more than 400 million times the mass of the Sun — which is pretty big — plus young jets that weren’t detectable 20 years ago,” Nyland said.
The unusual quasar takes its place amid an active debate in the astronomy community over what triggers quasar jets, which can be significant in the evolution of galaxies, as the jets can suppress star formation. Some astronomers suspect that quasar jets are triggered by major galaxy mergers, as the material from two or more galaxies mashes together, and heated gas is funneled toward merged black holes. Spiral galaxy quasars like J0742+2704, however, suggest that there may be other pathways for jet formation.
While J0742+2704 has maintained its spiral shape, the Hubble image does show intriguing signs of its potential interaction with other galaxies. One of its arms shows distortion, possibly a tidal tail.
Hubble captured intriguing hints of interaction, if not full merging, between galaxies including quasar J0742+2704. There is evidence of a distorted tidal tail, or a streamer of gas, that has been pulled out by the gravity of a nearby galaxy. The presence of a ring galaxy also suggests interaction: The distinctive shape of ring galaxies are thought to form when one galaxy passes through another, redistributing its contents into a central core circled by stars and gas. Astronomers will be doing further analysis of Hubble’s detailed spectroscopic data, plus follow-up with other telescopes that can see different types of light, to confirm the distances of the galaxies and how they may be affecting one another. NASA, ESA, Kristina Nyland (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) “Clearly there is something interesting going on. While the quasar has not experienced a major disruptive merger, it may be interacting with another galaxy, which is gravitationally tugging at its spiral arm,” said Nyland.
Another galaxy that appears nearby in the Hubble image (though its location still needs to be spectroscopically confirmed) has a ring structure. This rare shape can occur after a galaxy interaction in which a smaller galaxy punches through the center of a spiral galaxy. “The ring galaxy near the quasar host galaxy could be an intriguing clue as to what is happening in this system. We may be witnessing the aftermath of the interaction that triggered this young quasar jet,” said Nyland.
Both Achenbach and Nyland emphasize that this intriguing discovery is really a new starting point, and there will be additional multi-wavelength analysis of J0742+2704 with data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. It’s also a case for keeping our eyes on the skies, said Achenbach.
“If we looked at this galaxy 20 years, or maybe even a decade ago, we would have seen a fairly average quasar and never known it would eventually be home to newborn jets,” said Achenbach. “It goes to show that if you keep searching, you can find something remarkable that you never expected, and it can send you in a whole new direction of discovery.”
The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.
Explore More
Hubble Science Behind the Discoveries: Quasars
NASA’s Hubble Takes the Closest-Ever Look at a Quasar
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
NASA’s Hubble Helps Astronomers Uncover the Brightest Quasar in the Early Universe
NASA’s Hubble Sees the ‘Teenage Years’ of Quasars
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Leah Ramsay, Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD
Share
Details
Last Updated Jan 13, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Active Galaxies Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Quasars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Hubble Space Telescope
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Hubble Science Highlights
Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge
Universe Uncovered
View the full article
-
By NASA
Earth Observer Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 32 min read
Summary of the 2024 NASA LCLUC Science Team Meeting
Introduction
The 2024 NASA Land-Cover and Land-Use Change (LCLUC) Science Team Meeting (STM) took place from April 2–4, 2024 at the Marriott Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, MD. During the meeting, 75 people attended in-person. Represented among the attendees were LCLUC project investigators and collaborators, NASA Headquarters (HQ) program managers, and university researchers and students – see Photo.
LCLUC is an interdisciplinary scientific program within NASA’s Earth Science program that aims to develop the capability for periodic global inventories of land use and land cover from space. The program’s goal is to develop the scientific understanding and models necessary to simulate the processes taking place and to evaluate the consequences of observed and predicted changes.
The LCLUC program’s focus is divided into three areas – impacts, monitoring, and synthesis. Each category constitutes about one-third of the program’s content. The LCLUC program is part of the Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems research area, alongside other programs, such as Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry, and Biodiversity.
Within NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD), the LCLUC program collaborates with the Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), the Earth Action Program element on Agriculture, and data initiatives, such as Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS), Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis (OPERA), and the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program. Externally, the program engages the U.S. Global Climate Research Program (USGCRP), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Internationally, the program collaborates with Global Observations of Forest Cover and Land-use Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), particularly Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM), the Global Land Program (GLP), as well as regional initiatives – e.g., the South and Southeast Asia Regional Initiative (SARI), and space agencies, including the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA)–Thailand, Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Principal Investigators (PIs) who participate in LCLUC are required to provide free and open access to their data and products via their metadata pages, aligning with NASA’s Transform to Open Science (TOPS) initiative. The program organizes at least one international regional workshop and one domestic ST meeting each year to share LCLUC science and foster global collaborations, contributing to regional capacity-building as an added value. Additionally, the program hosts regular webinars led by PIs on topics such as agriculture, urban areas, land-use changes in conflict zones, and natural disaster hotspots (i.e., fires, droughts, and floods). Garik Gutman [NASA HQ—LCLUC Program Manager] presented updates on LCLUC research publications, journal special issues, and upcoming international meetings.
The remainder of this article summarizes the highlights of the 2024 LCLUC STM. The content is organized chronologically, with a section devoted to describing each day of the meeting and descriptive headers throughout. The full presentations from this meeting are available on the LCLUC meeting website.
Photo. A group picture of meeting participants on the first day of the 2024 LCLUC meeting in Gaithersburg, MD. Photo credit: Hotel staff (Marriott Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg, MD) DAY ONE
The first day featured invited presentations, reports from LCLUC ST members funded through the LCLUC Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2022 selections, and an overview of SARI. The day concluded with poster presentations and lightning talks highlighting recent results from ongoing LCLUC-related research.
Update from the LCLUC Program Manager
The meeting began with welcoming remarks from Garik Gutman, who provided an update on the program’s latest developments and achievements. He highlighted that the socioeconomic component is an integral part of most LCLUC projects. The program has recently expanded to include multisource land imaging, such as the ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel program, regional initiatives, and capacity-building efforts. He also underscored the importance of U.S. missions relevant to LCLUC, which produce spatially coarse resolution daily data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua and Terra platforms and the NASA–National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP); spatially moderate resolution data every eight days from the NASA–USGS Landsat-8 (L8) and Landsat-9 (L9) satellites; and very high-resolution data from private companies, such as Planet Inc. and Maxar.
Gutman also discussed how LCLUC investigators are using data from missions on the International Space Station (ISS), e.g., ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), and Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT). He noted the potential of radar observations from the recently launched international Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission – led by NASA and the Centre National d’Études Spatiales [French Space Agency] – and the upcoming NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission (planned for launch in 2025).
LCLUC in the Broader Context of NASA
Jack Kaye [ESD—Associate Director for Research] gave an update on ESD activities that reflected on NASA’s broad capabilities in Earth Science – emphasizing the agency’s unique role in both developing and utilizing cutting-edge technology. Unlike many other agencies, NASA’s scope spans technology development, research, data provision, and tool creation. Over the past 16 months, NASA has launched several significant missions, including SWOT, Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS), Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO), and Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE). This surge in satellite launches highlights NASA’s role in enhancing global observational capabilities. NASA also supports a diverse array of programs, including airborne campaigns and surface-based measurement networks. Initiatives aim to improve the involvement of minority-serving institutions and incorporate open science practices with a focus on enhancing inclusivity and expanding participation. The agency also emphasizes the importance of peer review and collaboration with international and community-based partners. Kaye highlighted NASA’s commitment to producing high-quality, actionable science while navigating financial and operational challenges. This commitment extends to addressing environmental and societal impacts through programs such as Earth Action and by fostering global collaboration.
Sid Ahmed Boukabara [ESD—Senior Program Scientist for Strategy] presented a detailed overview of NASA’s Earth Science to Action Strategy, which aims to increase the impact of Earth science in addressing global challenges. This strategy acknowledges the urgency of global changes, e.g., accelerating environmental shifts, understanding Earth’s interconnected systems, and developing scalable information. NASA’s mission focuses on observing and understanding the Earth system, delivering trusted information, and empowering resilience activities through advanced technologies, partnerships, and innovations. Key principles include amplifying impact through partnerships, engaging a diverse and inclusive workforce, balancing innovation with sustainability, encouraging cutting-edge capabilities, and ensuring robust and resilient processes. The strategy emphasizes collaboration across sectors and international partnerships to leverage Earth observations enhance the value of Earth science for decision-making and policy support. The strategy also highlights the role of land-cover and land-use change activities in supporting objectives and enhancing modeling capabilities.
Thomas Wagner [ESD—Associate Director for Earth Action] outlined NASA’s Earth Action initiative (formerly known as the Applications Program), which focuses on user-centered strategies to address global challenges, e.g., climate resilience, health, and ecological conservation. By integrating applied sciences and leveraging satellite data, the initiative aims to enhance Earth observation capabilities and connect scientific research with practical applications to meet societal needs. The strategy includes a virtuous cycle, where user feedback informs the development of future programs and missions, ensuring that research and technology are aligned with real-world needs. Additionally, Earth Action emphasizes public engagement by offering open-source models and data to enhance understanding and support decision making. Through multisector consortia and problem-solving teams, the initiative addresses urgent and broad-impact issues, fostering innovation and collaboration.
Updates from LCLUC PIs on 2022 ROSES Proposal Selections
Following the programmatic overview presentations, PIs presented updates on research results from LCLUC ROSES 2022 proposal selections. Gillian Galford [University of Vermont] presented on the socioeconomic and environmental dynamics of LCLUC in the Cerrado frontier of Brazil. She presented results from the three main objectives: developing LCLUC detection methods and datasets, characterizing major land-use transitions (LUTs), and understanding the drivers behind these transitions. The research employs remote-sensing and geostatistical methods to track changes, identify “hotspots” of activity, and understand the underlying motivations for land-use changes. The research aims to provide insights that can guide conservation efforts and promote sustainable land use in the region.
Gustavo Oliveira [Clark University] presented “Irrigation as Climate-Change Adaptation in the Cerrado Biome of Brazil.” This project aims to develop methods for analyzing LCLUC data and their socioeconomic impacts, examining the expansion of irrigated agriculture and creating models to inform policy on agrarian development and water regulations. Oliveira highlighted areas of significant deforestation and the rapid growth of irrigated agriculture in the study region – positioning Western Bahia as a model for irrigation in Brazil. He explained that the research outputs include software for time series analysis and publications on land change, contributing to the broader understanding of climate adaptation strategies in the region.
Grant Connette [Smithsonian Institution] presented “Can Improved Stakeholder Representation Prevent Human-caused Mangrove Loss in the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion?” He examined the factors contributing to mangrove loss in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) ecoregion. Through a combination of Earth observation data, socioeconomic analysis, and community engagement, Connette described how the study seeks to improve the effectiveness of protected areas and inform best practices for mangrove conservation in the MAR ecoregion.
Saurav Kumar [Arizona State University] presented his team’s work, “Exploring the Nexus between LCLUC, Socio-Economic Factors, and Water for a Vulnerable Arid U.S.–Mexico Transboundary Region.” Kumar explained that the project aims to understand how natural and human systems influence LCLUC when constrained by water availability. The data used in this project come from a combination of time series data, theoretical model output, and artificial intelligence techniques. The team also focuses on stakeholder engagement, recognizing the need for comprehensive identification and involvement in addressing complex water resource issues. Kumar explained that the study seeks to predict future LCLUC transitions, assess the theoretical models of different stakeholder groups, and identify policy-relevant leverage points for sustainable water management.
Abena Boatemaa Asare-Ansah [University of Maryland, College Park (UMD)] presented on “The Multisensor Mapping of Refugee Agricultural LCLUC Hotspots in Uganda.” She explained that this study focuses on mapping changes in cropland within refugee-hosting regions using satellite data and deep learning models. Asare-Ansah described how the first year involved evaluating existing cropland maps and initiating new classifications. Future work will refine these maps and connect cropland changes to specific refugee households, aiming to better understand the relationship between refugee populations, food aid, and agricultural practices.
Elsa Ordway [University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)] discussed her team’s efforts toward “Disentangling Land-Use Change in Central Africa to Understand the Role of Local and Indigenous Communities in Forest Restoration and Conservation.” Ordway reported that the project focuses on mapping land cover and carbon emissions, analyzing the impact of conservation efforts, and exploring potential forest restoration opportunities. She emphasized that this research highlights the critical role of local indigenous communities in forest management and the unintended consequences of conservation projects on land use – see Photo 2.
Photo 2. Some residents of a village neighboring the Dja reserve – part of the dense rain forests that form Africa’s Congo Basin. Interviews and surveys among the area’s local and indigenous communities are used to gather information on forest restoration and conservation. Photo credit: Else Ordway (UCLA) Ordway also presented on the PAN-tropical investigation of BioGeochemistry and Ecological Adaptation (PANGEA), which aims to investigate the biogeochemistry and ecological adaptation of tropical forests that are crucial for global climate regulation and biodiversity. She explained that this study emphasizes the rapid changes occurring in tropical regions primarily due to deforestation and climate change. PANGEA seeks to answer key scientific questions about the vulnerability and resilience of these ecosystems, and how this information can inform climate adaptation, mitigation, and biodiversity conservation efforts.
The ARID Experiment
Andrew Feldman [NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)] presented on the Adaptation and Response in Drylands (ARID) experiment, a field campaign focused on dryland ecosystems. He described how this project aims to understand the fundamental science of drylands, including water availability, land–atmosphere interactions, climate variability, carbon stocks, and land management. The study involves significant international collaboration and stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on the Western U.S – see Figure 1. While this project is in planning stages, ongoing efforts will be made to engage with the scientific community, gather feedback, and refine its research themes.
Figure 1. The Adaptation and Response in Drylands (ARID) experiment focuses on studying the characteristics of dryland ecosystems, e.g., water availability, land–atmosphere interactions, climate variability, carbon stocks, and land management. While the experiment is global in scope, it has a focus on the Western U.S., with numerous site locations across the desert Southwest and some in the Pacific Northwest. Figure credit: Andrew Feldman (NASA/UMD) SARI Update and Related Projects
Krishna Vadrevu [NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center] gave a comprehensive update on SARI, a regional initiative under the LCLUC program that addresses the critical needs of the South/Southeast Asia region by integrating remote sensing, natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences. His presentation covered the initiative’s background, various funded research projects, and their outputs. The diverse SARI projects include studies on forest degradation, agricultural transitions, food security, urbanization, and their environmental impacts. SARI has supported 35 research projects, engaging more than 400 scientists and over 200 institutions that result in significant scientific contributions, including nearly 450 publications, 16 special journal issues, and five books with two additional books pending publication. Vadrevu emphasized the importance of sustainable land use policies informed by LCLUC research and provided details on upcoming meetings. He concluded with information on three ongoing projects funded under the SARI synthesis solicitation – one in South Asia and two in Southeast Asia. Summaries of these projects are highlighted below.
David Skole [Michigan State University (MSU)] leads the SARI synthesis project that spans South Asian countries, with an emphasis on tree-based systems, particularly Trees Outside Forests (TOF). The primary objective is to synthesize existing research to better understand the patterns, drivers, and impacts of TOF on carbon emissions and removals and their role in supporting rural livelihoods. This research is crucial for informing climate change policy, particularly in the context of nature-based solutions and pathways to achieve net-zero emissions. The project combines empirical data with process-based research and policy models to support the development of sustainable landscapes. By integrating biophysical and socioeconomic data, the project team members aim to provide robust, evidence-based contributions to climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, ultimately guiding regional policy decisions.
Son Nghiem [NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory] discussed the interrelated dynamics of LCLUC and demographic changes in Southeast Asia under various developmental pressures and climate change. Nghiem explained that the study explores how these factors interact along the rural-to-urban continuum across regions in Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and parts of Indonesia. In rapidly urbanizing and agriculturally transitioning areas, physical and human feedback processes are becoming non-stationary, leading to unpredictable impacts that challenge traditional policymaking. The study aims to capture both physical patterns (e.g., land-use) and human (socioeconomic) fabrics, integrating these within a framework to assess whether the statistical properties of the time series measured during this study remain constant or change with time.
Peilei Fan [Tufts University] presented the project, “Decoding Land Transitions Across the Urban-Rural Continuums (URC): A Synthesis Study of Patterns, Drivers, and Socio-Environmental Impacts in Southeast Asia.” The project aims to synthesize knowledge through an interdisciplinary approach. It focuses on URCs in 19 cities across eight Southeast Asian countries. It investigates how global urban hierarchies, URC connectivity, and local policies influence land-use change and related ecosystem impacts. By integrating remote-sensing data with climate and ecological models and socioeconomic analysis, the project seeks to advance theoretical understanding of land transitions and provide valuable insights for both scientific research and policymaking.
Poster sessions
Following the presentations, participants gave lightning talks linked to 17 posters, which highlighted recent results from ongoing LCLUC projects and LCLUC-related research from the Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) and the Inter-Disciplinary Research in Earth Science (IDS) programs. A reception followed. PDF versions of the posters can be accessed on the meeting website.
DAY TWO
The second day of the meeting continued with additional presentations from the LCLUC ROSES 2022 projects and updates from international programs. In addition, the attendees listened to presentations from NASA HQ and NASA Centers, describing various initiatives and data products, such as from the Socio-Economic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC).
Updates from LCLUC PIs on ROSES 2022 Proposal Selections (cont.)
Cascade Tuholske [Montana State University] presented “Modulation of Climate Risks Due to Urban and Agricultural Land Uses in the Arabian Peninsula.” Tuholske explained how this project aims to map LCLUC, assess the effects on extreme humid heat, and characterize the socio-demographics of exposure to heat stress – see Figure 2. Key findings include evidence of a rapid increase in dangerously hot and humid weather – particularly in urban and agricultural areas – and the importance of remote sensing in studying these interactions. Future steps will involve using climate models to predict the effects of LCLUC on heat waves, water stress, and dust storms.
Figure 2. The Ghana Climate Hazards Center Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) Phase 6 climate projection dataset map of temperatures exceeding 41 °C (106 °F) [left], future climate projection (SSP) for 2050 [middle], and the difference between the two [right]. Figure credit: From a 2024 paper in the journal Scientific Data Monika Tomaszewska [MSU] provided details on the project, “Institutional Forcings on Agricultural Landscapes in Post-Socialist Europe: Diachronic Hotspot Analysis of Common Agricultural Policy Influences on Agricultural Land Use in Romania 2002–2024.” She explained that the project focuses on how the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) programs (e.g., livelihood payments, environmental protections, and rural development projects) have influenced land use changes – see Figure 3. Tomaszewska summarized key findings from the study, which indicates significant changes in crop composition and spatial patterns – with notable decreases in maize and rapeseed areas between 2018 and 2023. She stated that the study aims to understand the diffusion of innovation through CAP enrollments and payments and their impact on agricultural practices in Romania.
Figure 3. Dense time series of Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) data at 30-m (98-ft) resolution revealing winter and summer crops across Southern Romania in 2018 [top] and 2023 [bottom]. Magenta areas indicate forests, green areas represent summer crops (e.g., maize, sunflower, soy), and blue areas show winter crops (e.g., wheat, barley, rapeseed). Yellow areas indicate very low spring Enhanced Vegetative Index-2 due to snow or persistent clouds at higher elevations. Figure credit: Geoff Henebry (MSU) Xiao-Peng Song [UMD] presented “Energy LCLUC Hotspot: Characterizing the Dynamics of Energy Land Use and Assessing Environmental Impacts in the Permian Basin.” He said that the project aims to assess the environmental impacts of energy-related land-cover and land-use change in the region. Song showed the output from the project, which includes high-resolution LCLUC and geohazard maps that enhance understanding of energy-related environmental impacts and contribute to NASA’s LCLUC program. Results from this study are expected to inform decision makers on societal issues related to oil and gas production and its effects on the environment.
International Partner Program Updates
The International Partners Programs session featured four presentations. Ariane DeBremond [UMD] focused on the Global Land Programme (GLP), which is a comprehensive, global initiative dedicated to understanding and addressing changes in land systems and their implications for sustainability and justice. DeBremond described the program, which coordinates research on land use, land management, and land cover changes,. She emphasized land systems as social-ecological systems and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to develop solutions for global challenges. The research agenda includes descriptive, normative, and transformative aspects, aimed at characterizing land systems, identifying causes and impacts of changes, and creating pathways for sustainability transformations. GLP also emphasizes the need for new remote-sensing data, improved generalizability, and addressing geographic biases in land system science. Recent program activities include developing a new science plan, identifying emerging themes, and organizing open science meetings. DeBremond ended by announcing that the next GLP meeting is scheduled for November 2024 in Oaxaca, Mexico.
David Skole outlined the efforts of the Global Observations of Forest and Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC–GOLD) Land Implementation Team (LC–IT) in advancing methods and tools for global land cover measurements and monitoring. The LC–IT is primarily focused on developing and evaluating space-borne and in-situ observation techniques to support global change research, forest inventories, and international policy. Skole highlighted the importance of regional networks in coordinating the use of Earth Observation (EO) data, facilitating capacity building, and addressing regional concerns through workshops and partnerships. He also discussed the changing role of EO in responding to climate change and sustainability challenges, emphasizing the need for high-integrity carbon finance and the integration of new data and technologies to support nature-based solutions. He concluded with insights into the BeZero Carbon Rating system, which evaluates carbon efficacy across various projects worldwide and highlights the need for reliable ratings to ensure the credibility of carbon markets.
David Roy [MSU] detailed the work of the GOFC-GOLD Fire Implementation Team, which focuses on improving the accuracy and utility of satellite-based fire monitoring. The team is working to enhance global fire observation requirements, particularly for small fires and those with low Fire Radiative Power, which are often underrepresented in current datasets. Roy emphasized the need for continuous development and validation of satellite-derived fire products, including a robust quality assurance framework. The team advocates for standardized methods to validate fire data and harmonize information from various satellite missions to create a more comprehensive global fire record. Roy also highlighted the need for new satellite missions with advanced fire detection capabilities and the use of machine learning to improve fire modeling and data accessibility to provide more accurate and actionable data for global change research and fire management.
Alexandra Tyukavina [UMD] presented on Land Product Validation (LPV) subgroup of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV). The LPV is focused on updating land cover validation guidelines, incorporating new literature and data from the past 20 years. Tyukavina emphasized the need for rigorous accuracy assessment in land cover studies, highlighting the need to improve methods and reporting as well as accuracy. She also discussed the outcomes of a NASA-sponsored joint cropland validation workshop co-hosted by CEOS and GEOGLAM, which aimed to set minimum requirements for cropland validation and develop community guidelines. Tyukavina concluded her presentation with a call for reviewers to assist in updating these guidelines.
LCLUC Program Crosswalks
The Crosswalks, a LCLUC program, featured six presentations. Frederick Policelli [GSFC] presented on the CSDA program, which supports the ESD by acquiring and utilizing commercial, small-satellite data to enhance Earth science research. Launched as a pilot in November 2017, the program became a sustained effort in 2020, transitioning from Blanket Purchase Agreements to Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity contracts for better data management. The CSDA also introduced a tiered End User License Agreement for data usage and focuses on long-term data preservation and broad access. Policelli described how program participants collaborate with U.S. government agencies and international partners, adhering to the 2003 U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Policy. He discussed recent developments, which include onboarding new commercial data vendors and expanding the program’s capabilities.
Jacqueline Le Moigne [ESTO] provided details on NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office’s (ESTO), Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) program and its development of Earth System Digital Twins (ESDT). She explained that ESDTs are intended to be dynamic, interactive systems that replicate the Earth’s past and current states, forecast future states, and assess hypothetical scenarios. They should integrate continuous data from diverse sources, utilize advanced computational and visualization capabilities, and rely heavily on machine learning for data fusion, super-resolution, and causal reasoning. Le Moigne added that ESDTs enhance our understanding of Earth systems, their interactions, and applications, particularly in the context of climate change. She highlighted various use cases (e.g., wildfires, ocean carbon processes, the water cycle, and coastal zones) demonstrating the potential of ESDTs to support decision-making and policy planning.
Roger Pielke [University of Colorado, Boulder] discussed the critical need to incorporate land-use data into weather forecasts and climate models to improve understanding of and address climate change. He emphasized the distinction between weather and climate, explaining that climate is dynamic and influenced by both natural and human factors. Pielke critiqued the focus of the approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as the primary driver of climate change, arguing that LCLUC should be considered as an equally important climate forcing. He illustrated how changes in land cover, such as in Florida and the Great Plains, can significantly impact local and regional climate, sometimes rivaling the effects of CO2. Pielke called for integrating land-use data into climate models across all scales, suggesting that NASA’s programs could lead in this effort to enhance climate forecasting and policymaking.
Brad Doorn [NASA HQ—Program Manager, NASA’s Earth Action Agriculture Program] presented an overview of the program’s status and strategic direction. He emphasized the importance of partnerships, particularly with the USDA, in advancing initiatives like Climate Smart Agriculture. NASA’s role in global food security and supply chain monitoring was highlighted through the activities of NASA’s Harvest and Acres, agriculture and food security consortia, both of which enable collaborative research to codevelop data-driven products and services and enhance predictive models to meet end-user needs. Doorn stressed the need for strong collaborations with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and other space agencies to accelerate the development of agricultural solutions. He also highlighted the significance of integrating NASA’s capabilities in weather, water, and crop monitoring systems to provide comprehensive tools for stakeholders. Doorn explained that the program aims to bridge gaps between NASA’s observations and practical applications in agriculture, leveraging tools, such as the Global Crop Monitor, and integrating predictive capabilities for improved future planning.
Rachel Paseka [NASA HQ] presented on NASA’s open science funding opportunities with a focus on the ROSES F.7 element, which supports widely used open-source software tools, frameworks, and libraries within the NASA science community. She described the program, which offers two types of awards: Foundational Awards for projects that impact multiple divisions and Sustainment Awards for those affecting one or more divisions of the Science Mission Directorate. Foundational Awards are cooperative agreements lasting up to five years. Sustainment Awards can be grants or cooperative agreements lasting up to three years. Paseka also emphasized the importance of open science, highlighting various tools, data challenges, and collaborative efforts, including artificial intelligence (AI) models for tasks (e.g., flood detection and burn scar mapping). She concluded with an introduction of the Science Explorer (SciX) digital library and the Science Discovery Engine, both of which facilitate access to NASA’s open science data and research.
Alex de Sherbinin [SocioEconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University] provided an overview of datasets and research related to climate risk, social vulnerability, and environmental change. de Sherbinin outlined the SocioEconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) mission areas, which include population land-use and emissions, mitigation, vulnerability and adaptation, hazard vulnerability assessment, poverty and food security, and environment and sustainable development. He highlighted key SEDAC datasets (e.g., LCLUC and Urban and Settlements Datasets) and their use in analyses. SEDAC data and services are accessible via tools, such as Global Forest Watch and Google Earth Engine. de Sherbinin also covered recent research citations, the impact of studies on biodiversity and urban changes, and SEDAC’s contributions to open science and training initiatives. He also emphasized the importance of integrating remote sensing data with social and health sciences for comprehensive environmental analysis.
DAY THREE
The third day of the meeting focused on satellite missions and data product updates and a LCLUC program feedback session on emerging science directions.
Landsat Mission Updates
Chris Neigh [GSFC—Landsat 9 Project Scientist] provided an overview of the status of the current Landsat missions that are in orbit (L7, L8, and L9]. He reported that all L9 Level-1 requirements have now been met and exceeded. OLI-2, the updated sensor for L9, transmits data at 14 bits compared to the L8 12-bit transmission, allowing for finer data resolution. OLI-2 offers a 25–30% improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio for dark targets, leading to enhanced data quality. The Thermal Infrared Sensor on L9 (TIRS-2) has also been improved over TIRS on L7 and L8, to mitigate stray light issues, enhancing the reliability of thermal data. Additionally, OLI-2 supports better atmospheric corrections through split window techniques using both of its channels. With two operational observatories, L8 and L9, equipped with advanced radiometry, data is provided every eight days, ensuring consistent and precise Earth observation capabilities. The radiometric and geometric performance of L9 is excellent from a Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) perspective.
While all systems are nominal for L8 and L9, Neigh reported that L7 is nearing the end of its operational life. He stated that the Landsat Cal/Val team will continue its work for the duration of the mission as a joint USGS–NASA effort. He also highlighted the need for a global Analysis Ready Data framework and the development of proxy and simulated datasets to support the next generation of Landsat missions. Neigh ended by reporting that opportunities exist for scientists to share their high-profile, Landsat-based research through the program’s communications team.
Bruce Cook [GSFC—Landsat Next Project Scientist] provided an update on the Landsat Next mission, an ambitious extension of the Landsat Program under the Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) program, which will be a joint effort by NASA and the USGS. Cook explained that this mission aims to greatly enhance Earth observation by launching three identical satellites, each equipped with advanced Visible Shortwave Infrared (VSWIR) and Thermal Infrared (TIR) instruments. He described how the Landsat Next constellation will improve the temporal revisit time to six days – a major advancement from the 16-day interval of L8 and L9. In order to achieve this revisit time improvement, each satellite will carry a Landsat Next Instrument Suite (LandIS) that will capture 21 VSWIR and five thermal infrared bands, which will have better spatial resolutions compared to previous Landsat missions. It will have ground sample distances of 10–20 m (33–66 ft) for visible, near infrared, and shortwave infrared bands and 60 m (197 ft) for atmospheric visible SWIR and thermal infrared bands.
Cook continued with details on LandIS, stating that Landsat Next will record 26 bands in total – 15 more than the currently active L8 and L9 missions. The LandIS will include refined versions of the 11 Landsat “heritage” bands to ensure continuity, five new bands similar to the ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission for improved data integration, and 10 new spectral bands to meet evolving user needs and applications. Additionally, Landsat Next will have a water vapor band for atmospheric correction without needing data from other satellites. LandIS will collect all bands nearly simultaneously, reducing illumination variations between bands and aiding in cloud detection and the generation of multispectral surface reflectance and thermal emission products (e.g., evapotranspiration).
Cook said that Landsat Next is in Phase A of its mission life cycle. The current focus is on defining science requirements and converting them into specific hardware and system designs. He said that this phase is crucial for setting up the subsequent phases. Phase B will involve preliminary design and technology completion, and later phases leading to the final design, fabrication, and launch of the satellites. He ended by emphasizing that the introduction of a new reference system and a lower orbit will further enhance the satellites’ ability to capture high-quality data, leading to a significant advancement in Earth observation technology.
Harmonized Landsat–Sentinel Project Update
Junchang Ju [GSFC] discussed the Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) project, which aims to integrate data from the L8, L9, Sentinel-2A, and Sentinel-2B satellites for more frequent and detailed Earth observations. Currently the MODIS climate modeling grid data is used for atmospheric correction – see Figure 4. The newer HLS version will use VIIRS-based water vapor and ozone fields instead of MODIS data for atmospheric correction using the land surface reflectance code. Ju explained how HLS adopts the Military Grid Reference System used by Sentinel-2. HLS V2.0 corrects a mistake in view angle normalization of earlier versions (V1.3 and V1.4). Atmospherically corrected data from Hyperion (an instrument on NASA’s Earth Observing–1 extended mission) is used to make bandpass adjustments. A temporally complete global HLS V2.0 dataset has been available since August 2023. He also highlighted the availability and access of HLS data through various platforms – e.g., EarthData and WorldView, in Amazon Web Services and the project’s future plans, such as enhancing vegetation indices, cloud mask improvements, and 10-m (33-ft) improved resolution product.
Figure 4. Sentinel-2B image over the Baltimore-Washington area on April 7, 2022 [left]. Example true color images of top of atmospheric reflectance and the corresponding HLS surface reflectance are shown [right]. The atmospheric ancillary data used in the surface reflectance derivation was from the MODIS Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) data before the transition to VIIRS was implemented. Figure Credit: Junchang Ju (GSFC) NISAR Update
Gerald Bawden [NASA HQ—NISAR Program Scientist] delivered a presentation about the NISAR mission, which is a collaborative effort between NASA and the ISRO. He explained that NISAR will be a dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite using 24-cm (9-in) L-band and 10-cm (4-in) S-band radar frequencies. This dual-frequency approach will enable high-resolution imaging of Earth’s surface, offering near-global land and ice coverage with a 12-day repeat cycle for interferometry and approximately 6-day coverage using both ascending and descending orbits. The mission’s goals include providing valuable data to understand and manage climate variability, carbon dynamics, and catastrophic events (e.g., earthquakes). Specific applications include monitoring deformation, measuring ice sheet velocities, observing sea-ice deformation, and assessing biomass and crop disturbances. Bawden discussed NISAR’s data products, which will include raw radar data (Level-0) and geocoded single-look complex images and multi-look interferograms (Level-2). He stated that these data products will be crucial for various research and practical applications, including ecological forecasting, wildfire management, resource management, and disaster response. NISAR’s data will be openly accessible to the global scientific community through the Alaska Satellite Facility Data Active Archive Center. Initially planned for early 2024, the NISAR launch has been delayed to 2025. Bawden reported that NISAR will undergo a three-month commissioning phase after launch – before starting science operations. He also emphasized NASA’s commitment to open science, with NISAR’s data processing software and algorithms being made available as open-source tools, accompanied by training resources to facilitate their use.
Land Surface Disturbance Alert Classification System Update
Matthew Hansen [UMD] focused on the Land Surface Disturbance Alert (DIST-ALERT) classification system, designed for near-real-time global vegetation extent and loss mapping. He described the DIST-ALERT system, which uses HLS data, combining inputs from L8, L9, Sentinel-2A, and -2B to achieve a high-revisit rate of approximately 2–3 days at a 30-m (98-ft) resolution. DIST-ALERT operates with a primary algorithm that tracks vegetation loss through time-series analysis of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and a secondary algorithm that detects general spectral anomalies. The system integrates drone data from various biomes to build a k-nearest neighbors model that is applied globally to predict FVC at the HLS-pixel scale. Hansen explained that DIST-ALERT monitors disturbances by comparing current vegetation fraction against a seasonal baseline, capturing changes such as forest fires, logging, mining, urban expansion, drought, and land conversion. He concluded by highlighting some case studies, including analysis of forest fires in Quebec, Canada, logging in the Republic of Congo, and gold mining in Ghana. He also said that the team released an improved version (V1) in March 2024, following a provisional release (V0) that was operational from February 2023 to February 2024.
State of LCLUC Report
Chris Justice [UMD—LCLUC Program Scientist] provided comments on the current state of the LCLUC program, followed by an open discussion to gather feedback. He emphasized the need for PI’s to effectively communicate their work to the broader community and highlighted the recent LCLUC initiative to create policy-oriented briefs based on research results, demonstrating its relevance to the Earth Science to Action Strategy. Justice acknowledged that challenges lie ahead for the LCLUC program – particularly considering the anticipated resource constraints in the coming year. He noted that the program plans to strengthen its position by forming partnerships with other ESD program elements and increasing involvement across NASA Centers. The program is also emphasizing the use of advanced remote sensing technologies, AI, and deep-learning data analytics, to deliver more precise and actionable insights into land dynamics contributing to better decision-making and policy development in land management and environmental conservation.
Justice also suggested the need for better integration between different scientific fields (i.e., between LCLUC and climatology, climate mitigation, and adaptation) to enhance interdisciplinary research and collaboration. He cited the current program solicitation (e.g., ROSES 2024 A.2) as an example of this integration and the recent IDS solicitation in ROSES 2022 A.28. Justice reminded participants that the solicitation focuses on collaborating with AIST to develop Land Digital Twins that incorporate available remote sensing data time series as non-static boundary conditions in weather forecast and climate models. Improvements in model forecasts and climate simulations will highlight the importance of accounting for LCLUC in these models – advancing the goals of the IPCC.
Conclusion
Garik Gutman concluded the meeting by summarizing key points raised about data management strategies, educational outreach efforts, LCLUC research outside the U.S., and current and upcoming projects. He highlighted that the program requires PIs to provide metadata for data products generated under NASA-funded projects, ensuring these resources are freely and openly accessible to the scientific community. Gutman acknowledged the challenges of conducting research and fieldwork in foreign countries due to funding and, at times, security issues, but praised the PIs for their efforts to expand the program globally. He also noted the program’s outreach efforts, which include engaging PIs, collaborators, and interested parties through its website, newsletters, webinars, and policy briefs. LCLUC emphasizes the importance of effectively communicating research results and encourages researchers to share their findings via NASA’s Earth Sciences Research Results Portal to enhance visibility among leadership and communication teams.
Gutman ended his presentation by providing details about forthcoming meetings in the Philippines, South Korea, and Turkey, as well as workshops scheduled for 2024, which will involve various stakeholders in the LCLUC community and are vital for fostering collaboration and advancing the program’s goals. He concluded by recognizing the contributions of long-term supporters and collaborators, reaffirming the program’s ongoing commitment to advancing Earth observation and land-use science.
Overall, the 2024 LCLUC meeting was highly successful in fostering collaboration among researchers and providing valuable updates on recent developments in LCLUC research. The exchange of ideas, integration of new data products, and discussions on emerging science directions were particularly impactful, contributing to the advancement of the LCLUC program’s goals.
Krishna Vadrevu
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
krishna.p.vadrevu@nasa.gov
Meghavi Prashnani
University of Maryland, College Park
meghavi@umd.edu
Christopher Justice
University of Maryland, College Park
cjustice@umd.edu
Garik Gutman
NASA Headquarters
ggutman@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Jan 09, 2025 Related Terms
Earth Science View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.