A little-known danger lurks in the world’s oceans and waterways: Seemingly innocuous pumice rafts, a byproduct of volcanic eruptions, pose a hazard to maritime operations. DEVELOP students at NASA Langley Research Center investigate new uses of Earth Observation Systems to identify pumice rafts and promote safe travel around the globe.
How can NASA Earth observations be applied to natural disasters around the globe? This project investigated the capabilities of NASA satellite imagery in the creation of enhanced visualizations for improved decision support using the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami as a case study.
Students automated a set of antiquated Fortran programs that seek to identify the source of air containing aerosols or producing clouds through the computation of back and forward trajectories. Through scripting and code development, an integrated package was developed, including a set of diagnostic diagrams and plots at the end of the process.
Can natural disasters be tracked in a 3D environment? In addition to the continuous improvement of the HIVE, the Langley HIVE team produced two new visuals capable of near-real-time tracking and display of fires and earthquakes.
Can satellite data help restore biodiversity? DEVELOP students at Marshall Space Flight Center analyzed satellite images to study the link between landscape changes and water quality by measuring vegetation within Cahaba River Watershed, and how it relates to biodiversity.
Can satellite data be used to help restore the threatened plumleaf azalea? DEVELOP students at Marshall Space Flight Center mapped current distribution of the plumleaf azalea in Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area and analyzed satellite images to help identify potential restoration sites.
Invasive aquatic vegetation has been a serious issue in Lake Victoria over the past decade, hindering transportation as well as a profitable fishing industry. Remote sensing was used to map the spatial extent of aquatic vegetation on the surface of Lake Victoria as well as create time series animations to show growth and movement of the vegetation. Our results will be used by SERVIR and the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization to conduct operational satellite-based surveillance and to protect local fisheries.
Each year, tropical storms impact the Gulf Coast, bringing strong winds, high surf, and torrential downpours. The Mobile DEVELOP team has partnered with the Center for Hurricane Intensity and Landfall Investigation (CHILI) to study and compare different precipitation observations.
Sea surface temperatures are rising due to climate change, and are a contributing factor in the decline of coral reef health. Using satellite sea surface temperature data, this project aims to enhance current management practices and focus conservation efforts on vulnerable areas in the Florida Keys.
During the 2011 NASA DEVELOP summer term, 140 students and young professionals investigated topics ranging from tracking the public health exposure to air quality and extreme heat events in Los Angeles to the ecological impacts of the 2011 tsunami disaster in Japan. Out of 22 research projects, a panel of scientists chose one team as the overall winner, and named three runners-up, based on projects that garnered the best comments and dialogue.
