Satellite-Based Crisis Information and Risk Assessment: Contributions Following the Earthquake in W. Sumatra and the Mentawai Tsunami

EarthzineArticles, Disaster Management Theme, Earth Observation, Original, Sections, Themed Articles

Image showing the crisis cycle

Cropped ZKI Crisis mapWhen a disaster occurs, rapid mapping activities using satellite data can provide valuable information to support emergency response actions. Such was the case recently when severe earthquake and tsunami events hit Sumatra, prompting the contribution from the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information, a service of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

North Carolina Coastal Management: Satellite Monitoring of Coastal Wetland and Shoreline Changes in Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, North Carolina

EarthzineArticles, Disaster Management Theme, Earth Observation, Ecosystems Theme, Oceans, Original, Sections, Themed Articles

Cropped image of a map of Slovenia

Normalized Digitized Vegetation Index image for portion of Tyrrell County showing green color as least vegetated; grey as greatest, red colors indicate intermediate levels of chlorophyll and Gold-colored outlines show NCDCM locations of wetlands.This article focuses on a NASA Applied Sciences National DEVELOP assistance to the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM) with the assessment of coastline changes and habitat loss in coastal wetlands utilizing satellite remote sensing. The Hyde, Tyrrell, and Dare counties in eastern North Carolina occupy the coastlines of the Albemarle and Pamlico Sound estuaries. The Pamlico Sound is the largest estuarine lagoon along the East coast of the United States.

Gulf of Mexico Air Quality: CALIPSO Decision Support for Gulf of Mexico Air Quality Relating to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

EarthzineArticles, Disaster Management Theme, Earth Observation, Energy, Original, Sections, Themed Articles

A high-resolution water permeability map of North America. Image Source: MouthToSource.

Image 3: NEW ORLEANS ‰ÛÒ Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon April 21, 2010. A Coast Guard MH-65C dolphin rescue helicopter and crew document the fire aboard the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, while searching for survivors April 21, 2010. Multiple Coast Guard helicopters, planes and cutters responded to rescue the Deepwater Horizon's 126 person crew. Eleven crew members died.(100421-G- XXXXL- 003 U.S. Coast Guard photo)This article explains the methodology developed by one NASA Applied Sciences DEVELOP team to investigate the use of the CALIPSO lidar (CALIOP) level 2 version 3.01 night-time aerosol products and the HYSPLIT model to monitor aerosols and dispersants over the ocean resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010.

From Preparation to Response: Coastal Decision Support during the Caribbean Hurricane Season 2010 with RADARSAT-2

EarthzineArticles, Disaster Management Theme, Earth Observation, Original, Sections, Themed Articles

A Flow Chart of relation between climate change and glacier length.

Illustration of a regional RADARSAT-2 Fine mode change detection image map of the Spanish Town area of Jamaica.This article outlines on-going activities involving Canadian RADARSAT as well as other EO satellite data acquisitions to-date over selected Caribbean sites in British Virgin Islands (BVI), Grenada, Jamaica and St. Lucia that are engaged in coastal disaster management and emergency response. It highlights some image maps and information products that were produced as part of several trials during the 2010 hurricane season. From this trial phase, the participants expect constructive feedback and further improvements, particularly with regard to operational usefulness of detailed EO satellite data.