Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors.
Source: AGU Advances
As damage from climate-related disasters increases, data from satellites play an increasingly critical role in disaster assessment and response. To be useful, however, Earth observing data need to be rapidly processed and communicated in ways that are accessible and usable by response agencies and humanitarian organizations.
In their new commentary, Rolla et al. [2024] examine the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to create maps of damage proxies that proved useful for assessing damage and guiding response efforts during the 2023 Hawaii wildfires. They discuss the technical and operational challenges in such situations and point out what is needed to meet the accelerating demand. This includes leveraging upcoming satellite missions, support for developing more rapid data processing including automation of processing pipelines, and developing robust local and international collaborations to support effective communication and ensure global access to tools.
Citation: Rolla, J., Khuller, A., An, K., Emberson, R., Fielding, E., Schultz, L., & Miner, K. (2025). Satellite-aided disaster response. AGU Advances, 6, e2024AV001395. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024AV001395
—Susan Trumbore, Editor, AGU Advances
