High-resolution mapping efforts could improve predictions of coastal changes as glaciers shrink around the world.
mapping
Mapping Subglacial Meltwater Channels
Researchers find that past studies underestimate the friction meltwater channels exert on glaciers by orders of magnitude.
Where Did All the Free-Flowing Rivers Go?
A map of the world’s free-flowing rivers shows a shrinking number can still meander as they please. New plans for hydropower will further constrain flow.
Airborne Gravity Surveys Are Remaking Elevations in the U.S.
Measuring gravity’s tiny fluctuations is giving the United States an upgraded system of elevations.
Mapping Ice Algal Blooms from Space
Satellite data reveal how colorful algae are melting the Greenland ice sheet.
Finding the Gaps in America’s Magnetic Maps
A 2017 executive order mandated a plan to evaluate U.S. access to critical mineral resources, but the airborne magnetic survey maps that support this effort are sadly out of date.
Secrets from the New Madrid Seismic Zone’s Quaking Past
High-resolution lidar topography reveals a long history of ancient earthquakes.
Mapping Heat Vulnerability to Protect Community Health
Community leaders and scientists from two U.S. cities are combining public health data and heat maps to prepare residents for climate change–related health risks.
Making the First National Seafloor Habitat Map
Seamap Australia integrates seafloor maps with information on plant and animal habitats, environmental stressors, and resource management to create a first-of-its-kind resource.
Kody Kramer (1985–2018)
His vision and persistence created a 1.4-billion-pixel map of the Gulf of Mexico seafloor—a crucial tool in research on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and a completely new standard for bathymetry maps.