Measuring gravity’s tiny fluctuations is giving the United States an upgraded system of elevations.
mapping
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U.S. access to critical mineral resources, but the airborne magnetic survey maps that support this effort are sadly out of date.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.
Scientists Invited to Collaborate in Satellite Mission’s Debut
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission will begin by scanning Earth’s surface once a day. We invite ocean scientists to contribute ground-based measurements to compare with the satellite data.
Fiber Optics Opens Window into Subsurface Deformation
The distributed deformation of buried materials is difficult to map, but a new approach is able to resolve vertical deformation over the length of a fiber optic cable.