Forest degradation may be as widespread as deforestation in the Amazon, but its impact on energy, carbon, and water fluxes is less well understood.
Remote sensing
Machine Learning Predicts Subsidence from Groundwater Pumping
Machine learning and data on aquifer type, sediment thickness, and proxies for irrigation water use has been used to produce the most comprehensive map of land subsidence in the western U.S. to date.
Canada’s Rocky Mountain Forests Are on the Move
Using century-old surveying photos, scientists have mapped 100 years of change in the Canadian Rockies to document the climate-altered landscape.
Earth Observations Inform Cities’ Operations and Planning
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Chicago, Ill., are using NASA Earth observations to map, monitor, and forecast water and air quality, urban heat island effects, landslide risks, and more.
Great Plains Plants Bounce Back After Large Wildfires
An analysis of nearly 1,400 wildfires suggests that some postfire techniques used to help restore vegetation may be unnecessary.
Snowpack Data Sets Put to the Test
A new study compares the accuracy of three observation-based methods of calculating snow water equivalent, a key component in water management.
Watching Earth’s Interconnected Systems at Work
Surface Biology and Geology, a new NASA Earth observation effort, is developing a path forward for monitoring the Earth system from space.
Cascading Down the Mountain
Earthquakes in mountain ranges produce a cascade of geological disturbances and hazards, from enormous landslides to climate change.
New Budget Bill Rescues NASA’s Carbon Monitoring System
“We’re back!” says $10-million-per-year project’s science team leader.
Peering Beneath the Powder: Using Radar to Understand Avalanches
High-resolution radar images from Switzerland’s experimental test site show that snow temperature is a key factor in classifying avalanche behavior.