satellites Archives - Page 12 of 26

Landsat image of the Bangweulu wetlands in northern Zambia.

Monitoring the Health of Our Planet using Earth Observations

by Argyro Kavvada 8 September 202230 September 2022

A new book explores how Earth science knowledge addresses critical global challenges including sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, and climate change.

A small coastal shipping town in Japan is devastated by an earthquake. In this photo taken from a plane, the wreckage of hundreds of buildings can be seen, and only a handful remain standing. In the center of the image, a small yacht is perched on top of one of the only remaining buildings. The town is surrounded by mountains and forests. One of the plane’s wheels is visible in the lower left corner of the image.

Research Spotlights

Months of Gravity Changes Preceded the Tōhoku Earthquake

by Sarah Derouin 1 September 202225 October 2022

Using GRACE satellite data, researchers discovered anomalous gravimetric signals that occurred before a seismic event that started deep within Earth.

Deb Haaland, wearing a gray suit with a red and black blouse, reads from a black book as she swears in the new USGS director. David Applegate, wearing a gray suit, white shirt, and red bow tie, stands opposite her with his right hand raised as he is sworn in. The pair stand in front of a large white marble fireplace set in a wood-paneled wall. The wall is decorated with Native American artwork, and the fireplace is framed by an American flag and a light blue flag for the U.S. Department of the Interior.

News

New USGS Director: Partnerships Are Our Superpower

by Kimberly M. S. Cartier 26 August 202226 August 2022

The new director hopes to strengthen existing partnerships, build and retain a more diverse and inclusive workforce, and deliver the agency’s science to those who need it most.

We are in the middle of solar cycle 25, which means that the Sun has been slowly ramping up its sunspot and flare activity for the past few years.

Features

11 Discoveries Awaiting Us at Solar Max

by Kimberly M. S. Cartier 25 August 202230 September 2022

Each solar cycle might seem like the same old story, but one thing has changed significantly since the previous solar maximum–our technology.

Emil Cherrington stands on a boat in the middle of a river in Belize in May 2019.

Features

Emil Cherrington: Bringing Satellite Data Down to Earth

by Kimberly M. S. Cartier 25 July 202225 July 2022

Showing how eyes in the sky can help people on the ground.

Orbits of the asteroids from the Gaia Data Release 3 up to Jupiter’s distance

News

Galaxy Mapper Tracks Asteroids Closer to Home

by Jure Japelj 14 July 202214 July 2022

The Gaia mission’s asteroid survey will help dig deeper into the solar system’s rocky history.

Two figures from the paper that show wave measurements in the presence of sea ice using satellite remote sensing.

Editors' Highlights

Satellites Remotely Measure Ocean Waves and Sea Ice Interactions

by Ryan P. Mulligan 12 July 202215 September 2025

A new method for using satellite observations from multiple sensors improves measurements of ocean waves as they propagate through and interact with sea ice.

Map overlain with moisture, precipitation, and wind currents for the westward propagating moisture model.

Editors' Highlights

New Western Hemisphere Moisture Mode

by Suzana Camargo 24 June 202224 February 2023

A new study presents the first evidence of the existence of an intraseasonal westward-propagating moisture mode over the Western Hemisphere.

A small red airplane sits atop a vast snowfield, with scientific instruments in the foreground and two individuals looking on in the background.

Features

Circling Antarctica to Unveil the Bed Below Its Icy Edge

by Kenichi Matsuoka, René Forsberg, Fausto Ferraccioli, Geir Moholdt and Mathieu Morlighem 15 June 202221 May 2024

An international initiative aims to collect a comprehensive airborne data set from the Antarctic Ice Sheet margin to better estimate ice discharge and sea level contributions today and in the future.