Remote Sensing

The method of detecting and tracking an area’s physical characteristics by analyzing its reflected and emitted radiation from a distance is known as remote sensing (typically from satellite or aircraft).

Construction of the New Suez Canal. Satellite images of before and after: August 6, 2014 and April 5, 2016. Images: Landsat 8.

View From Space: Stuck in the Suez Canal

Caitlin Dempsey

Satellites have captured imagery of the Ever Given which is currently stuck in the Suez Canal.

How to View Animated Satellite Imagery of the California Wildfires

Caitlin Dempsey

Users can quickly make animations of the California wildfires using imagery from NOAA's GOES-West satellite.

Maps showing NO2 levels in central and eastern portions of the country from February 10–25 (during the quarantine) and April 20 to May 12 (after restrictions were lifted). Source: NASA.

Rebounding Pollution Levels Mark End of Coronavirus Lockdowns

Elizabeth Borneman

As countries reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in pollution has been detected by NASA and European satellites.

ESA Launches Global Air Pollution Map

Caitlin Dempsey

The European Space Agency offers an online map that shows global air pollution data collected from its Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite.

Topographical map of Johnson’s Reef from NASA’s Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) in June 2003. Source: NASA/USGS, public domain

Mapping the Entire Surface of the Earth with LiDAR

Elizabeth Borneman

A project called the Earth Archive plans to use Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) to map the entire surface of the Earth.