United States of America

Officially launched in 2015 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the SMAP mission is an orbiting satellite that measures the amount of wetness in the top layer of soil incrementally every 2-3 days. These Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) measurements rely on radiation frequencies that point to different levels of moisture on the surface of  earth’s soil and are useful for scientists because it allows them to construct maps indicating the level of soil moisture globally. Acknowledging the relevance and usability of this data for the field of disaster management, NASA recently integrated the SMAP data into its Disasters Mapping Portal. 

The Disasters Mapping Portal has been developed by the Geographic Informations Systems (GIS) Team at NASA in an effort to make their satellite data... read more

A recent study, published in the Water Resource Research journal, presents a new method for a spatially realistic national flood risk assessment.

Researchers expanded an existing statistical model, based on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) river flow data, to simulate a thousand years of potential flood events. By calculating the damage for each event in dollars, they were able to estimate the probability of the United States suffering particular annual flood damages.

Traditional risk flood analysis models assume that the impacts on the entire flood-affected area are the same, but flooding can be more severe in some areas than in others, even during the same flood event. At national scales, traditional risk analyses can only estimate the average annual loss. To estimate the total annual losses that might occur in more extreme flooding... read more

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently released a new website, SpaceforUS, which intends to highlight how NASA has used its Earth observation data to better the living conditions of people in all 50 states of the United States of America.

SpaceforUS includes contains a total of 56 stories that illustrate NASA’s science and the impact it has had across the country. The aim is to showcase the power of Earth observation through state-by-state project examples, such as the use of satellite technologies that helped to create high-quality images to identify power averages and guide first responders for life-saving aid during Hurricane Rita.

Through this new and interactive website, NASA highlights the innumerable ways in which its Earth observations has helped administrators make informed decisions in the areas of public health, disaster... read more

The  Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a grant-funding mechanism managed by the World Bank, has released a new report that analyzes how machine learning (ML) can be applied in disaster risk management (DRM) projects. The publication provides a concise, demystifying reference that readers - from project managers to data scientists - can easily use. It includes key definitions, case studies and practical considerations for the use of machine learning in disaster risk management.

Machine Learning at a glance

A machine learning (ML) algorithm is a type of computer program that learns to perform specific tasks based on various data inputs or rules provided by its designer. In the context of DRM, machine learning applies predominantly to methods used in the classification or categorization of remotely sensed satellite, aerial, drone and even street-level imagery by capitalizing on a large body of work on image recognition and classification.... read more

The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) has recently released a new report on “Building Resilient Communities Through Geospatial Intelligence”. The report highlights the importance of raising awareness about the value of space-based information for early warning systems and risk and disaster management. Moreover, it suggests the need for a better definition of GEOINT within the framework of resilience.

The United Nations Platform for Spaced-Based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) contributed a chapter to the study on the role of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) in all phases of risk and disaster management and its value to developing resilient communities.

GEOINT is defined as “the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth.”

Through the perspective of ten experts in the... read more

The Argentina National Space Activities Commission (CONAE) launched a new Earth observation satellite that will support disaster management efforts. SAOCOM 1A is the first of a constellation of two radar satellites. The remote sensing mission aims to provide timely information for disaster management as well as monitoring services for agriculture, mining and ocean applications.

The SAOCOM 1A uses L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The mission, which also plans to launch the SAOCOM 1B in 2019, was designed to work within the Italian-Argentinian satellite system for Emergency response (SIASGE), where the two space agencies work together. Argentina’s  SAOCOM and Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed constellations complement each other. The later uses X-band and is designed to collect fine details. Other particularities linked to the SEACOM 1A are related to the heating system since the use of L-band implies that the structure needs to distribute the heat across the antenna.

“You... read more

An advanced weather satellite to track storm systems, lightning, wildfires, coastal fog and other hazards was launched by NASA from the United States of America on 1 March.

The new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) represents the second in a series of next generation of weather satellites which will be operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The satellites collect three times more data at four times better resolution, and scan the Earth five times faster than previous geostationary satellites. GOES-S will thus provide forecasters with faster, more accurate and more detailed data, in near real-time on severe weather and other environmental phenomena. Once GOES-S is positioned... read more

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R), recently launched by NASA, is the first in a sequence of highly advanced geostationary weather satellite to serve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The main goal of this satellite is to generate precise data to be used to create and isue opportune and precise watches, forecasts, and warnings.

After the checkout and validation of its six new instruments, the new satellite will be operational in approximately a year. Among the instruments there is the first operational lightning mapper in geostationary orbit, which forecasters will use to hone in on the greatest threats: storms.

The main instrument, the advanced Baseline Imager, will provide images of Earth’s weather, oceans and environment and climate sensors on board will monitor the sun and provide vital information so forecasters will be able to provide space weather alerts and warnings. The 34 weather products provided by... read more

The Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) gathered data on heavy rainfall in the southeast part of the United-States of America.

The downpour affected mostly the north of the Gulf of Mexico with precipitations between 500 and 900 millimeters over the Gulf of Mexico. With precipitations ranging between 300 and 400 millimeters, some areas in Florida and Louisiana may experience floods in low-lying areas.  The State of Mississippi and other parts of Louisiana are expected to be affected by heavy rainfall in the coming days as well. 

On the 22^nd of July 2016 a fire occurred in southern California, United States. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) acquired some images of the phenomenon during and after the burn.

On July 25^th the fire burned more than 33,100 acres displacing people from more than 10,000 homes. Dozens of buildings have been destroyed in the nearby cities of Santa Clarita and San Fernando. The sand fire left a scorch dark mark on the landscape as visible on the picture.

2,900 firefighters from Los Angeles County and the U.S. Forest Service were requested to contain the fire which was controlled of up to 10 percent on the 25^th of July. 

Read more about the Sand Fire ... read more

A destructive wildfire burned through Canada’s Northern Alberta region, destroying neighborhoods in Fort McMurray and displacing nearly 90,000 people.  The fire began on the 1^st of May and the exact cause is still unknown. High temperatures and strong winds pushed it north-east two days later. Despite the work of more than 500 firefighters, by the 8^th of May the fire had burnt 1,610 square kilometers of forest. By the 24^th, the fire was still not extinguished but it had not grown either.

Thanks to the images captured by Landsat 8 – an Earth Observation satellite of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – some precise and relevant data had been sent to the local authorities to contribute to cope with the effects of this huge forest fire. Authorities of Fort McMurray –ordered the evacuation of about 2,400 buildings.

The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters was activated at the request of the Government... read more