USGS Geography confronts some of the most pressing natural resource and environmental issues of our Nation. Observing the Earth with remote sensing satellites, USGS geographers monitor and analyze changes on the land, study connections between people and the land, and provide society with relevant science information to inform public decisions.

  Land Remote Sensing

Land Remote Sensing (LRS) is the Nation's portal to the largest archive of remotely sensed land data in the world. Working with NASA, NOAA, commercial satellite companies, State and local governments, and international programs, the LRS Program collects, maintains, and distributes millions of images acquired from satellite and aircraft sensors. From such images scientists and land managers, both public and private, derive information about natural resources, hazards, and long-term changes to the landscape. Through advancements in data archive and processing technology and through the operation and maintenance of satellites such as Landsats 5 and 7, the LRS Program provides continuous access to worldwide land images that can be used in mankind's effort to sustain the ever-changing Earth. Close Window

  Geographic Analysis and Monitoring

Can't see Flash? Install Flash Player or use the HTML version.

Subscribe to RSS

Forest-cover Loss in Eastern US —Remote-sensing data, statistical sampling, and change-detection methods indicate that contemporary land-use pressures have a significant impact on the extent and condition of forests in the eastern United States, causing a regional-scale decline in forest cover. Across the East from 1973–2000 an important land-cover transition has occurred: from a mode of regional forest-cover gain to one of forest-cover loss caused by timber cutting cycles, urbanization, and other land-use demands.    BioScience article   Learn more

Eagerly awaiting Landsat 8 —The Earth Imaging Journal recently featured an article about a launch of vital importance to the global Earth observation science community in December 2012. The joint NASA/USGS Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) was created to investigate and research options for the most feasible solution to follow the Landsat 7 mission. NASA is acquiring the spacecraft to collect and provide data to DOI/USGS. The USGS is responsible for the operations of this mission, along with collecting, archiving, processing, and distributing the data to the U.S. Government and other users. The Landsat Science Team has been established to address the science goals of the mission. NASA and the USGS plan to implement LDCM in a manner that does not preclude a long-term solution for continuity of Landsat-type data. Powerpoint   Learn more

Community Vulnerability to Tsunamis —Recent research suggests that a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake could create tsunami waves that impact over 1,000-km of coastline in the U.S. and Canada. To understand local community vulnerability posed by these hazards, USGS researchers are assessing variations in land-cover patterns, demographic characteristics, and business and employment patterns. Article   Report

Alaska Cultural and Historical Sites Lost as rate of Erosion Doubles —Along Alaska's Beaufort Sea coastline, erosion rates have climbed from historical levels of about 20 feet per year between the mid-1950s and late-1970s, to 28 feet per year between the late-1970s and early 2000s, to 45 feet per year between 2002 and 2007. The scientists propose that the shifts in the rate and pattern of land loss along this segment of coastline are likely the result of changing Arctic conditions, including declining sea-ice extent, increasing summertime sea-surface temperature, rising sea level, and increases in storm power and corresponding wave action. Article   Research

To view and print the PDF you must obtain and install the Acrobat® Reader, available at no charge from Adobe Systems.