Applied Sciences

NASA satellites and sensors constantly take the pulse of our planet, measuring how Earth changes by the day, season, year, and decade. Researchers and resource managers analyze those measurements and apply them on local and regional scales to better manage things like our food and water supplies, health, safety, land use, and ecosystems. NASA data is also used by other government agencies to help with responses to natural disasters and emergencies around the country and the world.

A Bloom after the Storm
Image

A Bloom after the Storm

Tropical cyclone Veronica appears to have stirred up swirls of phytoplankton.

Published Apr 3, 2019

Image of the Day Water Remote Sensing Water Color

Understanding Evacuation Patterns with Social Media
Image

Understanding Evacuation Patterns with Social Media

Researchers are using Facebook data to observe population movements during disasters.

Published Mar 29, 2019

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Drought Harms Corn Crops in Southern Africa
Image

Drought Harms Corn Crops in Southern Africa

Dry conditions are bringing food insecurity to several countries.

Published Mar 20, 2019

Image of the Day Land Life Water Drought Human Presence Remote Sensing

A Honking, Fluttering Spectacle
Image

A Honking, Fluttering Spectacle

Flooded rice fields in the winter help farmers soften plant stubble for spring tilling. They also provide an oasis for migratory birds.

Published Mar 26, 2019

Image of the Day Water Remote Sensing

Satellites Find Greener Pastures
Image

Satellites Find Greener Pastures

Brazilian researchers are using satellites to calculate how many cattle can be supported by the country's pasturelands.

Published Mar 12, 2019

Image of the Day Land Life Human Presence

Unstable Precipitation Leads to Unstable Pastures
Image

Unstable Precipitation Leads to Unstable Pastures

Fluctuations in rainfall are reducing the ability to sustain cattle on grazing lands.

Published Feb 22, 2019

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Human Presence

Night Lights Show Slow Recovery from Maria
Image

Night Lights Show Slow Recovery from Maria

The hurricane took a disproportionate toll on power supplies in remote areas of Puerto Rico.

Published Dec 12, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Severe Storms Human Presence

The Seasonal Rhythms of Ammonia
Image

The Seasonal Rhythms of Ammonia

Farms and feedlots are a key source of the pollutant.

Published Dec 10, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Human Presence

Looking to RECOVER After the Fire
Image

Looking to RECOVER After the Fire

A NASA project is providing maps of satellite data to emergency response teams during the Woolsey Fire.

Published Nov 16, 2018

Image of the Day Heat Land Fires Human Presence

Which Way Will the Smoke Go?
Image

Which Way Will the Smoke Go?

A new experimental model that relies on data from NOAA and NASA satellites has proven remarkably good at simulating the behavior of wildfire smoke.

Published Nov 6, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Fires Remote Sensing

Watching Out for Whales
Image

Watching Out for Whales

Environmental variables detected by satellites can help reduce collisions between ships and blue whales.

Published Nov 1, 2018

Image of the Day Life Water Remote Sensing

Monitoring Outflow and Algae
Image

Monitoring Outflow and Algae

A NASA team was able to use satellite imagery to observe effects of a repair of Los Angeles' largest wastewater treatment plant.

Published Oct 30, 2018

Image of the Day Heat Water Human Presence

Smart Phones Bring Smart Irrigation
Image

Smart Phones Bring Smart Irrigation

A project using NASA satellite data helps reduce overwatering and enhances crop yields for Pakistani farmers.

Published Oct 18, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life Water Remote Sensing

Early Warnings for Crop Failures
Image

Early Warnings for Crop Failures

The GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for Early Warning provides science-driven alerts for countries that may be in danger of low crop yields.

Published Oct 5, 2018

Image of the Day Land Remote Sensing

Remotely Sensing Crop Prices
Image

Remotely Sensing Crop Prices

Economists are using satellite data to help make more accurate price predictions of important crops.

Published Sep 20, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life

Taking Stock of the World’s Sandy Beaches
Image

Taking Stock of the World’s Sandy Beaches

Sandy beaches are growing in some parts of the world and shrinking quickly in others, including one-third of marine protected areas.

Published Aug 2, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Where to Place a Rainwater Harvesting System
Image

Where to Place a Rainwater Harvesting System

Water shortages in the Middle East lead to sanitation issues in schools, resulting in periodic school closures. NASA is working to change that.

Published Jul 27, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence Remote Sensing

Fizzy Tropical Rivers
Image

Fizzy Tropical Rivers

Long overlooked, it is increasingly clear that streams and rivers play a key role in the carbon cycle.

Published Jul 20, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Remote Sensing

The Water is Wider
Image

The Water is Wider

A new map of the world’s rivers and their widths shows that surface waterways are collectively wider and cover more area than previously thought.

Published Jul 18, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Remote Sensing

Satellites Investigate Irrigation in a Stressed Aquifer
Image

Satellites Investigate Irrigation in a Stressed Aquifer

Using Landsat to track patterns in irrigation may help water managers sketch out a more sustainable future for the Ogallala Aquifer in the central United States.

Published Jul 9, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life Human Presence

NASA Soil Moisture Data Advances Global Crop Forecasts
Image

NASA Soil Moisture Data Advances Global Crop Forecasts

The amount of water contained in the top few centimeters of soil is small on a global scale, but it is critical for agriculture analysts trying to monitor commodity production and humanitarian need.

Published Jun 2, 2018

Image of the Day Land Remote Sensing

Mapping Modern Threats to Ancient Chacoan Sites
Image

Mapping Modern Threats to Ancient Chacoan Sites

Risk maps can help land managers make more informed decisions about modern development in the vicinity of an ancient civilization.

Published Jun 1, 2018

Image of the Day Land Human Presence Remote Sensing

Probing Kilauea’s Plume
Image

Probing Kilauea’s Plume

Volcanic plumes can pose health hazards and offer clues about a volcano’s geology.

Published May 15, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Volcanoes Human Presence

Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from Kilauea
Image

Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from Kilauea

The eruption at one of Hawaii’s most active volcanoes has taken a turn for the worse.

Published May 8, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Volcanoes Human Presence

Cape Town’s Water is Running Out
Image

Cape Town’s Water is Running Out

A multi-year drought, a growing population, and management choices have put the city’s water supply in a precarious position.

Published Jan 29, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Drought Human Presence

Using Scientific Muscle to Grow Safer Mussels
Image

Using Scientific Muscle to Grow Safer Mussels

Satellites can help inform predictions of harmful algae blooms off California.

Published Jan 18, 2018

Image of the Day Life Water Human Presence

Bacteria Thrive as Ocean Warms
Image

Bacteria Thrive as Ocean Warms

Increasing numbers of Vibrio infections could be a direct consequence of dramatic ocean warming over the past few decades.

Published Jan 17, 2018

Image of the Day Life Water Human Presence

Satellite Tracks Ozone Pollution by Monitoring Its Key Ingredients
Image

Satellite Tracks Ozone Pollution by Monitoring Its Key Ingredients

Understanding the chemical precursors of ground-level ozone may make it easier to prevent the pollutant from building up in the lower atmosphere.

Published Nov 7, 2017

Image of the Day Atmosphere Human Presence Remote Sensing

Erosion After the Fire
Image

Erosion After the Fire

Hillslope-scale erosion maps helped response teams decide how and where to focus recovery efforts following the Soberanes fire in California.

Published Aug 18, 2017

Image of the Day Land Fires Remote Sensing

Using Satellites to Assess a Reed Invasion
Image

Using Satellites to Assess a Reed Invasion

Aggressive phragmites can threaten native salt marsh vegetation.

Published Aug 2, 2017

Image of the Day Land Life Water