The Forest and the Trees
From space, the air, and the ground, NASA Earth Science helps us understand and manage this ecosystem vital to our planet's health.
Cloud Forest (2021-02-24) by NASANASA
Ethiopia’s Harenna Forest, at elevations of 4,600-10,500 feet (1,400-3,200 meters) it is often shrouded in clouds. Satellites can see deforestation for activities like wood collection and agriculture.
Forest Dynamics (2018-04-27) by NASA/GSFCNASA
Forests show the effects of aging, natural hazards, and human activity in this video created using 25 years of satellite data. Understanding forests is important to monitoring climate change.
Fall Colors (2020-10-14) by NASA/ISSNASA
Another way NASA sees trees is from the International Space Station. This astronaut photograph from October 2020 shows the fall foliage in Ottawa, which is understandably known as "The Fall Rhapsody."
Another way NASA sees trees is from the International Space Station. This astronaut photograph from October 2020 shows the fall foliage in Ottawa, which is understandably known as "The Fall Rhapsody."
Mapping tree damage (2019-07-29) by NASANASA
Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. Using a special 3D imager on an airplane, NASA researchers found that 40-60% of tall trees lost large branches, were snapped in half or were uprooted.
Mount St. Helens 1980 (1980-09-24) by NASA/USGSNASA
Images over time let us see regrowth. After the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, you can see how trees and plants near the center of the volcano were wiped out. (Vegetation looks red here.)
Mount St. Helens 2020 (2020-01-08) by NASA/USGSNASA
By 2020, it's easy to see that the trees and plants have rebounded and are lush and green. The white areas are snow. Note, too, that the image quality has improved with better technology.
Supercomputers help count trees (2020-11-24) by NASANASA
High-resolution satellite imagery and powerful artificial intelligence helped map more than 1.8 billion trees in sub-Saharan Africa, many outside forests. This method has potential to create a more accurate global measurement of carbon storage.
GEDI 3D forest map (2020-01-27) by NASA/USGSNASA
We also use lidar, which sends out rapid laser pulses and records how light bounces off surfaces to detect location and shape, to build 3D maps of forest canopy height. Denser areas are darker green.
Tracking wildfires (2020-12-05) by NASA/USGSNASA
NASA works with wildland fire managers to help develop and deliver data and tools to help them before, during, and after fires, like these in California.
Seeing wildifre damage (2020-12-05) by NASA/IUSGSNASA
Using different tools, we can see different aspects of the same fire. Here, what's called a "false-color" image shows the burn scar, or land damage, and fire hot spots (red).
Guitar Forest (2007-11-02) by NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science TeamNASA
Sometimes we see the unexpected on Earth from space. This guitar-shaped forest almost a kilometer (about two-thirds of a mile) long was planted by an Argentine farmer to honor his late wife.
Help NASA measure trees (2019-03-26) by NASANASA
Ethiopian Cloud Forest: NASA Earth Observatory, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147970/ethiopias-forest-in-the-clouds
Forests Through Time (video): NASA Scientific Visualization Studio, https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12419
Fall Colors: NASA/ISS National Lab, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147448/fall-color-in-ottawa
Puerto Rico: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4735
Mount St. Helens: NASA/USGS, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/82151/life-reclaims-mount-st-helens
Tree Mapping: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13736
Tree Height: NASA/USGS, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146203/a-new-measuring-stick-for-forests
Fires: NASA/USGS, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147625/new-fires-scorch-the-hills-of-southern-california
Guitar and Cover: NASA, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/83561/guitar-forest
Citizen Science: NASA GLOBE Observer, https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/help-nasa-measure-trees-with-new-app
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