Highlights from NASA DEVELOP: Spring 2021
Interact with the map to see different NASA DEVELOP internship projects that used data distributed by the LP DAAC during the recent term.
During the spring 2021 term of NASA’s DEVELOP National Program, participants used geospatial data and technologies to investigate, analyze, and monitor several issues around the world. Some of the topics explored included agriculture, air quality, climate change, extreme heat, ecosystems, floods, invasive species, urban planning, water quality, water resources, wildfires and wildlife conservation. Each DEVELOP team project is conducted in partnership with local agencies or organizations in the study area. NASA Earth science remote sensing data is fundamental to the analytical and geospatial component of each project. Several of these projects used data distributed by the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC), including data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ( MODIS ) sensor aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( VIIRS ) aboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite, NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission ( SRTM ), which flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 2000, and the Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station ( ECOSTRESS ) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
All projects conducted in the spring term, as well as in past terms, can be found in the DEVELOP’s project archive .
Click on a project card on the left or on a locator on the map to learn more about projects that have used data distributed by NASA's LP DAAC.
Modeling Habitat Suitability of Mustelid Species to Guide Detection Dog Surveys for Contaminants Monitoring, via Collected Scats, in River Systems of Western Montana
River pollution can be devastating for ecosystems, causing endocrine, neurological, and reproductive issues for the species that rely on the water. American mink (Mustela vison) and North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) are two predators with a largely aquatic diet that are used as indicator species for ecosystem health and the potential presences of contaminants. Previously, detection dogs were used by researchers to find scat samples from the minks and otters in the area for analysis of contaminant levels. To help focus the search area for scat samples, the Western Montana Ecological Forecasting DEVELOP team's project created habitat suitability models for minks and otters for the years 2013–2020, with projection out to 2040. Input data for the models included daily Terra MODIS land surface temperature and emissivity (MOD11A1) data, as well as SRTM elevation (SRTMGL1) data. Results from these models showed suitable habitats were based on distance to the river, emergence of surrounding herbaceous land cover, and areas with deeper water. These models will be used to inform partners of sampling site selection for additional contaminant analysis.
Using NASA Earth Observations and Socioeconomic Data to Assess Urban Heat-Induced Health Risk in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas has experienced fast population growth and increases in urban development over the last few years. At the same time, the city frequently faces extreme heat and drought events due to climate change. Demand on utilities has risen alongside temperatures and heat-related deaths are expected to increase, especially in vulnerable populations. The Austin Health & Air Quality DEVEOP team partnered with the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, Jackson School of Geosciences at University of Texas at Austin, and School of Public Health at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to look at urban heat throughout the city. The team used daily Aqua MODIS surface reflectance (MYD09GA) data along with Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) to study land surface temperature, greenness, plant content, and urban surface materials. They created a shareable geodatabase that maps heat exposure severity, areas of high social vulnerability and an overall heat relief priority score in Austin. The team’s heat priority index can guide infrastructure improvements in and around Austin and serve to advance equitable sustainable development.
Comparing Phenology, Precipitation, and Temperature Data in Bhutan to Assist the Himalayan Environmental Rhythm Observation and Evaluation System (HEROES) Project
Changing climates alter vegetation and agricultural patterns around the world. For this project, DEVELOP team "Bhutan Water Resources II" observed annual vegetation trends in Bhutan from 1981–2014 using Earth science data to assess the impact of climate change in Bhutan. The project used daily Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) (VIP01) data from NASA's LP DAAC along with Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Terra and Aqua MODIS data to assess phenology changes in Bhutan. The VIP data were used to assess trends for the start of the season, day of peak, and length of growing season. Results showed delayed starts and peaks of the main growing season and that the growing season length has increased by 22 days. The results were shared with the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER) institute.
Assessing Urban Heat in the Cincinnati and Covington Area using NASA Earth Observations
Urban areas often experience warmer temperatures than surrounding areas due to an abundance of impervious surfaces and vehicle emissions, and a lack of vegetation and green spaces. This phenomenon is known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The heat can impact citizens that live in these areas. In this project, the Cincinnati & Covington Urban Development team used ISS ECOSTRESS land surface temperature and emissivity (ECO2LSTE) and evaporative stress index (ECO4ESIPTJPL) data with Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data to calculate daytime and nighttime land surface temperature anomalies. The study showed that urban areas of Cincinnati and Covington were 8.32°F warmer during the day and 4.97°F warmer at night compared to the surrounding non-urban areas. The team used an urban cooling model to map a heat mitigation index for the study area. Results from this map identified which communities were the most vulnerable to increased urban heat and can support future education and outreach.
Pairing Phenology Citizen Science Observations with NASA Earth Observations to Monitor Riparian Vegetation
Throughout the Colorado River Basin, native plant species are threatened by nonnative species. Currently, monitoring of these species is done at a local level, making it hard to efficiently observe the entirety of the basin. Using NASA Earth data, the Colorado River Basin Water Resources team was able to evaluate remote sensing observations over the basin’s full spatial extent. The yearly Combined Terra and Aqua MODIS land cover dynamics (MCD12Q2) data product distributed by NASA's LP DAAC is one of the datasets used in this study. The team also used in situ data, and data from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI) from the European Space Agency. The team combined these datasets for the years 2013–2019 and found promising results when correlating phenology in situ observations with vegetation indices from the satellite data in highly vegetated areas. However, they noted that in situ data needs to have accurately logged spatial coordinates and consistent observations to properly align with the satellite observations. Their results and methods can create new opportunities to leverage remote sensing and citizen science data for widespread monitoring of plant species.
Enhancing a Composite Moisture Index for Drought and Flood Monitoring in the Missouri River Basin
The Missouri River Basin provides water for large agricultural operations that help feed the world. Recently the basin has experienced devastating weather events, including droughts and floods. The Montana Water Resources II DEVELOP team partnered with several organizations to enhance a basin-wide composite moisture index (CMI) to monitor flood and drought. The CMI incorporated several NASA Earth observation datasets, including daily Terra MODIS land surface temperature and emissivity (MOD11A1) data from NASA's LP DAAC. The CMI also incorporated snow, groundwater storage, soil moisture, and streamflow data. The team tested their enhanced index against historically dry and wet years and found it to be accurate in reflecting those years. The team believes their CMI improves flood and drought forecasting prior to the growing season in the basin.
Utilizing NASA Earth Observations to Identify Drivers of Extreme Urban Heat and Generate a High-Resolution Vulnerability Index for Urban Planning and Climate Resiliency in San Diego, California
The city of San Diego is one of many major urban centers experiencing extreme heat amid global increases in temperature. San Diego has also seen an increase in heat-related hospitalizations and deaths, many of which occurred in areas with lower income or communities of color. To help identify areas with the highest extremes of heat, the San Diego Urban Development DEVELOP team used daily ISS ECOSTRESS land surface temperature and emissivity (ECO2LSTE) data along with Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data from 2015–2020. The team also looked at health demographics and various inputs for an urban cooling model to explore current cooling rates in the city, as well as probable future cooling rates. Results showed cooling increases with an expansion of tree canopy. Findings from this study can be used to inform creators of the Climate Resilient SD plan and to prioritize at-risk communities.
Evaluating the Effects of Land Use and Hydrological Change on Ecosystem Vitality using Remotely Sensed Data in the Tonlé Sap Lake Basin
Tonlé Sap Lake is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. This major source of fish and fresh water is under pressure from damming, increased agricultural activity, deforestation, and a changing climate. Residents are facing a choice between having food now and the long-term health and productivity of the lake. The Tonlé Sap Food Security & Agriculture DEVELOP team worked with several partners to develop and test remote sensing proxies for sub-indicators for the Freshwater Health Index (FHI), normally produced with in situ data. The team used the daily Aqua MODIS surface reflectance (MYD09GQ) data product, combined with data from Landsat 5’s Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager (OLI), PROBA-V’s Vegetation sensor (VGT), Sentinel-2’s Multispectral Imager (MSI), the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and Envisat’s Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). The data were used to calculate modifications in the bank and overall land cover naturalness. The team also used altimetry data to estimate changes to water flow. They found a decrease in landcover naturalness between 2000 and 2020 as well as less volume and regularity of annual lake levels. This increased pressure on water supply and agricultural productivity. A decrease in forested areas and an increase in rice harvest was also found during the study. Results from this project will help the team’s partners to make freshwater management decisions. The FHI created in this project can be replicated in other regions for future research.
Modeling Habitat Suitability of Mustelid Species to Guide Detection Dog Surveys for Contaminants Monitoring, via Collected Scats, in River Systems of Western Montana
River pollution can be devastating for ecosystems, causing endocrine, neurological, and reproductive issues for the species that rely on the water. American mink (Mustela vison) and North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) are two predators with a largely aquatic diet that are used as indicator species for ecosystem health and the potential presences of contaminants. Previously, detection dogs were used by researchers to find scat samples from the minks and otters in the area for analysis of contaminant levels. To help focus the search area for scat samples, the Western Montana Ecological Forecasting DEVELOP team's project created habitat suitability models for minks and otters for the years 2013–2020, with projection out to 2040. Input data for the models included daily Terra MODIS land surface temperature and emissivity ( MOD11A1 ) data, as well as SRTM elevation ( SRTMGL1 ) data. Results from these models showed suitable habitats were based on distance to the river, emergence of surrounding herbaceous land cover, and areas with deeper water. These models will be used to inform partners of sampling site selection for additional contaminant analysis.
(Author's Note: The DEVELOP team used Terra MODIS Version 6 data. The LP DAAC recently released a Version 6.1 of this data product which can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD11A1.061 .)
Using NASA Earth Observations and Socioeconomic Data to Assess Urban Heat-Induced Health Risk in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas has experienced fast population growth and increases in urban development over the last few years. At the same time, the city frequently faces extreme heat and drought events due to climate change. Demand on utilities has risen alongside temperatures and heat-related deaths are expected to increase, especially in vulnerable populations. The Austin Health & Air Quality DEVEOP team partnered with the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, Jackson School of Geosciences at University of Texas at Austin, and School of Public Health at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to look at urban heat throughout the city. The team used daily Aqua MODIS surface reflectance ( MYD09GA ) data along with Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) to study land surface temperature, greenness, plant content, and urban surface materials. They created a shareable geodatabase that maps heat exposure severity, areas of high social vulnerability and an overall heat relief priority score in Austin. The team’s heat priority index can guide infrastructure improvements in and around Austin and serve to advance equitable sustainable development.
(Author's Note: The DEVELOP team used Aqua MODIS Version 6 data. The LP DAAC recently released a Version 6.1 of this data product which can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MYD09GA.061 .)
Comparing Phenology, Precipitation, and Temperature Data in Bhutan to Assist the Himalayan Environmental Rhythm Observation and Evaluation System (HEROES) Project
Changing climates alter vegetation and agricultural patterns around the world. For this project, DEVELOP team " Bhutan Water Resources II " observed annual vegetation trends in Bhutan from 1981–2014 using Earth science data to assess the impact of climate change in Bhutan. The project used daily Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) ( VIP01 ) data from NASA's LP DAAC along with Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Terra and Aqua MODIS data to assess phenology changes in Bhutan. The VIP data were used to assess trends for the start of the season, day of peak, and length of growing season. Results showed delayed starts and peaks of the main growing season and that the growing season length has increased by 22 days. The results were shared with the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER) institute.
Assessing Urban Heat in the Cincinnati and Covington Area using NASA Earth Observations
Urban areas often experience warmer temperatures than surrounding areas due to an abundance of impervious surfaces and vehicle emissions, and a lack of vegetation and green spaces. This phenomenon is known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The heat can impact citizens that live in these areas. In this project, the Cincinnati & Covington Urban Development team used ISS ECOSTRESS land surface temperature and emissivity ( ECO2LSTE ) and evaporative stress index ( ECO4ESIPTJPL ) data with Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data to calculate daytime and nighttime land surface temperature anomalies. The study showed that urban areas of Cincinnati and Covington were 8.32°F warmer during the day and 4.97°F warmer at night compared to the surrounding non-urban areas. The team used an urban cooling model to map a heat mitigation index for the study area. Results from this map identified which communities were the most vulnerable to increased urban heat and can support future education and outreach.
Pairing Phenology Citizen Science Observations with NASA Earth Observations to Monitor Riparian Vegetation
Throughout the Colorado River Basin, native plant species are threatened by nonnative species. Currently, monitoring of these species is done at a local level, making it hard to efficiently observe the entirety of the basin. Using NASA Earth data, the Colorado River Basin Water Resources team was able to evaluate remote sensing observations over the basin’s full spatial extent. The yearly Combined Terra and Aqua MODIS land cover dynamics ( MCD12Q2 ) data product distributed by NASA's LP DAAC is one of the datasets used in this study. The team also used in situ data, and data from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI) from the European Space Agency. The team combined these datasets for the years 2013–2019 and found promising results when correlating phenology in situ observations with vegetation indices from the satellite data in highly vegetated areas. However, they noted that in situ data needs to have accurately logged spatial coordinates and consistent observations to properly align with the satellite observations. Their results and methods can create new opportunities to leverage remote sensing and citizen science data for widespread monitoring of plant species.
Enhancing a Composite Moisture Index for Drought and Flood Monitoring in the Missouri River Basin
The Missouri River Basin provides water for large agricultural operations that help feed the world. Recently the basin has experienced devastating weather events, including droughts and floods. The Montana Water Resources II DEVELOP team partnered with several organizations to enhance a basin-wide composite moisture index (CMI) to monitor flood and drought. The CMI incorporated several NASA Earth observation datasets, including daily Terra MODIS land surface temperature and emissivity ( MOD11A1 ) data from NASA's LP DAAC. The CMI also incorporated snow, groundwater storage, soil moisture, and streamflow data. The team tested their enhanced index against historically dry and wet years and found it to be accurate in reflecting those years. The team believes their CMI improves flood and drought forecasting prior to the growing season in the basin.
(Author's Note: The DEVELOP team used Terra MODIS Version 6 data. The LP DAAC recently released a Version 6.1 of this data product which can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD11A1.061 .)
Utilizing NASA Earth Observations to Identify Drivers of Extreme Urban Heat and Generate a High-Resolution Vulnerability Index for Urban Planning and Climate Resiliency in San Diego, California
The city of San Diego is one of many major urban centers experiencing extreme heat amid global increases in temperature. San Diego has also seen an increase in heat-related hospitalizations and deaths, many of which occurred in areas with lower income or communities of color. To help identify areas with the highest extremes of heat, the San Diego Urban Development DEVELOP team used daily ISS ECOSTRESS land surface temperature and emissivity ( ECO2LSTE ) data along with Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data from 2015–2020. The team also looked at health demographics and various inputs for an urban cooling model to explore current cooling rates in the city, as well as probable future cooling rates. Results showed cooling increases with an expansion of tree canopy. Findings from this study can be used to inform creators of the Climate Resilient SD plan and to prioritize at-risk communities.
Evaluating the Effects of Land Use and Hydrological Change on Ecosystem Vitality using Remotely Sensed Data in the Tonlé Sap Lake Basin
Tonlé Sap Lake is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. This major source of fish and fresh water is under pressure from damming, increased agricultural activity, deforestation, and a changing climate. Residents are facing a choice between having food now and the long-term health and productivity of the lake. The Tonlé Sap Food Security & Agriculture DEVELOP team worked with several partners to develop and test remote sensing proxies for sub-indicators for the Freshwater Health Index (FHI), normally produced with in situ data. The team used the daily Aqua MODIS surface reflectance ( MYD09GQ ) data product, combined with data from Landsat 5’s Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager (OLI), PROBA-V’s Vegetation sensor (VGT), Sentinel-2’s Multispectral Imager (MSI), the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and Envisat’s Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). The data were used to calculate modifications in the bank and overall land cover naturalness. The team also used altimetry data to estimate changes to water flow. They found a decrease in landcover naturalness between 2000 and 2020 as well as less volume and regularity of annual lake levels. This increased pressure on water supply and agricultural productivity. A decrease in forested areas and an increase in rice harvest was also found during the study. Results from this project will help the team’s partners to make freshwater management decisions. The FHI created in this project can be replicated in other regions for future research.
(Author's Note: The DEVELOP team used Aqua MODIS Version 6 data. The LP DAAC recently released a Version 6.1 of this data product which can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MYD09GQ.061 .)
About the NASA DEVELOP National Program
The DEVELOP National Program is part of NASA’s Applied Sciences Program. Participants from around the country join the DEVELOP program for 10-week terms to apply data acquired by NASA Earth-observing satellites to bridge the gap between science and society. DEVELOP participants work with non-profit, local, state, and federal partners to create maps and other products in eight focus areas, including Food Security & Agriculture, Disasters, Ecological Forecasting, Energy, Health & Air Quality, Urban Development, Water Resources, and Transportation & Infrastructure.
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
References:
Dialesandro, J., Kruskopf, M., Colin Marvin, M., and Vargas, M., 2021, San Diego Urban Development—Utilizing NASA Earth Observations to Identify Drivers of Extreme Urban Heat and Generate a High-Resolution Vulnerability Index for Urban Planning and Climate Resiliency in San Diego, California: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/SanDiegoUrbanDev.html .
LaJoie , P., Cronin-Golomb, O., Feibel, S., and Rokosz, K., 2021, Cincinnati & Covington Urban Development—Assessing Urban Heat in the Cincinnati and Covington Area using NASA Earth Observations: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/CincinnatiCovingtonUrbanDev.html .
McCall, M., Lopez, A., Peters, W., and Sanders, J., 2021, Austin Health & Air Quality—Using NASA Earth Observations and Socioeconomic Data to Assess Urban Heat-Induced Health Risk in Austin, Texas: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/AustinHAQ.html.
Namgyal, D., Dorji, S., Seldon, Y., and Wangmo, T., 2021, Bhutan Water Resources II—Comparing Phenology, Precipitation, and Temperature Data in Bhutan to Assist the Himalayan Environmental Rhythm Observation and Evaluation System (HEROES) Project: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/BhutanWaterII.html .
Pantle, T., Blose, C., Challis, B., and Dominguez, D., 2021, Colorado River Basin Water Resources—Pairing Phenology Citizen Science Observations with NASA Earth Observations to Monitor Riparian Vegetation: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/ColoradoRiverBasinWater.html .
Schneider, C., Pearson, B., Savan, M., and Buczek, C., 2021, Montana Water Resources II—Enhancing a Composite Moisture Index for Drought and Flood Monitoring in the Missouri River Basin: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/MontanaWaterII.html .
Vallejos, M., Johnston, J., Phelps, S., and Scarmuzza, J., 2021, Tonlé Sap Food Security & Agriculture—Evaluating the Effects of Land Use and Hydrological Change on Ecosystem Vitality using Remotely-Sensed Data in the Tonlé Sap Lake Basin: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/TonleSapAg.html .
Winter, A., Hiebert, K., Coleman, K., and Gregory, M., 2021, Western Montana Ecological Forecasting—Modeling Habitat Suitability of Mustelid Species to Guide Detection Dog Surveys for Contaminants Monitoring, via Collected Scats, in River Systems of Western Montana: NASA DEVELOP National Program web page, accessed August 27, 2021, at https://develop.larc.nasa.gov/2021/spring/WesternMontanaEco.html .
Geo-narrative created by Danielle Golon, C2G, contractor to the U.S. Geological Survey
For more information, please contact:
USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57198
Work performed under USGS contract G0121D001 for LP DAAC
LP DAAC Work Performed under NASA contract NNG14HH33I.
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.