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Landsat Science: 40 Years of Innovation and OpportunityLandsat satellites have provided unparalleled Earth-observing data for nearly 40 years, allowing scientists to describe, monitor and model the global environment during a period of time that has seen dramatic changes in population growth, land use, and climate. The success of the Landsat program can be attributed to well-designed instrument specifications, astute engineering, comprehensive global acquisition and calibration strategies, and innovative scientists who have developed analytical techniques and applications to address a wide range of needs at local to global scales (e.g., crop production, water resource management, human health and environmental quality, urbanization, deforestation and biodiversity). Early Landsat contributions included inventories of natural resources and land cover classification maps, which were initially prepared by a visual interpretation of Landsat imagery. Over time, advances in computer technology facilitated the development of sophisticated image processing algorithms and complex ecosystem modeling, enabling scientists to create accurate, reproducible, and more realistic simulations of biogeochemical processes (e.g., plant production and ecosystem dynamics). Today, the Landsat data archive is freely available for download through the USGS, creating new opportunities for scientists to generate global image datasets, develop new change detection algorithms, and provide products in support of operational programs such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD). In particular, the use of dense (approximately annual) time series to characterize both rapid and progressive landscape change has yielded new insights into how the land environment is responding to anthropogenic and natural pressures. The launch of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) satellite in 2012 will continue to propel innovative Landsat science.
Document ID
20120009048
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cook, Bruce D. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Irons, James R. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Masek, Jeffrey G. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Loveland, Thomas R. (Geological Society of America New York, NY, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
February 24, 2012
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.ABS.6107.2012
Meeting Information
Meeting: Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting
Location: New York, NY
Country: United States
Start Date: February 24, 2012
End Date: February 28, 2012
Sponsors: Association of American Geographers
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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