Our Project Portfolio
Earth Action supports a variety of projects that utilize Earth observations to help address challenges facing communities around the globe. Our portfolio demonstrates the benefits of using NASA Earth observations to inform decision and policy-making to improve life on Earth for all.
Fire and other climate driven disturbances are shaping the future of our forests. Given the vital… Read More
Winter cover crops increase the sustainability of agricultural lands and the health of surrounding watersheds through erosion control and nutrient retention. The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) incentivizes the… Read More
Project description: The project aims at improving the accuracy and resolution of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) root-zone soil moisture (RZSM) information by utilizing alternative… Read More
Project description: Reporting of evapotranspiration (ET) from irrigated agriculture in the western U.S. is increasingly being required for surface and groundwater-use inventories, estimating historical pumpage, as well as supporting water rights, transfers, and… Read More
This project developed a suite of satellite-based Essential Water Variables (EWVs) for improved near-real-time streamflow predictions using the ParBal surface energy balance model in the Indus River basin. The snowmelt predictions are fed into USACE's HEC-HMS model system to… Read More
Team: Susana B. Adamo (Columbia University); Carolynne Hultquist (Columbia University); Cascade Tuholske (Montana State University); Greg Yetman (Columbia University); John Squires (Columbia University)
Summary: We examine the… Read More
Native plant species in the Colorado River Basin are currently threatened by non-native species that are changing resource competition dynamics. Monitoring native species is essential for understanding changes in plant health… Read More
The rapid expansion of human population in conjunction with industrialization has resulted in increased artificial light pollution, also known as sky glow. Anthropogenic light pollution hinders the reproductive, migratory, and… Read More
This work, led by Austin Troy of the University of Colorado, Denver, uses Earth observation data and modeling to develop ecosystem accounts at the national and subnational scale for the U.S. End-users of this work include USGS and other Federal agencies… Read More
In a world of more frequent weather extremes, evolving climate conditions, large-scale geophysical hazards, devastating conflict and population displacement, and other challenges to sustainable development, knowing where people live and work, and the status and condition of their… Read More
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection, caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae. It remains a significant global health risk, where 40-80 million people are… Read More
Team Members: Chisato Calvert (Openaq INC.); Jeanne Holm (City of Los Angeles); Mohammad Pourhomayoun (California State University, Los Angeles)
Executive Summary: Every 5 seconds, someone dies from the effects of air pollution; in fact,… Read More
Team: Jane Zugarek (Project Lead), Madison Arndt, Jessica Gray, Amelia Untiedt
Summary: Bioindicator species monitoring allows researchers to infer the overall… Read More
The California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) is a species of fish endemic to the California coastline that plays an important role in the marine food chain as a consumer of zooplankton and a food source for larger marine… Read More
Human-wildlife conflict is increasingly more common due to human population growth, habitat fragmentation, and changing climatic conditions. This conflict is particularly evident in the Kavango-Zambezi area, where over three… Read More
In the Kavango-Zambezi area of southern Africa, three million people live within areas frequently traveled by free-ranging elephants. As the region continues to develop rapidly, urban and agricultural settlements further… Read More
The main objective is to develop a seasonal water deficit forecasting system that is relevant for USAID and USACE activities in the Middle East and Africa based on existing NASA and NOAA Earth science capabilities. Our primary goals include: (1) supporting USAID’s Famine Early… Read More
Prescribed fire is a… Read More