UAS

Walruses Are Visible in Satellite Imagery When They Rest on Shore in Large Numbers

Submitted by atripp on

During late summer and autumn, Pacific walruses are resting on shore north of the Bering Strait more often and in larger numbers in both the United States and Russia.  Historically, walruses rested primarily on floating sea ice over their offshore foraging grounds in this region, but climate warming has reduced availability of sea ice.  With greater numbers of walruses gathering on shore, USGS scientists and collabor

Measuring Snow Depth from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Lidar

Submitted by atripp on

Approximately 2 billion people are expected to experience diminished water supplies because of seasonal snowpack decline this century.  Over the last 50 years, particularly in some regions of the western U.S., declines in annual snowpack levels have contributed to reduced streamflow levels, a trend supported by both models and in situ observations (USGS,

Evaluating Landscape Change Following Catastrophic Fires in National Parks

Submitted by atripp on

The western U.S., including California, has experienced extreme weather events that have resulted in catastrophic and deadly fires.  These destructive fires have resulted in loss of life and property, and burned through iconic landscapes within the National Park Service (NPS). This ongoing project measures the impact and landscape response of these fires on three national parks in California.