Landsat Helps Warn of Algae in Lakes, Rivers

From space, satellites such as the NASA and USGS Landsat 8 can help scientists identify where an algal bloom has formed in lakes or rivers. It’s a complicated data analysis process, but one that researchers are automating so resource managers around the country can use the satellite data to identify potential problems. Nima Pahlevan and his team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have developed an algorithm to take the data collected by Landsat 8 over water, analyze it, and create a product for distribution. There are multiple, computationally-intensive steps to get from the raw data to the usable product. This free-to-use data product makes it easier for more people to work with quality Landsat data. The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Landsat satellites have been consistently gathering data about our planet since 1972. They continue to improve and expand this unparalleled