Your browser does not support scripts.
USGS - science for a changing world

Land Remote Sensing Program

Return to Home Gallery
View Other Galleries RSS Feed Subscribe to the RSS Feed

Dolan Springs, Arizona
L7 L8 Compare Dolan Springs

These images show the area of Dolan Springs, Arizona, as seen by Landsat 7 (left) and LDCM/Landsat 8 satellites.
Read More...
Great Salt Lake, Utah
Salt Lake L7 L8 Comparison

These images show a portion of the Great Salt Lake, Utah as seen by Landsat 7 (left), and LDCM/Landsat 8 satellites (right).
Read More...
Dubai`s Islands
Dubai Change Pair

The city of Dubai is situated along the Persian Gulf in the United Arab Emirates. These Landsat 7 images show the area in 2000 and 2012, and give a remarkable view of the changes that have taken place.
Read More...
March 21, 2013-First image from LDCM!
First Image From LDCM

On March 18, 2013, the first images were taken with the Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM).
Read More...
The Lower Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River

The Lower Mississippi River alluvial valley and the adjacent upland are distinct and highly diverse landscapes
Read More...
Arlington National Cemetery - The Memorial Amphitheater and the Tomb of the Unknowns
Arlington Change Pair

The Memorial Amphitheater and the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., stand atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C.
Read More...
Launch! Landsat Data Continuity Mission
Landsat Launch Area

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), the next generation Landsat satellite, launched on Monday February 11, 2013.
Read More...
Savanna Fires
Savanna Fires Triplicate

In the summer of 2012 a series of fires burned the Cerrado savanna in northeastern Brazil. Landsat imagery illustrate conditions before, during, and after the fires.
Read More...
Brush Fires in Tasmania
Tasmania Fires Change Pair

Extremely hot and dry weather in southern Australia has led to a number of brush fires. On the island of Tasmania, south of the Australian continent, fires that started in early 2013 have already burned over 148,000 acres.
Read More...
Urban Growth: The Minnesota Twin Cities
Twin Cities Change Pair

Data acquired over the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1988 and 2011 illustrate the expansion of the population centers in a major economic region of the Upper Midwest.
Read More...
Mar Chiquita change over time
Mar Chiquita Change Pair

Mar Chiquita is the largest of the naturally occurring saline lakes in Argentina. The feeder systems for the lake include the Dulce River from the north, and the Primero/Suquia and Segundo/Xanaes Rivers from the south.
Read More...
Lake Ayakkum
Lake Ayakkum Triplicate

Many closed basin saline lakes in Central Asia have been shrinking. Lake Ayakkum, however, has been growing, as shown in these Landsat images acquired in 1992, 2003, and 2012.
Read More...
Al Farafra Oasis
Farafra Oasis Change Pair

The Al Farafra Oasis has resulted in a greening of the desert in western Egypt. Unlike many newly developed agricultural efforts, these fields are not based on deep-well irrigation, but on surface water associated with the oasis.
Read More...
Future of 90-year old Yosemite Reservoir in Question
Yosemite Reservoir Change Pair

Landsat imagery from 1985 and 2011 show the areas and water fluctuations of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (long water body on the right side of the image), along with Cherry Lake (far left) and Lake Eleanor (central), which are also reservoirs for the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir System.
Read More...
Lake Étang Saumâtre and Lake Lago Enriquillo
Haiti Lakes Triplicate

Étang Saumâtre and Lago Enriquillo are saline lakes found in Hispaniola's rift valley along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. These three Landsat images from 1986, 2004, and 2012 show how dramatically the lake levels can fluctuate.
Read More...
Creek County, Oklahoma fire
Creek County Fire Change Pair

A large grass fire that started August 2 burned over 58,000 acres of grassland and destroyed over 380 homes in Creek County, Oklahoma. Residents of small towns in the path of the fire were evacuated in this drought stricken area west of the city of Tulsa.
Read More...
The Lakes of Eastern Day County, South Dakota
Day County Lakes Change Pair

In the past 20 years, lake waters have been swallowing up land, roads, and homes in Day County, located in the northeastern corner of South Dakota.
Read More...
Hurricane Isaac Flooding
Hurricane Isaac Flooding Change Pair

Landsat satellite data, acquired and processed by the U.S. Geological Survey, illustrate the effects of Hurricane Isaac on land between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain northwest of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Read More...
Mississippi River Level Dropping
Mississippi River Drought Triplicate

The 2012 drought, which has affected much of the cropland in the Midwest and the western United States, has also had a major effect on the level of the Mississippi River. The diminishing flow of the river has delayed barge traffic and movement of cargoes to ports at the lower mouth of the river
Read More...
Western Fires
Holoway Fires Change Pair

Fires continue to destroy residences, grassland cover, and forests in the western United States. Landsat images, acquired and processed by the U.S. Geological Survey, illustrate the damage caused by fires in the Nevada/Oregon border region.
Read More...
Effects of Drought
Effects of Drought in Kansas

As the largest interior marsh in the United States, Cheyenne Bottoms provides a resting place for millions of migrating birds every fall. As the water levels dwindle and disappear, wildlife officials are concerned that the effects could be devastating for the habitat.
Read More...
Wildfires in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Fires Change Pair

In late July, a large fire developed in the Creek County area in northeastern Oklahoma. Within days, over 91 square miles were burned and a number of residents in Mannford and Kellyville were evacuated.
Read More...
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens Triplicate

Landsat images of the Mount St. Helens region in southwestern Washington illustrate the conditions before, shortly after, and decades after the eruptions of the Mount St. Helens volcano in 1980.
Read More...
Manila, Philippines
Manila Change Pair

The Philippine capital of Manila, situated on the eastern shore of Manila Bay, is the most densely populated city in the world, with over 1.6 million inhabitants in an area covering 38.5 square kilometers; the greater metro area covers 638 square kilometers, with a population of over 11 million.
Read More...
40 years of recording change
40 Years of Landsat Change Pair

On July 23, the Landsat system celebrated 40 years of continuous observations of the land forms of the planet. Over 7 million separate scenes have been collected by the six satellites in the series.
Read More...
Western wildfires
Change Pair for Four Fires

Wildfires are doing severe damage in a number of western U.S. states. Extremely dry conditions, stiff winds, unusually warm weather, and trees killed by pine bark beetle outbreaks have created a situation in which major fires thrive.
Read More...
Agriculture transforms Egyptian Desert
Egypt Change Pair

These Landsat images, acquired in 1984 and again in 2012, show in green the expanding agricultural areas in the Natron Valley in Egypt.
Read More...
Missouri River near Omaha, NE - one year after flooding
Missouri River Flooding Change Pair

These Landsat images show the Omaha, Nebraska area during the flooding in June 2011, and again recently on June 8, 2012.
Read More...
High Park Fire, Colorado
High Park Fire Change Pair

Sparked by lightning on June 9, 2012, the High Park Fire has burned over 58,000 acres near and in Roosevelt National Forest, just west of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Read More...
Leslie Street Spit and Tommy Thompson Park
Leslie Street Spit Triplicate

Tommy Thompson Park is located on Leslie Street Spit, a man-made peninsula that extends about 3 miles into Lake Ontario. The park was established on the spit in 1995 and provides critical habitat for many birds and animals as well as aquatic species.
Read More...
Mirani Dam
Mirani Dam Change Pair

The Mirani Dam is located on the Dasht River in southern Pakistan. Though the dam provides a constant supply of water for irrigation and human consumption, heavy rains in 2007 raised the reservoir to 271 feet, and over 15,000 people were displaced when a number of small communities were flooded.
Read More...
Elwha River restoration
Elwha River Change Pair

Landsat imagery acquired in 2011 and 2012 illustrate the changes to the Elwha River basin in the Washington State Olympic Peninsula after the removal of the Elwha River dam.
Read More...
Santiago, Chile
Santiago Change Pair

The population of the Chilean capital of Santiago has steadily increased over the years, and that has led to expanded development in all directions, including into the foothills of the mountain ranges.
Read More...
Joplin, Missouri - One Year Later
Joplin Triplicate

On May 22, 2011, the city of Joplin, Missouri, was devastated by a catastrophic EF5 multiple vortex tornado. These Landsat images show the area of Joplin, Missouri, on May 7, 2011, on June 8, 2011, after the tornado touched down, and again recently on May 9, 2012.
Read More...
The Villages, Florida
The Villages Change Pair

In the last decade, Florida has had dramatic population growth. Sumpter County in central Florida grew 75%, largely due to the expansion of The Villages retirement community. The Villages is a master planned retirement community, complete with nearly 40 golf courses.
Read More...
Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Kansas
Cedar Bluff Reservoir Triplicate

In 1949, the Cedar Bluff Dam was constructed along the Smoky Hill River in Kansas to mainly provide irrigation to the area. In the late 1960's and into the 1970's, the flow of the river declined dramatically, and by the early 1980's, not enough water was available for irrigation.
Read More...
Binhai New Area, China
Binhai Change Pair

Located on the coast of the Bohai Sea Region, the Binhai New Area has quickly become a major industrial center in China.
Read More...
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson Change Pair

Located in the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona, Tucson is one of the oldest continually inhabited areas of North America. There is evidence of settlements 3,000 years ago
Read More...
Uravan, Colorado
Uravan Colorado Uranium Mine

Uravan is an abandoned uranium mining town in western Colorado. Established in 1936 to extract vanadium ore, the mining community provided uranium for the first atomic bomb during World War II.
Read More...
Salmon River Reservoir
Salmon River Reservoir, New York 1985-2011

The Salmon River Reservoir in central New York state was created in 1914. Landsat satellite data, acquired since 1985, illustrate the steady increase in the size of the reservoir.
Read More...
Bear Glacier, Alaska
Bear Glacier Triplicate

Landsat satellite data are increasingly used to track natural and anthropogenic changes to the land surface features of the planet. Changes to Bear Glacier in south central Alaska are illustrated by comparing 1980, 1989, and 2011 Landsat coverage.
Read More...
Denver International Airport
DIA Change Pair

In 1995, the Denver International Airport officially opened and replaced the Stapleton International Airport servicing the Denver region. Landsat satellite data illustrate the changes in the area from before the construction and after the new airport was completed.
Read More...
Pine Island Glacier
Pine Island Glacier Change Pair

Pine Island is one of the largest and fastest-moving glaciers in Antarctica. Landsat satellite imagery shows first a series of splits along the western edge of the glacier and then a major break, which eventually will extend all the way across the glacier.
Read More...
Mesquite Mine, California
Mesquite Mine Triplicate

The Mesquite Mine was established in 1957 and expanded in 1986 as gold prices climbed and the mine is now one of the largest gold mines in the country.
Read More...
Urban Growth of the Montgomery, Alabama, Area
Montgomery Change Pair

In the past 30 years the population has grown from just under 125,000 to over 200,000.
Read More...
La Cordillera Regrowth
La Cordillera Triplicate

In 2005, large fires caused extensive damage to forested regions in the Cordillera Central, the mountains in the Dominican Republic. The February 2011 image shows the regrowth of the forest lands. The fire scars are covered by darker green tones representing developing forest lands.
Read More...
Rising Water Changes Caspian Shoreline
Caspian Shoreline Change Pair

While water levels of the Caspian Sea have historically fluctuated, the area has seen increasing water volume in the past two decades.
Read More...
Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma
Arcadis Lake Change Pair

Landsat images of Arcadia Lake show the area in 1986, before the earthen dam blocked the Deep Fork River, and in 2011, with the reservoir near capacity.
Read More...
The Dead Sea
Dead Sea Change Pair

These Landsat images show the change in the Dead Sea from 1984 to 2011. In recent decades, the sea has been shrinking due to diversion of water from the Jordan River, the sea's main tributary. Mineral evaporation ponds that have replaced open water in the southern part of the sea can be seen in the 2011 image.
Read More...
Proctor Lake Affected by Texas Drought
Proctor Lake Change Pair

Dry conditions since mid-2010 have caused a large portion of the State of Texas to be in an “exceptional” state of drought, the worst condition on the Federal government's drought monitor scale. Not only have crops and farmland been affected, the levels of many lakes in the state have decreased.
Read More...
West Virginia surface mining
West Virginia Surface Mining Change Pair

1987 and 2011 Landsat satellite images illustrate the expansion of surface mining in west central West Virginia.
Read More...
Lake Basaka, Ethiopia
Lake Basaka Change Pair

In the past 35 years Lake Basaka, located in the Middle Awash River Basin, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, has greatly expanded and the expansion has affected regional land use. While the exact cause of the expansion remains under study, a likely cause is the discharging of irrigation excesses directly into the lake.
Read More...
Aguascalientes, Mexico-Booming Growth
Aguascalientes Change Pair

Landsat images illustrate how urban growth around Aguascalientes, Mexico, has increased over the past 20 years.
Read More...
Expanding Oil Production in Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Change Pair

Significant oil and gas deposits in the area just east of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan, explored heavily only since the early 1990s, have allowed for the creation of production facilities that have changed the landscape of the Mangystau Province.
Read More...
Urban Growth in Morocco 1985-2011
Morocco Change Pair

The Moroccan cities of Agadir, Inezgane, and Tikiouine are situated close to the Atlantic coastline and stretch into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Agadir was nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1960. Reconstruction efforts have focused on tourism, turning this area into a winter destination.
Read More...
Aquaculture Changes Mexican Shoreline
Sonora Mexico Change Pair

These Landsat images show changes to Sonora Mexico’s western coastline, located on the Gulf of California, due to the construction of shrimp farms.
Read More...
Samuel Dam, Rondonia, Brazil
Samuel Dam Change Pair

These Landsat images show the area in 1984, and in 2011. The reservoir flooded the upstream forest and displaced many people.
Read More...
Fires Scorch Northern Australia
Australia Fires Change Pair

Extreme dry conditions have led to major fires in north central Australia the past year. In February, fires along the coast caused extensive damage and loss of life.
Read More...
Elephant Butte Reservoir
Elephant Butte Change Pair

Prolonged drought in the southwestern United States has affected many water bodies, such as Elephant Butte Reservoir along the Rio Grande River, north of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
Read More...
Missouri River flooding near Hamburg, Iowa
Hamburg Flooding Triplicate

In spring of 2011, the communities along the Missouri River were threatened by high flows and record releases from dams in Montana and the Dakotas. One community especially hard hit was Hamburg, Iowa (pop. 1,300).
Read More...
Bastrop County Complex Fire
Bastrop County Fires Change Pair

Severe drought conditions throughout much of the summer of 2011 have sparked many wildfires throughout Texas. 2011 has been reported to be the most severe single-year drought since the 1950s and received the lowest single-year rainfall since the late 1800s.
Read More...
Lee Soaks Gulf Coast area
Hurricane Lee Change Pair

Tropical Depression Lee formed in late August 2011 and made landfall in the Gulf Coast area during Labor Day weekend. The center of the storm stretched across the central Gulf Coast, dumping torrential rains in the low lying bayou communities of Louisiana.
Read More...
Rural New York Flooding from Hurricane Irene
NY Flooding from Irene Change Pair

The flooding from Hurricane Irene, shown here in a Landsat 5 TM image from August 31, 2011 (right), may bring an early end this year for much of the vegetable harvest in this region.
Read More...
Juniper Road Fire
Juniper Road Fire Change Pair

Lightning sparked a fire on June 19, 2011, within the Holly Shelter Game Land in North Carolina. Hot, dry conditions fueled the fast ignition of over 30,000 acres of thick evergreen shrubs and deep highly flammable coal-like soil.
Read More...
Goksu River Dam Project
Goksu River Dam Project Change Pair

The construction of the Ermenek dam project on the Goksu River Basin created a large reservoir that inundated previous fragile wildlife habitat.
Read More...
Changing conditions in Kuwait
Kuwait Triplicate

In February, 1991, hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait were set ablaze during the early stages of the Desert Storm conflict.
Read More...
Lake Oroumeih (Urmia), Iran
Lake Oroumeih (Urmia) Changepair

Lake Oroumeih is a major water body in northwest Iran. However, dams on feeder streams, expanded use of ground water in the region, and a decades long major drought have caused the lake to diminish.
Read More...
Honey Prairie Fires
Honey Prairie Fires Triplicate

On April 30, 2011, lightning caused wildfires near the Okefenokee National Wildlife refuge in the Honey Prairie region of Georgia.
Read More...
Las Conchas, New Mexico, Fires
Las Conchas Change Pair

Landsat satellite imagery illustrate the extensive damage caused by the Las Conchas fires in New Mexico.
Read More...
Puyehue Volcano
Puyehue Volcano

The Puyehue volcano in Chile erupted on June 4, 2011, after being dormant for over 50 years.
Read More...
Landsat Imagery Tracks Record Flooding in Minot, N.D.
Minot Flooding Changepair

The city of Minot, divided by the river, has been especially hard hit by the flooding which is due to unusually heavy rainfall in southern Canada and North Dakota. The river has inundated over 4,000 homes and forced over 11,000 residents to evacuate.
Read More...
Wildfires in Alberta, Canada
Canadian Wildfires

The Richardson backcounty fires started in mid-May, 2011. Within days they combined to create the largest wildfire in Alberta since 1919, a fire still not under control.
Read More...
Wallow Fire in Arizona
Wallow Fire

The second largest fire in Arizona history, the Wallow Fire is graphically depicted by this Landsat image, taken June 7, which shows burning in the mountains of eastern Arizona near the border with New Mexico.
Read More...
Portage Diversion, Lake Manitoba
Lake Manitoba Change Pair

The Portage Diversion system (also known as the Assiniboine River Floodway) was constructed in 1970 to divert the flow of water in the Assiniboine River to an 18-mile diversion channel that empties into Lake Manitoba.
Read More...
Regrowth in Australia after Massive Bushfires
Australian Regrowth Triplicates

Landsat 5 images acquired during the fires in 2009, and again in 2011, show the drastic burn scars and re-growth of the areas.
Read More...
Flood Diversion Measures Along the Lower Mississippi River
Morganza Spillway Flooding

The lower Mississippi River is rising to nearly the record height of 1927. To relieve pressure on downstream levees protecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans, gates at the Morganza Spillway were opened.
Read More...
Memphis Flooding Change Pair
Memphis Flooding Change Pair

Landsat satellite data recorded major flooding in the Memphis, Tennessee, area on May 10, 2011.
Read More...
Southeast US Tornado Paths
Tornado Paths

Landsat satellite data illustrate the tremendous damage done by recent tornadoes which touched the ground in the southeastern United States recently.
Read More...
Seasonal flooding in the lower Mississippi River Basin
Mississippi River Flooding Change Pair

Seasonal flooding is fairly common in the lower Mississippi River Basin in south central United States. Landsat satellite data are used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state officials to monitor the extent and the timing of periodic flooding.
Read More...
Western Texas Fire
April Fires in Western Texas

Extreme drought and high winds have fueled many wildfires in west Texas recently.
Read More...
Great Salt Lake 1985-2010
Salt Lake Change Pair

Landsat satellite imagery shows the dramatic changes in the area of the Great Salt Lake over the last 25 years.
Read More...
Ishinomaki - Before and After
Before and after tsunami images of Ishinomaki

A massive earthquake, and subsequent tsunami, struck the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011.
Read More...
Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana
Wax Lake Delta Change Pair

Landsat satellite data have proven useful for monitoring the development of sediment-established land in the Wax Lake Delta region in Louisiana.
Read More...
Earthquake and Tsunami hit Sendai, Japan
Earthquake and Tsunami hit Sendai Japan

A massive earthquake, and subsequent tsunami, struck the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011.
Read More...
Green Copland in Northwest China
Green Copland in Northwest China

These Landsat images, acquired and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey, show the increase in cropland areas north of the Borohoro Mountains/ Tian Shan Range in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of Northwest China from 1989 to 2010
Read More...
Queensland Flooding
Flooding in Queensland Australia

The Great Artesian Basin in Central Queensland has been subjected to the worst flooding in modern history. By late January, 35 people died as a result of the flooding and over $5 billion in damage was recorded.
Read More...
Owens Lake Restoration
Owen's Lake Restoration Change Pair

Owens Lake was one of the most important stopover sites for migrating waterfowl and shore birds in the western United States for thousands of years. However, in the early 20th century the lower Owens River was largely diverted to the Los Angeles aqueduct.
Read More...
Aral Sea
Triplicate of Aral Sea Change

These images show the Aral Sea, in Central Asia. Because rivers that used to flow into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, this inland sea has shrunk dramatically.
Read More...
Flooding in Pakistan
Indus River flooding in Pakistan

Major flooding in the Indus River Valley in Pakistan has been described by the United Nations relief team as “…one of the worst humanitarian disasters in history…” Over 21 million people have been directly affected, 10 million left without shelter, and more than 1,800 killed by flooding caused by historic monsoon rains.
Read More...
Arizona Fire
Fires in the Flagstaff, Arizona region

On June 20, 2010, a forest fire, caused by an improperly extinguished camp fire, started near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Read More...
Landsat 5 Image of the Oil Slick in the Gulf of Mexico
Landsat 5 - May 9, 2010

On April 20, 2010, an explosion at an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in a major oil spill. Since then, emergency response efforts have been underway to cap the leaking well system.
Read More...
Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico
Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

On April 20, 2010, an explosion at an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in a major oil spill.
Read More...
Landsat Data Illustrate Ancient Sites
Landsat Data Illustrate Ancient Sites

Landsat 7 imagery acquired on November 22, 2009, defines a series of ancient walls developed to capture wild animals. The study sites are in the deserts of modern Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
Read More...
Inchon, South Korea
Inchon, South Korea

Located along the Yellow Sea, Inchon is a city (center, right) of over 2 million people and is the chief port of Seoul, South Korea. The difference between high tide and low tide can vary up to 32 feet (9.75 meters).
Read More...
Mackenzie River Valley Fire Scars
Change Pair - Fire Scars Mackenzie River Valley, Canada

These images show a portion of the Northwest Territories in 1992, and again in 1995. Unburned forest is shown in darker green tones; burn scars show in shades of orange.
Read More...
Swan Hills, Alberta Canada Clear Cutting and Oil Field Development
Swan Hills, Alberta Canada Clear Cutting and Oil Field Development

The fire occurred in May 1998, and vegetation has started to regrow in the area in 2009.
Read More...
Illinois
Illinois

Examine how the landscape reveals both natural and human history. EROS Image Gallery.
Read More...
Station Fire, California
Change Pair - Station Fire

Landsat satellite data, acquired before and during the fires in Southern California show the region affected and the size of the major burns.
Read More...
California Fires
California Fires - Change Pair

Landsat 5 satellite images acquired by the U.S. Geological Survey illustrate the series of fires affecting an area in Northwest California. Over 40 fires, caused by lightning strikes, were started on August 1, 2009.
Read More...
Alaskan Beaufort Sea Coast
Esook Trading Post area - 1955 - 2007 Change Pair

The rate of coastal erosion more than doubled in Alaska-to as much as 45 feet per year-within the 52-year period between 1955 and 2007 along a 37-mile stretch of the Beaufort Sea, with ice-rich coastal bluffs showing the greatest increase in recent erosion rates.
Read More...
Global Fiducials Library - Barrow, Alaska
Barrow Sea Change

Sea ice forms along the coast in the winter, and generally melts or breaks away by mid July. Observations of sea ice position reveal considerable year-to-year variability. Changes in the timing of coastal sea ice breakup and in the location of offshore sea ice have significant local impacts: ecological, biological, and human.
Read More...
Chernobyl
Chernobyl change pair

A devastating nuclear accident happened at Chernobyl, Ukraine, on 26 April 1986. These Landsat satellite images show the area around the nuclear power plant approximately one month after the accident, and six years after the accident. The most visible change in these images is the abandonment of farm fields, which turn from a bright red-and-white pattern to a dull gray. The area shown in the image is approximately 35-miles by 37-miles (56-km x 59-km).
Read More...
Alaska
Alaska

Explore the beauty of the United States and find another fascinating detail revealed with every glance.
Read More...
Myrtle Beach, SC Fire
Burn Scar North of Myrtle Beach, SC

Wildfires swept through this coastal region of South Carolina destroying about 70 homes and forcing more than 2,500 people to evacuate.
Read More...
Flooding in Fargo
Change Pair of Red River Flooding 2009

In late March the Red River Basin of North Dakota and Minnesota experienced historic flooding. Landsat 5 satellite imagery, acquired on March 2 and April 3, illustrate the rapid rise and extent of the flooding in the Fargo, North Dakota/Moorhead, Minnesota region.
Read More...
Mt. Redoubt, Alaska Ash Plume
Volcanic eruption of Mt. Redoubt

The Landsat 5 false color image shows the large brown ash cloud extending over the Cook Inlet and the western Kenai peninsula (right side of image)
Read More...
Landsat 5 captures Mt. Redoubt
Mt. Redoubt, Alaska, USA

On March 1, 2009, Landsat 5 acquired a clear image of the Mt. Redoubt region in Alaska. Scientists have been carefully monitoring the area as Mt. Redoubt has experienced volcanic tremors and gas releases in recent months, activities normally associated with possible eruptions.
Read More...
Kingston Flood
Kingston, Tennessee Fossil Plant Flood

An earthen dam holding a containment pond at the Kingston, Tennessee Fossil Plant gave way, releasing over 500 million gallons of ash and sludge.
Read More...
Bolivia
Bolivia

These images show the progression of deforestation in Bolivia from 1986 to 2000. Landsat 5 25th Anniversary Imagery Collection.
Read More...
Before and After Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike, Galveston Island

Before and after Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston Island, Texas. High Resolution Orthoimagery, 1-foot and approximately 10-inch spatial resolution.
Read More...
Space Needle and Experience Music Project
Space Needle and Experience Music Project Image

One building was inspired by flying saucers and the future, the other by the electric guitar and Jimi Hendrix. Both are in Seattle, Washington. High Resolution Orthoimagery, .30-meter (roughly 1-foot) spatial resolution.
Read More...
First U.S. Capitol Building and Wall Street
First U.S. Capitol Building and Wall Street

The site of the first U.S. capitol building and arguably the most famous financial district in the world meet on Wall Street. High Resolution Orthoimagery, 2-foot spatial resolution.
Read More...
Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA)
Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA)

In stunning, up-close and personal detail, LIMA brings Antarctica to life, both for the scientific community and the general public at large. Natural-Color, Pan-Sharpened LIMA (bands 3, 2, 1).
Read More...
SeaWorld in San Diego
SeaWorld in San Diego

Do you see the whales? For a closer look, click the image and zoom in on the orca whales. Look again, do you see the bottlenose dolphins? High Resolution Orthoimagery, 3-inch spatial resolution.


Read More...

Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska Cornhuskers

At the opening of the 2008 college football season, the University of Nebraska held the NCAA record for sell-out home games at 289. High Resolution Orthoimagery, 6-inch spatial resolution.
Read More...
The Colorado River
The Colorado River into the Gulf of California

The changes in the Colorado River Basin are evident as shown in these images from 1985 and 2007. Landsat 5 25th Anniversary Imagery Collection.
Read More...
Lena Delta
Lena Delta

The Lena Delta Reserve is the most extensive protected wilderness area in Russia. Earth As Art, Landsat 7 image.
Read More...
Red Rocks
Red Rock Amphitheater

Red Rocks open-air, geologically formed amphitheater is west of Denver, Colorado. High Resolution Orthoimagery, 2-foot spatial resolution.
Read More...

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://remotesensing.usgs.gov/feature/show_category.php
Page Contact Information: Contact Land Remote Sensing
Page Last Modified: January 30, 2013