| Using Remote Sensing to Detect Active Dust Storms and Map Areas Vulnerable to Eolian Erosion |
![[Dust Storms and Wind Erosion: Landsat TM Image]](/projects/RSDust/images/landsattm_s.gif) Wind-induced emission of dust from the land surface is a process of degradation: depleting fine-grained minerals critical for optimum vegetation growth, creating potentially hazardous air quality to humans on a local and regional scale, and adversely affecting climate on a regional and world-wide scale. The continued predictions of increasing concentrations in greenhouse gases also include predictions of increased aridification of continental interiors and the likelihood of enhanced dust emission. At this stage it is not understood how regional and global climate change will affect dust emissions and, in turn, how dust emission will affect the climate.
This web page displays some of our evolving work related to the use of remotely sensed satellite images to detect and study climate-induced and man-caused dust storms and vegetation change in the southwestern United States. We are currently using satellite-image data to detect and map active dust sources and sites of vegetation change.
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| Visit the Using Remote Sensing to Detect Active Dust Storms and Map Areas Vulnerable to Eolian Erosion web page for a full report and imagery.
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Imagery
| Landsat TM, Landsat MSS, GOES, and WiFS satellite imagery
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Related Internet Resources
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| USGS Earth Surface Dynamics |
| USGS Earth Surface Processes |
| USGS Global Change Research Program |
| USGS Desert Winds Project |
![[Icon: Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Research]](/icons/desert_button.gif){kind=icon}
![[Icon: Coastal & Marine Research]](/icons/marine_button_sm.gif){kind=icon}
![[Icon: Arid Lands Research]](/icons/desert_button_sm.gif){kind=icon}
![[Icon: Other Environments Research]](/icons/other_button_sm.gif){kind=icon}
![[Icon: Software]](/icons/software_button_sm.gif){kind=icon}