Native American high school students introduced to Earth Observation & Landsat images

 As part of the 2026 Native American Science Institute (NASI), 35 Native American high school students from Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah were introduced to Earth Observation and Landsat images. These students and their teachers assembled the large floor puzzle of Wyoming’s Landsat image mosaic.

More details about this year’s NASI program and full list of participants can be found at: https://www.uwyo.edu/news/2026/06/uw-hosts-35-native-american-high-school-students-for-ninth-native-american-summer-institute.html

This activity was jointly hosted by WyomingView and UW ASPRS Student Chapter (2026-27 officers: Anais Canto Samudio (President), Tyler Gallager (Vice President), Willam Colin Maloy (Secretary), and Korrin Sutherburg (Treasurer) - (photo below).

Wyomining middle & high school students learned the value of aerial & satellite images for monitoring Earth surface changes

More than 20 Wyoming Middle & high school students learned how data collected by Earth Observation (EO) satellites are used for tracking/monitoring farms, rangelands, forests, wildfires, and floods.

Students from Carey Junior High, CY Middle, Laramie Middle, McCormick Junior High, Cheyenne Central High, Moutain View Middle, Cheyenne South High, Dean Morgan Middle, and Johnson Junior High schools learned about geostationary and polar orbiting satellites and how the data they collect are used for tracking hurricanes, floods, wildfires, crop growth, and forest health.

Students viewing an animation of geostationary satellite in orbit
(Photo: Jeremy Cain, UW Extension)

As a part of this event, students visited one of NASA's websites and wrote their name using Landsat images (samples names generated with Landsat images shown below).

Interested in making an image with your name? Visit NASA's Your Name in Landsat page.

More info on Landsat: Visit USGS' Landsat page.

Satellite images illustrate human influence on the environment – Story of Shrinking Aral Sea

Satellite images showed fifth graders at Spring Creek Elementary School how human actions have converted one of the largest lakes in Asia to the newest desert. Diverting waters from two rivers for agriculture reduced the inflows, increased the salinity of remaining water, caused wildlife to disappear, and created the newest desert in Central Asia.

A pair of satellite images from 1964 (Corona) and 2018 (Terra) show the effect of diverting water from the two rivers flowing into Aral Sea. Satellite images courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory

A 1964 photo from the Corona satellite, several Landsat images from 1970s to 2000s, and annual MODIS images from 2000 showed how the Aral Sea, once the 4th largest inland water body, gradually shrunk exposing most of the sand. Some of these images also showed how dust storms transported large amounts of this sand to various regions across Asia and beyond.

Students were able to see how human actions can make a large lake disappear. Commenting on the value of these images for illustrating human influence on our environment, Mrs. Hayden, their teacher said, “when we discussed what the students learned/remembered from [the] presentation this week, they had lots of takeaways about how the 4 different Earth systems interact and how humans have influenced the environment.” The content included as part of this activity was “closely aligned with the standard we have been focused on”, said Hayden.

This event was conducted on April 28 at Spring Creek Elementary School, Laramie, WY.

Landsat images can be obtained for no-cost from US Geological Survey. More details about Landsat can be obtained from: https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions.

Introducing Wyoming Geography with Landsat Image Mosaic

WyomingView showcased large Landsat floor puzzle in Wyoming State Museum's monthly outreach activity in Cheyenne, Wyo. 

Assembling the puzzle, elementary school aged kids and their parents saw the diverse landscapes of the state. Further details in UW press release: https://www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/2023/04/large-landsat-puzzle-created-by-uw-researcher-introduces-wyomings-geography-to-children.html 

Landsat 7 captures active fires in SE Wyoming (Sep 19, 2020)

Last Saturday (Sep 19), Landsat 7 satellite passed over the Mullen Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest (Wyo.) and captured the active fires. Images captured in spectral regions that are invisible to humans shows active fires.

The stripes in the Landsat 7 image correspond to missing data due to scan line corrector malfunction developed in 2003. Despite this limitation, images continued to provide valuable information about forests, croplands, water bodies and many more.  Landsat 9, the next satellite in the series, is scheduled to launch in 2021. For more information about Landsat, please visit https://landsat.usgs.gov.

Mullen Fire started on Sep 17, and as of Monday (Sep 21) has burned more than 13,835 acres.  Please visit the InciWeb site for more information about this fire.

Associating the color of an object with its light reflection (Science Kitchen - Jan 2019)

Twenty five middle school (6th-8th grade) students from Wyoming learned how the color of an object can be associated with the amount of light reflected by it in the different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.  As part of the hands-on activity organized by Science Kitchen, they measured the amount of light reflected by blue and green color materials using an ALTA II Spectrometer (below).

Higher reflection for each object recorded in the wavelength that corresponded to their color, i.e., blue material reflected most in the blue region (470 nm) of the spectrum.  Following the hands-on activity, WyomingView PI demonstrated how the same principle of light reflection can be applied to satellite and aerial images for monitoring water clarity of lakes.

Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper image acquired in 2011 (above) shows the spread of algal bloom in Lake Erie.  Light reflection in the lake covered by floating algae (shades of green) varies from the rest (dark blue), which can be used for monitoring water quality.

Additional details about this image and the algal bloom problem captured in it can be found at NASA's Earth Observatory website (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/76127/toxic-algae-bloom-in-lake-erie).

Integrating Landsat images in sixth grade curricula – WyomingView article published in PE&RS

WyomingView has been working with sixth grade teachers in Laramie area schools to incorporate Landsat images for illustrating natural (flooding, wildfires) and human influences (deforestation, urbanization) on the environment and the resultant changes in the landscape. Utility of Landsat image-pairs generated by the USGS, NASA and WyomingView along with lessons learned from these activities are described in a highlight article published in the Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing [81(6):425-431 – DOI: 10.14358/PERS.81.6.425].

Link to the article [subscription to PE&RS is not required]: http://www.asprs.org/a/publications/pers/2015journals/PERS_June_2015/HTML/

Monitoring our changing environment using satellite images: Earth Observation Day activities in UW Lab School

Sixth grade students at UW Lab School saw how nature and man-made changes have altered Earth’s surface. As part of the WyomingView Earth Observation Day activity (Dec 5 and 12, 2014), sixteen students were introduced to data collection in the visible and invisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Measuring spectral reflectance of color papers using ALTA II Spectrometer

After introducing electromagnetic spectrum in his sixth grade class, Andy Pannell, invited WyomingView PI to his class for describing how scientists collect and analyze spectral data. First, students collected spectral reflectance of colored papers and compared their reflectance patterns. Students then learned that satellites collect similar data using very sophisticated and expensive sensors, and the data collected over the past several decades can be used for mapping changes in the landscape. Pannell commented that the “incredible satellite images that helped our students see the usefulness of these understandings, as well as wavelengths outside the visible spectrum, in a real-world context.”

Student feedback about remote sensing and its benefits to society are listed below (students are identified by initials for privacy purposes):

“It helped me with understanding radiation because I couldn’t see what was happening but something was [happening] and it was AMAZING”

“Showed us how people use thermal scans to find wildfires” G

“Helped me understand how using IR and UR might be helpful to find different info.” HB

“Showed me that different colors reflect different amount of light” Z

“Makes things look so different” SH

“Those images were surprising and they helped [me] to understand electromagnetic radiation”

“I know that the [satellites] are really important to see our earth” SS

“Showed me reflecting lights of the trees, and it also showed the bad and good ones” CD

“Showed us how people use different ways to show wildfire, water shortages, bad soil etc.”

WyomingView interns describe how satellite data can be used for monitoring past environmental changes

Emily Richardson (BS Botany) monitored aspen tree growth in normal, wet, and dry years along an elevation gradient in the Sierra Madre Mountains. She computed a vegetation index from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data acquired in 3 years and analyzed tree growth based on their phenology curves. Aspen stands growing at lower elevations exhibited major changes during these three years, whereas their growth patterns at higher elevations did not show such variations.

Ryan Lermon (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management) mapped the burn severity at a prescribed fire site north of Rawlins, WY. Prescribed fires are part of forest management methods aimed at reducing fuel load, and improving overall habitat quality. Following a prescribed fire event, land management agencies are required to map how fire moved through the landscape but lack the necessary resources to generate it. Using a Landsat 8 image acquired after the fire, Ryan mapped the impact of this prescribed fire as high, medium, low and no-burn classes. This map will be used by agencies to establish field sampling plots for monitor vegetation regrowth.


Emily and Ryan presented their work in the Wyoming Undergraduate Research Day on 26 April 2014.

Following newspapers published a short description of Emily's work:

Laramie Boomerang - May 10, 2014 - Link to article

Casper Star Tribune - May 12, 2014 - Link to article

Washington Times - May 10, 2014 - Link to article

WyomingView sponsored students present their research findings in 2013 Geospatial Conference of the West (GeCo West) Conference

Four WyomingView sponsored students presented their research about the urban heat island effect, image analyst bias and utility of indices to map water bodies in the recently concluded 2013 GeCo West Conference in Laramie, WY. WyomingView coordinator mentored these students on these projects.

Sarah Arulswamy, a 9th grade student at Laramie Junior High School, has been studying the urban heat island effects in Laramie since summer 2012. Earlier she presented her findings based on summer, fall and winter data in the 2013 Wyoming Science Fair. She continued her study in spring 2013 and presented the findings in this conference. Urban heat island effect was evident in spring but at a much lesser magnitude than what she observed in 2012 summer (Figure below).

Bailey Terry (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management) has been estimating analyst bias introduced during Landsat image classification. She described how small differences introduced by the analysts during the interpretation process influences area estimates of earth surface features.

Kaitlyn McCollum (MS Agricultural Economics) and Matthew Thoman (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management) tested the transferability of threshold values of commonly used indices for mapping water bodies. In their talk they described how well threshold values generated for one water body can be transferred to other water bodies in space and time.



Additional photos from these presentations can be found at WyomingView’s Google+ site.

WyomingView workshop highlights the value of no-cost Landsat data for natural resources monitoring

WyomingView coordinator Ramesh Sivanpillai described how no-cost Landsat data can be used for monitoring and mapping natural resources in one of the several pre-conference workshops of the 2013 Geospatial Conference of the West held in Laramie, WY. Participants were introduced to remote sensing basics and data characteristics in order to provide an overview of various data sources along with various advantages of Landsat data.

Landsat data constitute the longest collection of remotely sensed earth observations. Starting 2008, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has made the entire Landsat data archive available to users at no-cost which has created an unprecedented opportunity for monitoring and mapping changes to the earth’s surface features.

Participants were introduced to similarities and differences among data collected by various Landsat satellites and how to search and download them for their area of interest from USGS’ web portal - Earth Explorer (earthexplorer.usgs.gov). More information about Landsat data can be found at: landsat.usgs.gov.

Researchers generate crop growth patterns for Wyoming farmlands from satellite images

Article originally published in Reflections a publication of the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Publication date: June 2013; pages 40-42)

Access the issue online at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/reflections/reflections-2013-web.pdf (4.2MB)

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Researchers generate crop growth patterns for Wyoming farmlands from satellite images

Under precision-agriculture or site-specific management practices, farmers split fields into discrete zones based upon underlying soil properties and past crop growth patterns. By dividing the field into zones, a farmer can devote more resources to zones with medium to low growth to increase output.

Remotely sensed data (images) of crop growth acquired during the growing season in multiple years are essential to understand and map differences in crop growth through time. Data collected in the infrared region (invisible to human eyes) are particularly useful to distinguish differences in crop growth in a field. 

Advances in technology are enabling us to acquire remotely sensed images using sensors mounted in balloons, unmanned aerial systems, or farm vehicles (tractors and trucks, for example). 

Images collected by Landsat satellites date back to the early 1970s and comprise the longest and one of the most complete collections of remotely sensed images. Since these images are acquired once every 16 days, farmers can use them to monitor growth patterns during one or more growing seasons. 

In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) opened the entire Landsat image archive free to users. Now any user can download images directly from the USGS websites http://glovis.usgs.gov or http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov. 

Infrared images acquired by a Landsat satellite show changes in crop growth during the 2007 growing season. Crops with high growth (or vigor) appear bright red due to more reflection in the infrared region. Darker shades of red indicate medium- to low-growth areas. Harvested areas and bare ground appear in shades of green and blue.

University of Wyoming students enrolled in the remote sensing for agricultural management course are taking advantage of this to monitor fields in Wyoming or their home states. 

Monitoring crop growth in one growing season

Carson Hessenthaler, agricultural business major from Lovell, compared sugar beet growth in a field near Lovell that had uneven soil fertility. Using three Landsat images acquired at different times of the year, he tracked growth in areas that showed poor, medium, and high growth at the start of the growing season (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Landsat images revealed differences in the sugar beet growth for the
2011 growing season at a farm near Lovell.

His analysis revealed that areas with high-, medium-, and poor-growth patterns at the start of the season stayed more or less same until the end of the season. However, areas with poor growth at the start had relatively more growth, albeit small, throughout the season and ultimately narrowed the gap with the other two categories. 

Mapping crop growth between growing seasons

Matthew Thoman, rangeland ecology and watershed management major from Riverton, mapped winter wheat growth patterns in non-irrigated fields east of Cheyenne. Using Landsat images acquired in April, May, and June of 2007 and 2009, he mapped winter wheat growth for the two growing seasons (Figure 2). 

Figure 2: Variations in the winter wheat growth in non-irrigated
fields near  Cheyenne in 2007 (left column) and 2009 (right column).
Each square represents 0.22 acres (900 square meters) on the ground.
Dark green to light green correspond to high to medium growth.  
Yellow and brown colors correspond to low and no growth.

Combining data from three Landsat images acquired during each growing season, he was able to see that between 2007 and 2009, the area under high growth increased from 1.3 to 5.5 acres shown in dark green (Field 1). This increase occurred mostly in areas that had medium growth in 2007. Some of the medium growth areas of 2007 had lower growth in 2009 (yellow); however, this decline was noticed along the edges.

The second field showed increases in high and medium categories and decreases in low and bare ground categories. While no part of this field was classified as high growth in 2007, four acres witnessed high growth in 2009. On the other hand, areas of low growth decreased from approximately 11 acres in 2007 to 5 acres in 2009.

These examples demonstrate how information derived from Landsat images can be used to identify areas where crop growth varies between years. Farmers and crop consultants can use this information to devise suit-able management plans for increasing crop growth.

Tracking changes through multiple years

Availability of free Landsat images provides numerous other possibilities for monitoring growth in Wyoming croplands. For example, farmers can adapt Hessenthaler’s technique and obtain images from several years to analyze crop growth prior to its maturity.

Satellite images monitor vegetation response in Wyoming rangelands

Article originally published in Reflections a publication of the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Publication date: June 2012; pages 26-29)

Access the issue online at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/reflections/2012/reflections-2012-web.pdf (5.5 MB)


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Satellite images monitor vegetation response in Wyoming rangelands

Students capitalize on no-cost Landsat images to map rangeland vegetation

Rangeland vegetation responds to both environmental variations (e.g., drought, precipitation) and human interventions (e.g., grazing management). These responses can be rapid (e.g., wildfire), seasonal (e.g., grazing) or slow (e.g., invasion of non-native species).

Ranchers, land managers, and planners need periodic information about where and how changes are occurring. Collecting change information through field surveys is expensive and time-consuming and often does not provide a complete picture because only a portion of the area is sampled.

Monitor and Map Vegetation Responses

Remotely sensed images can be used for monitoring and mapping vegetation response to environmental and human influences. Since information derived from remotely sensed data is not always similar to data collected in the field, researchers have developed indices and metrics that can provide valuable insights for monitoring and mapping natural resources. With the availability of more types of remotely sensed data, new indices and metrics are also being developed for monitoring vegetation in rangelands and elsewhere.

University of Wyoming students enrolled in the Remote Sensing for Agricultural Management course are trained in the use of remotely sensed data for monitoring and mapping vegetation in rangelands and forests. In addition to learning remote sensing concepts, students are required to complete an inquiry-based research project of their choice involving use of remotely sensed data for answering questions pertaining to natural resource management.

Images Cover 100 x 100 miles

Most students use Landsat data provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS) through the GloVis website for monitoring or mapping vegetation response in rangelands, forests, and agricultural fields. Each image (referred to as a scene) covers roughly 100 miles x 100 miles on the ground and contains information in the visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Landsat images can be used for mapping present and past (since 1972) conditions of rangelands, forests, crop fields, lakes, and other earth surface features (Figure 1).

		Figure 1: Landsat images acquired in 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2011 for an area adjacent to Keyhole Reservoir near Moorcroft demonstrate their utility for monitoring changes in natural resources such as vegetation rangeland and riparian zones and water. Intensity of green color can be associated with high (bright) and low (dark) vigor. Vegetation growth is low (few areas in green) during drought years (2002 and 2005) and relatively higher in normal and wet years (1999 and 2011). The surface area of the reservoir also fluctuates between these years as a result of natural and human influences.

Although Landsat satellites have collected data since 1972, their widespread use was somewhat limited because of the high cost associated with acquiring those images. However, since December 2008, USGS is providing all Landsat images at no-cost to users, which has generated an unprecedented opportunity for students enrolled in this class.

Students interested in rangeland management have obtained numerous Landsat images for monitoring vegetation growth and mapping changes in vegetation conditions over time. Almost all students selected ranches either their parents owned or where the students worked in the summer.

Monitors Rangeland Allotments

Selecting familiar study sites provides a unique opportunity for evaluating the utility of Landsat image information. Clint Beiermann, an agroecology major, analyzed vegetation responses in three rangeland allotments where he worked one summer. Analyses of Landsat images from May 17, June 2, June 18, and July 4, 2007, (Figure 2) showed different vegetation growth rates between allotments. Grasses and forbs grew early in the season in one type of allotment while growth was delayed in another. During the end of the growing season, differences between allotments were minimal. He concluded Landsat images can be used for routine monitoring of rangeland vegetation.

		Figure 2: Landsat images acquired from May through July 2007 were used for monitoring vegetation (green) growth in allotments under different management regimes. Water in the ponds appears black, and allotment boundaries (white) were superimposed on the image. Clouds and their shadows (bottom left of July 7 image below) could limit the use of Landsat data.

Studies Grazing Effects

Having image data for the entire study area enabled identification of patterns and anomalies (areas of high, medium, and low growth). Brandon Greet, also an agroecology major, monitored the grazing impact on a ranch in the Big Horn Mountains using Landsat images from June 29, August 25, and September 17, 2008. He categorized vegetation in this rangeland into high, medium, and low vigor  and found the area of the low-vigor vegetation class increased during the growing season. Further, he noticed vegetation re-growth in September in some of the areas classified as bare ground in the August image. He generated maps that showed where these changes have occurred, which could help ranchers improve grazing by focusing cattle on under-utilized areas.

Most students (and owners of the ranches where they worked) had a general sense of the changes in vegetation composition and patterns. Visualizing those changes in Landsat images acquired several years apart sheds new light on the types and magnitude.

Researches Forage Availability

Matthew Allshouse (a rangeland and ecology management major) monitored forage availability and riparian vegetation at a ranch near Laramie (Figure 3). Over the last several years, this ranch shifted from intensive grazing to multiple-objective management. Ranch owners have implemented a rest rotation grazing regime, fenced off riparian areas, and also built a reservoir to improve riparian habitat. Allshouse obtained a Landsat image from 2001 to establish baseline vegetation conditions and used the 2006 and 2011 images for monitoring and mapping how vegetation responded to the changes in management practices.

Students gained experience processing remotely sensed data and extracting information pertinent to their research questions by working independently on
their projects. They evaluated several vegetation indices derived from Landsat
data and determined the suitability for monitoring and mapping rangeland vegetation. Over the past few years, students enrolled in this course have used Landsat and other remotely sensed data for monitoring natural resources in Wyoming and other states. Several students have also presented their research work at the Wyoming Undergraduate Research Days.

As more and more students take advantage of the no-cost Landsat data, findings from their research projects may benefit the community by providing insights about the utility and limitations of Landsat data for natural resource monitoring in Wyoming and elsewhere.

2010 FLOODING: LARAMIE, WYO.

The Laramie River topped its banks in June 2010 Albany County as a result of snowmelt, flooding several streets and parks in the City of Laramie (more information on Laramie Boomerang). City’s Greenbelt and several properties were severely impacted as a result of this flooding event. Albany County Emergency Management personnel had to divert water upstream of Laramie to protect properties in the city.

Data collected by Thematic Mapper on the Landsat 5 satellite on 21 June 2010 (above) shows the extent of flooding (water appears black in color). Laramie River appears as a narrow, meandering feature in the 29 June 2007 (normal flow) image also acquired by Landsat 5.

Data collected by Landsat and other moderate resolution satellites can be used to gain insights about past flooding patterns and devise plans to minimize the impacts of future floods.

Landsat satellites are jointly managed by USGS (http://landsat.usgs.gov/) and NASA (http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/).

URBAN GROWTH: CHEYENNE, WYO.

In 1867, when it was granted a permanent city charter by the Dakota Territory legislature the City of Cheyenne was home to approximately 600 people. In 2010 its population was nearly 60,000 a 100-fold increase.

Data collected by Thematic Mapper sensor (on the Landsat 5 satellite) in 1985 (1980 Pop: 47,283) and 2011 (2010 Pop: 59,466) shows Cheyenne’s growth over 26 years. Highways I-80 and I-25 cross each other in southwest Cheyenne. Most of the growth has occurred in the northern and northeastern parts of the city. Green tones correspond to vegetation such as trees, shrubs, grasses, and croplands.

Ongoing construction activities are visible in the eastern side (County Fairgrounds) and southwest side (industrial complex) of the 2011 image. Change detection using imagery can help us understand the past and better plan for the future.

The Landsat 5 satellite was launched by NASA and operated by USGS for monitoring earth’s surface.

Sources: USGS (http://landsat.usgs.gov/) and Wyoming's Economic Analysis Division (http://eadiv.state.wy.us/demog_data/cntycity_hist.htm)

WyomingView interns present their research findings in the 2010 GIS in the Rockies Conference

WyomingView interns (spring 2010 semester) Paul Arendt and William (Bill) Gray presented their research findings in the 23rd annual GIS in the Rockies Conference in Loveland, CO.

Using Landsat images Paul Arendt (BA Geography) analyzed the spectral reflectance patterns of areas impacted by the Mountain pine beetle in the Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming.  He combined Landsat observations with aerial survey data collected by the US Forest Service to identify differences in the reflectance patterns of beetle infected (n=77) and non-infected (n=50) areas. He calculated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Tasseled Cap Wetness Index for these sites and found that both indices had lower values at affected sites and these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Within the 77 beetle infected sites, the mean NDVI and Tasseled Cap wetness values were higher (p < 0.01) in the patchy lower forest (< 2567 m) in comparison to the subalpine lodgepole pine (>2568 m) forest.  Describing the value of this research, Paul commented "...this project served as an excellent introduction to the process of scientific research".

Bill Gray (MA Planning) used Landsat images acquired from 1984 through 2009 to map changes in the surface area of Ocean Lake in Freemont County, Wyoming. Using images acquired in spring and fall for 27 years, he mapped changes in the surface area and compared the within- and between-year variations.  His findings revealed that the lake's surface area in spring (2442 hectares) was less in comparison to the surface area in fall or autumn (2457 hectares).  The overall area showed a declining trend from 2536 ha (fall 1986) to 2392 ha (fall 2009).

Both studies were possible due to the availability of no-cost Landsat data.  Prior to the no-cost Landsat data era, purchasing 54 images that Bill Gray used in his study, would have cost him US$ 35,000 which would be beyond the reach of any graduate student.  "A unique aspect of this study is that it offers the end-user a technique to use the free archive of LandSat images in a time series for analysis..." said Bill Gray.

Every semester WyomingView offers internships to UW undergraduate and graduate students to work on projects that use remotely sensed data for addressing natural resource management issues in Wyoming.

Enhanced learning through student selected agricultural remote sensing projects

Article originally published in Reflections a publication of the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Publication date: June 2010; pages 56-58)

Access the issue online at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/reflections/2010/reflections_2010.pdf (5.3 MB)

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Enhanced learning through student selected agricultural remote sensing projects

Students utilize high-tech opportunities to examine Wyoming crop, ranch, and forest areas 

Carla Grefroh of Douglas, WY compares vegetation on her family’s ranch during drought and wet years

Images from earth observation satellites provide valuable information for students and researchers interested in monitoring natural resources. These remotely sensed images provide a bird-eye’s view of the earth’s surface and enable monitoring of rangelands, shrublands, and forests.

Many remote sensing satellites collect images at regular intervals, giving researchers an opportunity to monitor changes on the earth’s surface.  They can also be used to characterize variability in vegetation conditions within an agricultural field, ranch, or forest.  Vegetation growth stage (emergent vs. full canopy) and condition (healthy vs. stressed) can be determined by examining reflected infrared light, which is measured by many remote sensing satellites.

In general, remotely sensed images contain a wealth of information about the earth’s surface and are valuable for a wide range of users.

Remotely sensed satellites divide the earth surface into a uniform grid comprised of pixels and record the amount of reflected visible and infrared light coming to the satellite from each pixel.  Analysts examine the pattern of reflected light across a range of wavelengths to extract information about places in an image.  For example, a farmer can monitor changes in crop growth during the growing season using a series of Landsat images (Box 1).  A rancher can map forage conditions on a ranch and also identify areas of poor or no vegetation growth.

Box 1: Landsat images

Landsat images have been collected by a series of remote sensing satellites operated by the U.S. government since early 1970s (http://landsat.usgs.gov) and represent an extensive civilian archive in terms of duration (more than 36 years) and geographic coverage. Landsat collects a new image every 16 days for every place on earth.  Each image covers a relatively large geographic area (approximately 90 miles x 90 miles). Landsat records information from the visible region and the infrared regions of the spectrum, which is useful for monitoring vegetation condition and for a wide variety of other applications. Countless studies have demonstrated the value of Landsat data for monitoring changes in croplands, rangelands and forests. Landsat images are useful when monitoring rangelands and croplands through conventional field surveys is not feasible due to cost or access issues.

Increasing student employment potential

Changes introduced by natural disturbances, such as wildfires and droughts, and anthropogenic activities, such as land conversion, are creating new applications of remotely sensed imagery.  Because the imagery is so valuable, several countries have launched remotely sensed satellites to collect earth observation data.  In the U.S., federal and state government agencies, as well as private companies, are launching and operating remote sensing satellites. Students who learn image processing and interpretation skills as part of their academic training often increase their employment potential.

Ag remote sensing projects

UW students are learning to implement many of the applications described above in the Applied Remote Sensing for Agricultural Management (BOT/RNEW 4130/5130 and AECL4130) course.  One requirement of this course is that students complete a class project using imagery to answer questions about a real-world agricultural issue. For example, some students use images of their parent’s farm or ranch to obtain a better understanding of crop growth patterns by comparing the images to conditions observed on the ground.

Students associate areas of poor growth (often characterized by low infrared reflectance) identified in the image to problems such as soil alkalinity or poor water drainage.  Similarly, several students obtained images acquired in normal and drought years for rangelands and mapped changes in vegetation condition.  Students enhanced their learning experience by selecting images for areas of interest to them rather than working on pre-defined laboratory exercises.

Mapping crop growth in the Big Horn River Basin

Garret Klein and Laramie Wiginton (rangeland ecology majors), Chris Heil (agroecology major) and Travis Yeik (geography major) used Landsat images for monitoring crop growth in agricultural fields in Freemont and Washakie counties.

Klein and Wiginton mapped crop growth by computing a vegetation index derived from the amount of reflected red and infrared light.  Based on their research, they concluded Landsat images could be used to accurately identify areas of poor and medium growth for different crops; however, they noticed some weed infested areas also had high infrared reflectance due to dense canopy, thereby reducing the utility of Landsat data under these circumstances.

Yeik analyzed growth patterns in sugar beets and alfalfa crops in Worland using Landsat images acquired from 2006, 2007, and 2008.  This multi-year analysis of crop growth patterns was necessary for identifying areas of poor and high growth and for devising appropriate management plans to help improve crop yields.

Assessing wildfire damage to forest vegetation

Using Landsat images, Cody Tully estimated wildfire burn severity of a fire in Medicine Bow National Forest, Brice Stanton and Adam Stephens for a fire in the Black Hills National Forest, and Anne Morabito for a fire in Southern California. Stanton and Tully worked on firefighting teams and had firsthand knowledge of the impacts of fire on forest vegetation.  This knowledge was valuable for interpreting the information derived from Landsat images about burn severity patterns.

Cody Tully of Sinclair, WY helped fight the 2006 Isabelle Fire that burned near
Lake Owen in Southeast Wyoming. He is examining satellite images of the burn

Tully fought the 2006 Isabelle Fire that burned 1 mile south of Lake Owen in southeast Wyoming.  Burn Ratio Indices derived from the Landsat images acquired before and after the wildfire enabled him to distinctly classify the burned areas and also group them by severity classes.

Using the same method, Morabito (a California native) generated burn severity maps depicting various levels of damage caused by the Station Fire near Los Angeles in Southern California during August 2009.   Methodology used by these students is identical to the methods used by federal and state land management agencies tasked with fighting wildfires and monitoring vegetation establishment in burned areas.

Monitoring Wyoming Rangelands

Most students used Landsat images for monitoring rangelands throughout Wyoming.  Students compared vegetation condition during drought years to normal years and estimated the differences in spectral reflectance in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.  For example, Carla Gefroh (rangeland ecology major) compared the vegetation condition for her family ranch using images acquired in June 2002 and 2009, representing drought and wet years, respectively.  Landsat images highlighted changes in vegetation condition during the drought and wet years.

Monitoring vegetation response to drought was one topic in the class.  Other projects included monitoring vegetation condition in a growing season for estimating forage availability and areas of overgrazing.  The synoptic view provided by Landsat images was invaluable for gaining insights about vegetation condition in rangelands, and repeat coverage helped students to map those changes.

USGS Offers Landsat Satellite Images for Free

In December 2008, the entire Landsat satellite image archive was made available for free through the U.S. Geological Survey.  Previously, images had to be purchased (terrain corrected images could cost as much as $800) unless they were archived by programs like AmericaView (http://www.americaview.org) or on dedicated public Web sites like that of the Global Land Cover Facility (http://glcf.umiacs.umd.edu).

The recent availability of no-cost Landsat images has created opportunities and enhanced learning experiences for students. When fewer no-cost Landsat images were available, students had to modify the scope of their projects to match data availability.  Now, students can download any number of images for anywhere on earth.

UW students enrolled in the Applied Remote Sensing for Agricultural Management course are taking advantage of this valuable opportunity and are using these images for monitoring and mapping Wyoming croplands, rangelands, and forests.

UW Range students present wildfire damage assessment research in the 2009 Undergraduate Research Day

Adam Stephens and Brice Stanton (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management major) presented their research on mapping burn severity near Deadwood, SD using Landsat images acquired prior and after the Grizzly Gulch Fire.  Brice had first hand knowledge of the burn severity at these sites from his work with the US Forest Service.  They determined burn severity classes, based on the changes in the Normalized Burn Ratio Index (NBRI) values in pre- and post-fire images.

Sites that burned the most (high severity) witnessed a large drop in their NBRI values between the pre- and post-fire images, while the unburned sites had no change.  They were able to associate remaining burn categories to the magnitude of change in the NBRI values.

Post-fire Landsat infrared image	Post-fire NBRI image
Burn severity map derived from pre- and post-fire Landsat images

Describing the value of this project in terms of his career, Brice said "I learned how to use remote sensing and apply it to the forest, by either grass management, or by being able to map a fire, and by learning how to do this I will be able to use what I have learned to be able to make decisions on the forest that I work."

This presentation was the second presentation by the WyomingView interns in annual Undergraduate Research Day event.

Title:  Mapping Burn Severity within the Grizzly Gulch Fire Using Remote Sensing Techniques.
Their presentation can be viewed at UW Digital Library.

WyomingView intern Salerno highlights the utility of Landsat images for zoning crop field

Vincent Salerno (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management major) highlighted the utility of Landsat images for mapping variability in sugar beet growth.  His research was focused on generating information required for zoning fields based on how crops grows.  After zoning their fields, farmers can apply appropriate amount of fertilizers and other chemicals instead of treating the entire field as a single unit.

Landsat image of the sugar beet field in Worland, WY

Vincent Salerno, recipient of the spring 2008 WyomingView internship, processed Landsat images acquired in 2006 and 2007 for a field (192 acres) in Worland, Wyoming.

Vince digitally classified the images and identified areas of high, medium and low vigor (or growth) within the field.  By comparing crop growth patterns from both years, he generated a zone map for this field.

He reported that the infrared bands of the Landsat images are useful for identifying differences in crop growth.  Further he recommended that images of this farm, acquired in earlier years can be used for identifying past patterns of crop growth which can be used for refining the zone map.

This research was made possible through the invaluable support of Mr. Jim Gill, Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service agent for Washakie County, WY.

Vince presented his findings in the Wyoming Undergraduate Research Day events on 26 April 2008.
Title: Satellite Remote Sensing Technology for Identifying Variability in Sugar Beet Growth.

His presentation can be viewed in the UW Digital Library

Satellite imagery can help producers identify problems early

Source: UW Extension Service's press release
By: Vicki Hamende, Writer and Editor, Office of Ag Communications and Technology
Date: 2 Dec 2003

Orbiting satellites collecting data about land surfaces can help Wyoming producers learn information like where leafy spurge infestations are on the move and whether pastures are being overgrazed or undergrazed.

Through a year-old U.S. Geological Survey-funded program called WyomingView, investigators with the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WyGISC) hope to partner with the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service to use mapping and spatial analysis at the grass roots level to save time and money for ranchers and farmers.  Located in newly remodeled offices in the College of Agriculture building, the center is the state’s largest repository of geospatial data used by industries, state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private citizens.

WyomingView is part of AmericaView, a program that promotes remote sensing technology, education, and research. “CES fits in on the education side,” says Kenneth Driese, principal investigator for the project. “Extension agents can make contact with individual ranchers and farmers who might be interested in improving their operations.”

The services are free to producers, who simply file a request for particular overhead images of their property and receive the records they have asked for either through their own computers or through a limited number of provided satellite dishes and computers.

Information gleaned from downloaded photographs can distinguish cured grass from new growth, monitor the necessity for fungicide treatments, test the success of variable rate nitrogen applications, determine spray drift damage, and analyze how the discharge of water from coalbed methane operations is impacting rangelands.

One farmer in North Dakota, headquarters of the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium of which UW is a member, was able to increase his income by $33 per acre after learning through satellite imagery that he was applying herbicides inadequately.

“The satellite can pick up plant distress caused by things like wind damage or pest attack or nutrient deficiencies long before the human eye can,” explains Ramesh Sivanpillai, coordinator of WyomingView. By studying color-coded aerial material, he says, producers can monitor their fields to spot damage before it is too late to reverse it. Driese points out that WyGISC’s direct connection to the USGS data center guarantees that producers can receive current information within a day or two of when it is requested.

Satellite image of Farson, WY

“This year we collected several images during the growing season that we gave to the Natural Resources Conservation Service to report to farmers,” Sivanpillai says. “CES can be using the same technology.”

The two scientists say College of Agriculture Dean Frank Galey and Associate Dean and CES Director Glen Whipple have expressed excitement about the opportunity. The WyomingView colleagues have also met with some CES agents and say they are eager to travel to different counties to make presentations about the services and free software they offer.

“One area we are discussing with Glen is how we can work together to train CES people and to find out what type of information they need,” Sivanpillai says. “I think this technology can help the way CES people do their jobs. They can help producers use images to do comparative analyses and pilot studies to predict yields. We hope the CES people will be able to help the end users.”

Driese says WyomingView is trying to build a UW-based consortium of data consumers in the state. “We are reaching out to federal agencies and community colleges and CES and NRCS to get the coalition growing,” he explains. “We’d like to make educational opportunities more available both at the UW level and outside the university.”

Driese says the program is also trying to add more data to the www.wygisc.uwyo.edu/wyview Web site. “For a state so sparsely populated, Wyoming is pretty far ahead of some areas in developing spatial data that farmers and ranchers can access,” Driese says. “There’s quite a lot of expertise growing on how to use it.” He notes that there are companies that provide sophisticated spectral analysis in parts of the country with more industrialized farming.

Sivanpillai says the program can help most producers in the state no matter how limited their holdings. “We’re small enough in Wyoming that they can just stop by or give us a call.”