No. 51, May/June 2002 Using geospatial technologies to understand dryland dynamics Monitoring dust storms and mapping landscape vulnerability to wind erosion using satellite and ground-based digital images by Pat S. Chavez, Jr., David J. Mackinnon, Richard L. Reynolds, and Miguel G. Velasco In this study by the U.S. Geological Survey, researchers are investigating "remotely sensed satellite, airborne, and ground-based image data to determine their ability to detect and monitor active dust storms, as well as to map areas vulnerable to wind erosion." z Introduction z Setting z Methods and discussions z Satellite - based imaging z Stand - alone, ground - based digital camera station z Mapping landscape vulnerability to wind erosion z Results and conclusions z Acknowledgements z References z Author information z Additional web resources Note: Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Introduction (Back to top) Wind-induced dust emission in the southwestern United States is important regionally because of its impact on human health and safety and its influence on ecosystem dynamics. Factors that control dust emission include wind velocity, sediment availability, and surface conditions (e.g., vegetation type and degree of cover, surface crusts and armoring, and soil moisture - Gillette and Passi, 1988; Gillette and Hanson 1989; Marticorena and others, 1997). Emission of dust from the land surface is a process of degradation that depletes fine- grained minerals needed for optimum vegetation growth, creates potentially hazardous air quality for humans on a local and regional scale, and can affect climate on a regional and global scale. Future climatic change may lead to increased aridification of southwestern deserts, reducing protective vegetation and enhancing dust emissions, thereby increasing the impacts of dust in this region. It is currently not well understood how climate change in the Southwest will affect dust emission and, in turn, how dust emission will affect climate and human health. As part of a study of landscape vulnerability to wind erosion and the potential impacts of dust, we are investigating remotely sensed satellite, airborne, and ground-based image data to determine their ability to detect and monitor active dust storms, as well as to map areas vulnerable to wind erosion. A main objective has been to investigate the use of high temporal resolution digital images collected by satellite and a long-term, ground-based digital camera station, along with wind data collected at our field sites, to detect, monitor, and analyze the location, size, frequency, duration, and transport patterns of dust storms in the Mojave Desert of the southwestern United States. Page 1 of 8 ALN No. 51: Chavez et al.: Monitoring dust storms and mapping landscape vulnerability to wind erosion