The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has become an instrumental part of our daily lives. It is used for things like navigation, land surveying, and mapping, just to name a few. While the geodetic applications of GNSS are incredibly powerful, they do encounter limitations because of unknowns in their calculations. One important factor that contributes … Continued
Why have a GPS station in the middle of a lake? Based on a recent study published by Lucas Holden at RMIT University and Kristine Larson and the University of Colorado Boulder in the Journal of Geodesy, the reflection of the satellite signal can actually allow the station to precisely measure the changing water level around it. The researchers tested this out with ten years of data at Lake Taupō, New Zealand.
The amount of water that becomes available as snowpack melts is of critical importance in many regions where melting snow feeds rivers throughout the summer. But it’s not as easy to measure as you might think. Snow density varies, so accurately estimating the snow water equivalent (SWE) in an area can be quite labor-intensive. NASA’s … Continued
Weather satellites track hurricanes through a number of different types of measurements but all things have strengths and weaknesses. And when it comes to severe weather, there’s no such thing as too much data for improving forecasts. Believe it or not, GPS stations may be able to help.
Several earthquakes jolted the western US last year, including magnitude 6.5 events near Challis, Idaho and the Monte Cristo Range in Nevada, as well as a magnitude 5.7 near Salt Lake City and a 5.8 in Owens Valley, California. Damage was thankfully minor, but the quakes served as reminders that these are seismically active places. … Continued
As we work together to establish a vision for a comprehensive geophysical observatory beyond 2023, we recognize the importance of demonstrating the success of our collaboration now and in the past. The UNAVCO operated GAGE facility and the SAGE facility operated by IRIS comprise future components of The EarthScope Consortium, Inc.
Project Overview Researchers at Montana State University’s Subzero Research Laboratory (SRL) are exploring the potential for terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) to detect avalanche risk in real-time. An avalanche early warning system could significantly reduce the costs associated with shutting down mountain roadways and ski areas as well as save lives. In early December 2019, UNAVCO … Continued
Project Overview Florida coastal communities are periodically subjected to flooding events, which are induced by heavy rain, high tide, and storm surge. Over the past decade several coastal communities have experienced an increase in flooding frequency, causing significant impacts to property, commerce, and overall quality of life. Shimon Wdowinski’s recent study of Miami Beach flooding … Continued
Project Overview Ol Doinyo Lengai, a frequently active volcano in northern Tanzania, is instrumented with a real-time GNSS network to understand transient behavior and the relationship between volcanism and rifting. The data are telemetered to UNAVCO and then distributed free with open access through the UNAVCO Data Archive as well as the Tanzania Volcano Observatory … Continued
Project Overview Farming in coastal Bangladesh relies on polders, low-lying tracts of land enclosed by earthen embankments that protect the land from tidal surges. In a dynamic deltaic environment and a changing climate, the polders are under threat. Factors influencing long-term stability of polders include subsidence, sedimentation, river migrations, flooding, storm surges, and sea level … Continued