How Satellites Are Mapping the Ocean Floor Without Getting Wet

Landsat satellites have gone beyond observing Earth’s land by enabling new methods to measure ocean depth in shallow coastal waters. Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed an algorithm that uses Landsat’s visible-light observations to derive bathymetry—critical for tracking coastal changes and coral reef health. This method overcomes challenges of traditional sonar and lidar […]

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Landsat satellites have gone beyond observing Earth’s land by enabling new methods to measure ocean depth in shallow coastal waters. Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed an algorithm that uses Landsat’s visible-light observations to derive bathymetry—critical for tracking coastal changes and coral reef health. This method overcomes challenges of traditional sonar and lidar…

Landsat satellites have gone beyond observing Earth’s land by enabling new methods to measure ocean depth in shallow coastal waters. Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed an algorithm that uses Landsat’s visible-light observations to derive bathymetry—critical for tracking coastal changes and coral reef health. This method overcomes challenges of traditional sonar and lidar…