Remote Sensing of Natural Disasters

Earth is an integrated, complex system with strong coupling among atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere processes. The US Geological Survey has reported globally more than 17 earthquakes per year with a magnitude 7 and higher in the last 18 years. The remote sensing community is actively and quickly moving toward more advanced methodologies, linking remote sensing with in situ measurements and ancillary data for more precise mapping, faster analysis, and more effective forecasting and data delivery to the user community. The International Charter BSpace and Major Disasters was established to enable such collaboration in sensor tasking during times of crisis and is often activated in response to calls for assistance from authorized users. Insight is provided from a US perspective into sensor support for Charter activations and other disaster events.