The OPERA (Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis) job, managed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, aims to provide users with prompt and free access to satellite-based observations of Earths dynamic surface water and land. The first round of OPERA items will be offered in April 2023, integrating information from numerous satellites, such as the ESA Sentinel-2 A/B, Landsat 8, and the just recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite. In OPERA, we focus on satisfying the functional needs identified by federal companies who rely on our work,” stated David Bekaert, OPERA task manager based at JPL. OPERAs Dynamic Surface Water eXtent product suite offers what might be the most detailed information source for keeping an eye on lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams. Matching its water item suite, OPERAs Surface Disturbance item uses HLS information to map modifications in plants cover.
A drought-stricken Lake Powell, the second largest tank in the U.S., is recorded here in 2014 by the Landsat 8 satellite. NASAs OPERA project brings together several area objectives to track such water and land changes.
Combining information from multiple satellites, OPERA can assist government companies, catastrophe responders, and the public gain access to information about natural and human effects to the land.
The OPERA (Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis) job, handled by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, aims to supply users with timely and complimentary access to satellite-based observations of Earths dynamic surface water and land. By leveraging cloud computing, OPERA turns massive amounts of satellite information into analysis-ready items for federal agencies, assisting in more informed decision-making. The preliminary of OPERA products will be available in April 2023, integrating data from numerous satellites, such as the ESA Sentinel-2 A/B, Landsat 8, and the just recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite. OPERAs item suite includes comprehensive monitoring of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams, in addition to mapping modifications in plant life cover and measuring North American surface displacement.
Where are flood waters streaming after major storms? Scientists routinely rely on data-intensive analysis and visualization of satellite observations to track Earths ever-changing surface.
The OPERA (Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis) job is handled by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with partners from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Maryland, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Southern Methodist University. Researchers developed OPERA in 2020 to deal with satellite data requires across various federal agencies and to allow much better access to details on everything from water management to wildfire tracking. The goal is to make specific satellite-based observations free and timely for users. The first offerings will be readily available in April 2023, with more to follow.
As a series of atmospheric river occasions deluged parts of California this winter, OPERAs surface water maps tape-recorded the possible overflow of numerous dams in a region that is home to millions of people. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
In OPERA, we focus on fulfilling the functional requirements recognized by federal agencies who rely on our work,” said David Bekaert, OPERA project manager based at JPL. Shortening the course from satellite observation to stakeholder decision is a key driver behind the overall execution and execution of OPERA.”
OPERA is aggregating an unique mix of user-friendly information about Earths dynamic surface water and land, kept in mind John Jones, a USGS scientist and OPERA task partner.
” The magic of OPERA is that it transcends any one area mission,” said Gerald Bawden, program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, who assisted picture the task as part of the interagency Satellite Needs Working Group. Produced by the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Group in the world Observations, the Satellite Needs Working Group looks for to determine the satellite requirements of U.S. federal companies and establish new remote sensing products that satisfy their observational spaces.
The OPERA Land Surface Disturbance Alert provisionary product revealed plant life loss west of Lake Tahoe following Californias biggest fire of 2022. The purple and red colors show significant loss. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The preliminary of OPERA items ties infrared and together noticeable measurements from the ESA (European Space Agency) Sentinel-2 A/B satellites and from Landsat 8, built by NASA and run by the USGS. These instruments will soon be augmented by information from the cloud-penetrating radars on ESAs Sentinel-1 A/B satellites and the just recently introduced Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, a partnership between NASA and the French space firm CNES (Centre National dÉtudes Spatiales). OPERA will ultimately consume satellite radar data from the NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, prepared for launch in 2024.
Mapping Surface Water
OPERAs Dynamic Surface Water eXtent product suite offers what may be the most comprehensive data source for keeping track of lakes, streams, rivers, and tanks. The very first phase counts on Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) optical data to produce near-global surface area water mapping every couple of days at a 30-meter spatial resolution. Subsequent stages will use Sentinel-1, SWOT, and NISAR radar observations to map surface area water regularly (because radar can permeate cloud cover).
For instance, when a series of 9 climatic river occasions brought heavy rain and snow to California in the winter season of 2022-23, several flood-control dams dealt with risks of overflowing. OPERAs surface water maps narrated the dramatic filling of these reservoirs.
Monitoring Surface Disturbance
OPERAs items offer brand-new insights into both ecological and geological procedures taking place in the worlds land surface areas. Complementing its water product suite, OPERAs Surface Disturbance product utilizes HLS information to map modifications in plants cover. It might be used to observe the scars and regrowth after wildfires, track growing cities, or even find insect infestations in forests.
” We are very thrilled to use incorporated Landsat and Sentinel-2 information,” stated Matt Hansen, a teacher at the University of Maryland and OPERA project partner. “The combined observations offer an unmatched capability and, we anticipate, an unprecedented record of international land change.”
The Mosquito Fire was found on September 6, 2022, and burned primarily in the Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests. OPERAs surface area disturbance information product shows vegetation losses due to the fire– Californias biggest of the year– which covered some 76,788 acres and lasted for 50 days.
Determining North America Surface Displacement
OPERAs third product, slated for release in late 2024, will offer a history of how much land surfaces in North America have moved, or deformed, due to geologic and human activities. The surface area displacement product will map surface motion that is otherwise imperceptible without a large network of GPS instruments.
” This is a transformative item for identifying landslides, sinkholes, earthquakes, volcanoes– anything that is altering the land surface,” said Bawden. “Using these satellites, were able to measure movements on the ground surface area less than an inch. And we can start to explore how those motions are affecting everything living there.”
All OPERA items are publicly available. The surface water and surface disturbance products are presently available through NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers, Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, and Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, respectively.