Landslides Toolkit
Landslides are some of the most common natural disasters, killing thousands of people each year. The mass movement of land (sediments and soils, bedrock and boulders, and even whole mountainsides) down a slope is induced by the force of gravity. There are numerous contributing forces to a landslide, many of which can be monitored or observed using remotely sensed data.
Discover Data
Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM); Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Final Precipitation Data in Earthdata Search. Earthdata Search is a data discovery application that enables access to NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Earth science data that are archived at and distributed by EOSDIS Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs).
Discover Landslide Data
Rainfall
Intense or prolonged rainfall is the most frequent trigger of landslides. Excessive rainfall reduces friction between materials and increases water pressure within soil pores. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of slope failure.
- Discover rain data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore rain data imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore rain data at NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC)
- Explore rain data at NASA's Global Hydrometeorology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center (GHRC DAAC)
- Explore rain data at NASA’s National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC (NSIDC DAAC)
Webinars
- Data Access and Visualization of Model Data at GES DISC
- NetCD-what? An Ecologist’s Guide to Working with Daymet and other NetCDF-formatted Data
- Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Precipitation Products and Services at GES DISC
- Atmospheric Event based Research using GHRC DAAC Tools and Services
Data Tutorials/Recipes
- Daymet Single Pixel Data Extraction: Web Services
- How to Import MERRA Surface Product Data into ArcGIS
- Visualize NSIDC data as WMS layers with ArcGIS and Google Earth
Socioeconomic-related Landslide Data
Socioeconomic data help assess the exposure and vulnerability of a community to a landslide. Exposure is the presence of people, ecosystems, and infrastructure in places that could be adversely affected; vulnerability is the likelihood of being adversely affected.
Landslide Hazard
- Discover landslide hazard data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore the landslide hazard layer in NASA Worldview
- Explore landslide hazard data at NASA’s Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)
Population
- Discover population data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore population data imagery in NASA Worldview
- Estimate population in a user-defined area using SEDAC's Population Estimation Service
- Explore population data at SEDAC
Webinars
- Gridded Population and Settlement Data: An Introduction to the POPGRID Data Collaborative
- Mapping Global Urbanization from Landsat Data and High-Resolution Reference Data
- Remote Sensing Derived Environmental Indicators for Decision Making
Data Tutorials/Recipes
- HBASE: Human Built-up and Settlement Extent and GMIS: Global Man-made Impervious Surface Data Products from SEDAC
- Introduction to the SEDAC Population Estimation Service and Mapping Tool
Freeze/Thaw Conditions
As sediments go through the weathering process of freezing and thawing, the cohesion between rock grains is reduced. This destabilizes the overall structure of the material and contributes to landslides.
- Discover freeze/thaw data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore freeze/thaw data imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore freeze/thaw data at NSIDC DAAC
Webinars
Data Tutorials/Recipes
- SMAP Python notebooks
- Learn how to work with SMAP data at NSIDC DAAC
- How to read SMAP data into MATLAB, Python, R, IDL, or NCL
- Visualize NSIDC data as WMS layers with ArcGIS and Google Earth
Topography
An area’s slope is a critical factor in the potential for land movement and a community’s risk for being impacted by a landslide. Knowledge of local topography is essential for disaster managers and emergency response professionals to accurately assess an area’s risk for landslides and provide aid during a natural disaster.
- Discover topography data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore topography data imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore land surface topography/elevation data at NASA's Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC)
Data Recipes/Tutorials
Detecting Power Outages Using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB)
VIIRS DNB imagery show Earth’s surface and atmosphere using a sensor designed to capture low-light emission sources under varying illumination conditions. This product is an excellent resource for assessing power outages across large areas. NASA’s Black Marble product removes cloud-contaminated pixels and corrects for atmospheric, terrain, vegetation, snow, lunar, and stray light effects on the VIIRS DNB radiances and enables nightlight data to be used effectively for scientific observations.
- Discover VIIRS DNB data and imagery using Earthdata Search
- Discover Black Marble data and imagery using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore VIIRS nighttime imagery in NASA Worldview
- Interactively explore Black Marble imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore VIIRS DNB data at NASA’s Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System DAAC (LAADS DAAC)
- Explore Black Marble data at LAADS DAAC
NASA Earth observing data provide important information for assessing landslide hazards. These data also provide information on factors contributing to landslides that can help in understanding the exposure and vulnerabilities of communities as well as damage assessment and response. This Toolkit is designed to support research into landslide-related disasters by providing easy access to data and other resources.
Visualize and Interactively Explore Data
NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Freeze/Thaw 9 km Layer in NASA Worldview. The NASA Worldview imagery mapping and visualization application provides the capability to interactively browse global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers.
Soil Moisture
The amount of soil moisture in an area prior to a rainfall event is an important variable in landslide potential. Rainfall decreases soil shear strength by increasing soil saturation. Oversaturated soil can increase landslide potential and contribute to excess runoff.
- Discover soil moisture data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore soil moisture data imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore soil moisture data at GES DISC
- Explore soil moisture data at NSIDC DAAC
- Explore soils datasets at NASA's Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL DAAC)
Webinars
Data Tutorials/Recipes
- SMAP Python Notebooks
- Learn how to work with SMAP data at NSIDC DAAC
- How to read SMAP data into MATLAB, Python, R, IDL, or NCL
- Visualize NSIDC data as WMS layers with ArcGIS and Google Earth
- How do I import AMSR-E Daily Soil Moisture data into ArcGIS?
Vegetation
Vegetation holds soil in place. Without the root systems of trees, bushes, and plants land is more likely to slide away. Slopes with sparse vegetation or that lose their vegetation to fire or drought are more vulnerable to landslides. Vegetation indices created from remotely sensed satellite data enable the assessment of vegetative health and the spatial extent of green, healthy vegetation.
- Discover vegetation index data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore vegetation index imagery in NASA Worldview
- Learn more about NASA fire data resources in the Wildfires Toolkit
- Explore vegetation index data at LP DAAC
- Explore vegetation datasets at ORNL DAAC
Webinars
- NASA ORNL DAAC MODIS and VIIRS Data Tools and Services at your Fingertips
- Creating and Using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Satellite Imagery using QGIS
Data Tutorials/Recipes
-
Getting Started with MODIS Version 6 Vegetation Indices Data (Part 1)
- Getting Started with MODIS Version 6 Vegetation Indices Data (Part 2)
- Getting Started with MODIS Version 6 Vegetation Indices Data (Part 3)
- Links to LP DAAC resources related to vegetation indices
- Navigating the New LP DAAC Website: Searching for Data
Land Surface Reflectance
Earthquakes and changes to the land surface from wildfires, road building, and deforestation can contribute to slope instability and trigger landslides. Specific spectral band combinations in the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and VIIRS sensors make it easier to identify land surface areas that might be burned or free of vegetation and more prone to landslides.
- Discover land surface reflectance data using Earthdata Search
- Interactively explore land surface reflectance imagery in NASA Worldview
- Interactively explore MODIS Corrected Reflectance Bands 7-2-1 imagery in NASA Worldview
- Interactively explore VIIRS Corrected Reflectance Bands 11-I2-I1 imagery in NASA Worldview
- Explore surface reflectance data at LP DAAC
Webinars
-
Navigating NASA's LP DAAC to Find Answers to your Deepest Land Data Questions
- R you Ready to Python? An Introduction to Working with Land Remote Sensing Data in R and Python
- Exploring Earth’s Land Surface with Suomi NPP NASA VIIRS Land Data
Data Tutorials/Recipes
- Links to LP DAAC resources related to surface reflectance
- Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data: All about Accessing the Data
- Getting Started with VIIRS Surface Reflectance Data: Using the Data
- Getting Started with NASA MODIS Version 6 Surface Reflectance Data: Accessing the Data
- Getting Started with NASA MODIS Version 6 Surface Reflectance Data: Using the Data
- Getting Started with NASA MODIS Version 6 Surface Reflectance Data: Interpreting Quality Information
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
The wavelengths used for creating SAR imagery can penetrate clouds, smoke, soil, ice, and tree canopies, meaning that high-relief SAR imagery can be created day or night, rain or shine. SAR can be used to precisely measure changes in land elevation, such as after a landslide.
- Discover SAR data using Earthdata Search
- Explore SAR data at NASA's Alaska Satellite Facility DAAC (ASF DAAC)
Webinars
Data Tutorials/Recipes
Getting Started
About the Data
NASA provides data from a variety of sources including satellites, airborne campaigns, field campaigns, in situ instruments, and model outputs. NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) offers a wide variety of freely and openly available data that can be used to evaluate disaster-related events.
Brian Conway uses SAR and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data to determine the spatial extent, magnitude, and rate of historical and current land subsidence.
Dr. Bernard Hubbard uses NASA Earth science data to help locate mineral resources and assess natural hazards.
Dr. Kristy Tiampo uses high-resolution satellite data and imagery to study natural (and human-created) hazards in order to help mitigate and respond to events caused by these hazards.
Landslides Data Pathfinder
Disasters Data Pathfinder
Published February 2, 2021
Links
Page Last Updated: Apr 8, 2022 at 3:27 PM EDT
