Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “geospatial”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10

Global 3D Data Visualization and Analysis Platform with Advanced Machine Learning Capabilities in Support of Lunar Exploration

Introduction: The science goals for NASA’s Artemis program include: a) Understanding the character and origin of lunar polar volatiles, b) Conducting experimental science in the lunar environment and c) Investigating and mitigating exploration risks. The permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) on the Lunar south pole are expected to host large quantities of water-ice and volatiles that are important for sustainable Lunar exploration. There are several missions such as onboard Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO: Korean name Danuri) with onboard ShadowCam camera, Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One [4], and other efforts underway to obtain high resolution topographic, minerals, volatiles and other information on the moon. We envision a need in immediate future for platforms to integrate these data sets, provide rendering and visualization capabilities in the context of a 3D Lunar globe for easier information access and analysis. NASA's Celestial Mapping System (CMS) is developed to address the need for 3D tools for planetary science investigations, mission planning, in-situ operations, in a 3D-first design constructed around a unified view of a planetary globe. At present CMS provides many critical functionalities that include: 1) equipment planning and optimized placement on Lunar surface 2) line-of-sight (LOS) analysis 3) powerful measurement tools based on 3D terrain with realistic 3D models to represent rovers, astronauts and equipment 4) visualization of derived mapping products (e.g. resource maps), and 5) a data engine for hosting new observations that are not available in other contemporary lunar data tools. Planetary Data Ingestion: CMS can consume and analyze data from locally hosted and external third party sources. It is compatible with Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) data and file standards and currently integrates datasets from the Astrogeology Science Center of USGS. This includes global and local data acquired from NASA (LRO, Clementine, Lunar Orbiter) and JAXA (SELENE/Kaguya), with capability of integrating more datasets. In addition, users can specify other WMS-hosted data endpoints, which CMS can then query and stream data from automatically. To set-up an automated process for ingestion and accurate rendering, visualization and analysis of external 3rd party planetary datasets within CMS, we initiated the process of ingesting unique dataset of super-enhanced images of the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) at the lunar poles which were produced by the Hyper-effective nOise Removal U-net Software (HORUS) tool. This tool was developed to enhance the extremely low-light images of the interior of PSRs and provide the ability to see within these regions at and discern surface features (i.e. boulders and craters) down to 3 meters in size. We focused on the Nobile region on the Lunar south pole, selected site for VIPER mission and stitched several images to create a high-resolution map within one of the PSR of Nobile crater. Figure 1 shows the dark PSR zone form the original NAC layer of LRO as the base layer (left image) and the illuminated areas within that crater (center) which was created by ingesting and merging several of HORUS generated images. At present we employ a semi-automated process to ensure spatial accuracy and merger of several overlapping zones. However, we are in the process of completely automating this process by employing AI based techniques that would rank, sort, and stack the images based on their information density. The georectification of the images would employ selected features. Analysis on Ingested Planetary Datasets: Once an external planetary data-set is successfully ingested, georectified and merged seamlessly as a data-layer; CMS’ numerous analysis tools can be used on this data. A Line of Sight (LOS) tool has been developed for CMS which analyzes terrain profiles and obstructions to determine visibility for remote observers. Figure 1 (right image) shows the viewshed analysis on the same PSR in the Nobile region. The yellow pin shows the observer location outside the PSR. The yellow area shows the visible part of PSR. The obstructed area with no visibility for the observer is shown in red. The Measurements tool allows the user to take area and distance measurements of features on the terrain using various shapes. Measurement type can be specified in a number of ways: Line, Path, Polygon, Circle, Ellipse, Square, Rectangle or Freehand. Once the shape is specified, elevation information can then be extracted along each of these shapes. Figure 2 (left) shows the measurements performed on a crater n illuminated PSR in Nobile region. The equipment placement tool allows the user to place a 3D equipment model at a desired location and analyze its coverage area. The equipment placement tool is coupled with LOS to determine the coverage. Figure 2 (right) shows an equipment placed on the Lunar terrain and it’s coverage area. The red rays are blocked sight lines and the green rays are non-obstructed sight lines with the cyan lines showing the point of intersection with the terrain. More details are provided in the video demonstrations in Reference 5. Overcoming Polar Distortions: 3D geospatial applications exhibit significant distortions in polar imagery due to several reasons: 1) distortions in the source imagery, 2) incompatible tessellation algorithms at the poles, and 3) map projections. We are leveraging new tessellation algorithms and reprojecting data using projections that are better suited for Lunar poles. The goal is to seamlessly switch to polar projections while maintaining 3D view and navigation.

Maps↗

Informing Disaster Response: An Introduction to the NASA Disaster Response Coordination System

Satellite observations provide information about the Earth that can be critical to building situational awareness and filling in data gaps during disaster response. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Science Division’s Disasters Program aims to advance Earth science data and information to support management decisions that prevent or mitigate the impacts of disasters. In support of this goal, NASA’s Disaster Response Coordination System (DRCS) manages a One-NASA approach to coordinate and mobilize the Agency’s assets and expertise to provide geospatial information during disasters. The purpose of the DRCS is to advance the utility of Earth observation information for supporting disaster response decision support, build skilled and effective response communities through improved coordination, engagement, and learning, and reduce impact to lives and livelihoods by empowering communities to respond to disasters more effectively. The DRCS employs a user-centered, activation framework that begins with direct requests from responders and ends with after-action assessments that feed lessons learned and process improvements. This poster will introduce the DRCS model and approach to expanding the use of Earth observations and geospatial information to support disaster response, share use cases for recent event activations, and highlight initial lessons learned.

Disaster Response↗

Anticipating Hazard Impacts through Capacity Building and Co-development

Improving forecast accuracy, extending lead time, understanding hazard susceptibility, and integrating exposure and vulnerability data to generate impact-based forecasts are critical in mitigating disaster impacts. These efforts enable anticipatory action through enhancing the efficacy of early warning systems to assess potential multi-dimensional hazard impacts. In response to this need, SERVIR has co-developed a series of hazard services providing vital information from national to regional scales. This poster showcases examples of geospatial services co-developed with partners through a capacity building approach, supporting the establishment of hazard early warning / early action systems. These services integrate multidimensional vulnerability and exposure data to comprehensively assess impacts. Furthermore, these services demonstrate how co-development and capacity building can advance the development of impact-based forecasts and multi-hazards services. By prioritizing collaboration, human insights, local knowledge, capacity building, and employing applied science approaches in geospatial service development, this work has helped create inclusive and customized solutions. These solutions are tailored to meet the needs of local communities and are readily adaptable into decision-making processes.

weather↗

Applying Satellite Data to Support Disaster Response and Emergency Management Decision Making

Using the vantage point of space, satellite observations provide information about the Earth that can serve a critical role in building situational awareness and filling in data gaps during disaster response. NASA’s Earth Science Division ( studies the Earth as a system and develops technologies to improve the quality of life here on our home planet. Within NASA ESD, the Disasters Program and its Disasters Response Coordination System (DRCS) aims to advance Earth science data and information to support management decisions that prevent or mitigate the impacts of disasters. Using a whole-of-NASA approach to coordinate and mobilize the Agency’s assets and expertise to provide geospatial information during disasters, this work brings the utility of Earth observation information to emergency management and disaster response and reduces the impacts of disasters on lives and livelihoods .This poster will introduce the utility of satellite and geospatial information to disaster response through examples of recent DRCS incident response activations and highlight the DRCS model that employs a user-centered activation framework beginning with direct requests from responders and ending with after-action assessments that feed lessons learned and process improvements.

Remote Sensing↗

Aerial and Processed Model Data Representing As-built Conditions in Coastal Port Arthur, Texas in May 2025

This dataset was collected by the Co-Design Team of the Southeast Texas Urban Integrated Field Lab, a research initiative led by the University of Texas at Austin and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The broader project focuses on developing climate-resilient design solutions for the Beaumont–Port Arthur region, with more information available at www.setx-uifl.org. Our team conducted aerial surveys of the Port Arthur coastal neighborhood in May 2025, before the start of construction scheduled for Summer 2026. These pre-construction datasets are designed to facilitate comparative analyses, including pre- and post-construction assessments and simulated inundation scenario evaluations. Aerial images were captured using DroneDeploy autonomous flight systems, with imagery processed through the DroneDeploy engine. All original aerial photographs are provided in JPG format and organized in zipped folders by area. The processed data package includes: 3D surface models Orthomosaics Geospatial and topographic mappings Point clouds For guidance on file contents, structure, and recommended usage, please refer to the included README file.

2D mapping↗

Data Fusion for the Development of a Multimodal Freight Transload Facilities Dataset in the U.S.

To withstand the growing demand of commodity volume and its strain on the transportation infrastructure, it is necessary to identify the flow of commodities by route and mode. However, a national multimodal freight routing model does not exist for the U.S. The development of such model requires multiple building blocks, such as virtual representations of roadway, railway, and waterway networks, transload facilities (TFs), and access/egress links. Most of these blocks have a robust database in the U.S., except for the TFs. Here, this paper presents the fusion of dispersed and heterogeneous representations of multimodal TFs into a single, comprehensive, geospatial freight TF dataset. The TF dataset is derived from several sources, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Master Docks Plus, the National Transportation Atlas Database, the Intermodal Association of North America, industry publications, and other public information. First, individual datasets were queried and reconciled. A geocoding/reverse geocoding process was applied to get the best street address and latitude/longitude location for each terminal. Then, duplicate terminals were identified by a fuzzy match algorithm based on terminal name and location, and removed. Validation was performed by visual inspection of random facilities. The main contributions of this work are: a publicly available version of the TF dataset, including facility location and multimodal transfer capability of 9,003 facilities, and an enterprise-version with the same facilities but including commodity handling capabilities. The main purpose of developing the TF dataset is to inform multimodal routing algorithms. The proposed TF dataset allows for credibly modeling the multimodal transfer of commodities within shipment routes.

Commodity Routing↗

Renewable Energy Potential Model: Hawaii Geothermal Supply Curves

This dataset extends the development of the Renewable Energy Potential (reV) model to include geothermal energy, with a specific focus on Hawaii. Provided here are the results of two scenarios that were modeled for geothermal energy in Hawaii: binary enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) at a depth of 2.5 km and hydrothermal binary systems at a depth of 1.5 km. The resource data for both scenarios were derived from Lautze and Haskins (2024) using an exponential method. The PFA probability of heat map was used as a look up table for which temperature gradient to use (Lautze and Haskins, 2024). The dataset provides geospatial and techno-economic details for evaluating geothermal energy potential. It includes spatial coordinates, estimated capacity factors, developable area, resource potential, and annual energy production metrics. Economic details such as levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), site development costs, transmission costs, and fixed-charge rates are also included. The reV model, originally developed for wind and solar energy, incorporates these variables to evaluate deployment constraints related to land use, environmental and cultural factors, and grid integration.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Tree Canopy in Beacon Hill, Washington [Slides]

This technical assistance through the Communities LEAP program aims to provide the Solutions' Collaborative with information and geospatial analysis of tree canopy coverage in Beacon Hill, Seattle as a high priority environmental justice community with the goal of exploring the benefits of trees to improve air quality and mitigate extreme heat. It further provides information on tree-planting programs in Seattle and King County.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Land of Opportunity: Potential for Renewable Energy on Federal Lands

Renewable energy (RE) in the United States has historically been deployed primarily on private lands, but the growing interest in RE development, generally across the country and specifically on federal lands, raises questions about the potential for RE on public lands. This study seeks to estimate RE technical potential on federal lands and project the amount of RE to be developed on federal lands under decarbonization scenarios for the contiguous United States. The study applied a combination of high-resolution geospatial analysis and power sector modeling and relied on multiple partner federal agencies and land administrators from the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Energy. In our reference siting access case, we estimate 44 million acres of federal land across the contiguous United States is potentially suitable for UPV development, which corresponds to a capacity technical potential of 5,750 gigawatts (GW) (Figure ES-1). Federal land area available for wind development is similar to UPV but wind’s generating capacity technical potential is lower (875 GW). The technical potential is estimated for two geothermal technologies, hydrothermal and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), both of which have a smaller amount of federal land available for development (12 and 27 million acres, respectively). However, in terms of capacity, the technical potential for EGS (975 GW) is approximately equal to wind’s technical potential and there is an estimated 130 GW of hydrothermal potential. We also developed cases with more-limited land available for UPV and wind (for federal and non-federal lands) resulting in 96% reduction of wind capacity potential and 70% reduction for UPV. In a case with additional constraints applied to non-federal lands only (Limited Private), the overall (federal and non-federal) technical potential declines but the share of that technical potential on federal lands is higher than in the other siting cases. The technical potential is the maximum amount that could be developed, but only a small fraction would be developed or needed in the future. Across seven scenarios that achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035, we estimate 26 GW to 270 GW of RE capacity could be deployed on federal lands by 2035. The three central scenarios have 51–84 GW of RE deployed by 2035 and requiring about 500,000 to 1,000,000 acres of total land area. Direct land consumption is less than total land use required, thus enabling co-use opportunities. The large technical potential estimates and the increasing deployment projections from the collection of scenarios show the opportunities for RE development on federal lands. Capturing these opportunities-while minimizing conflicts with other land uses, federal department or agency missions, and public interest, and simultaneously maximizing the economic, grid, and social value of the projects-would require collaborative planning among federal land administrators, grid planners, project developers, the public, and other stakeholders.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Fostering Geothermal Machine Learning Success: Elevating Big Data Accessibility and Automated Data Standardization in the Geothermal Data Repository

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Data Repository (GDR) has implemented improvements to both its data lakes and its data standards and automated data pipelines. The GDR data lakes have reduced storage and compute-related barriers to using large geothermal datasets, enabling these large datasets to be accessed by anyone with a modern computer and internet access. More recently, the GDR has been working to further reduce barriers through streamlining the data intake process, educating users on the process and requirements, and aiding users in accessing data from the data lakes. These improvements have augmented the quantity of datasets the GDR is able to accept into its data lakes and have enabled users who are new to cloud tools to access these datasets more easily, overall increasing the accessibility of big geothermal data for use in machine learning and other projects. In addition, the GDR now has built-in data standards and pipelines for drilling data, geospatial data, and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data. These standardization efforts aim to enhance the real-world applicability of geothermal machine learning outcomes by improving the quality of training data. Specifically, through standardizing high-value datasets, the GDR is reducing project-specific data curation requirements, thus allowing more time for actual research. By automating this process, the burden of standardization is lifted from the user, ultimately increasing the availability of standardized data.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Powered By reV [Slides]

The reV model empowers users to calculate energy capacity, generation, and cost based on geospatial intersection with grid infrastructure and land-use characteristics. The tool can model a single site up to an entire continent at temporal resolutions ranging from five minutes to hourly, spanning a single year or multiple decades. By automating access to resource data at unprecedented scale, fidelity, and flexibility, the reV model integrates formerly disparate analysis frameworks in the fields of resource modeling, technical potential, and energy cost supply curves.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

A Play-Based Exploration of CO 2 Storage in the Illinois Basin (Final Technical Report)

This report documents the results of "A Play-Based Exploration of CO₂ Storage in the Illinois Basin" (DE-FE0032366), a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and conducted by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in partnership with Visage Energy. The project adapted play-based exploration (PBE), a systematic basin-scale evaluation methodology from the petroleum industry, to screen areas of Illinois for commercial geologic carbon storage (GCS) in Cambro-Ordovician strata. The traditional play concept was expanded to encompass three play element groups, subsurface geologic factors, surface features, and societal factors, yielding 24 play elements with defensible suitability criteria applied through a five-tier classification scheme. An integrated geospatial database was assembled from ISGS, MGSC, MRCI, NATCARB, and public data sources, supported by significant data-improvement work including correction of legacy well locations, digitization of more than 1,300 well construction records using the DOE CATALOG team's OGRRE tool, compilation of a statewide 2D seismic database, and production of a refined fault and fold geodatabase.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

reVeal: the reV Extension for Analyzing Large Loads [SWR-25-147]

reVeal (the reV Extension for Analyzing Large Loads) is an open-source geospatial software package for modeling the site-suitability and spatial patterns of deployment of large sources of electricity demand under future scenarios. reVeal is part of the reV ecosystem of tools [https://nrel.github.io/reV/#rev-ecosystem].

Pinchuk, Pavlo (Paul) [National Laboratory of the ↗

Building Fraction and Mean Height for Los Angeles (2010 and 2020) at 30 m Resolution

This dataset provides 30 m resolution spatial layers of building fraction and mean building height for the Los Angeles metropolitan region for 2010 and 2020. Derived from the Model America version 2 building dataset, it represents the distribution of total building footprint area and average building height across the metropolitan region, offering a consistent geospatial resource for urban analysis. The dataset is intended to support applications in urban climate studies, land-use assessment, city-scale modeling, and planning by enabling comparison of urban form characteristics over time. Additional dataset details including data processing details are provided in the Readme document (README_LA_BF_MeanHeight_2010_2020 1.txt).

geospatial↗

Progress Report on the Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name and Time Series Working Groups of the 2017 ESDSWG

The role of NASA's Earth Science Data Systems Working Groups (ESDSWG) is to make recommendations relevant to NASA's Earth science data systems from users' experiences and community insight. Each group works independently, focusing on a unique topic. Progress of two of the 2017 Working Groups will be presented. In a single airborne field campaign, there can be several different instruments and techniques that measure the same parameter on one or more aircraft platforms. Many of these same parameters are measured during different airborne campaigns using similar or different instruments and techniques. The Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name Working Group is working to create a list of variable standard names that can be used across all airborne field campaigns in order to assist in the transition to the ICARTT Version 2.0 file format. The overall goal is to enhance the usability of ICARTT files and the search ability of airborne field campaign data. The Time Series Working Group (TSWG) is a continuation of the 2015 and 2016 Time Series Working Groups. In 2015, we started TSWG with the intention of exploring the new OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) WaterML 2 standards as a means for encoding point-based time series data from NASA satellites. In this working group, we realized that WaterML 2 might not be the best solution for this type of data, for a number of reasons. Our discussion with experts from other agencies, who have worked on similar issues, identified several challenges that we would need to address. As a result, we made the recommendation to study the new TimeseriesML 1.0 standard of OGC as a potential NASA time series standard. The 2016 TSWG examined closely the TimeseriesML 1.0 and, in coordination with the OGC TimeseriesML Standards Working Group, identified certain gaps in TimeseriesML 1.0 that would need to be addressed for the standard to be applicable to NASA time series data. An engineering report was drafted based on the OGC Engineering Report template, describing recommended changes to TimeseriesML 1.0, in the form of use cases. In 2017, we are conducting interoperability experiments to implement the use cases and demonstrate the feasibility and suitability of these modifications for NASA and related user communities. The results will be incorporated into the existing draft engineering report.

OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) WaterML 2 standar↗

Fostering Geothermal Machine Learning Success: Elevating Big Data Accessibility and Automated Data Standardization in the Geothermal Data Repository: Preprint

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Data Repository (GDR) has implemented improvements to both its data lakes and its data standards and automated data pipelines. The GDR data lakes have reduced storage and compute-related barriers to using large geothermal datasets, enabling these large datasets to be accessed by anyone with a modern computer and internet access. More recently, the GDR has been working to further reduce barriers through streamlining the data intake process, educating users on the process and requirements, and aiding users in accessing data from the data lakes. These improvements have augmented the quantity of datasets the GDR is able to accept into its data lakes and have enabled users who are new to cloud tools to access these datasets more easily, overall increasing the accessibility of big geothermal data for use in machine learning and other projects. In addition, the GDR now has built-in data standards and pipelines for drilling data, geospatial data, and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data. These standardization efforts aim to enhance the real-world applicability of geothermal machine learning outcomes by improving the quality of training data. Specifically, through standardizing high-value datasets, the GDR is reducing project-specific data curation requirements, thus allowing more time for actual research. By automating this process, the burden of standardization is lifted from the user, ultimately increasing the availability of standardized data.

accessibility↗

Development and Preliminary Analysis of a U.S. Geothermal Heat Pump Installation Database

This paper seeks to addresses the significant gap in the literature regarding the installation and adoption of geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems in the United States. While the "2021 U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report" published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) focused on direct-use geothermal district heating systems, it did not include an analysis of GHP installations (Robins et al. 2021). To bridge this gap, NREL has compiled a novel database currently containing 70,470 records of GHP installations, primarily sourced from state well permits and small-scale studies. Our methodology emphasizes the collection, cleaning, and standardization of data, addressing challenges such as inconsistent reporting formats and privacy concerns. Despite limitations in data on capacity, costs, and performance, our preliminary geospatial analysis reveals insights into the distribution of GHP systems across urban and rural areas and climate zones. The paper highlights the importance of publicly accessible data for advancing GHP technology adoption with a discussion of existing data sources and their limitations, advocating for improved collaboration between NREL and industry stakeholders.

data collection↗

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications in Modern Power Systems

Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms offer valuable tools for the analysis and interpretation of large datasets. These tools have the capability to uncover insights that may not be readily apparent within these datasets. In recent years, the integration of ML and AI has become increasingly prevalent in various applications within the power system domain. One of the earliest instances of machine learning in power systems can be traced back to demand forecasting, where artificial neural networks were employed for short-term load forecasting. In contemporary power systems, an abundance of high-resolution geospatial and temporal data is generated at various time intervals, ranging from sub-seconds (Phasor Measurement Units or PMUs) to seconds (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition or SCADA), minutes (Process Information or PI), and extending to days, months, and years. These datasets contain valuable information concerning system reliability and performance. This information holds the potential to offer critical insights into system operations, as well as solutions for predicting and mitigating contingencies to prevent cascading outages. Despite the immense power of machine learning tools, system operators, planners, and utilities often exhibit hesitancy in fully embracing AI-enabled system operations and planning. This cautious approach persists, even as numerous diverse applications of machine learning continue to emerge in the realm of power systems. In this chapter, our focus will delve deep into ML and AI applications tailored for power systems. These applications aim to furnish system operators with enhanced situational awareness and augment their decision-making capabilities, especially during challenging operating conditions. Specific areas of interest encompass root cause analyses of electricity market datasets and the strategic selection of representative samples from vast power system databases for training ML/AI models. Finally, the chapter will conclude with a short discussion on the future of ML/AI in power systems and possible directions that the industry is moving towards.

power system applications, machine learning (ML), ↗