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The Value of Earth Observations: Methods and Findings on the Value of Landsat Imagery

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Communicating Climate-Change and Natural Hazard Risk and Cultivating Resilience

Abstract

Data from Earth observation systems are used extensively in managing and monitoring natural resources, natural hazards, and the impacts of climate change, but the value of such data can be difficult to estimate, particularly when it is available at no cost. Assessing the socioeconomic and scientific value of these data provides a better understanding of the existing and emerging research, science, and applications related to this information and contributes to the decision-making process regarding current and future Earth observation systems. Recent USGS research on Landsat data has advanced the literature in this area by using a variety of methods to estimate value. The results of a 2012 survey of Landsat users, a 2013 requirements assessment, and a 2013 case studies of applications of Landsat imagery are discussed.

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    Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.

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Correspondence to Holly M. Miller .

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Miller, H.M., Serbina, L.O., Richardson, L.A., Ryker, S.J., Newman, T.R. (2016). The Value of Earth Observations: Methods and Findings on the Value of Landsat Imagery. In: Drake, J., Kontar, Y., Eichelberger, J., Rupp, T., Taylor, K. (eds) Communicating Climate-Change and Natural Hazard Risk and Cultivating Resilience. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 45. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20161-0_14

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