Remotely sensed Landsat imaging data provides space taken images of the Earth’s surface at 16 day intervals. Initially launched in 1972, this tool is a source of raster data that can be crucial to geographic analysis. Its ability to provide repetitive and synoptic observations of the Earth, makes it useful in giving data on how land use changes over a span of time (which can be a long or short interval). This data is used in a variety of ways by allowing users to determine the rate and distribution of surface processes.
An example of when Landsat data would be useful is the when looking at the disappearing swamp in the Apalachicola delta in Florida. The Landsat data allowed researchers to “distinguish between hardwood swamp, the typical forest in the Apalachiocola River floodplain, and the bottomland hardwood forest, the encroaching forest that thrives on drier soils.1” These changes are important because they can negatively impact the biodiversity in the area. Landsat images in this case can not only distinguish between forest types, but also water levels in the river to help determine changing rate of the forest and its possible relation to water levels.
Recap of learning: I have discovered the usefulness in constant areal photographic monitoring of the Earth. This up to date data helps with making the most accurate interpretations when doing spatial analysis.
1 http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/apalachicolas-disappearing-swamp/