HazMapper: A global open-source natural hazard mapping application in Google Earth Engine

Abstract

Abstract. Modern satellite networks with rapid repeat-cycles allow for near-real-time imaging of areas impacted by natural hazards such as mass wasting, flooding, and volcanic eruptions. Publicly accessible multi-spectral datasets (e.g. Landsat, Sentinel-2) are particularly helpful in analyzing the spatial extent of disturbances, however, the datasets are large and require intensive processing on high-powered computers by trained analysts. HazMapper is an open-access hazard mapping application developed in Google Earth Engine that allows users to derive map and GIS-based products from Sentinel or Landsat datasets without the time- and cost-intensive resources required for traditional analysis. Case studies are included for the identification of landslides and debris flows, wildfire burn extents, pyroclastic flows, and lava flow inundation. HazMapper is openly-available to the public and is intended for use by both scientists and non-scientists, such as emergency managers and public safety decision-makers. It is the intent of the authors to continue to develop HazMapper with additional capabilities. Collaboration on this effort is encouraged.

Earth Observation for Sustainable Infrastructure: A Review

“…Recent cases have demonstrated the potentials of the emerging technology integration for improving capacity and applicability of Earth observation. For instance, Google Earth Engine (GEE) is an innovative cloud computing platform of Earth observation big data for research, practice and decision making [205,206], such as mapping flood [207], land cover [208][209][210], and natural hazards [211]. However, few cases are available about GEE for supporting infrastructure development.…”

The role of geomorphology, rainfall and soil moisture in the occurrence of landslides triggered by 2018 Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines

“…Rainfall thresholds are used to characterize the rainfall conditions that when reached or exceeded are likely to trigger one or more landslides or torrential flows (De Vita et al, 1998). Different state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies to obtain rainfall thresholds are reviewed by Segoni et al (2018), while their applications for early warning purposes are assessed by Guzzetti et al (2020). Two main approaches are used to derive such thresholds: (a) physically based models, where infiltration and hydrologic behaviour of the rainfall over a susceptible soil layer is simulated (e.g.…”

“…Brunetti et al, 2010;Guzzetti et al, 2007). The thresholds are generally expressed as a correlation between the peak intensity of the rainfall for different rainfall durations or the relationship between the total rainfall versus its duration (usually in the form I = αD −β ), although some authors also include other triggering or antecedent rainfall parameters, as extensively reported by Segoni et al (2018). Factors such as the location or size of the study area, the intended use of the thresholds, or simply the resources available determine the source of the rainfall data used to construct thresholds.…”

The role of geomorphology, rainfall and soil moisture in the occurrence of landslides triggered by 2018 Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines

“…Regardless of their importance, landslide inventories are often not available due to incomplete event records, or as a result of the lack of time and resources to update them, for example in response to extreme events (Malamud et al, 2004). To map landslides across large regions using manual techniques is a highly time consuming task, and although the use of automatic mapping tools is increasing (Alvioli et al, 2018;Borghuis et al, 2007;Kirschbaum and Stanley, 2018;Scheip and Wegmann, 2020), their widespread applicability still presents some limitations. It is particularly challenging in regions hit by the passage of typhoons, where the area affected by landslides can be up to hundreds of km 2 (e.g.…”