- This event has passed.
Freshwater Colloquium: From Space to Safety: Elevating Water Hazard Awareness with Satellite Data
April 8 @ 3:00 pm - 3:50 pm
Dr. Qing Yang will present “From Space to Safety: Elevating Water Hazard Awareness with Satellite Data” as part of the School of Freshwater Sciences spring colloquium.
In the age of satellite big data, our understanding and capability to manage water hazards have been significantly enhanced. Through the application of remote sensing flood mapping, we gain valuable insights for emergency response and historical flood research. A pivotal innovation in this field is Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, capable of penetrating cloud cover to monitor flood inundation in all weather conditions, day and night.
In collaboration with the NOAA, we are at the forefront of developing an operational SAR-based flood mapping system. This system streamlines the process from satellite tasking and data piping to flood map production and hazard communication. This technology unveils the dynamics of flooding in unprecedented detail, offering a two-dimensional or even three-dimensional view by integrating remote sensed topography or altimetry.
Satellite data has also uncovered anomalous operations at the Kakhovka dam, Ukraine. A segment of the bridge went missing on November 11, 2022, at Kakhovka Dam. Following the damage, persistent overflows began from late April, contributing to the erosion of the spillway foundation in late May 2023. Our comprehensive analysis not only uncovers the events leading to the dam’s pre-failure conditions but also highlights satellite big data’s crucial role in safeguarding our water systems.
Join us as we explore these cutting-edge developments and their implications for understanding and mitigating water-related hazards around the globe.
Join in person, light refreshments will be provided.
Join on Zoom: https://wisconsin-edu.zoom.us/j/93047273331
Dr. Yang joined Dr. Xinyi Shen’s Hydro-Intelligence Lab as a postdoctoral researcher in August 2022. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Connecticut. He earned his Ph.D. at Guangxi University, China. As a hydrologist, his primary research interests involve exploring remote sensing techniques to enhance the observation, modeling, and impact assessment of water hazards.
This presentation is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the public.
The Colloquium series creates a platform where students, faculty, and scientists discuss emergent issues related to freshwater science research. Invited speakers present specific topics of their research, as well as policy, commercial, and industrial experiences.