Topography

Earth Observatory
Human Dimensions
Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission)
Topography
Volcanoes
From a geothermal hotspot to the one-time “Lighthouse of the Pacific,” the heat is on beneath the volcanic landscape of western El Salvador.
Posted May 5, 2026
Earth Observatory
Ice & Glaciers
Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission)
Remote Sensing Technology
Sea Level Rise
Topography
Scientists relied on satellite data to understand how the Antarctic glacier lost so much ice so rapidly.
Posted May 4, 2026
Earth Observatory
Land Cover
Land Use
Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission)
Topography
The coastal province features striking tropical karst landscapes and sandy beaches alongside a mix of natural land cover and developed areas.
Posted April 20, 2026
Earth Observatory
Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission)
Landsat 9
Topography
The circular geologic feature in northwestern Africa can be hard to recognize from the ground, but it is obvious when viewed from space.
Posted April 16, 2026
Earth Observatory
International Space Station (ISS)
Topography
After the Laurentide Ice Sheet retreated from present-day Hudson Bay, rebounding land has revealed striking nearshore topography.
Posted April 15, 2026
Earth Observatory
Landsat 9
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
Snow
Topography
An early autumn storm left higher elevations in southern Argentina with a fresh and fleeting coat of white.
Posted April 9, 2026
Earth
Earth Observatory
Earth Science
Earth Surface & Interior
Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission)
Life on Earth
Topography
Vegetation
Ireland is best known for its many greens, but the striking grays of the island’s Burren region also stand out in satellite images.
Posted March 17, 2026
Earth Observatory
Snow
Topography
A dusting of white highlighted the Colorado Plateau around the deep gorge, while shadows created a visual illusion.
Posted February 9, 2026
Earth Observatory
Topography
The Huíla plateau, bounded by dramatic cliffs and chasms, stands above the arid coastal plains in the country’s southwest.
Posted January 6, 2026
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