Earth Observation Group

Utilizing Cutting Edge Satellite Technology and Data to Inform Stakeholders on Issues Related to Oil and Gas, Power Outages, Forest Fires, and Fishing

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The Earth Observation Group (EOG) specializes in nighttime observations of lights and combustion sources worldwide. The group started working with Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data in 1994 and has produced a time series of annual cloud-free composites of nighttime lights. EOG’s current focus is on deriving products from nighttime Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data.

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SPECIAL STUDIES

Global Gas Flaring from Space

With VIIRS Nightfire (VNF), EOG continues to monitor each and every single one gas flares around the world. Annual summary of global gas flare activities is also compiled. Learn more

Looking for older dataset produced with DMSP? Learn more

VIIRS Lumen Watch

A quick and comprehensive way to monitor an area of interest with Nighttime Light. Especially useful to monitor the trend and incidents of power supply. See our demo for Rohingya Refugee Camp near the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Demo

NOS Multilens Aerial Photography

The U.S. National Ocean Survey collected coastal aerial photography with multilens cameras from the the 1920’s until the 1960’s for use in shoreline mapping.  The multilens approach was adapted to ensure stereo coverage and to extend the coverage achieved within single flightlines.  The original collection is in paper print format and is in long-term storage at the Federal Records Center in north Broomfield, Colorado.  Approximately 10% of the collection was digitally scanned under NOAA’s Climate Data Modernization Program.  The topographic maps with flightlines and frame centers was also digitized and serves as a base for access to the scanned photos.

Film scans: Multilens Navigator

A History of Flying and Photography In the Photogrammetry Division of the National Ocean Survey

Nightsat

Nightsat is a concept for a satellite system capable of global observation of the location, form and density of development within human settlements at moderate spatial resolution. The capability has been demonstrated by Austronaut Donald Pettit and others from the International Space Station.

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NEWS

Crimea Blackout Seen from VIIRS Nighttime Lights

Crimea Blackout Seen from VIIRS Nighttime Lights

Payne Institute Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how the VIIRS DNB detected a clear nighttime-light loss in southwestern Crimea, strongest on the night of July 5–6 UTC, centered on the Sevastopol–Simferopol focus area.  July 9, 2026.

Ras Laffan LNG Thermal Profiles Suggest an Operational Shift at Multiple Trains 4/10/2026

Ras Laffan LNG Thermal Profiles Suggest an Operational Shift at Multiple Trains

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how a new VIIRS Nightfire analysis indicates that several sources in the Ras Laffan LNG cluster may contain both compressor and flare emissions within a single satellite pixel, with March 2026 observations pointing to a possible change in operating regime.  April 10, 2026.

Kharg Island Refinery VIIRS Nightfire Temporal Profiles 4/1/2026

Kharg Island Refinery VIIRS Nightfire Temporal Profiles

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Director Christopher Elvidge writes about how the behaviour of the flares at three refineries on Kharg Island. Two out of three were affect by the war which started on February 28. One site began to have gaps in detections, with only five in the past month. Another site exhibits a large increase in the source area of the flares. April 1, 2026.

Recent War-Time Changes in Upstream Gas Flaring Across the Middle East Observed by VIIRS Nightfire 3/24/2026

Recent War-Time Changes in Upstream Gas Flaring Across the Middle East Observed by VIIRS Nightfire

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how a change detector for the most recent steps in flaring regime since 1 January 2025 was applied to 2,225 upstream flares identified by VIIRS Nightfire across the Middle East.  March 24, 2026.  

Conflict monitoring with VIIRS Nightfire: the war in Ukraine 3/2/2026

Conflict monitoring with VIIRS Nightfire: the war in Ukraine

Merlijn I. Dingemanse, Earth Observation Group Researcher Associate Mikhail Zhizhin and Daniele Cerra write about how leveraging the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite’s Nightfire product, we extract signals of conflict across Ukraine, tracking the status of heavy industry, delineating the frontline, and detecting urban combat.   March 2, 2026. 

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