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

Review of Long-Term Patterns in Nighttime VIIRS Detections of Lights, Boats and Offshore Lights, Fires, and Flares in S.E. Asia: 2012-2023 11/23/2025

Review of Long-Term Patterns in Nighttime VIIRS Detections of Lights, Boats and Offshore Lights, Fires, and Flares in S.E. Asia: 2012-2023

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Director Christopher Elvidge, Research Associates Tillotama Ghosh and Mikhail Zhizhin, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about the comprehensive multi-year composite research completed by the group for South East Asia using VNL, VBD, and VNF products.  November 23, 2025.

IceSpec: An ice-core hyperspectral imaging framework 10/29/2025

IceSpec: An ice-core hyperspectral imaging framework

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Senior Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin and research associates write about how IceSpec, a novel hyperspectral line-scan imaging system for ice cores, nondestructively captures light-scattering features via dark-field illumination. Its calibrated visible and near-infrared spectral data enhance analysis and archiving, advancing research on stratigraphic impurities, ice dynamics and paleoclimate.  October 29, 2025.

An Improved Calibration for Satellite Estimation of Flared Gas Volumes from VIIRS Nighttime Data 9/8/2025

An Improved Calibration for Satellite Estimation of Flared Gas Volumes from VIIRS Nighttime Data

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher D. Elvidge, Tamara Sparks, Tilottama Ghosh, Morgan Bazilian and Feng-Chi Hsu write about how the VIIRS Nightfire (VNF) data product is particularly useful for monitoring of global natural gas flaring and estimation of flared gas volumes. In this paper we report on the development of an empirical calibration for estimating flared gas volumes based on VIIRS observations of flares running at low, medium, and high flared gas volumes. Tests were run with both single and double flares, with and without atmospheric correction.  September 8, 2025.

Colorado School of Mines’ Earth Observation Group Releases Key Data for 2025 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report 7/22/2025

Colorado School of Mines’ Earth Observation Group Releases Key Data for 2025 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report

The Payne Institute contributed satellite data to the World Bank 2025 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report.  The research is based on satellite data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), underscores persistent challenges in reducing flaring intensity, which has remained largely unchanged over the past 15 years.  July 22, 2025.

VIIRS Nightfire Version 4.0 Now Operational Across Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites 7/2/2025

VIIRS Nightfire Version 4.0 Now Operational Across Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin, Earth Observation Director Christopher Elvidge, and Morgan Bazilian write about the new version of VIIRS Nightfire (VNF) 4.0 and how it significant improvements in 5 areas. As of July 1, 2025, the new version of the VIIRS Nightfire (VNF) algorithm Version 4.0 is available for all three VIIRS satellites: Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21. This release marks a significant advance in nighttime thermal anomaly detection and characterization, offering researchers and practitioners enhanced capabilities across a wide range of applications, from wildfire monitoring to industrial flaring assessment. July 2, 2025.

Rapid Conflict Monitoring of Israeli Strikes on Iran in June, 2025 using VIIRS Nightfire Data

Rapid Conflict Monitoring of Israeli Strikes on Iran in June, 2025 using VIIRS Nightfire Data

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin, Earth Observation Group Director Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about the thermal anomalies detected by the VIIRS Nightfire (VNF) algorithm in relation to reported Israeli military strikes on Iranian territory beginning June 13, 2025. Leveraging VNF’s ability to identify high-temperature combustion sources such as industrial flares, wildfires, and crucially, explosions and fires in conflict zones, this analysis aims to provide an independent assessment of the recent events. June 18, 2025.

Tracking a Chemical Explosion in Iran 4/28/2025

TRACKING A CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN IRAN

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how A massive explosion occurred on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Shahid Rajaee port, located near the southern city of Bandar Abbas, Iran. This port is Iran’s largest commercial harbor and a crucial trade hub on the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is well known as a key transit for global oil trade. April 28, 2025. 

Satellite Data Shows Massive Fire Following Russian Arsenal Explosion 4/23/2025

Satellite Data Shows Massive Fire Following Russian Arsenal Explosion

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how April 22, 2025, a significant explosion followed by a large fire appears to have occurred at the 51st Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate near Kirzhach, in Russia’s Vladimir Oblast, northeast of Moscow.  April 23, 2025.  

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