Using Satellite Images to Study Temporal changes in the Mississippi Delta

Abstract

Satellite images are able to provide unique perspectives of the planet, which can be used to observe changes over time. I investigated the Mississippi Delta and observed changes in shorelines using satellite images and tidal data. Images collected by Landsat and Google Earth ranging from the 1980s to the present were compared with other images taken at the same tide to observe change. The images were compared to sediment data to determine shoreline changes in the area, due to both sea level rise and sinking land. There is a relationship between sea level rise and shoreline change, which can be observed by using satellite images. The impact of Hurricane Katrina, a major storm event in August 2005, was studied. Overall, this one-time event affected most shorelines in the area, but little long-term impact. This study provides a method to study temporal changes in the Mississippi Delta, though other low-lying coastal areas can benefit from satellite data these methods.