NASA has taken to the skies of Alaska
An airborne study conducted in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service
aims to complete a detailed survey of the Tanana Valley Forests
The 115 million acres of forest in Interior Alaska
is particularly prone to wild fires and represents 15 percent of all forested land in the U.S.
Since the 1950's, 40 to 50 percent of the landscape has been burned
The study will sample more than 80 percent of the burned areas by plane
Live trees can be distinguished from standing dead trees
using an instrument that maps the composition and 3D structure of the wilderness
The measurements will enable scientists to see patterns of fire recovery
and provide a benchmark for assessing future changes to the region