Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Earth and Environmental Sciences
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr.Haluk Cetin
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii significantly impacted the natural landscape, especially in the Leilani Estates region. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the environmental conditions of before and after eruption by applying remote sensing techniques. Landsat 8 satellite imagery was used for two different time periods as before the eruption (February 2018) and after the eruption (March 2019). ERDAS Imagine was used to process these images to evaluate the changes in vegetation and land cover. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated for both pre- and post-eruption images to evaluate vegetation changes. Higher NDVI values indicate healthy vegetation, while lower values indicate damage or no vegetation. NDVI is a fundamental indicator of vegetation health. After calculating NDVI for both dates, a change detection analysis was applied by subtracting the pre-eruption NDVI from the post-eruption NDVI to identify areas of higher and lower vegetation. The results indicated a clear loss of vegetation in areas damaged by lava, particularly in and around Leilani Estates. Significant destruction of the environment is shown by these areas with negative NDVI values, and some regions show barely change or slight recovery in vegetation. These findings are also confirmed by the land cover map, showing that large, vegetated zones were replaced by lava flows after the eruption. Overall, this study shows how environmental changes caused by natural calamities can be easily monitored by using satellite imagery and NDVI analysis. The findings help us understand how volcanic explosions affect vegetation and land cover.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Assessing Environmental Changes Before and After the 2018 Kilauea Eruption in Leilani Estates, Hawaii
The 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii significantly impacted the natural landscape, especially in the Leilani Estates region. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the environmental conditions of before and after eruption by applying remote sensing techniques. Landsat 8 satellite imagery was used for two different time periods as before the eruption (February 2018) and after the eruption (March 2019). ERDAS Imagine was used to process these images to evaluate the changes in vegetation and land cover. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated for both pre- and post-eruption images to evaluate vegetation changes. Higher NDVI values indicate healthy vegetation, while lower values indicate damage or no vegetation. NDVI is a fundamental indicator of vegetation health. After calculating NDVI for both dates, a change detection analysis was applied by subtracting the pre-eruption NDVI from the post-eruption NDVI to identify areas of higher and lower vegetation. The results indicated a clear loss of vegetation in areas damaged by lava, particularly in and around Leilani Estates. Significant destruction of the environment is shown by these areas with negative NDVI values, and some regions show barely change or slight recovery in vegetation. These findings are also confirmed by the land cover map, showing that large, vegetated zones were replaced by lava flows after the eruption. Overall, this study shows how environmental changes caused by natural calamities can be easily monitored by using satellite imagery and NDVI analysis. The findings help us understand how volcanic explosions affect vegetation and land cover.