Scientific context

Relevant publications

This page distinguishes research produced by the GeoWater team from selected publications that developed or demonstrate GPS-based hydrologic monitoring and drought analysis.

GeoWater and the US-GDI

GeoWater team

Drought Characterization With GPS: Insights Into Groundwater and Surface-Reservoir Storage in California

Young, Z. M., Martens, H. R., Hoylman, Z. H., & Gardner, W. P. (2024). Water Resources Research, 60(8), e2024WR037404.

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Introduces GPS-based multiscale drought characterization and validates storage-sensitive signals against groundwater, reservoirs, and stream discharge.

Hydrogeodesy reviews and foundations

A Review of GNSS/GPS in Hydrogeodesy: Hydrologic Loading Applications and Their Implications for Water Resource Research

White, A. M., Gardner, W. P., Borsa, A. A., Argus, D. F., & Martens, H. R. (2022). Water Resources Research, 58, e2022WR032078.

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Provides a broad introduction to GPS hydrologic loading, terrestrial water-storage estimation, applications, and limitations.

Terrestrial water storage response to the 2012 drought estimated from GPS vertical position anomalies

Chew, C. C., & Small, E. E. (2014). Geophysical Research Letters, 41(17), 6145–6151.

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Demonstrates the sensitivity of GPS vertical motion to large-scale drought-related water-storage changes.

Related GPS-based drought research

Characterization of hydrological droughts in Brazil using a novel multiscale index from GNSS

Tang, M., Yuan, L., Jiang, Z., Yang, X., Li, C., & Liu, W. (2023). Journal of Hydrology, 617, 128934.

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Applies a multiscale GNSS drought-index framework to hydrologic drought characterization in Brazil.

Hydrological drought characterization based on GNSS imaging of vertical crustal deformation across the contiguous United States

Jiang, Z., Hsu, Y.-J., Yuan, L., Tang, M., Yang, X., & Yang, X. (2022). Science of the Total Environment, 823, 153663.

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Examines GNSS-derived hydrologic drought patterns across the contiguous United States.

Insights into hydrological drought characteristics using GNSS-inferred large-scale terrestrial water storage deficits

Jiang, Z., Hsu, Y.-J., Yuan, L., Cheng, S., Feng, W., Tang, M., & Yang, X. (2022). Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 578, 117294.

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Connects GNSS-inferred terrestrial water-storage deficits to hydrologic drought severity and evolution.

Space-based observations of crustal deflections for drought characterization in Brazil

Ferreira, V. G., Montecino, H. C., Ndehedehe, C. E., Heck, B., Gong, Z., de Freitas, S. R. C., & Westerhaus, M. (2018). Science of the Total Environment, 644, 256–273.

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Shows how geodetically observed crustal deflection can support regional drought characterization.