During the mid-1980s the writer (NMS) turned his research attention towards the potential of space imagery for their effective use in producing small-scale geomorphic maps and for investigations of some specific geologic problems involving interrelations of landforms and tectonic processes. Aware of this, the Geology Discipline Leader at NASA Headquarter reached similar conclusions and decided to fund a conference on Regional Geomorphology. The writer was charged with its organization. Thus, on January 14-16, 1985, a Workshop on Global Mega-Geomorphology was held at Oracle, Arizona. Thirty international participants spent the first two days presenting papers and engaging in lively discussions and then met as four Working Groups on the third day to consider the role of space imagery in these thematic frameworks: 1) Global Geomorphology; 2) Evolution and Inheritance of Landforms; 3) Process Thresholds; 4) Planetary Perspectives. This Workshop (summarized in NASA Conference Publication 2312) laid a foundation for future research in a field whose name - Global Mega-Geomorphology, first proposed as a new concept in 1982 - was certified by the attendees.

There was an almost immediate payoff. The writer was funded to prepare a NASA publication that focused on utilizing space images to characterize landforms. Joined by Robert Blair, Jr of Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO as co-editor, we assembled 14 scientists (including ourselves) to write 12 chapters, each covering a different geomorphic theme, in a 717 page book entitled: Geomorphology from Space: A Global Overview of Regional Landforms (NASA SP-486) which appeared at the end of 1986. Although the 4000 copies printed were widely distributed, the book did not, at first, receive adequate publicity. In recent years, it has begun to be acknowledged as an invaluable compendium of geomorphic information, as well as a comprehensive survey of the world's geology, and has led to renewed interest in regional analysis.

Unfortunately, there was no second printing, so that requests to NASA or the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) for copies cannot be fulfilled. But, its value had come to be appreciated within NASA circles so that people in the educational program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) decided to add it to their growing set of CD-ROMs available at low cost to both professionals and the public. Joined by staff at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center who did much of the scanning and layout, this reproduction of NASA SP-486 with a new format now is available from JPL, with a limited quantity of CD-ROMs free to educators. At this time, you may put your name on a mailing list for a CD-ROM by filling out the requisition form found at http://stargate.jpl.nasa.gov:1087/multimedia.html. Please refer to that URL as well as http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/DAAC_DOCS/daac_ed.html for updated information on ordering the Geomorphology From Space CD-ROM.. A version of the book is also becoming accessible on the Web at: http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/DAAC_DOCS/geomorphology/GEO_HOME_PAGE.html

Geomorphology from Space contains nine thematic chapters: Tectonic Landforms; Volcanic; Fluvial; Deltaic, Coastal, Karst/Lakes; Eolian; Glacial; and Planetary Landforms These chapters are composed of many stunning and revelatory images, all now open to inspection on the CD-ROM and the Internet. To whet your curiosity, we will now present two or more representative examples for each theme (excepting Planetary, which is thoroughly treated in Section 19), along with a brief description of what can be extracted from the image regarding geomorphology and general geology.

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