He will use the unique 3D perspective that SRTM will provide to measure the lay of the land for several oceanic islands that are often cloud-covered, and whose landscapes are under attack by various processes, including the actions of humans. SRTM digital elevation data will provide a framework against which to measure landscape changes on these islands, and with which to drape various other datasets for assessing spatial changes. He and his team expect to measure the state of small ice caps on some islands to gain insight into how global climate change has impacted them. Some of the team's reference islands have NEVER been imaged from Space before SRTM, either because of their remoteness, or because of continuous cloud cover. Many of the island test sites are volcanic, and some have been modified to such an extent by humans that their topographies are no longer natural. SRTM will be of extreme value in assessing the state of erosion, hazards due to severe storms, and other factors for such islands.