GIS in Education

Winners: NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Program 2013

2013-05-17T16:06:00.003-05:00

NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Program - 2013 winners announced. Congratulations to the following students and advisors for submitting NASA Earth and Space Sciences Fellowship (NESSF) proposals that were selected for funding.

NASA received a total of 587 applications in 2013 to the NASA Earth and Space Science (NESSF) Fellowship Program announced in November 2012 among Earth Science Research, Heliophysics Research, planetary Science Research, and Astrophysics Research - the four research programs of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters.

These four SMD science divisions make respective selection of applications for award on a competitive basis. Criteria for evaluation included: (a) the scientific merit of the proposed research; (b) the relevance of the proposed research to NASA's objectives in Earth or space science; and (c) academic excellence based upon an applicant's transcripts, the letter of recommendation by the student's academic advisor, and the degree to which it supported the proposed research. Evaluation was conducted via either mail or panel review, or both, and by the relevant expertise in the science divisions of SMD.

The purpose of the NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines required to achieve NASA's scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection are made in the form of training grants to the respective universities and educational institutions, with the faculty advisor serving as the principal investigator.

NESSF awards are made initially for one year and may be renewed for no more than two additional years, contingent upon satisfactory progress, as reflected in academic performance, research progress, and recommendation by the faculty advisor, and the availability of funds. An award is $30,000 per annum, including $24,000 student stipend and an allowance of up to $6,000, consisting of $3,000 for student expenses and $3,000 for university expenses.

The student allowance may be used for tuition; fees; travel in support of the research investigation to conferences, symposia, or collaborative meetings; books; expendable laboratory supplies; page charges for journal articles; printing of a thesis; health insurance; and other similar expenses related to the proposed research investigation. The university allowance may be used for tuition or research expenses, if agreed upon by the student and faculty advisor; it may also support research-related travel for the advisor (i.e. to accompany the student to a scientific meeting, oversee the student's research, etc.); or by the student. The budget in these two allowance categories may be exchanged, as long as the total sum for the two combined allowance categories does not exceed $6,000.

An individual accepting this award may not concurrently receive other Federal fellowships or traineeships. However, NASA may allow an applicant to receive supplements from other U.S. Federal agencies to cover expenses not covered by NASA's graduate fellowships; for example, the purchase of equipment, which is not permitted through a NASA fellowship.

The names of the students and their faculty advisors, institutions, and proposal titles of the 2013 NESSF selections are listed below by each of the four SMD science divisions.

The announcement for 2014 NESSF is anticipated in November 2013. The release will be posted at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/, and the deadline for submission of new applications to NASA will be February 3, 2014.

Inquiries about the program may be directed to: Program Manager for NESSF Earth Science Research - Dr. Ming-Ying Wei at (202) 358-0771 or by E-mail at mwei@nasa.gov.

Program Manager for NESSF Heliophysics Research, Planetary Science Research, and Astrophysics Research - Dolores Holland at (202) 358-0734 or by E-mail at hq-nessf-Space@nasa.gov.

Earth Science NASA received a total of 330 applications in Earth Science Research and selected 56 for award, pending acceptance by each applicant and their respective institution; they are:

Woubet Alemu (Student); Geoffrey Henebry (Advisor); South Dakota State University
Modeling Land Surface Phenologies and Seasonalities Using Earthlight: A Comparison between Tropical and Temperate Croplands, and Application to Assessment of Agricultural Productivity

Caitlin Andrews (Student); Aaron Weiskittel (Advisor); University of Maine
The Acadian Forest and Climate Change: Analyzing Shifting Species Distributions and Effects to the Carbon Balance

David Austerberry (Student); Chris Ruf (Advisor); University of Michigan
Supporting the Science and Technology Development for the Decadal Survey PATH Mission

Richard Bateman (Student); Weiqing Han (Advisor); University of Colorado
A Study of Climate Change Impacts on Southwest United States Water Resource and Policy Implication: Analyses of Satellite Data in Conjunction with Surface-Based Observations and Climate Model Simulations

Alexandra Bausch (Student); Joaquim Goes (Advisor); Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory
Assessing the Causes for the Rise in Abundance and Seasonal Productivity of the Green Mixotrophic Dinoflagellate Noctiluca in the Arabian Sea Ecosystem

Michael Beland (Student); Trent Biggs (Advisor); San Diego State University
Mapping Oil-Impacted Vegetation in Louisiana Salt Marshes: Investigating the Effects of Endmember Spatial, Temporal and Inter-Specific Variability on Vegetation Cover Estimates

Erin Black (Student); Ken Buesseler (Advisor); Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Integrating Remote Sensing and Field Observations of Controls on the Ocean Carbon Cycle by the Biological Pump

Forest Cannon (Student); Leila Carvalho (Advisor); University of California
Western Himalaya Climate Variability: The Recent Trends In Large-Scale Circulation and Local Precipitation Impacts

David Chen (Student); Chris Ruf (Advisor); University of Michigan
Characterization of the Delay and Decorrelation of Sea State to Local Wind Forcing for L-Band Remote Sensing of Ocean Surface Windspeed

Sungho Choi (Student); Ranga Myneni (Advisor); Boston University
Refinement, Evaluation and Application of Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitations Model of Forest Canopy Height and Biomass Through Synergistic Optimization With Spaceborne and Airborne Lidar Waveform Data

Ryan Davis (Student); Margaret Tolbert (Advisor); University of Colorado
Amorphous Phase States of Atmospheric Particles Studied in an Optical Trap: Implications for Global Climate and Air Quality

Andrew Delman (Student); Janet Sprintall (Advisor); Scripps Institution of Ocenaography
Influence of Kelvin Waves and Salinity on Developing Positive Indian Ocean Dipole Events

Ksenia Dmitrieva (Student); Paul Segall (Advisor); Stanford University
Improved GPS Velocity Uncertainties

Debsunder Dutta (Student); Praveen Kumar (Advisor); University of Illinois
Assessing Disaster Impact From Large Scale Floods Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

Nan Feng (Student); Sundar Christopher (Advisor); University of Alabama in Huntsville
Understanding the Climatic Impacts of Land Use Change and Biomass Burning Aerosols over Southeast Asia Using Numerical Models and Satellite Observations

Nandita Gaur (Student); Binayak Mohanty (Advisor); Texas A&M University
A New Heterogeneity Triangle to Characterize Land-urface Heterogeneity for Estimating Near-Surface Soil Moisture Beyond Darcy Scale

Aimee Gibbons (Student); James Famiglietti (Advisor); University of California, Irvine
Estimating Groundwater Quality Variations Using GRACE

Nick Heath (Student); Henry Fuelberg (Advisor); Florida State University
Impacts of Asian Summer Monsoon Convection on the Chemical Composition of the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

Kimberly Huppert (Student); Taylor Perron (Advisor); Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Climatic and Geodynamic Influences on Ocean Island Landscape Evolution

Matthew Igel (Student); Susan van den Heever (Advisor); Colorado State University
Observed Environmental Influences on Convective Morphology

Stephen Klosterman (Student); Andrew Richardson (Advisor); Harvard University
Improving Predictions of Terrestrial Carbon, Water, and Energy Cycling Using Novel Plant Phenology Observation and Modeling

Caitlin Kontgis (Student); Annemarie Schneider (Advisor); University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute
Urbanization, Climate Change, and Rice Crop Sustainability

Karl Lapo (Student); Jessica Lundquist (Advisor); University of Washington
Improving Estimates of the Radiation Balance of Snow Covered Complex Terrain Using MODIS and CERES Data

Zuchuan Li (Student); Nicolas Cassar (Advisor); Duke University
Derivation of Global Net Community Production and Assessment of Regulating Factors Using In-Situ Measurements and Remotely Sensed Properties

Dongyue Li (Student); Michael Durand (Advisor); Ohio State University
Improving the Understanding of Snow Water Equivalent and Melt Timing in the Sierra Nevada by Assimilating AMSR-E L2A Brightness Temperature Into a Land Surface Model

Yang Li (Student); Allison Steiner (Advisor); University of Michigan
VOC Oxidation in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Pengfei Liu (Student); Scot Martin (Advisor); Harvard University
Wavelength-Dependent Complex Refractive Indices of Light-Absorbing Secondary Organic Material: Updating the Aerosol Optical Database to Improve the Accuracy and Scope of Satellite-Retrieved Information

Xiaojian Liu (Student); Jeremy Bassis (Advisor); University of Michigan
A Numerical Investigation Into the Supra-Glacial Hydrology of the Greenland Ice Sheet

Dylan Lusk (Student); Steven Cavallo (Advisor); University of Oklahoma
Predictability of Midlatitude Cyclones in Relation to Tropopause-Based vortices over the Arctic, and Sensitivity to Reductions in Sea Ice

Selena McKibben (Student); Angelicque White (Advisor); Oregon State University
Merging Satellite and Slocum Glider Data to Optimize chl-a Quantification in Oregon's Coastal Waters

Kevin McLean (Student); Oswald Schmitz (Advisor); Yale University
Use of Airborne LiDAR to Model Three-Dimensional Habitat Use by Neotropical Primates

Katherine Mertes (Student); Walter Jetz (Advisor); Yale University
Using Multi-Platform Remote Sensing Data to Predict Vertebrate Species Distributions Across Spatial Scales

John Mioduszewski (Student); David Robinson (Advisor); Rutgers University
A Multi-Method Approach to Improved Understanding of Terrestrial Snowmelt in a Warming World

Jerome Mitchell (Student); Geoffrey Fox (Advisor); Indiana University
Developing Machine Learning Algorithms to Access Bedrock and Internal Layers in Polar Radar Imagery

Christopher Moran (Student); Mark Cochrane (Advisor); South Dakota State University
Quantifying Fuel Treatment Effectiveness Over Time and in Extreme Weather Conditions

Jamiat Nanteza (Student); James Famiglietti (Advisor); University of California, Irvine
The Changing Water Resources of East Africa: Understanding the Causal Linkage Between Surface Water and Groundwater Variations Over East Africa Using GRACE, Altimetry and LSMs

Adriana Raudzens Bailey (Student); David Noone (Advisor); University of Colorado at Boulder
Constraining Vertical Exchange of Moisture Between the Boundary Layer and Free Troposphere Using Stable Isotopes in Water

Sami Rifai (Student); Stephanie Bohlman (Advisor); University of Florida
Determination of Tropical Forest Blowdown Frequency is Necessary to Understand the Regional Carbon Balance of the Northwestern Amazon

Sarah Ringerud (Student); Christian Kummerow (Advisor); Colorado State University
Building the Foundations for a Physically Based Passive Microwave Precipitation Retrieval Over the Southern Great Plains

Lauren Schaefer (Student); Thomas Oommen (Advisor); Michigan Technological University
Application of Remote Sensing and Numerical Modeling to Volcanic Hazard Monitoring

Danica Schaffer-Smith (Student); Jennifer Swenson (Advisor); Duke University
Spatiotemporal Variability of Inland Waterbodies Along the Pacific Flyway Using 30+ Years of Landsat

Amanda Schwantes (Student); Robert Jackson (Advisor); Duke University
Quantifying Drought-Induced Tree Mortality at Multiple Scales Across Texas: Regional Carbon Cycling, Biophysics, and Regime Shifts

Scott Sellars (Student); Soroosh Sorooshian (Advisor); University of California, Irvine
An Application of Object Based Methods and Machine Learning to NASA's Satellite Precipitation Data for Pattern Detection and Prediction of Regional Climate

Nicholas Smith (Student); Jeffrey Dukes (Advisor); Purdue University
Improving Earth System Models Via Incorporation of Temperature Acclimation of Plant Carbon Exchange

Theresa Stumpf (Student); Sivaprasad Gogineni (Advisor); University of Kansas
Ultra-Wideband, Wide-Swath Radar Imaging of the Ice-Bed Interface for Generating Fine Resolution Bed Topography and Quantifying Basal Conditions

Sylvia Sullivan (Student); Athanasios Nenes (Advisor); Georgia Institute of Technology
Mixed-Phase Cloud Parameterizations Within Global Climate Models

Joseph Tamborski (Student); Deanne Rogers (Advisor); Stony Brook University
Regional Characterization of Spatial Variability in Submarine Groundwater Discharge: Understanding Flux Signatures in Thermal Infrared Data and Geologic Controls

Andrew Thorpe (Student); Dar Roberts (Advisor); University of California, Santa Barbara
Mapping Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Airborne Imaging Spectrometry

Mary Upshur (Student); Franz Geiger (Advisor); Northwestern University
Synthesis and Analysis of Putative Secondary Organic Aerosol Particle Constituents

Chris Waigl (Student); Martin Stuefer (Advisor); University of Alaska, Fairbanks
A Validated Remote Sensing Approach to Support Emissions Forecasting and Management of Alaskan Wildfires

Jennifer Watts (Student); John Kimball (Advisor); University of Montana
Potential Contrasts in CO2 and CH4 Flux Response Under Changing Climate Conditions: Satellite Driven Analysis of the Net Ecosystem Carbon Budget for Arctic and Boreal Regions

Michael Wolovick (Student); Robin Bell (Advisor); Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Ice Sheet Sliding Constrained by Assimilation of Stratigraphic Data

Kendra Wright (Student); Claudio Mazzoleni (Advisor); Michigan Technological University
Radiative Properties of Free Tropospheric Aerosols in the North Atlantic at the Pico Mountain Observatory

Wondmagegn Yigzaw (Student); Faisal Hossain (Advisor); Tennessee Technological University
The Future of Our Cities and Ageing Dams: Using NASA Satellites to Understand Changing Patterns of Infrastructure Safety for Resource-Hungry US Cities

Lei Yin (Student); Rong Fu (Advisor); University of Texas at Austin
Rainfall Extremes and Variability Over Amazonia: Understanding the Mechanisms and Consequences Using Satellite Observations and CMIP5 Models

Jie Zhang (Student); Chris Justice (Advisor); University of Maryland
Global Agricultural Drought Monitoring From Satellite Observation

NASA Accepting Proposals for Tribal College and University

2013-05-16T11:18:00.000-05:00

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Education is accepting proposals in response to the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) 2013-14 NASA Research Announcement. This new announcement is an umbrella announcement for opportunities under the Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP), and includes calls for proposals in the following program elements for Fiscal Year 2013:

• NASA Innovations in Climate Education - Tribal (NICE-T)
• Tribal College and University Experiential Learning Opportunities – (TCU ELO)

Eligibility Information: Proposals will be accepted from Tribal Colleges and Universities. NASA centers and other organizations may apply through partnership with the lead organization in some cases.

Notice of Intent due date: May 22, 2013.

Full proposals due: July 24, 2013.

Interested parties may also attend or connect to a pre-proposal workshop on the TCU-ELO program element on May 21, 2013, at 1:30pm EDT for further information on that program element. Call-in information: 1- 888-790-2014. Pass Code: TCU-ELO 2013.

For more information regarding this opportunity, please visit the EONS page on the NSPIRES website at http://go.nasa.gov/14So8d6.

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact the NSPIRES Help Desk at nspires-help@nasaprs.com or call 202-479-9376 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

2013 AGU Science Policy Conference: Preparing for Our Future

2013-05-15T15:00:00.001-05:00

Join the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2nd annual Science Policy Conference, to be held Monday, 24 June to Wednesday, 26 June 2013 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D. C.

Join hundreds of Earth and space scientists, students, policymakers, and industry professionals as they discuss key Earth and space science topics that address challenges to our economy, national security, environment, and public safety. This meeting will focus on the science that helps inform policymakers’ decisions related to energy, natural hazards, technology and infrastructure, climate, oceans, and the Arctic.

Registration is on the AGU website.

Reticle FMV: Motion Imagery Software Suite Released

2013-05-13T22:35:00.000-05:00

2d3 Incorporated (dba 2d3 Sensing), a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxford, UK-based OMG plc and a technology leader in the field of computer vision, image understanding, and full motion imagery/video (FMV) exploitation, announced today the launch of Reticle FMV metadata improvement and georegistration in the latest release of its motion imagery processing, exploitation, and dissemination product suite. The suite includes TacitView 3.2, Catalina 3.1, and Tungsten 3.2 and is available now.

Integrated within Catalina, Reticle improves geospatial data for use in mapping and targeting, correcting metadata errors typical of aerial full motion video platforms. Reticle comes in three levels of building-block capabilities: Metadata Optimization (MO), Real-Time Georegistration (RT), and Offline Target Coordinate Improvement (TGT). Reticle MO is designed to clean up and normalize noisy metadata in an FMV feed or file, Reticle RT furthers improves on Reticle MO by using reference digital elevation models and imagery to minimize geospatial bias, and finally Reticle TGT, which takes a user-selected point from full motion imagery frames, and computes the geoposition of that point along with estimates of uncertainty. Each ‘step’ in Reticle improves upon, and makes use of the techniques in the previous step.

“We have always shared a vision with our users, and that was to do more than just provide tools for processing and exploitation of your FMV data, but also provide tools to make it better,” 2d3 Sensing President, Jon Damush commented. “Reticle capitalizes on our rich, computer vision heritage and expertise in FMV and metadata—taking processing and exploitation to the next level. We are making FMV more reliable and ultimately more usable than ever before. FMV is here to stay, and we are here to ensure that it can be used as a critical geospatial sensor.”

The new versions of TacitView, Catalina, and Tungsten also include:

Still Image Mosaicking — 2d3 Sensing has integrated its cutting edge AltiMap product into TacitView and Tungsten as Still Image Mosaicking. Still Image Mosaicking stitches multiple still images together to form one large cohesive image and performs well even in cases of very low overlap between adjacent images. It is designed for use with high-resolution image data and automatically processes camera metadata to geoposition the final result, which can then be viewed inside of TacitView or easily exported to any geospatial map viewer.
Audio / Video Multiplexing — Many times audio feeds are present when video feeds are present. The communication that occurs in those feeds can be used as valuable source data for future reports and output products. Catalina and TacitView now support the multiplexing of audio feeds into video feeds and expose those feeds to the user as individual Packet IDs (PIDs). This enables the user to pick and choose which PIDs to watch or listen to, as well as to include in exported products.
Tracked Annotations — Attach any annotation to a moving object in the scene or to a static object in a moving scene. Tracked annotations allow the user to keep the viewer’s focus on the content that matters, even if that content is dynamic.
Web TacitView — View metadata-rich FMV in a web environment with Web TacitView. Deployed as a browser plugin, no thick-client software installation is required to access the data contained in your FMV feeds and files, including MISP compliant data.
Additional Improvements — Interactive geosearch results, improved timebar and indications, session explorer improvements, expanded network protocol support, and many other bug fixes have been added to the suite.

With these releases, 2d3 Sensing is making the next generation of motion imagery processing available today—providing more tools than ever to go from imagery and information to intelligence. The new releases are available for evaluation and purchase today and are also on GSA schedule GS35F0092X.

About 2d3 Sensing
2d3 Sensing is a nimble commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology provider specializing in the processing, exploitation, and dissemination of motion imagery and metadata. Using innovative vision science techniques and standards-based media management capabilities, 2d3 Sensing improves and extracts the information contained in motion imagery for better situational awareness and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission results. 2d3 Sensing offers stand-alone software products, software development kits (SDKs), and customized software solutions through 2d3 Sensing’s Delivery Teams. For more information, please visit www.2d3sensing.com or call (949) 540-0740.

Free GIS Seminar: Real-Time GIS with ArcGIS GeoEvent Processor for Server

2013-05-11T23:35:00.000-05:00

Join the Esri live training online seminar on "Real-Time GIS with ArcGIS GeoEvent Processor for Server."

Seminar Overview

ArcGIS includes the capability to use real-time data in everyday decision making. ArcGIS GeoEvent Processor, a new extension for ArcGIS for Server, allows organizations to connect with almost any type of streaming data and automatically alert personnel when specified conditions occur—all in real-time. In this seminar, you will learn how to incorporate real-time information streams with your existing GIS data and IT infrastructure, perform continuous processing and analysis against streaming data, and produce new streams of data that work seamlessly with other ArcGIS products, including ArcGIS Online, Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS applications, and SDKs.

When: Thursday, May 23, 2013

Times:
9:00 a.m. PDT (U.S. & Canada)
11:00 a.m. PDT (U.S. & Canada)
3:00 p.m. PDT (U.S. & Canada)

Key Points

After viewing this seminar, you will understand how to:

- Receive real-time data from a wide variety of sources.
- Send real-time data to those who need it, where they need it.
- Perform continuous processing and analysis on events as they are received.

Intended Audience

GIS administrators who use ArcGIS for Server and need to learn how to enable real-time GIS applications.

Register for the webinar here.

ArcGIS 10.1 Tutorial Workbook Released

2013-05-06T11:52:00.002-05:00

Just released this week is the "GIS Tutorial 1: Basic Workbook, 10.1 Edition".

As the first book in the Esri Press GIS Tutorial series, this popular workbook has been updated for compatibility with ArcGIS 10.1.

The book combines ArcGIS tutorials with self-study exercises and guides students through a series of step-by-step exercises to gradually increase their skills and confidence. Students also gain critical-thinking skills as they solve the real-world problems presented in the exercises.

Appropriate for self-study or the classroom, the workbook provides a comprehensive range of instruction-from creating maps and collecting data to using geoprocessing tools and data models. The book is generously illustrated throughout with full-color maps and other graphics.

The authors, Wilpen L. Gorr and Kristen S. Kurland, developed the workbook through their many years of teaching GIS to students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"GIS Tutorial 1: Basic Workbook, 10.1 edition", (ISBN: 978-1-58948-335-4, 440 pages, US$79.95) includes data on DVD to complete the exercises and online access to a 180-day software trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop Advanced. Instructor resources, including lecture slides and solutions for the assignments, are available.

Check out the book on Amazon store: GIS Tutorial 1: Basic Workbook, 10.1 Edition

The workbook is also available at online retailers worldwide, at esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options. Interested retailers can contact Esri Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.

Medicare Mapper Free iPad App Now Available

2013-05-06T11:40:00.000-05:00

Demonstrating how location analytics can use big data, Critigen LLC along with partners Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., and Esri, has developed an informative Medicare application called Medicare Mapper. Just released in the Apple App Store, it is a free download for the iPad. Based on a publicly available data set from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the application allows consumers to see where people in their area are going for Medicare services, and service providers to see where their patients live along with the relative amount of services they received. It quickly and easily illustrates geographic patterns in Medicare hospital inpatient expenditures and exemplifies the power of location analytics for healthcare.

Based on the 2011 version of the Hospital Service Area file, the application makes anonymous data available on health services, service providers, utilization, and costs in an intuitive tablet interface. A total of 990,455 records, represented by a string of numbers, were decoded and geo-enabled with help from the U.S. Census Bureau’s ZIP code file and population data from Esri. It describes every Medicare Hospital Inpatient Admission that occurred in the country in 2011. Included is the residency (ZIP code) of the beneficiary, the hospital provider that received the reimbursement, the total amount of the reimbursement, the total length of stay, and the total number of cases that originated from within the respective ZIP code. Using the totals described by the data, two more categories of data were averaged and included for each record.

Users can select a specific hospital and display its impact in terms of which ZIP codes their 2011 Medicare beneficiaries came from. If a ZIP code is selected, pins appear on the map to show what facilities were used by the beneficiaries living there. Another built-in capability compares two hospitals or two ZIP codes in a side-by-side manner. The differences of each category can then be viewed numerically or by percentage. These capabilities enable users to build the stories they need to produce understanding, build knowledge, research, or manage.

Medicare Mapper follows the 2012 release of Critigen’s Health Indicators app as an example of using our geospatial technology and mobile expertise to make health data accessible to everyone. We hope it inspires the health community to embrace the potential of geographic information to improve the way we invest in healthcare, prevention, and infrastructure. We also hope it enables executives, citizens, and health professionals to create the stories they need to enable change.

Eastern South Dakota Water Conference 2013

2013-05-03T09:56:00.002-05:00

Eastern South Dakota Water Conference held in Brookings, SD October 30, 2013

We solicit abstracts related to water quality and water conservation, agricultural water management, extreme events in the hydrological cycle, water and economic development and local and regional water research.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is August 23, 2013. Abstracts are limited to a maximum of 350 words and may be submitted for both oral and poster presentation. There is a student poster competition with a 1st prize of $200 and a 2nd prize of $100.

Submit your abstract in MS Word format as an email attachment to sdsu.wri@sdstate.edu. When submitting the abstract, please indicate whether oral or poster presentation is preferred.

About the Conference. The Eastern South Dakota Water Conference is held annually at the campus of South Dakota State University and attracts 175-200 attendees from academia, students, local, state, and federal agencies, interest groups and industry. Water is an environmental good that provides critical services for recreation, economic development, agricultural and domestic use all of which are important to human activity. Stakeholders within watersheds have differing perspectives on water quality and quantity management and the sustainability of ample sources of high quality water. The conference covers the latest strategies and research for water managers and water users on the Northern Great Plains.

Travel stipends: We have stipends available to cover expenses related to travel, conference registration and accommodation for qualifying individuals. More information will be available on the conference website shortly.

For questions about the program and session topics, please contact Dr. Jeppe Kjaersgaard, South Dakota Water Resources Institute at jeppe.kjaersgaard@sdstate.edu or Dr. Chris Hay, SD State Univ. Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at christopher.hay@sdstate.edu.

Trista M. Koropatnicki
Program Assistant I
Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Water Resources Institute
South Dakota State University
Ph. 605-688-4910

Join The Landsat 8 Social Media Event

2013-05-02T17:45:00.001-05:00

On May 30, 2013, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) will officially start its lifelong mission as Landsat 8. The next Landsat satellite will then begin to systematically acquire images of Earth, extending Landsat’s four-decade record of our planet.

We are inviting 30 of our social media followers to join us for a ceremony at the USGS EROS Center in Sioux Falls, SD, that will formally acknowledge the transfer of responsibility of Landsat 8 from NASA to the USGS.

What:    Landsat 8 – Going Operational
Where:    USGS EROS Center, Sioux Falls, SD
When:    May 30, 2013

From May 30, the USGS will be responsible for all aspects of operating the satellite — from the health and safety of the spacecraft and its acquisition schedules, to downlinking and receiving data in cooperation with our network of international ground stations. Once the data are permanently recorded at the USGS-EROS Center, they will be processed and distributed in conjunction with the rest of the 4 million-scene Landsat archive.

Through close collaboration between NASA and the USGS, the Landsat program supplies data that show the impact of human society on the planet, a perspective that is more crucial than ever as our global population surpasses seven billion people. Over time, Landsat data has led to an improved understanding of human health, biodiversity, energy and water management, urban planning, disaster recovery, and agriculture monitoring.

USGS-NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:

    - Hear first-hand accounts by the Landsat Mission science and engineering teams.

    - Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the USGS EROS Center including:
        The Landsat Ground Systems
        The Film and Digital Archive
        The Landsat Data Reception Antenna (RayDome)

    - Be part of the LDCM to Landsat 8 Transition Ceremony
        To include Dr. Frank Kelly, USGS EROS Center Director; Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator (invited); Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior; Suzette Kimball, Acting USGS Director; South Dakota Elected Officials; Dr. Tom Loveland, USGS LDCM Project Scientist; and Dr. Jim Irons, NASA/GSFC LDCM Project Scientist

    - Attend evening reception hosted by Forward Sioux Falls and Friends of Landsat

    - Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media

   - Meet members of NASA and USGS social media team

Registration opens on this page at noon EDT on Friday, April 26, 2013 and closes at noon EDT on Friday, May 10, 2013.

Register For The COM.Geo 2013 Conference

2013-04-30T10:49:00.001-05:00

Registration is open for COM.Geo 2013 conference, to be held 22-24 July 2013 at the Fairmont San Jose hotel in San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley.

You are cordially invited to attend the COM.Geo 2013 conference (The 4th International Conference on Computing for Geospatial Research & Application). The COM.Geo conference is a professional development opportunity for researchers, decision-makers, developers, and application users to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, experiences and concerns in the field of computing for geospatial. The conference features the presentation of research papers, application case studies, technical briefings, workshops, courses, panels, demonstrations, and updates on use of advanced computing for geospatial techniques in industry.

Learning and Networking Opportunities

Take advantage of the opportunity for relevant professional development:

- Explore issues and trends relating to computing and geospatial technology
- Network with top professionals from across the county and around the world
- Interact with researchers, decision-makers, developers to gain new perspectives

COM.Geo 2013 highlights include:

- Geospatial Mobile Computing
- Geospatial Cloud Computing
- Smart Cities and IoT
- Geospatial CPU+GPU Computing
- Geospatial Social Computing
- Geospatial Big Data Computing
- Augmented Reality & HCI

Register for COM.Geo 2013 Conference here.

2013 NASA EONS Solicitation: New Proposals Now Accepted

2013-04-30T10:45:00.003-05:00

NASA's Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) 2013 NASA Research Announcement.

This is an umbrella announcement for opportunities under the Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, and includes calls for proposals in the following program elements for FY 2013-2014: Tribal Colleges and Universities Experiential Learning Opportunities (TCU ELO) and NASA Innovations in Climate Education – Tribal (NICE-T).

Proposals for both opportunities are due July 24, 2013.

For more information regarding these opportunities, please visit the NASA EONS page on the NSPIRES website at http://go.nasa.gov/14So8d6.

HealthGIS 2013 Conference in Bangkok, Thailand

2013-04-24T10:22:00.003-05:00

Association of Geoinformation Technology (AgIT) in association with co-organizers Asian Institute of Technology Thailand, and several institutes and organizations, JVGC Japan, UNIGIS, ESRI USA and IRD France is conducting the 5th International Conference on HealthGIS during 21-23 August 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. Free Pre-Conference Workshops by world renowned experts will be on 21st August for registered participants. The 4th International Conference on healthGIS was in New Delhi, India in 2011. It was a resounding success attracting 350+ delegates from more than 25 countries.

HealthGIS2013 will stimulate the same enchanting experience as the earlier ones by providing an international forum to the professionals involved in geo-Informatics, Information technology or Health sector to come together to share their expertise and join hands to evolve a strategy to combat health hazards and provide better health care to the people. Doctors and IT Professionals will be face to face and understand each other. Delegates from renowned health organizations such us WHO, UNICEF, CDC-USA, Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Milinda Gate foundation, UNESCO and many at national levels like MoPH Thailand will be under one roof to interact with all.

Themes:
Health GIS Database, Healthcare Planning and Management, New Emerging Diseases- Spatial causes and preparedness, Waterborne Diseases, Vector-borne Diseases, Telemedicine, Healthcare Instruments and Technology, Information Technology for better Health Care.

Exhibition:
There will be exhibition from sponsors on their innovative products.

The detail information about the conference are in the website: www.healthgis2013.com

Deadlines:
Abstract Submission: 30 May, 2013; Full Paper: 30 June, 2013

Complete Registration for Inclusion of the paper in the proceeding: 30 June, 2013

Proceeding will be published as a book. Selected paper will be published in “International Journal of Geoinformatics”. This will enhance citations and H-Index. International Journal of Geoinformatics is indexed by prestigious indexing services such as SCOPUS, SWETS, EBSCO, British Library, Google Scholar, Geoscience Australia etc.

Join and become a part of this exciting and prestigious event where experts of IT/ GIS/ Remote Sensing/ Informatics and Health will showcase new technologies and innovations. There will be enough for everyone to learn new things and take home new expertise. Present a paper, share your experience and listen to the experts from all over the world. Join the workshops and experience the advances in the geoinformation technologies.

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON): Interactive Online Biodiversity Map From USGS

2013-04-22T16:56:00.000-05:00

Check this out, the Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) interactive online biodiversity map. It is a product of the U.S. Geological Survey's Core Science Analytics and Synthesis Program. BISON offers and displays species occurrence data. The occurrences may be recorded observations; the locations of specimens; the original collection locations of living, fossil or preserved specimens; or literature-based reports.

Sample Maps:

More About BISON
Researchers collect species occurrence data, records of an organism at a particular time in a particular place, as a primary or ancillary function of many biological field investigations. Presently, these data reside in numerous distributed systems and formats (including publications) and are consequently not being used to their full potential. As a step toward addressing this challenge, the Core Science Analytics and Synthesis (CSAS) program of the US Geological Survey (USGS) is developing Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON), an integrated and permanent resource for biological occurrence data from the United States.

BISON will leverage the accumulated human and infrastructural resources of the long-term USGS investment in research and information management and delivery.

CSAS is also the U.S. Node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international, government-initiated and funded effort focused on making biodiversity data freely available for scientific research, conservation and sustainable development. CSAS, with its partners at Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), hosts a full mirror of the hundreds of millions of global records to which GBIF provides access. BISON has been initiated with the 110 million records GBIF makes available from the U.S. and is integrating millions more records from other sources each year.

VISIT Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON).

Live Stream: Antares Pre Launch Press Conference

2013-04-16T14:15:00.002-05:00

It is happening right now. Tune into NASA TV for the Antares Pre Launch Press Conference from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Antares launch is scheduled for this Wednesday, April 17 with a planned liftoff of 5 p.m.

Live stream is on NASA TV.

3D Laser Mapping Launches CatchR Environmental Monitoring Solutions

2013-04-16T11:18:00.002-05:00

3D Laser Mapping has launched a range of remote satellite monitoring solutions that will allow data from laser scanners and other sensors to be transmitted from inaccessible and inhospitable environments. The CatchR solutions include systems for water flow, depth and level monitoring, equipment status reporting, detection of toxic substances and weather reporting. The robust measurement units collect and record a range of data which is then automatically transmitted, via satellites, to a secure data server. Users can view data online and alarms can received as emails and SMS messages. The CatchR systems on offer from 3D Laser Mapping have been developed by Swedish based Novator Solutions.

“The CatchR solutions will complement our own SiteMonitor system which is already in use in mines and other challenging environments around the world,” commented Jon Chicken, Managing Director of 3D Laser Mapping. “CatchR systems can be used to monitor equipment, such as generators, power plants or pumping stations, and detect and report the presence of toxic substances, even operating in emergency situations when other infrastructure may be lost. CatchR systems also include solutions for monitoring water levels in lakes, dams, rivers and reservoirs and can report on water flow and depth.”

“3D Laser Mapping is a natural partner to take our advanced monitoring solutions to the wider market,” commented A N Other, Senior Position at Novator. “Their expertise and experience of remote monitoring systems and applications, gained through the development, deployment and support of the SiteMonitoring system, is second to none.”

The CatchR Basic is a self-sufficient unit for remote collection and transmission of measurement data. Contained within a specially designed enclosure the system includes a low power computer that communicates with external sensors to collect data which is then transmitted, using the built in satellite modem, via an external antennae. CatchR solutions include a high end rechargeable battery that supplies power to the system components which can be replenished by an external DC power supply or by solar or wind.

“CatchR systems are self-sufficient with long battery life ensuring operation weeks after local power loss; they can even be recharged by wind or solar generating systems making them environmentally friendly too. They can operate in sub-zero temperatures as well as in extreme heat and humidity and can be deployed in remote places without the need for external infrastructure,” concluded Jon Chicken.

Contacts:
Charlie Whyman, Email Contact, +44 (0)19 838 004
www.3dlasermapping.com

OGC Student Map App Challenge 2013 Sponsored By Google

2013-04-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) announces the OGC Student Map App Challenge, sponsored by Google, an OGC Principal Member. The Student Map App Challenge is a contest for students who have programming skills and an interest in maps and location services.

Open standards from the OGC unlock the potential of the "spatial Web," creating opportunities for app developers to make all kinds of location information available to users, independent of platform. The OGC has launched the Student Map App Challenge to make entrepreneurial students aware of the enormous social and commercial potential of these open standards.

Three winning applicants will receive an OGC Student Map App Challenge Award and the opportunity to have their apps featured on the OGC website and in other media channels. The first place winner will:

    - Receive the award at their choice of the next year's OGC Technical Committee meetings (http://www.opengeospatial.org/event?category=ogctcpc), held quarterly in cities around the world. OGC will pay for travel, accommodations and meals.

   - Receive a Nexus Tablet donated by Google.

   - Receive a two-year OGC membership for the student's academic institution

   - Have a dedicated award page on the OGC website and be cited in an OGC press release.

Applicants and their apps will receive the attention of the OGC's 480 public sector and private sector members – government organizations, NGOs, corporations and universities around the world.

Apps can make use of hundreds of public and private sector map data sources that are accessible through server-side implementations of OGC standards. These include weather, navigation, demographics, sensors, webcams, commercial establishments, hydrology, bird counts, accident statistics and many other kinds of data. The OGC Student Map App Challenge page provides search tools that can be used to find these existing OGC service instances. Most of these have no restrictions or few restrictions on their use, and thus they provide countless opportunities for mapping apps and location service apps.

Students don't need to rely on others' data, however. Sources of spatial data that are not now accessible through OGC's open interfaces and encodings can be made accessible by students who develop server interfaces as well as client apps.

Students must register by 15 June 2013 and submit their apps by 15 July 2013. Contestants and the public will be notified of the results on 30 August 2013.

The OGC is an international consortium of more than 480 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC standards support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. OGC standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled. Visit the Student Map App Challenge page for details.

NASA Budget FY 2014 Ensures U.S. To Remain On Top In Space Exploration

2013-04-10T15:31:00.003-05:00

Today, President Barack Obama announced the budget for the Fiscal Year 2014. NASA assured that the agency's budget will keep the United States as the world's leader in space exploration and scientific discovery for years to come, while making critical advances in aerospace and aeronautics to benefit the American people.

Here is a quick look at the NASA Budget FY 2014 provided for free by NASA.gov.

Continuation:

Getmapping LiDAR Office in Centurion, South Africa Now Opens

2013-04-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

As part of its continued expansion into Africa, Geosense, Getmapping’s wholly owned subsidiary in South Africa, has opened a new office in Centurion. The office will be the new centre of flight operations and the focus of the company’s extensive LiDAR capability. Getmapping now has three offices in Africa - Cape Town, Centurion and Nairobi.

LiDAR uses a laser to measure the distance between the sensor, normally airborne, and the ground surface. The resulting highly accurate terrain map is suitable for a range of engineering applications, including infrastructure projects, such as road, rail and power transmission lines, and land based activities such as mining and planning. LiDAR is also suitable for 3D visualisation and modelling. LiDAR point clouds enable the generation of highly accurate, high resolution DEMs that facilitate the extraction of surface features based on height such as buildings, trees, and power lines. For mining applications, airborne LiDAR is a fast and inexpensive method of revealing hidden surface geology and subsurface geological structures, including faults and fractures. It also provides data for valuable subsidence monitoring, landfill volume estimates and much more.

“We have built up extensive LiDAR capabilities in South Africa to complement our existing large format digital camera capabilities and provide a full survey service to our customers, especially in the mining and power transmission sectors,” said Dave Horner, Managing Director of Getmapping. “It makes sense for us to base our LiDAR and the flight operations in an area where most of our mining and power transmission customers are also based. Our Cape Town office will continue as the production centre for much of our processing and analytical work for both Africa and the UK, and to service our customers in the Western Cape Area,” continued Horner.

Free GIS Seminar on Changing Forest Dynamics at Minnesota’s Prairie-Forest Border

2013-04-08T15:39:00.002-05:00

It is Monday once again, April 8, and it's time for the free GIS seminar. Dr. Pete Wyckoff, Associate Professor of Biology & Environmental Science, University of Minnesota, Morris will be speaking on “The View from Lake Wobegon: Changing Forest Dynamics at Minnesota’s Prairie-Forest Border”.

To view live webcasting of the talk go here: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2007004&password=M.30976348EA52F8B9625C00630916BB

Ask questions about the presentation using the link provided.

Free Webinar on Field Data Collection With Smartphones, Tablets and Lasers

2013-04-05T17:19:00.001-05:00

Field Data Collection With Smartphones, Tablets and Lasers
Wednesday - April 10, 1pm MST

By coupling TruPulse lasers with the GeoJot+ field data collection system, your field teams will collect consistent and accurate data, with minimal effort and training. Finally - tools your field crew will be excited to use! Then visualize your data in ArcGIS and Google Earth, or create photo-based reports.

The days of measuring wheels, height sticks, pencils and a clipboard for recording field data are over. Attend this webinar and learn how to combine the power of an LTI’s TruPulse® mapping laser with your smartphone or tablet using the GeoJot+ app.

Capture the location of remote objects and height measurements with a TruPulse mapping laser and wirelessly transmit values to your smartphone or tablet using GeoJot+. Then take a geotagged photo of the object and collect additional attribute information. Automatically upload all data to the cloud and back down to your office. Generate shapefiles, geodatabases, Google Earth maps, and professional reports, including offset positions.

Ideal for forestry, natural resource management, general construction, utilities, mining and telecommunication professionals, and for any field data collection team that needs to capture geotagged photos of remote objects, and data including height or vertical distance measurements.

Map and measure more in less time. Decrease your safety liabilities while increasing your revenue. Gain a competitive advantage with minimal training.

Learn how to get the most accurate field data with your organization’s smartphones and tablets! Register now for a free webinar on Wednesday, April 10th at 1pm MST.

Intergraph Releases Enhanced G/Technology Fiber Optic Works

2013-04-05T17:16:00.001-05:00

Intergraph Security, Government and Infrastructure (SG&I) recently released G/Technology Fiber Optic Works 1.2, which streamlines the management of fiber optic infrastructure for utilities, communications providers, municipalities and state agencies.

Fiber is the core component of high-speed broadband communications networks required for the smart grid, fiber to the home (FTTH, FTTx) and intelligent roadway information management systems.

"Intergraph's G/Technology Fiber Optic Works not only allows users to expand into new service opportunities, but it also maximizes revenue potential by providing users with an up-to-date, accurate view of network assets and available bandwidth," said Karen Ball, G/Technology Executive Technical Manager, Intergraph SG&I.

As an add-on to the G/Technology infrastructure management product family, Fiber Optic Works meets the need for an enterprise data environment that supports fiber network creation, modification and reporting workflows across an organization.

The latest release of Fiber Optic Works supports Inside Plant (ISP) integration with an operation support system (OSS). Not only does this interface enable users to view and interact with ISP devices from either system, but it also allows them to associate logical circuits managed within the other applications with physical fiber links maintained in Fiber Optic Works.

In partnership with Visionael, Intergraph has already applied this seamless integration to the Network Resource Manager (NRM) component of Visionael's OSS suite at two customer installations.

Apple Pen With GPS and Phone Features?

2013-03-29T16:25:00.003-05:00

Will Apple release a pen with GPS and phone features?

UPI reports:

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reissued a patent to Apple for a mobile computer encased in a pen, adding cellular and GPS capabilities.

Originally assigned to British Telecommunications PLC in 1998, the U.S. rights were transferred to Apple in 2008 but the patent was reissued Tuesday with additional features included, Apple Insider reported.

The original patent describes a multifunction device equipped with a pair of accelerometers to recognize handwritten input and a built-in display; the new patent adds 11 new claims to the original, most having to do with cellular connectivity and GPS capabilities.

As described in the patent, the built-in LCD screen would be accompanied by multifunction buttons and a touch strip to navigate through written messages or other stored information.

The patent also cites support for sound input/output components that can be used to process speech-to-text and text-to-speech.

Special Issue on "Advances in Remote Sensing of Flooding" To Be Published in Water Journal

2013-03-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

Special Issue "Advances in Remote Sensing of Flooding"

Dear Colleagues,

After Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the early morning of 30 October 2012 near New Jersey and New York areas, USA flooding caused by the storm has been documented by ground pictures, aerial photos, and satellite images. These remotely sensed data have been saturated TV and computer screens. In response to a flooding event, it is important quickly to predict and to determine the extent of flooding and landuse type under the floodwater. As observed from news media/TV, the mayor of New York City retracted his order from not a big deal event to an extremely dangerous one in less than 24 hours related Sandy. His ultimate order to evacuate has saved thousands of lives. Therefore, as humans are facing the ever-changing environments and advancing the science and technology especially remote sensing, we as scientists are equipped with advanced knowledge and sophistical instruments/tools, and we are obligated to predict and to capture the extent of flooding in an efficient and effective manner. This type of information is essential to our leaders and emergency responders, as well as concerned public. Access of such critical information can greatly assist comprehensive preparation, emergency response, and relief activity. This is the call for papers that study and document the advances in mapping a flood event using primarily remote sensing technique and datasets.

Prof. Dr. Yong Wang
Guest Editor

Submission
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to the website. Once you are registered, click the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 500 CHF (Swiss Francs). English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2013

Download Landsat 8: LDCM First Satellite Images Released

2013-03-21T12:02:00.001-05:00

Today, LandSat8 or the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) released its first images of Earth, collected at 1:40 p.m. EDT on March 18. The first image shows the meeting of the Great Plains with the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and Colorado. The natural-color image shows the green coniferous forest of the mountains coming down to the dormant brown plains. The cities of Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Boulder and Denver string out from north to south. Popcorn clouds dot the plains while more complete cloud cover obscures the mountains.

Note: On the left, the image is shown in natural color, created using data from OLI spectral bands 2 (blue), 3 (green), and 4 (red). The image on the right was created using data from OLI bands 3 (green), 5 (near infrared), and 7 (short wave infrared 2) displayed as blue, green and red, respectively. In the left-hand natural color image, the city's elongated Horsetooth Reservoir, a source of drinking water, lies west of the city. A dark wildfire burn scar from the Galena Fire is visible just to the left of the reservoir. The scar shows up bright, rusty red in the false color image. Credit: USGS/NASA Earth Observatory

Download left image unlabeled version
Download right image unlabeled version

This black-and-white Landsat scene shows the area where the Great Plains meet the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and Colorado. The image was created using data from the first TIRS thermal infrared band. Warmer surfaces appear light gray to white in the thermal image while cooler areas appear dark gray to black. Clouds in the colder upper atmosphere, for instance, appear black against the lighter background of the warmer ground surface. When the satellite begins normal operations, data products will contain co-registered (simultaneous) data for all of the OLI and TIRS.

Note to Landsat data users: This scene is slightly off set from the standard Path 33, Row 32 Landsat scene as LDCM has not yet reached its nominal 438-mile (705-kilometer) operational orbit.

Download Larger image (12 MB tif)

The area around Boulder, Colo., is shown here in a true color image collected by the OLI aboard LDCM on March 18, 2013. The OLI and an important component of TIRS, its cryocooler, were built at the Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation facility in Boulder.

Download larger image unlabeled version

LDCM's normal operations are scheduled to begin in late May when the instruments have been calibrated and the spacecraft has been fully checked out. At that time, NASA will hand over control of the satellite to the USGS, which will operate the satellite throughout its planned five-year mission life. The satellite will be renamed Landsat 8, and data from OLI and TIRS will be processed and added to the Landsat Data Archive at the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center in South Dakota, where it will be distributed for free over the Internet.

Credit: USGS/NASA Earth Observatory

Free GIS Seminar on "Semantic Heterogeneity: Surviving the Earth Science Data Deluge"

2013-03-18T15:59:00.000-05:00

This Monday's seminar speaker is Dr. Deana Pennington. She is a Research Assistant Professor in the Cyber-ShARE Center of Excellence at the University of Texas at El Paso. She will be speaking about: Semantic Heterogeneity: Surviving the Earth Science Data Deluge.

Follow the live streaming of the seminar on Blackboard Collaborate link.

Post questions if you have any.