Section 5.0

Other Noteworthy Resources Related to Earth Remote Sensing Applications and Education

Note: This annotated guide was published in 1998. The links on this page are no longer maintained.

1. Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Flight Locator. AVIRIS is an optical sensor that delivers calibrated images of the upwelling spectral radiance in 224 contiguous bands with wavelengths from 400 to 2500 nanometers (nm). The instrument flies aboard a NASA ER-2 airplane at approximately 20 km above sea level. The Flight Locator illustrates the mean geographical path of AVIRIS flights (1992-1997) using the TIGER Mapping Server developed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Availability: http://makalu.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/tigermv.cgi (**no check)
   
   
2. Center for Remote Sensing & Spatial Analysis (CRSSA), Rutgers University. CRSSA's WWW site provides information on a range of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) projects, including the Global GRASS and GlobalARC CD-ROM Project, a cooperative activity with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USA/CERL). The 5 Global GRASS CD-ROMs contain a wide range of global datasets related to land, oceans, atmosphere, biosphere, and human activities. GlobalARC contains 84 themes and a total of 147 raster layers (Grids) with cell resolutions of 4'48" or finer. Other CRSSA projects of interest include work related to the use of remote sensing in archaeology and mountain gorilla protection. Availability: http://www.crssa.rutgers.edu/index.html
   
   
3. Core SW ImageNet®. Core Software Technology is a commercial vendor of satellite data that provides access to Landsat 4 and 5 data from Earth Observation Satellite Corporation (EOSAT), SovInformSputnik (SIS) data from the Russian Space Agency, SPOT 1, 2, and 3 data from SPOT IMAGE Corporation, polar orbiting data from the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES), and European data from Eurimage. Availability: http://www.coresw.com/
   
   
4. Declassified Intelligence Satellite Imagery. A wide selection of satellite imagery from the 1960s and 1970s has been declassifed by the U.S. intelligence community. Images may be browsed and ordered through the EROS Data Center. Availability: no page at: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/dclass
   /dclass.html try : http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/
   
   
5. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Homepage. This archive provides access to data from the DMSP satellites, including measurements from the Operational LineScan (OLS) instrument, the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and other instruments. Availability: http://web.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/
   
   
6. Delft Institute for Earth-Oriented Space Research. Located at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, this institute focuses on orbit determination, altimetry, and satellite geodesy. The WWW site contains information on the European Remote-Sensing satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2, including the latest results from ERS-2 related to sea surface variability, wind speed, wave height, and Gulfstream velocities. Availability: http://dutlru8.lr.tudelft.nl/
   
   
7. * EarthRISE: Earth Remote Imagery for Science and Education. This database provides access to a collection of photographs of the Earth taken from the NASA Space Shuttle during the past 15 years using hand-held cameras. The database interface supports searching by form, political unit, and topographical features. Availability: http://earthrise.sdsc.edu/
   
   
8. Earthsat Satellite Corporation (EarthSat). The EarthSat home page describes a range of EarthSat applications related to geology, flooding, agriculture, environment, transportation, and weather. Availability: http://www.earthsat.com
   
   
9. EarthWatch, Inc. EarthWatch provides high-resolution imagery, digital terrain models, and digital maps through its Digital Globe (TM) database. EarthWatch is planning to build and launch two commercial high-resolution imaging satellites, EarlyBird and QuickBird. EarlyBird is scheduled for launch in the summer of 1997. The WWW site includes a short primer on remote sensing. Availability: http://www.digitalglobe.com.
   
   
10. Ecosystem Science and Technology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center. The Ecosystem Science and Technology Branch hosts a number of research efforts involving applications of remote sensing, including the Center for Health Applications of Aerospace Related Technologies (CHAART), the Global Monitoring and Human Health Program, the Landsat Program, temporal urban mapping, use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to investigate high latitude wetlands, and new sensor development. Availability: http://geo.arc.nasa.gov/sge.html (**no check)
    
    
11. * ENTRI Remote Sensing Gallery. As part of the on-line guide for the Environmental Treaties and Resource Indicators (ENTRI) service, SEDAC has developed examples of the use of remote sensing to monitor compliance with international environmental treaties. Availability: http://sedac.ciesin.org/entri
    
    
12. Eurimage. Eurimage is a consortium of four European Earth observation companies: British Aerospace (U.K.), Dornier (Germany), SSC-Satellitbild (Sweden), and Nuova Telespazio (Italy). It provides access to current data from a range of platforms including Landsat, ERS 1 and 2, TIROS, RESURS-01, JERS-1, Kosmos (KVR 1000, TK-350, and MK-4), and the Russian MIR Space Station as well as archived data from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS), the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM), the Marine Observing Satellite (MOS), Seasat Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and the Metric Camera. The WWW site provides detailed technical information, a discussion of applications, and access to the EiNet on-line catalog (by subscription). Availability: http://www.eurimage.it/
    
    
13. The GeoTIFF Web Page. This WWW site provides information on the effort to establish a TIFF-based interchange format for georeferenced raster imagery. Last updated in June 1996, the site provides access to the offical release version of the GeoTIFF Specification and lists GeoTIFF data providers and software vendors. Links are provided to a GeoTIFF ftp archive maintained by SPOT IMAGE. Availability: http://www.remotesensing.org/geotiff/geotiff.html
    
    
14. * The Great Globe Gallery. This site provides more than 100 different links to images of the Earth drawn from diverse sources. Availability: http://hum.amu.edu.pl/~zbzw/glob/glob1.htm
    
    
15. Ionia "1 km AVHRR Global Land Data Set" Net-Browser. This service of the European Space Agency (ESA) European Space Research Institute (ESRIN) allows users to browse AVHRR land data from 1992 to the present. The WWW site also provides access to a Fire Atlas (fire detection based on AVHRR data) and to the Global 1KM AVHRR Server. Availability: http://shark1.esrin.esa.it/. Also see http://atlas.esrin.esa.it:8000/
    
    
16. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Monterey Satellite Products. The Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey, California provides near-real-time access to a range of meteorological satellite data products, including data from GOES-8 and GOES-9 and the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5 (GMS-5). The site includes imagery, movies, documentation, forecasts, and other resources. Availability: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/projects/sat_products.html
    
    
17. NOAA/NASA Pathfinder Programs. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have sponsored a range of "pathfinder" activities to reprocess existing satellite data in support of global change research. Pathfinders include data based on the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS), the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and the Land Remote-Sensing Satellite (Landsat). Availability: http://xtreme.gsfc.nasa.gov/pathfinder/path_sites.html
    
    
18. ORBIMAGE. ORBIMAGE provides data from the OrbView 1 and 2 satellites and the planned OrbView 3 satellite. OrbView 1 includes two sensors, the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and the GPS/MET instrument. OrbView 2 (SeaStar(TM) ) was succe ssfully launched on August 1, 1997, carrying the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS). OrbView 2 data will be made available through an on-line OrbNet(SM) Digital Archive after launch. The ORBIMAGE WWW site also provides access to the SunCast® Data Service, which provides next-day forecasts of ultraviolet radiation to the general public. Availability: http://www.orbimage.com
    
    
19. RADARSAT Program Official WWW Server. The RADARSAT Program of the Canadian Space Agency maintains a WWW server which provides general information on the RADARSAT mission and links to sites that are distributing and using RADARSAT data. Availability: http://radarsat.space.gc.ca/
    
    
20. Remote Sensing and Modeling. The Center for Energy Studies at the Ecole des Mines de Paris has a Remote Sensing and Modeling group which focuses on Earth observation from space and the modeling of processes contributing to the signal measured b y spaceborne sensors. Applications include urban climate and air quality, urban mapping, oceanography and coastal zones, and meteorology and solar meteorology. Availability: http://www-cenerg.cma.fr/eng/tele/
    
    
21. Satellite Imagery, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science. This site provides near-real time High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) and Local Area Coverage (LAC) daily image composites for selected marine areas in support of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS). Availability: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/images.html
    
    
22. Satellite Images in the Network Office Archive. This collection includes multiple satellite images of Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites primarily from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and SPOT from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Availability: http://www.lternet.edu/research/technology/satellite/
    
    
23. * Satellite Observations of the Atmosphere. The Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (see Section 4) has developed a WWW page on satellite observations of the atmosphere. The site includes access to real-time imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-8 (GOES-8), an image gallery including selected animations, and a guide to satellite coverage and orbits (both geostationary and polar orbiting). Availability: http://www.mmm.ucar.edu/pm/satellite/satellite.html
    
    
24. Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeology. This WWW site developed by M.J.F. Fowler in the United Kingdom provides samples of satellite imagery used in remote sensing, a calendar of relevant meetings, a bibliography, and links to other related resources. Availability: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mjff/homepage.htm
    
    
25. * SatPasses: Predictions of Satellite Passes Over North American Cities. This WWW site delivers predictions of when the Space Shuttle, the MIR Space Station, and other satellites will pass over selected North American cities. It includes links to other satellite tracking resources (including a comparable service for cities in other regions of the world). Availability: http://www.bester.com/satpasses.html
    
    
26. * SeaWiFS Project Home Page. This home page contains a wide range of data and information resources about the SeaWiFS mission (scheduled for launch in July 1997). Included are technical documents, browse imagery, a teacher's guide, lists of ground stations, and current mission information. Availability: http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html
    
    
27. Space Imaging EOSAT's Online CARTERRA(TM) Archive. This commercial digital archive contains panchromatic, multispectral, and wide-field data from the Indian Remote Sensing satellite IRS-1C; high-resolution digital photography; and se lected radar and submeter products. Availability: http://www.spaceimage.com/gallery/gallery.html
    
    
28. Space Shuttle Earth Observations Project (SSEOP) Database of Photographic Information and Images. This is an on-line database of photographs taken using hand-held cameras from the Space Shuttle. The database may be searched by feature and location and returns a jpeg image and text description of shuttle photographs. Information on ordering hard copy photographs is also provided. Availability: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/
    
    
29. Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Real-Time Data. The SSEC at the University of Wisonsin at Madison provides real time data from geostationary satellites such as the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. This site contains browse-quality images only. Availability: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/
    
    
30. SPOT IMAGE. The French satellites SPOT 1, 2, and 3 have provided high-resolution, stereo imagery since 1986. SPOT 4 is scheduled for launch in early 1998. SPOT IMAGE offers a range of data products including land classification data and high resolution urban digital imagery (both satellite and aerial). The Worldwide SPOT Scene Catalogue is available on CD-ROM and an on-line catalog, DALI, provides meta-data for more than 4 million SPOT scenes and browse images for more than 1 million. Availability: http://www.spot.com
    
    
31. Stratospheric Ozone and Human Health Project Home Page. This on-line service provides access to historical and near-real-time estimates of surface doses of ultraviolet radiation based on satellite measurements from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer and other instruments. The site includes an on-line bibliography on stratospheric ozone depletion, ultraviolet radiation, and human health and provides links to other related data and Internet resources. Availability: http://sedac.ciesin.org/ozone/
    
    
32. * View from Satellite. This utility provides a view of the Earth from the current position of the selected satellite in its orbit. Orbital data for hundreds of Earth observing and communications satellites are updated regularly. Availability: http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/satellite.html