Google Earth A Powerful Tool for Science Education

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach alan. leonardi@noaa. gov 2009 ESIP Federation Winter Meeting Google Earth: A Powerful Tool For Science, Education, and Outreach Alan P. Leonardi , Ph. D. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration* * On Assignment at Google Earth and Maps, Mountain View, California

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Virtual Globes: • 3 D software model or representation of the Earth or another world. • Provide user with ability to freely move around in the virtual environment by changing the viewing angle and position. • Have capability of representing many different views on the surface of the Earth, including: • Geographical features, • Man-made features such as roads and buildings, or • Abstract representations of demographic quantities such as population. Credits: http: // www. google. com alan. leonardi@noaa. gov /press/ http: // en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Virtual_g lobe http: // en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Google_E arth http: //www. csiss. org/SPACE/resource s/virtual-globes. php • Provide unprecedented opportunity for engagement from the earth science data and information communities.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? Virtual Globes Examples: • Google Earth • NASA World Wind A. Science • Terra. Explorer Viewer B. • Geo. Player Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: http: //www. google. com/press/ http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Virtual_g lobe http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Google_E arth http: //www. csiss. org/SPACE/resource s/virtual-globes. php • Earth. SLOT • Earth. Browser alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Key features of Google Earth include: • Free software download available at http: // earth. google. com , • 3 D buildings in major cities across the United States, • 3 D terrain showing worlds mountains, valleys, and canyons, • Integrated Google Local search to find local information such as hotels, restaurants, schools, parks, and transportation, • Video playback of driving directions, • Tilt, rotate, and activate 3 D terrain and buildings for a different perspective on a location, • Easy creation and sharing of annotations among users. Credits: http: // www. google. com alan. leonardi@noaa. gov /press/ http: // en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Virtual_g lobe http: // en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Google_E arth http: //www. csiss. org/SPACE/resource s/virtual-globes. php

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Science alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov I. NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: NCDC http: //www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/wct/ steve. ansari@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education • Capability and tools for: IV. What are the limitations? • Custom data overlays and Web Map Services (WMS), V. Where do we go from here? • Exporting images and movies in multiple formats, • Export Data in vector and raster grid formats. Credits: NCDC steve. ansari@noaa. gov • Visualization and export of NCDC weather and climatological data, • Access to NCDC (and other orgs) weather/climate web services, C. Outreach http: // www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/wct NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit Provides: /

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. NOAA’s WCT Supported Data Types: • U. S. Drought Monitor Service (from NDMC) • NEXRAD Radar Data (Level-II and Level-III) Education • GOES Satellite AREA Files C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? Planned Data Types: V. Where do we go from here? • Generic gridded Net. CDF support • NOMADS Model Data Web Services (OPe. NDAP) • Station data access via REST Web Services Credits: NCDC http: // www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/wct steve. ansari@noaa. gov /

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: NCDC http: // www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/wct steve. ansari@noaa. gov / alan. leonardi@noaa. gov NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: NCDC http: // www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/wct steve. ansari@noaa. gov / alan. leonardi@noaa. gov NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov II. Alaska Volcano Monitoring III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: http: //www. avo. alaska. edu/ http: //www. arsc. edu/ http: //www. gi. alaska. edu/ http: //www. uaf. edu/ http: //volcanoes. usgs. gov/yvo/ jbailey@gi. alaska. edu

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Volcanic Ash Dispersion Predictions III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: http: //puff. images. alaska. edu/ 3 D Puff model predictions of Kliuchevskoi volcanic eruptions and ash dispersion. The KML Files contain a network link to the 3 D Puff model predictions for sites across the NOPAC and beyond.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Volcanic Ash Dispersion Predictions III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: http: //puff. images. alaska. edu/ Puff 3 D simulation of Ash-Aircraft encounter from December 1989 Mt. Redoubt Volcano Eruption

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov III. In-Situ Ocean Observations III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Pete Giencke giencke@google. com

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov III. In-Situ Ocean Observations III. How is it used? A. Science B. Air Temp Atm Pressure Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Pete Giencke giencke@google. com Water Temp Wind Gust Wave Height Wind Speed

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Education

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov I. Literary Adventures III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Michael Hess http: //littourature. blogspot. com/ http: //earth. google. com/outreach/km l_entry. html#t. On%20 The%20 Road Follows the main character (Sal Paradise) of Kerouac’s novel On the Road as he travels across America

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov II. Exploration 1: Portuguese Chronology III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Smithsonian http: //www. asia. si. edu/ http: //earth. google. com/outreach/km l_entry. html#t. Encompassing%20 the %20 Globe KML provides information, photographs and graphical depiction of routes taken by Portugal's sailors and explorers in the 16 th and 17 th centuries.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Smithsonian http: //www. asia. si. edu/ http: //earth. google. com/outreach/km l_entry. html#t. Encompassing%20 the %20 Globe alan. leonardi@noaa. gov III. Exploration 2: Shackleton’s Endurance

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Noel Jenkins http: //www. juicygeography. co. uk/ge wind. htm alan. leonardi@noaa. gov IV. Wind Energy Siting Lesson

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Outreach alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov I. UNEP Changing Environment Atlas III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: UNEP http: //www. na. unep. net Ashbindu Singh, as@rona. unep. org Michelle L. Anthony, anthony@usgs. gov • Google Map and Google Earth Options • 120 UNEP research and study sites around the world. • Includes story associated with the environmental change, thumbnail images of the imagery, and links to UNEP web site for more information.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: UNEP http: //www. na. unep. net Ashbindu Singh, as@rona. unep. org Michelle L. Anthony, anthony@usgs. gov alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov II. Oil Spills of the World III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: David Tryse davidtryse@gmail. com http: // david. tryse. net/googleearth / Major oil spills from the 1960's onwards including description, photographs and additional information.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? alan. leonardi@noaa. gov III. John Muir: American Naturalist III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Sierra Club http: //www. sierraclub. org/muir/ Sierra Club created KML file paying homage to the life of Sierra Club founder John Muir.

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? IV. Science A. Education B. Outreach V. What are the limitations? VI. Where do we go from here? Credits: NSIDC http: //nsidc. org/data/google_earth/ IV. World Glaciers alan. leonardi@noaa. gov

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Limitations

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? Advantages III. How is it used? A. Science • Freely available B. • Easy and varied map development Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? • Stand-alone desktop application • Existing high quality imagery • Imagery quality constantly improving • KML files are easy to share and convert to GIS shapefiles • Large user community with online technical support Credits: Conroy, et al (2008) doi: 10. 1016/j. jhevol. 2008. 03. 001 Lozano-Fuentes, et al (2008) doi: 10. 2471/BLT. 07. 045880

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? Disadvantages A. Science • Requires internet access to capture satellite images B. • Imagery quality in rural areas of developing countries Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Credits: Conroy, et al (2008) doi: 10. 1016/j. jhevol. 2008. 03. 001 Lozano-Fuentes, et al (2008) doi: 10. 2471/BLT. 07. 045880 • Age of imagery can constrain some applications • limited set of editing and data management tools • lack of spatial analysis and modeling capability • Uses the world geodetic system (WGS) 84 - best suited for country-wide or continent-wide scales

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Where do we go from here? What’s Next? • KML, Google Earth, etc. are powerful tools to bring scientific information to non-traditional audiences • Need to determine how far the scientific data community wants to go to support KML as a standard • Need to engage Google (and others) in the discussion

Google Earth: A Powerful Tool for Science, Education, and Outreach I. alan. leonardi@noaa. gov Introduction II. What is Google Earth? III. How is it used? A. Science B. Education C. Outreach IV. What are the limitations? V. Where do we go from here? Questions?