Using Google Earth for Earth Science and Remote Sensing

Looks like using GE for science purposes is more obvious than I previously thought. That is great news for both the scientific community and the public! Take a look.

You can now run Google Earth on Linux platforms. That’s great news for some of us working in that platform. Please visit this page to download it.

I also learned about Google Earth 4 Beta which has an improved interface and more features. Here is the link.

Cheers!

Here’s an interesting “mash up” of NASA data with Google Maps. Take a look at Flood Maps. For more background information click here. I’d be interested in correlating flooding heights with actual global warming data. Very interesting!

Declan Butler just told me about a Nature magazine article titled “Virtual globes: The web-wide world”. This article features developments and other great information about scientific applications. Take a look here.

Declan Butler, Senior Reporter at Nature Magazine, has done a great compilation of different sources of GIS information that can ultimately be used for Google Earth. Click here to learn more.

You can also check out his blog, great place to learn about other applications. Take a look at the Avian flu maps in KML format.

Some of you asked me about where to find satellite data and other useful sources. Here are my favorites:

• NASA MODIS Rapid Response System [click here for link]
• United States Geological Survey [click here for link]

I’ll add more as we come across other sources. In the mean time, what sites/sources would you recommend that we can post here? Please feel free to add them in the comments section.

Enjoy!

Here are a few samples of KML files that you can download and try in Google Earth. Some a basic examples of what you can do with the tool. I’ll post more advanced files after we complete our first phase of tests. In the mean time, here’s the index (click on each title to download the KML file):

• NASA Goddard’s Scanning Raman Lidar (instrument site)
• NASA Goddard’s Aeronet Sites around the world (instrument site)
• Flight path simulation
• Ground-based instrument profile simulation
• Orbital satellites (KML created by http://www.n6nar.org / http://www.openAPRS.net )

Enjoy!

A few attendees of my talk were dissapointed that there was no Mac version of Google Earth. Well, worry no more because it has recently been released! See the announcement here.

Welcome to the blog about Google Earth uses for Earth Science and Remote Sensing applications. The purpose of this blog to get my fellow colleagues at NASA and other organizations and agencies acquainted with Google Earth and its potential for integrating, visualizing and collaborating information. If you attended my presentation at the NASA/Earth-Sun System Technology Office’s Lidar Technology Forum, and would to view my presentation, please click here.