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First Annual Virtual Globe
Scientific Users Conference
10-12 July 2006
Boulder, Colorado
Final Agenda
Location and
logistical information
3645 Marine
Street, University of Colorado Campus IT Room (Room 123). Mapquest
this address for driving directions and map.
Click
here to see the location in Google Earth (you must have Google
Earth installed already)
Here is an overview map of Boulder:
http://resortmaps.com/CO/BoulderOverview.php
Parking in the area is by permit
only. Someone will be waiting near the front door of the building
with a stack of parking permits which you can purchase for $9.50
for the week. If these run out on the first morning, plan to have
some quarters available for meters and we will get more permits
by lunch time.
We will provide coffee and light
snacks during breaks, but you are on your own for lunch. We will
provide a list of nearby lunch places, and will also provide limited
delivery service. We will have meeting rooms available during lunches
for focussed discussions and further tutorials, so you are encouraged
to bring your own lunch or get delivery. There are also picnic table
outside and a nearby park for stretching your legs (or skateboarding).
There is still no registration fee,
but we are requesting $15 if you plan to attend the reception on
Monday afternoon to help cover our costs.
The Boulder
Inn has given a special rate for this meeting (request "Virtual
Globes Conference" rate) and is within walking distance of
the meeting, unfortunately they are full now for most conference
days. The Boulder
Holiday Inn Express still had rooms available as of 1 July 06,
but is 5 miles away.
Monday, 10 July 06: Introduction to Virtual
Globes
8:00 Registration, parking, etc
8:45 Welcome message and overview (Matt Nolan)
9:00-9:30AM The Digital Earth Story (Tim Foresman)
9:30-10:30AM Introduction to Google Earth (John Bailey)
10:30-10:45AM Break (sponsored by ARSC)
10:45-11:45 PM Introduction to GeoFusion (Chuck Stein)
11:45-1:00 PM Lunch (on your own)
1:00-2:00 AM Introduction to World Wind (G.H. Chinoy)
2:00-3:00 PM Introduction to ESRI's VG tools (Bart
Killpack)
3:00-3:15 PM Break
3:15-4:00 PM Introduction to MicroSoft's VG tools(Rob
Fatland)
4:00-5:00 PM Introduction to EarthSLOT and wrap-up
(Matt Nolan)
5:00-7:00 PM Reception
Tuesday, 11 July 06: User Presentations
Session One
9:00-9:20 AM Joseph J. Kerski: Thinking Spatially:
History and Development of Geotechnologies in Education
9:20-9:40 AM Ron Schott: Integrating Google Earth
Imagery and Cubic QTVR Panoramas into Web-Based Virtual Field Experiences
9:40-10:00 AM Daniel Barstow: Windows on Earth - Making
it Real
10:00-10:20 AM William Manley: Global Warming and
the Arctic in 3D: A Virtual Globe for Outreach
10:20-10:40AM Break (sponsored by Microsoft)
Session Two
10:40-11:00 AM Jonathan Dehn: Integrative
Volcano Monitoring using Geobrowsers
11:00-11:20 AM Chris Pacheco: Displaying Near-Real
Time SNOTEL Data Using GoogleEarth
11:20-11:40 AM Brian Timoney: Advanced Analysis Using
Google Earth and Open-Source-Backend Tools
11:40-12:00 PM Lisa Ballagh: Visualizing
snow and ice data through Virtual Globes
12:00-2:00 PM Lunch (on your own, but break-out groups are planned)
Session Three
2:00-2:20 PM Fidel Santos: Monitoring the Millennium
Development Goals at the urban level using UrbanInfo and World Wind.
2:20-2:40 PM Trees in Space -- Andrew Hill, University
of Colorado, DARPA
2:40-3:00 PM Chris Hanson: Authoring Virtual Globes
with 3D Nature's Tools
3:00-3:20 PM Peter Prokein: Using VGs to create archivable
movies
3:20-3:45 PM Break
Session Four: Panel Discussion
3:45 -5:30 PM Panel Discussion: What is the future potential of
Virtual Globes in the earth sciences and how can we all work together
to accomplish that?
5:30-6:00 Light refreshments outside to continue discussions
Wednesday, 12 July 06: Virtual Globe Tutorials
8:55-9:00 AM Overview
9:00-10:00AM Tutorial on Google Earth (John Bailey)
10:00-11:00 AM Tutorial on World Wind (G.H. Chinoy)
11:00-11:15 AM Break (Sponsored by ESRI)
11:15-12:15 PM Tutorial on GeoFusion (Chuck Stein)
12:15-1:30 PM Lunch (on your own)
1:30-2:30 PM Tutorial on ESRI’s ArcGlobe and ArcGIS Explorer
(Bart Killpack)
2:30-3:30 PM Tutorial on MicroSoft Local (Rob Fatland)
3:30-4:00 PM Break
4:00-5:00 PM Tutorial on EarthSLOT (Matt Nolan)
5:00-5:15 PM Wrap Up
Invited Overview Talks
The Digital Earth
Story - Tim Foresman - International Society for
Digital Earth
www.isde5.org
From the early writings of Buckminster Fuller, to the epiphany of
astronauts returning to planet Earth, to the comprehensive vision
articulated by a US Vice President, to the competitive push by the
world's oldest country; the Digital Earth Story brings perspective
on the current state of affairs with 3D visualization, spinning
globes, virtual Earths, and the current collaboration with Virtual
Globes. This story is told in brief by the former NASA program leader
for the Digital Earth initiative in the US Government and founding
member of the International Society for Digital Earth.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Introduction to Google Earth -
John E. Bailey - Arctic Region Supercomputing Center
www.earth.google.com
In 2004 Google acquired a company called Keyhole Inc., which had
developed a virtual globe program “Earth Viewer”. Subsequently
renamed and made available as a free download product, “Google
Earth” (GE) was officially launched on 28 June 2005. With
its established clientele base, world-wide name recognition and
user-friendly interface, GE is currently the best known and used
virtual globe. GE utilizes KML (Keyhole Markup Language) which is
becoming the geobrowser standard. It is now native to NASA WorldWind
and ESRI has included KML compatibility in ArcGIS Explorer.
GE is widely used by users who seek to “tour the world”
through Google’s collection of satellite images and aerial
photography overlain on a digital elevation model of the Earth.
It is also increasingly popular as a working tool for Earth Scientists
seeking to integrate and visualize datasets that contain geographical
elements.
A demonstration on the abilities of Google Earth will be given,
starting with its basic components and navigation controls, and
followed by functions integrated into the program interface. The
ability to develop user-defined functions through the use of KML
will also be discussed with uses of GE in the Earth Science community
demonstrated as examples of its capabilities.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Introduction to World Wind - G.H.
Chinoy
http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/
World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place
on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain
in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there.
Introduction to GeoFusion - Chuck
Stein, GeoFusion
www.geofusion.com
In support of creation, management, display, and sharing of virtual
worlds, GeoFusion's GeoMatrix system defines a global grid system,
multi-resolution tile request protocol, a powerful API for creating
virtual worlds and provides a high performance rendering engine
for visualization. Powerful applications such as ESRI's ArcGlobe
and ViewTec's TerrainView Globe have been built using the GeoMatrix
Toolkit SDK. The GeoPlayerPro authoring tool along with GeoPlayer
client and activeX control viewers are being used to create web-enabled
and stand-alone displays of environmental and scientific data for
use in education, museums and a new geography based tourist attraction.
The GeoMatrix system will be described and demonstrated in various
forms. Our unique multi-scene and multi-globe capability will used
to show different views of the same data, environmental processes
over time and the layering of data layers. This system was designed
with the idea of sharing data at its core. A unique virtual world
or "gateway" will be created using data from local and
multiple remote sites. Examples of the display of dynamic content
will also be shown.
I will also give a tutorial on the use of GeoPlayerPro to author
a sharable virtual world. This will include creating GeoMatrix datasets,
accessing remote data, creating multiple globes representing data
layers, creating and placing world objects in the scene and creating
an animation flight path and recording a movie. I will finish by
sharing this work on the web by creating an HTML page using the
GeoPlayer ActiveX control. (GeoMatrix is a registered trademark
of GeoFusion, Inc)
Introduction to ESRI's VG Tools
- Bart Killpack, ESRI
ArcGIS Explorer is a geospatial information viewer that offers
a free, fast, fun, and easy-to-use way to view geographic information-in
both 2D and 3D-while performing queries and analysis on the underlying
data. ArcGIS Explorer integrates the rich world of GIS datasets
and server-based geoprocessing applications. It does this by accessing
the full GIS capabilities of ArcGIS Server including geoprocessing
and 3D services. ArcGIS Explorer can also use data layers and services
from ArcIMS and ArcWeb Services. It supports Open Geospatial Consortium
WMS and Google KML data, making it open and interoperable.
Introduction to Microsoft's VG tools
- Rob Fatland, Microsoft
www.viavirtualearth.com
The Microsoft Virtual Earth platform is a geospatial data information
system, Microsoft’s means to deliver a dynamic, immersive
digital representation of the real world and provide the best local
search and mapping experience to consumers, businesses and government.
This presentation will discuss the current implementation of Virtual
Earth in terms applicability to Virtual Globe and the EarthSLOT
community. It will particularly cover relevant VE constitutive components
such as Windows Live Local, Via Virtual Earth, and MSR MapCruncher.
Introduction to EarthSLOT - Matt
Nolan, University of Alaska Fairbanks
www.earthslot.org
EarthSLOT began as an in-house project in 2000 to service the needs
of an individual science project and grew into an internet-based
virtual globe using a global 15 meter Landsat mosaic by fall 2003.
Based on the Skyline Software suite of software, which allows anyone
to create and serve their own earth models (DEMs and imagery), as
well as nearly any type of vector or GIS data layers, it is offered
freely to public. It is a powerful GIS system, with many built in
analysis tools, as well as coming with an extensive API that allows
one to code essentially any new tool. Custom interfaces can be constructed
such that the 3D window can be dropped into an existing web page
and tool buttons arranged to match the level of interaction and
sophistication desired. The applications can also be used off-line,
either directly from a DVD or copied onto a harddisk. Our applications
tend to have an Arctic focus, and we have many high-resolution arctic
DEMs and imagery not found in other VG tools, but the environment
is made freely-available from our server and users can create custom
applications in the same manner as is done with KML files within
Google Earth.
User Presentations
Thinking Spatially: History and Development
of Geotechnologies in Education -- Dr Joseph J. Kerski,
USGS
Two approaches to using geotechnologies in education exist: Teaching
about geotechnologies, and teaching with geotechnologies. Teaching
about geotechnologies began in higher education and are largely
grounded within Geographic Information Science programs to teach
the theoretical concepts. It is also tied to applications-oriented
courses and workshops with the goal to build the skills of the geospatial
workforce. Recent incentives and funding from the U.S. Department
of Labor are diffusing the teaching about geotechnologies to community
colleges and beyond.
Teaching with geospatial technologies focuses on the use of Geographic
Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, and Global Positioning
Systems (GPS) to enhance student understanding of geography, environmental
studies, and earth science. It began in 1990 and spread from individual
teachers to statewide and even several national initiatives, and
now includes textbooks, training events throughout the year, and
international conferences. It has also spread from the original
disciplines to history, mathematics, and computer science. The recent
publication of the Learning to Think Spatially report from the National
Academy of Science further legitimized the importance of spatial
thinking in education.
These two pedagogical approaches, as well as increasing public
familiarity of spatial data, have been greatly affected by the advent
of Virtual Globe (VG) tools. VGs are increasing the speed at which
educators incorporate geospatial technologies, and the manner in
which they do so. Join USGS Geographer Dr. Joseph Kerski as we discuss
what the impact VGs are having on education and decision-making
in society.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Integrating Google Earth Imagery and Cubic
QTVR Panoramas into Web-Based Virtual Field Experiences --
Ron Schott, FHSU Geosciences/Outcrop.org
There is probably no better way to learn about rocks than to examine
them in their natural habitat (i.e., in the field). Unfortunately,
field trips are often not practical for many geology classes. Too
often, therefore, geology students first encounter ""orphaned""
specimens in the lab, presented with little or no geologic or geographic
context. Maps, photographs, and field descriptions can all contribute
to putting lab specimens in context, but a number of web-based tools
and software offer new avenues to make ""virtual field
trips"" a much richer, integrated, and more interactive
experience for classroom-bound geology students.
Google Earth imagery and movies are ideally suited to illustrate
the spatial relationships between features on scales from the entire
planet down to small topographic features such as hills or valleys.
By combining Google Earth's native satellite imagery with more detailed
imagery and/or map overlays one can emphasize a variety of geologic
information at a range of scales. QTVR panoramas are well suited
for viewing features from the outcrop to regional scale. By embedding
hyperlinks within QTVR images or panoramas a sequence of geographically
related virtual field trip ""stops"" can be
linked together. Alternately, a series of images could be linked
to zoom to different scales (i.e., from tectonic to microscopic
scales).
Combining these tools should give students a better sense of the
larger scale geologic and geographic context of the hand samples
and thin sections encountered in lab exercises.
Windows on Earth - Making it Real
-- Daniel Barstow, TERC
Windows on Earth is an NSF-funded project, currently in development,
to create a museum exhibit that simulates the experience of being
an astronaut, exploring Earth as seen through a window on the International
Space Station. The exhibit will be installed in several museums,
including the National Air & Space Museum, Boston Museum of
Science and St. Louis Science Center, and will also create a similar
web site for broad access.
We want to connect with visitors on an emotional and scientific
level, with a realistic experience of watching and exploring Earth
as it slides by below. We use the GeoFusion engine and data from
WorldSat, and have worked with astronauts and NASA experts to adjust
the color to be as accurate as possible, to have the same field
of view seen from 300km altitude of ISS, with the world sliding
by at the 17,000 mph speed of ISS, and the ability to zoom, pan
and "take pictures" as if using a camera on ISS.
While the project has many educational features, we focus in this
presentation on how we made the dynamic experience as accurate a
reflection of the astronauts' experience, with a realism that transcends
the digital technology we use to create it.
Global Warming and the Arctic in 3D: A
Virtual Globe for Outreach -- William Manley, Univ. of
Colorado, INSTAAR
The American public is barraged daily with conflicting messages
about global warming, the scientific method, and society's need
to mitigate or adapt to climate change. An important part of these
messages is that the Arctic is warming fast, with feedbacks and
implications for the rest of the globe. Beyond media attention,
new tools and avenues are needed to responsibly inform the public
while capturing their attention and engaging their interest. One
way is with the use of "virtual globes" such as TerraExplorer
and Google Earth.
As an example, a recent Google Earth presentation conveyed "key
findings" from the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA,
2004) to middle school students during the 2006 INSTAAR/NSIDC Open
House. The 20-minute demonstration to 180 eighth graders began with
an introduction and a view of the Arctic from space, zooming into
the North American Arctic, then to a placemark for the first key
finding, "Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger
changes are projected". An embedded link then opened a custom
web page, with brief explanatory text, along with an ACIA graphic
illustrating the rise in Arctic temperature, global CO2 concentrations,
and carbon emissions for the last millennium. The demo continued
with an interactive tour of other key findings (Reduced Sea Ice,
Changes for Animals, Melting Glaciers, Coastal Erosion, Changes
in Vegetation, Melting Permafrost, and others). Each placemark was
located somewhat arbitrarily (which may be a concern for some audiences),
but the points represented the messages in a geographic sense and
enabled a smooth visual tour of the northern latitudes. Each placemark
was linked to custom web pages with photos and concise take-home
messages. The demo ended with navigation to Colorado, then Boulder,
then the middle school that the students attended, all the while
speaking to implications as they live their lives locally.
The demo successfully informed the students while piquing their
curiosity. As an aside, it seemed to be most relevant when we "flew"
into a locale that they knew personally. This "ACIA Virtual
Globe" with related web pages might be made available to the
general public in the future. However, to do so would require some
improvements and vetting for a broader audience.
Other recent examples of the use of virtual globes for scientific
outreach, education, and collaboration include: 1) a detailed placename
gazetteer for Alaska, in EarthSLOT (http://www.earthslot.org); 2)
a gazetteer specifically for Alaska glaciers, also in EarthSLOT;
3) the Alaska PaleoGlacier Atlas (Manley and Kaufman, 2002), as
enabled in EarthSLOT; 4) the Alaska Geospatial Climate Animation
(Manley and Daly, 2005), similarly enabled in EarthSLOT; and 5)
an online movie showing the location of the TundraCam in the Colorado
Front Range (available soon at http://instaar.colorado.edu/tundracamII/).
The use of geospatial visualizations for outreach and education
appears to be in its infancy, with much potential.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
REFERENCES
ACIA, 2004: Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment.
Cambridge University Press, 146 p. See: http://www.acia.uaf.edu/.
Manley, W.F., and Daly, C., 2005, Alaska Geospatial Climate Animations
of Monthly Temperature and Precipitation: INSTAAR, University of
Colorado, http://instaar.colorado.edu/QGISL/AGCA.
Manley, W.F., and Kaufman, D.S., 2002, Alaska PaleoGlacier Atlas:
Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of
Colorado, http://instaar.colorado.edu/QGISL/ak_paleoglacier_atlas,
v. 1.
Integrative Volcano Monitoring using Geobrowsers
-- Jonathan Dehn, Alaska Volcano Observatory
Advances in computing have led to development of virtual earth 3D
image browsers. These applications permit users to compare geospatial
data in new ways to improve visualization and hazard monitoring.
With its established clientele base, world-wide name recognition
and user-friendly interface, Google Earth” has been chosen
as the basis to develop a volcano monitoring tool.
At the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), Google Earth is used as
an interface for visualization of the 2006 eruption of Augustine
Volcano. Continuing development is producing interactive, real-time
monitoring capabilities for all the volcanoes in the region. Examples
include the ability to browse thermal satellite image overlays with
dynamic control to look for increases in ground temperature pre-eruption
and ash plumes once the eruption has began. Webcams are viewed interactively
through the browser to confirm current activity. The location and
status of instrumentation can be monitored. Earthquake hypocenters
are plotted in near real time, and the mapping of new deposits can
be added and compared to photographic and satellite based imagery.
Modeling of hazard scenarios have led to animation of modeled 3D
ash plumes and ash fallout locations.
The ease of use of the interface makes it a good tool for emergency
managers to quickly and accurately describe the hazard during the
crisis. AVO is the first of the volcano observatories to actively
develop these tools for use worldwide.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Displaying Near-Real Time SNOTEL Data Using
Google Earth -- Chris Pacheco, USDA, NRCS
Using GoogleEarth KML layers to display Snow Water Equivalent and
Water Year-to-Date Precipitation percent of average conditions at
SNOTEL sites across Colorado. Clicking on individual stations provides
additional information and links to other related products. Other
data layers available include current end-of-month reservoir and
streamflow forecast information.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Advanced Analysis Using Google Earth and
Open-Source-Backend Tools -- Brian Timoney, The Timoney
Group
While Google Earth presents arguably the most compelling visual
experience on the Web, some in the GIS community have dismissed
it as a limited tool for analysis and appropriate only for simple
overlays. Through live demonstration, we'll show that by integrating
the GE interface with open-source tools--most notably the Postgres/PostGIS
spatial database--the user can perform powerful spatial analysis
on-the-fly while still remaining in the interface's user-friendly
environment.
Our demonstration will focus on the impact of Hurricanes Rita and
Katrina on energy production in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition
to showing the basic patterns of production fall-off with respect
to the actual hurricane paths, we'll be able to query our data spatially
on-the-fly to not only assess in detail impact patterns that are
user-defined, but also link affected assets to their operators.
In addition, we'll show how one can digitize on the screen hypothetical
storm patterns and be able to analyze possible future impacts on
energy production.
Using the Google Earth interface in concert with an open-source
architecture that includes the PostGIS spatial database, the PHP
scripting language, and the Apache webserver, there are a variety
possibilities for setting up cost-effective services (for both in-house
use and over the web) that deliver robust data analysis and display
capabilities without the myriad licensing issues that come with
standard proprietary setups.
Glaciology in 3D -- Matt Nolan,
University of Alaska Fairbanks
VGs are ideal tools for visualizing glaciers and glacier research,
because glacier shapes and slopes are so fundamental to their dynamics.
As a glaciologist, I use EarthSLOT for nearly all of my GIS needs,
as well as for my outreach and education. Here I will present an
overview of the glaciological applications I have created, as well
as describe how they work and what it takes to create them.Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
Visualizing Snow and Ice Data Through Virtual
Globes -- Lisa Ballagh, Vincent J. Troisi, Paul Zaffino
and Terry Haran - NSIDC
The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) archives and distributes
over 500 different snow and ice data sets. With emerging 3-D geographic
information system-like applications, also known as Virtual Globes
(VGs), the data center supports the exploration of Earth Science
data through various Virtual Globes. This permits the visualization
of sample images through VGs and focuses on educational outreach
to a diverse range of potential users, who may have downloaded different
Virtual Globe applications.
Many NSIDC images are accessible through EarthSLOT, Google Earth
and World Wind. Past work involved the inclusion of glacier photographs
disseminated through the EarthSLOT web page (http://www.earthslot.org).
In March of 2006, a select number of cryospheric data sets, related
to glaciers, permafrost, snow and ice are accessible through a compressed
Keyhole Markup Language (KMZ) file on the NSIDC web site (http://nsidc.org/data/google_earth).
This KMZ file can be downloaded and opened with Google Earth. Having
the option to observe static and dynamic data allows users to visualize
both static and frequently updated images. The latest efforts with
Virtual Globes include making images from the Mosaic of Antarctic
(MOA) viewable through World Wind. The goal is to increase awareness
about Earth Science data by having sample cryospheric images presented
through Virtual Globe applications.
Click
here to download the Powerpoint presentation!
The United Nations -HABITAT -Global Urban
Observatory is implementing UrbanInfo along World Wind to monitor
The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) in urban areas. First
Local Urban Observatory Test, Curitiba, Brazil. -- Fidel
Santos, University of Colorado.
VGs and UrbanInfo provide excellent resources for government’s
agencies and the scientific community to query and explore the advances
and challenges in the areas of poverty reduction and environmental
sustainability in urban areas worldwide.
The Global Urban Observatory’s (GUO) main mission is to improve
the worldwide base of urban knowledge by helping governments, local
authorities and organizations of the civil society develop and apply
policy-oriented urban indicators, statistics and other urban information.
In support of GUO’s mission, UrbanInfo has been tested and
is currently being introduced in several local and regional urban
observatories.
UrbanInfo integrated with World Wind is being officially released
in June 2006 at the World Urban Forum WUF 2006 in Vancouver Canada.
The next steps for its successful implementation will the development
of educational material and training manuals; the focus is on technology
transfer and local capacity building of Local Urban Observatories.
This presentation will discuss the experiences of implementing
UrbanInfo by The Local Urban Observatory in Curitiba Brazil (ORBIS)
to monitor the MDG’s integrated with World Wind. ORBIS is
one of the first observatories to implement the new software. This
presentation will discuss the possibilities of other cities learning
from the Curitiba experience, the importance of technology transfer,
the application of technology for data monitoring, planning and
decision making in urban areas.
Trees in Space -- Andrew Hill,
University of Colorado, DARPA
Until recently the visualization of hierarchical geographic patterns
has been limited to two-dimensional, and typically information limited
analysis. The new, three-dimensional, visualizations that are becoming
possible will transform a slow, difficult and largely unrewarding
process into one with immediate results, low costs and limitless
implementations. The use of virtual globes in the biological sciences
will prove useful if not revolutionary in understanding worldwide,
as well as regional, trends in species interactions, mutations,
interactions and limitations. Currently we have employed the use
of Google Earth, and its simple KML schema, to visualize Avian Influenza
evolution across the globe. Moving into the three-dimensional space
now allows for the projection of normally flat GIS renderings into
space. The benefits of such a projecting are numerous. Immediately
apparent is the differentiation of recorded strains versus hypothetical
strains, where ground level is reserved for real events and altitude
indicates a hypothetical taxonomic unit (HTU).
This is only one of the macro level analyses that are presented
by the three-dimensional tree. Additionally, altitude can be used
to maintain a visually simple determination of an HTU’s depth
in the tree. More exciting is the use of Google Earths’ established
Pathway tag to create dynamic and data conveying tree branches.
Different branch coloring optimizations have been explored to examine
tree wide trends in viral genotype and phenotype. Layering tools
within the Google Earth application have also been used to create
numerous tree designs that can be easily contrasted. Breaking down
large, convoluted trees into yearly segments, and combining these
elements with the different branch color optimizations allows for
exploration of different patterns within the trees.
The micro level analysis of the trees also proves to be almost boundless
in information content. Symbology at tree leaf level can indicate
infinite factors. Mostly we have used leaf symbols to indicate host
type, but one can imaging a much greater set of possibilities. The
use of description windows within Google Earth has provided a place
to summarize each individual point with the tree. These summaries
have included mutations across the whole genome leading to each
individual, mutations in amino acid phenotype, and clade structures.
Branching also plays an important roll in the micro level analysis,
providing side-by-side comparisons of occurrences within confined
regional areas.
Unlike many phylogenic tree tools, Google Earth is maintaining the
geographic relationship between taxonomies allowing for new meanings
to be drawn from the visualizations. Combined with the large community
of people developing Google Earth layers, the data can now be viewed
over such data as world temperature or precipitation renderings.
The accessibility of such layers as well as their speed, adaptability
and variety will continue to grow in usefulness. Our data, when
publicly available will provide phylogenetic analysis of Avian Influenza
to a limitless number of scientists and non-scientists alike, to
use in whatever way they find meaningful.
Authoring Virtual Globes with 3D Nature's
Tools -- Chris Hanson, 3DNature LLC
Virtual Globes are quickly becoming one of the most publicly-accessible
faces of 3D and GIS, surpassing the ground gained by technologies
like VRML in the late 90s.
Each Virtual Globe and Realtime 3D Landscape viewing tool has requirements
and limitations specific to the purpose and niche it was
designed to address, and no one tool fulfills all needs. Preparing
raw data for these platforms often requires extensive specialized
processing specific to each data format.
To maximize the breadth of choice available, 3D Nature has designed
one toolset capable of integrating diverse datasets and authoring
optimized scenes targeted for each realtime landscape platform.
The Visual Nature Studio/Scene Express application will be demonstrated,
and used to author the same complex environments to multiple targets
including non-global (VRML and 3D Nature's NatureView Express) as
well as global in scope (Google Earth and other Virtual Globes).
Click
here to download the PDF of the presentation!
Using VGs to create archivable movies
-- Peter Prokein, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Virtual Globes do provide an excellent means for earth science outreach,
but questions remain about their long-term viability. That is, the
technology and tools are changing so fast that there is a real question
about how VG applications can be archived, particularly with purely
internet-based technologies. We have been experimenting with various
means of creating movies (like MPG, QT, etc) based on VG applications.
While creating simple movies with EarthSLOT or Google Earth is reasonably
straightforward, there are many tricks and traps associated with
making more complex movies with voice overs, overlays, etc. Here
I will share my experiences with our efforts along these lines and
present some of our works-in-progress.
Registered Attendees (not presenting)
as of 22 June 06
Sharolyn Anderson- University of Denver
Steve Aulenbach - NCAR
Michael Biere - NOAA/ESRL/GSD
Denise Blaha - University of New Hampshire
Greg Bryan - Denver Water
Bebe Brzezinski - CU/UM
Dan Cassidy - RapidEye AG
Scott C. Carter - DDS, Inc.
John Cartwright - University of Colorado CIRES
Kurt Cholak - Tetra Tech EM Inc.
Colleen Cope - Poudre High School
Lynne Davis - UCAR/DLESE
P. Thompson Davis - Bentley College
Carol Ekstrom - Rhodes College
Mark Ellis - Lockheed Martin
Jack Fordham - USGS, Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center
David Froehlich - NOAA/NGDC/CIRES
Michael Garner - Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
Ty Guthrie - The Nature Conservancy
Philip Goldstein - University of Colorado
James Harold - Space Science Institute
Christopher W. Helm - NSIDC
Gloria Hicks - NSIDC
Melissa Higgins - SAHRA-University of Arizona
Michael Hinke - Alternative Futures Lab, University of Colorado
Allaina Howard - NSIDC
Russell Huff - University of Colorado CIRES
David Korn - NSIDC
Craig M. Lee - University of Colorado INSTAAR
Chris Mathias - Service at Sea
John Maurer - NSIDC
Robb Menzies - Denver Public Schools
Jerry Mohnhaupt - Destiny Resources
Anand Nandipati - RPC
Thomas Nylen - UNAVCO
Dr. Bill O'Brien - Southwestern University, Physics Department
Charlie O'Keefe - Northrop Grumman
Shannon Philippus - State of Colorado
Marlon Poole - Poudre High School
Bruce Raup - NSIDC
Jim Riley - UNAVCO
Jim Robb - Waterstone Inc.
Fidel H. Santos - University of Colorado
Robbie Score - VECO Polar Resources
Mike Slone - Service at Sea
Peter W. Sloss - NOAA-NGDC-MGGD
Kei Sochi - The Nature Conservancy
Drew Stephens - Service at Sea
Christopher Stolte - UNAVCO
Nate Strout - The Redlands Institute
Ben Tuttle - University of Colorado CIRES/NGDC
Shayne Urbanowski - LMCO
Ryan Vachon - University of Colorado INSTAAR
Jim Washburne - UA-SAHRA
Jeff McWhirter - Unidata/UCAR
Stuart Wier - UNAVCO
Dan Wetzel - NatureAlaska Tours, LLC
Ka Chun Yu - Denver Museum of Nature & Science
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