Satellite images (also Earth observation imagery , spaceborne photography , or simply satellite photo ) are images of Earth collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. Satellite imaging companies sell images by licensing them to governments and businesses such as Apple Maps and Google Maps .
61-578: The Onyx2 , code name Kego, is a family of visualization systems developed and manufactured by SGI , introduced in 1996 to succeed the Onyx . The Onyx2's basic system architecture is based on the Origin 2000 servers, but with the inclusion of graphics hardware. In 2000, the Onyx2 was succeeded by the Onyx 3000 , and it was discontinued on June 27, 2003. These systems run either IRIX 6.4 or 6.5. The Onyx2 uses
122-474: A license to use their imagery. Thus, the ability to legally make derivative works from commercial satellite imagery is diminished. Privacy concerns have been brought up by some who wish not to have their property shown from above. Google Maps responds to such concerns in their FAQ with the following statement: "We understand your privacy concerns... The images that Google Maps displays are no different from what can be seen by anyone who flies over or drives by
183-407: A simulation to create an image of something so it can be taught about. This is very useful when teaching about a topic that is difficult to otherwise see, for example, atomic structure , because atoms are far too small to be studied easily without expensive and difficult to use scientific equipment. The use of visual representations to transfer knowledge between at least two persons aims to improve
244-532: A 3D scalar field may be implemented using iso-surfaces for field distribution and textures for the gradient of the field. Examples of such visual formats are sketches , diagrams , images , objects, interactive visualizations, information visualization applications, and imaginary visualizations as in stories . While information visualization concentrates on the use of computer-supported tools to derive new insights, knowledge visualization focuses on transferring insights and creating new knowledge in groups . Beyond
305-403: A digital construction of a real object directly from the scientific data. Scientific visualization is usually done with specialized software , though there are a few exceptions, noted below. Some of these specialized programs have been released as open source software, having very often its origins in universities, within an academic environment where sharing software tools and giving access to
366-407: A form that facilitates human interaction for exploration and understanding. Important aspects of information visualization are dynamics of visual representation and the interactivity. Strong techniques enable the user to modify the visualization in real-time, thus affording unparalleled perception of patterns and structural relations in the abstract data in question. Educational visualization is using
427-418: A larger process of data analysis. Visual analytics has been defined as "the science of analytical reasoning supported by the interactive visual interface". Its focus is on human information discourse (interaction) within massive, dynamically changing information spaces. Visual analytics research concentrates on support for perceptual and cognitive operations that enable users to detect the expected and discover
488-402: A simulation while it is running in response to a visualization of its current progress. This is called computational steering . More frequently, the representation of the information is changed rather than the information itself. Experiments have shown that a delay of more than 20 ms between when input is provided and a visual representation is updated is noticeable by most people . Thus it
549-541: A thousand years. Examples from cartography include Ptolemy's Geographia (2nd century AD), a map of China (1137 AD), and Minard 's map (1861) of Napoleon 's invasion of Russia a century and a half ago. Most of the concepts learned in devising these images carry over in a straightforward manner to computer visualization. Edward Tufte has written three critically acclaimed books that explain many of these principles. Computer graphics has from its beginning been used to study scientific problems. However, in its early days
610-528: A visualization application is the field of computer graphics . The invention of computer graphics (and 3D computer graphics ) may be the most important development in visualization since the invention of central perspective in the Renaissance period. The development of animation also helped advance visualization. The use of visualization to present information is not a new phenomenon. It has been used in maps, scientific drawings, and data plots for over
671-453: A visualization to be considered interactive it must satisfy two criteria: One particular type of interactive visualization is virtual reality (VR), where the visual representation of information is presented using an immersive display device such as a stereo projector (see stereoscopy ). VR is also characterized by the use of a spatial metaphor, where some aspect of the information is represented in three dimensions so that humans can explore
SECTION 10
#1732790149074732-422: A wide range of civilian applications, including: mapping, border control, infrastructure planning, agricultural monitoring, environmental monitoring , disaster response, training and simulations, etc. EROS A – a high resolution satellite with 1.9–1.2m resolution panchromatic was launched on December 5, 2000. EROS B – the second generation of Very High Resolution satellites with 70 cm resolution panchromatic,
793-593: Is a constellation of sub-metre resolution Earth observation satellites that provide imagery, high-definition video and analytics services. Planet acquired the satellites with their purchase of Terra Bella (formerly Skybox Imaging), a Mountain View, California -based company founded in 2009 by Dan Berkenstock, Julian Mann, John Fenwick, and Ching-Yu Hu, from Google in 2017. The SkySat satellites are based on using inexpensive automotive grade electronics and fast commercially available processors, but scaled up to approximately
854-407: Is a key part of product lifecycle management . Product visualization software typically provides high levels of photorealism so that a product can be viewed before it is actually manufactured. This supports functions ranging from design and styling to sales and marketing. Technical visualization is an important aspect of product development. Originally technical drawings were made by hand, but with
915-578: Is a major component of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and the Earth Science Division. The goal of NASA Earth Science is to develop a scientific understanding of the Earth as an integrated system, its response to change, and to better predict variability and trends in climate, weather, and natural hazards. The Meteosat -2 geostationary weather satellite began operationally to supply imagery data on 16 August 1981. Eumetsat has operated
976-753: Is also the exclusive distributor of data from the high resolution Pleiades satellites with a resolution of 0.50 meter or about 20 inches. The launches occurred in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The company also offers infrastructures for receiving and processing, as well as added value options. Planet Labs operates three satellite imagery constellations, RapidEye , Dove and SkySat . In 2015, Planet acquired BlackBridge , and its constellation of five RapidEye satellites, launched in August 2008. The RapidEye constellation contains identical multispectral sensors which are equally calibrated. Therefore, an image from one satellite will be equivalent to an image from any of
1037-489: Is an imaging instrument onboard Terra, the flagship satellite of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) launched in December 1999. ASTER is a cooperative effort between NASA, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Japan Space Systems (J-spacesystems). ASTER data is used to create detailed maps of land surface temperature, reflectance, and elevation. The coordinated system of EOS satellites, including Terra,
1098-420: Is composed of two very-high-resolution (50 centimeters pan & 2.1 meter spectral) optical Earth-imaging satellites . Pléiades-HR 1A and Pléiades-HR 1B provide the coverage of Earth's surface with a repeat cycle of 26 days. Designed as a dual civil/military system, Pléiades will meet the space imagery requirements of European defense as well as civil and commercial needs. Pléiades Neo [ fr ]
1159-427: Is desirable for an interactive visualization to provide a rendering based on human input within this time frame. However, when large amounts of data must be processed to create a visualization, this becomes hard or even impossible with current technology. Thus the term "interactive visualization" is usually applied to systems that provide feedback to users within several seconds of input. The term interactive framerate
1220-445: Is more expensive per square meter. Satellite imagery can be combined with vector or raster data in a GIS provided that the imagery has been spatially rectified so that it will properly align with other data sets. Satellite imaging of the Earth surface is of sufficient public utility that many countries maintain satellite imaging programs. The United States has led the way in making these data freely available for scientific use. Some of
1281-467: Is often used to measure how interactive a visualization is. Framerates measure the frequency with which an image (a frame) can be generated by a visualization system. A framerate of 50 frames per second (frame/s) is considered good while 0.1 frame/s would be considered poor. The use of framerates to characterize interactivity is slightly misleading however, since framerate is a measure of bandwidth while humans are more sensitive to latency . Specifically, it
SECTION 20
#17327901490741342-808: Is possible to achieve a good framerate of 50 frame/s but if the images generated refer to changes to the visualization that a person made more than 1 second ago, it will not feel interactive to a person. The rapid response time required for interactive visualization is a difficult constraint to meet and there are several approaches that have been explored to provide people with rapid visual feedback based on their input. Some include Many conferences occur where interactive visualization academic papers are presented and published. Satellite photo The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights . The US-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946, took one image every 1.5 seconds. With an apogee of 65 miles (105 km), these photos were from five times higher than
1403-490: Is the advanced optical constellation, with four identical 30-cm resolution satellites with fast reactivity. The 3 SPOT satellites in orbit (Spot 5, 6, 7) provide very high resolution images – 1.5 m for Panchromatic channel, 6m for Multi-spectral (R,G,B,NIR). Spot Image also distributes multiresolution data from other optical satellites, in particular from Formosat-2 ( Taiwan ) and Kompsat-2 ( South Korea ) and from radar satellites (TerraSar-X, ERS, Envisat, Radarsat). Spot Image
1464-418: Is the oldest continuous Earth-observing satellite imaging program. Optical Landsat imagery has been collected at 30 m resolution since the early 1980s. Beginning with Landsat 5 , thermal infrared imagery was also collected (at coarser spatial resolution than the optical data). The Landsat 7 , Landsat 8 , and Landsat 9 satellites are currently in orbit. MODIS has collected near-daily satellite imagery of
1525-437: Is the use of interactive, sensory representations, typically visual, of abstract data to reinforce cognition , hypothesis building, and reasoning . Scientific visualization is the transformation, selection, or representation of data from simulations or experiments, with an implicit or explicit geometric structure, to allow the exploration, analysis, and understanding of the data. Scientific visualization focuses and emphasizes
1586-404: Is used when people are physically separated. Using several networked computers, the same visualization can be presented to each person simultaneously. The people then make annotations to the visualization as well as communicate via audio (i.e., telephone), video (i.e., a video-conference), or text (i.e., IRC ) messages. The Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System ( PHIGS ) was one of
1647-628: The InfiniteReality2E was made available and then the InfiniteReality3 , in April 2000. Visualization (graphics) Visualization (or visualisation (see spelling differences )), also known as Graphics Visualization, is any technique for creating images , diagrams , or animations to communicate a message. Visualization through visual imagery has been an effective way to communicate both abstract and concrete ideas since
1708-530: The MIPS R10000 microprocessor clocked at 150, 175, 180 and 195 MHz, later increased to 250 MHz, courtesy of a process shrink from 0.35 to 0.25 micrometers. Later 300 and 400 MHz R12000 , and 500 MHz R14000 CPUs were made available. At the time of their introduction, the Onyx2 could be configured with the Reality , InfiniteReality , or InfiniteReality2 graphics subsystems. Later,
1769-451: The sensor used, weather conditions can affect image quality. For example, it is difficult to obtain images for areas of frequent cloud cover such as mountaintops. For such reasons, publicly available satellite image datasets are typically processed for visual or scientific commercial use by third parties. Commercial satellite companies do not place their imagery into the public domain and do not sell their imagery; instead, one must acquire
1830-418: The unique information being represented or the way that the information is presented. When the information being presented is altered, the visualization is usually part of a feedback loop . For example, consider an aircraft avionics system where the pilot inputs roll, pitch, and yaw and the visualization system provides a rendering of the aircraft's new attitude. Another example would be a scientist who changes
1891-580: The Meteosats since 1987. The Himawari satellite series represents a significant leap forward in meteorological observation and environmental monitoring. With their advanced imaging technology and frequent data updates, Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 have become indispensable tools for weather forecasting, disaster management, and climate research, benefiting not only Japan but the entire Asia-Pacific region. Several satellites are built and maintained by private companies, as follows. GeoEye's GeoEye-1 satellite
SGI Onyx2 - Misplaced Pages Continue
1952-422: The commercial high-resolution satellite market, EROS is the smallest very high resolution satellite; it is very agile and thus enables very high performances. The satellites are deployed in a circular Sun-synchronous near polar orbit at an altitude of 510 km (± 40 km). EROS satellites imagery applications are primarily for intelligence, homeland security and national development purposes but also employed in
2013-417: The dawn of humanity. from history include cave paintings , Egyptian hieroglyphs , Greek geometry , and Leonardo da Vinci 's revolutionary methods of technical drawing for engineering purposes that actively involve scientific requirements. Visualization today has ever-expanding applications in science, education, engineering (e.g., product visualization), interactive multimedia , medicine , etc. Typical of
2074-499: The digital animations produced to present meteorological data during weather reports on television , though few can distinguish between those models of reality and the satellite photos that are also shown on such programs. TV also offers scientific visualizations when it shows computer drawn and animated reconstructions of road or airplane accidents. Some of the most popular examples of scientific visualizations are computer-generated images that show real spacecraft in action, out in
2135-565: The earth in 36 spectral bands since 2000. MODIS is on board the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites. The ESA is currently developing the Sentinel constellation of satellites. Currently, 7 missions are planned, each for a different application. Sentinel-1 (SAR imaging), Sentinel-2 (decameter optical imaging for land surfaces), and Sentinel-3 (hectometer optical and thermal imaging for land and water) have already been launched. The ASTER
2196-434: The first programmatic efforts at interactive visualization and provided an enumeration of the types of input humans provide. People can: All of these actions require a physical device. Input devices range from the common – keyboards , mice , graphics tablets , trackballs , and touchpads – to the esoteric – wired gloves , boom arms , and even omnidirectional treadmills . These input actions can be used to control both
2257-508: The information as if it were present (where instead it was remote), sized appropriately (where instead it was on a much smaller or larger scale than humans can sense directly), or had shape (where instead it might be completely abstract). Another type of interactive visualization is collaborative visualization, in which multiple people interact with the same computer visualization to communicate their ideas to each other or to explore information cooperatively. Frequently, collaborative visualization
2318-518: The instrument used and the altitude of the satellite's orbit. For example, the Landsat archive offers repeated imagery at 30 meter resolution for the planet, but most of it has not been processed from the raw data. Landsat 7 has an average return period of 16 days. For many smaller areas, images with resolution as fine as 41 cm can be available. Satellite imagery is sometimes supplemented with aerial photography , which has higher resolution, but
2379-610: The lack of graphics power often limited its usefulness. The recent emphasis on visualization started in 1987 with the publication of Visualization in Scientific Computing, a special issue of Computer Graphics. Since then, there have been several conferences and workshops, co-sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society and ACM SIGGRAPH , devoted to the general topic, and special areas in the field, for example volume visualization. Most people are familiar with
2440-519: The mere transfer of facts , knowledge visualization aims to further transfer insights , experiences , attitudes , values , expectations , perspectives , opinions , and predictions by using various complementary visualizations. See also: picture dictionary , visual dictionary Product visualization involves visualization software technology for the viewing and manipulation of 3D models, technical drawing and other related documentation of manufactured components and large assemblies of products. It
2501-697: The more common. Data visualization is a related subcategory of visualization dealing with statistical graphics and geospatial data (as in thematic cartography ) that is abstracted in schematic form. Information visualization concentrates on the use of computer-supported tools to explore large amount of abstract data. The term "information visualization" was originally coined by the User Interface Research Group at Xerox PARC and included Jock Mackinlay . Practical application of information visualization in computer programs involves selecting, transforming , and representing abstract data in
SGI Onyx2 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2562-637: The more popular programs are listed below, recently followed by the European Union 's Sentinel constellation. The CORONA program was a series of American strategic reconnaissance satellites produced and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the U.S. Air Force . The type of imagery is wet film panoramic and it used two cameras (AFT&FWD) for capturing stereographic imagery. Landsat
2623-520: The other four, allowing for a large amount of imagery to be collected (4 million km per day), and daily revisit to an area. Each travel on the same orbital plane at 630 km, and deliver images in 5 meter pixel size. RapidEye satellite imagery is especially suited for agricultural, environmental, cartographic and disaster management applications. The company not only offers their imagery, but consults their customers to create services and solutions based on analysis of this imagery. The RapidEye constellation
2684-620: The previous record, the 13.7 miles (22 km) by the Explorer II balloon mission in 1935. The first satellite (orbital) photographs of Earth were made on August 14, 1959, by the U.S. Explorer 6 . The first satellite photographs of the Moon might have been made on October 6, 1959, by the Soviet satellite Luna 3 , on a mission to photograph the far side of the Moon. The Blue Marble photograph
2745-526: The production of 3D content, as large-scale 3D content production can be extremely costly and time-consuming. Visual communication is the communication of ideas through the visual display of information . Primarily associated with two dimensional images , it includes: alphanumerics , art , signs , and electronic resources. Recent research in the field has focused on web design and graphically oriented usability . Visual analytics focuses on human interaction with visualization systems as part of
2806-447: The public. Several other countries have satellite imaging programs, and a collaborative European effort launched the ERS and Envisat satellites carrying various sensors. There are also private companies that provide commercial satellite imagery. In the early 21st century satellite imagery became widely available when affordable, easy to use software with access to satellite imagery databases
2867-539: The representation of higher order data using primarily graphics and animation techniques. It is a very important part of visualization and maybe the first one, as the visualization of experiments and phenomena is as old as science itself. Traditional areas of scientific visualization are flow visualization , medical visualization , astrophysical visualization , and chemical visualization . There are several different techniques to visualize scientific data, with isosurface reconstruction and direct volume rendering being
2928-403: The rise of advanced computer graphics the drawing board has been replaced by computer-aided design (CAD). CAD-drawings and models have several advantages over hand-made drawings such as the possibility of 3-D modeling, rapid prototyping , and simulation . 3D product visualization promises more interactive experiences for online shoppers, but also challenges retailers to overcome hurdles in
2989-405: The same orbit, providing 0.5m panchromatic resolution and 2m multispectral resolution on a swath of 12 km. Because the total area of the land on Earth is so large and because resolution is relatively high, satellite databases are huge and image processing (creating useful images from the raw data) is time-consuming. Preprocessing, such as image destriping , is often required. Depending on
3050-524: The satellite applications mentioned above, these data can serve as powerful educational tools, advance scientific research and promote a deeper understanding of our environment. This shows that satellite imagery provides rich information and can promote global development. There are five types of resolution when discussing satellite imagery in remote sensing: spatial, spectral, temporal, radiometric and geometric. Campbell (2002) defines these as follows: The resolution of satellite images varies depending on
3111-424: The satellite to distinguish between objects on the ground that are at least 46 cm apart. Similarly Maxar's QuickBird satellite provides 0.6 meter resolution (at nadir ) panchromatic images. Maxar's WorldView-3 satellite provides high resolution commercial satellite imagery with 0.31 m spatial resolution. WVIII also carries a short wave infrared sensor and an atmospheric sensor. Pléiades constellation
SECTION 50
#17327901490743172-407: The size of a minifridge . The satellites are approximately 80 centimetres (31 in) long, compared to approximately 30 centimetres (12 in) for a 3U CubeSat, and weigh 100 kilograms (220 lb). Earth Resource Observation Satellites , better known as "EROS" satellites, are lightweight, low earth orbiting, high-resolution satellites designed for fast maneuvering between imaging targets. In
3233-505: The source code is common. There are also many proprietary software packages of scientific visualization tools. Models and frameworks for building visualizations include the data flow models popularized by systems such as AVS, IRIS Explorer, and VTK toolkit, and data state models in spreadsheet systems such as the Spreadsheet for Visualization and Spreadsheet for Images. As a subject in computer science , scientific visualization
3294-401: The transfer of knowledge by using computer and non-computer-based visualization methods complementarily. Thus properly designed visualization is an important part of not only data analysis but knowledge transfer process, too. Knowledge transfer may be significantly improved using hybrid designs as it enhances information density but may decrease clarity as well. For example, visualization of
3355-506: The unexpected in complex information spaces. Technologies resulting from visual analytics find their application in almost all fields, but are being driven by critical needs (and funding) in biology and national security. Interactive visualization or interactive visualisation is a branch of graphic visualization in computer science that involves studying how humans interact with computers to create graphic illustrations of information and how this process can be made more efficient. For
3416-636: The void far beyond Earth, or on other planets . Dynamic forms of visualization, such as educational animation or timelines , have the potential to enhance learning about systems that change over time. Apart from the distinction between interactive visualizations and animation, the most useful categorization is probably between abstract and model-based scientific visualizations. The abstract visualizations show completely conceptual constructs in 2D or 3D. These generated shapes are completely arbitrary. The model-based visualizations either place overlays of data on real or digitally constructed images of reality or make
3477-589: Was launched on April 25, 2006. EROS C2 – the third generation of Very High Resolution satellites with 30 cm. resolution panchromatic, was launched in 2021. EROS C3 – the third generation of Very High Resolution satellites with 30 cm. resolution panchromatic and multispectral, was launched in 2023. GaoJing-1 / SuperView-1 (01, 02, 03, 04) is a commercial constellation of Chinese remote sensing satellites controlled by China Siwei Surveying and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd. The four satellites operate from an altitude of 530 km and are phased 90° from each other on
3538-533: Was launched on September 6, 2008. The GeoEye-1 satellite has high resolution imaging system and is able to collect images with a ground resolution of 0.41 meters (16 inches) in panchromatic or black and white mode. It collects multispectral or color imagery at 1.65-meter resolution or about 64 inches. Maxar's WorldView-2 satellite provides high resolution commercial satellite imagery with 0.46 m spatial resolution (panchromatic only). The 0.46 meters resolution of WorldView-2's panchromatic images allows
3599-542: Was offered by several companies and organizations. Satellite images have numerous applications in a variety of fields. Less mainstream uses include anomaly hunting, a criticized investigation technique involving the search of satellite images for unexplained phenomena. The spectrum of satellite images is diverse, including visible light, near-infrared light, infrared light and radar, and many others. This wide range of light frequencies can provide researchers with large volumes of useful and rich information. In addition to
3660-437: Was retired by Planet in April 2020. Planet's Dove satellites are CubeSats that weigh 4 kilograms (8.8 lb), 10 by 10 by 30 centimetres (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 11.8 in) in length, width and height, orbit at a height of about 400 kilometres (250 mi) and provide imagery with a resolution of 3–5 metres (9.8–16.4 ft) and are used for environmental, humanitarian, and business applications. SkySat
3721-589: Was taken from space in 1972, and has become very popular in the media and among the public. Also in 1972 the United States started the Landsat program , the largest program for acquisition of imagery of Earth from space. In 1977, the first real time satellite imagery was acquired by the United States' KH-11 satellite system. The most recent Landsat satellite, Landsat 9 , was launched on 27 September 2021. All satellite images produced by NASA are published by NASA Earth Observatory and are freely available to
SECTION 60
#1732790149074#73926