Watch Online NASA Launching New Satellite: LDCM/Landsat 8

Today, February 11, the next Landsat (LDCM/Landsat 8 http://ldcm.nasa.gov) will be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1802-1850 GMT .

The launch of LDCM is scheduled for just over 90 minutes.Click the following link to watch NASA HD stream of LDCM launch.

Click it here: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ustream.html

If you are interested in watching it will be streamed on NASA Internet TV (see http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html).   Also see at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/ for space flights information.

 “The data from Landsat spacecraft constitute the longest record of the Earth's continental surfaces as seen from space.  With the launch of the LDCM on Monday, February 11, the record will be continued and enhanced, providing data intrinsic to our geographic and Earth system science research.  Since 1972,

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Interactive Map of Freshwater Species

"Freshwater Ecoregions of the World, (FEOW) provides a new global bio-geographic regionalization of the Earth's freshwater biodiversity.  Covering virtually all freshwater habitats on Earth, this first-ever ecoregion map, together with associated species data, is a useful tool for underpinning global and regional conservation planning efforts, particularly to identify outstanding and imperiled freshwater systems; for serving as a logical framework for large-scale conservation strategies; and for providing a global-scale knowledge base for increasing freshwater biogeographic literacy."

"Over a decade of work and contributions by more than 200 leading conservation scientists have produced a first-ever comprehensive map and database of the diversity of life in the world’s freshwater ecosystems. The map and associated fish data – a collaborative project between World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy." 

For the fish lovers, the map is so cool.  Since you all like fish....you might find it just as cool too!!!  It is interactive, click on an ecoregion, it shows threats, species etc.  User is able to change transparency on the image to show terrain behind the ecoregion.  

http://www.feow.org/

Oh yeah, there is a complete article that went along with it... 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512153631.htm

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How to extract distinct values from the C++ Array?

#include<iostream>
#include<set>
using namespace std;
// function setting the set values
template<size_t size>
void findDistinctValues(std::set<int> & p_values,int (&p_array)[size])
{
    // Code modified after Jacob's excellent comment
    p_values.clear() ;
    p_values.insert(p_array, p_array + size) ;

}

void findDistinctValues2( int arr[],int size)
{
  std::set<int> values_1 ;
  std::set<int>::iterator it_1;
  values_1.clear();
  values_1.insert(arr,arr+size);
  for (it_1=values_1.begin(); it_1!=values_1.end(); ++it_1)
    std::cout << ' ' << *it_1<<endl;
   
}

int main()
{
  int arr[] = {1,6100,4,94,93,-6,2,4,4,5,5,2500,5,4,5,34,99,6100,2500};
  std::set<int> values ;
  std::set<int>::iterator it;
 
  int arr_size = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(int);
  printf("Total no of array variables: %d\n",arr_size);
  printf("Output from findDistinctValues (function 1)\n ");
  findDistinctValues(values, arr) ;
  for (it=values.begin(); it!=values.end(); ++it)
    std::cout << ' ' << *it<<endl;
  std::cout<<endl;  
  std::cout<<values.size()<<endl; //find the size of distict values

  printf("Output from findDistinctValues (function 2) \n ");
  findDistinctValues2(arr,arr_size);

  getchar();
  return 0;
}

Modified from stackoverflow.com

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44th South Dakota State University Geography Convention: March 14-14, 2013 Brookings, SD

The South Dakota State Geography Convention is the longest running student organized and sponsored annual meeting in the United States. Approximately ten eminent academic and applied geographers from around the region, the country, and Canada are invited to make presentations at the conference each spring. The convention also features social activities, a Gamma Theta Upsilon initiation, and an awards banquet. Field trips are provided on occasion.

Call for Abstracts

*Interested in presenting at the South Dakota State Geography Convention on March 14th, 2013?

*Email an abstract to Josh Bucher, Geography Club Secretary at joshua.bucher@sdstate.edu

*Presentations can be scientific in nature or informational, posters or slide show presentations are accepted

*Poster size should be 36”x48”

*Presentations should be 15 min with 5 min after for questions

*Please submit name, school, title, and abstract by March 1^st 2013 44^th Annual South Dakota State 

Geography Convention:Thursday March 14th and Friday March 15, 2013

Student Presentations – Thursday, 12:00-4:00pm

J.R. Smith Memorial Geography Bowl - Thursday

Social at the Ram Pub - Thursday night, 6:00-10:00pm

Guest and Faculty Speaker Schedule - Friday

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Interactive Map: Looking Earth from Moon and Sun

Earth and Moon Viewer, an Impressive site which shows orthographic views of the Earth and the Moon using a mosaic of various satellite imagery including a full-color image of the Earth by day and night, a topographical map of the Earth, up-to-date weather satellite imagery, or a composite image of cloud cover superimposed on a map of the Earth, a color composite which shows clouds, land and sea temperatures, and ice, or the global distribution of water vapor. You can view either a map of the Earth showing the day and night regions at this moment, or view the Earth from the Sun, the Moon, the night side of the Earth, above any location on the planet specified by latitude, longitude and altitude, from a satellite in Earth orbit, or above various cities around the globe.

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Geospatial data Mashups with Google

Abstract
Analyzing space-time variation is common in Geography. Appropriate geo-spatial visualization enables us to understand data in a precise manner. There have been numerous researches, tools, and methods in pursuit of a better visualization method for geospatial data. Here we present the sets of examples developed by us to show the benefits of the web cartography using Google Earth/Google Maps mashups to display geospatial data. Moreover, we include the practical implication of applications that are useful for visualizing geospatial world.

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Automated Tools for Integrating Remote Sensing Data Into Spatial Epidemiology Research

Satellite remote sensing provides valuable information that can be used to map infectious diseases and forecast future health risks. However, amassing and managing the geographic information from diverse datasets is difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, there is a need for a geoinformatics system that integrates the acquisition, processing, management, and analysis of geospatial data sets from various sources.

Here, we present our software model for automated data capture and processing of satellite remote sensing data for public health applications.  The system incorporates land surface temperature and vegetation indices from MODIS precipitation data from TRMM, and a novel measurement of actual evapotranspiration.

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2013 Free and Open Source Geospatial Software Conference

FOSS4G is the global conference for Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, organized by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). In 2013, 2013 FOSS4G North America Conference (FOSS4G-NA) will take place May 22-24 at the Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, MN. The gathering of Open Source Geospatial Developers, Users and Leaders from North America will offer a broad program to discuss and build tools to help solve some of the world’s most pressing problems and business needs.

This regional event complements the larger FOSS4G International Conference, the leading global conference organized by OSGeo focusing on Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial. 2013 marks the 10 year anniversary of the first MapServer Users Meeting in Minnesota, the immediate predecessor of the FOSS4G Conference Series. foss4g-na 2012 was held on Washington DC.

 The 2013 FOSS4G International Conference  is currently scheduled for September 17-21 in Nottingham, UK.

 Reference: 

http://2013.foss4g.org/

http://foss4g-na.org/

http://www.osgeo.org/

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Popular GIS Books

Books	Pro	Cons
	It provides solid guide to how geospatial analysis work, particularly with respect to GIS. The book emphasizes conceptual workflows and with basic math which is helpful for creating own code and also getting an understanding of what's happening under the hood in contemporary GIS.	It is better to have an update because lots of changes in GIS software over last five years.
	This book is for typical GIS user aspiring to design good maps. It is illustrating GIS map software and throughout with map samples in color which is especially useful for those who has little prior training or experience in map making.	This is acceptable book for beginners but very little information of advanced users. It hardly touches on advanced cartographic representations.
	This book explains the computational geometry and algorithms concisely and very readable. It emphasis on describing algorithms and data structures theoretically. It presents pseudo code with lots of figures that is very easy to understand and follow. It's also worth reading for all computer scientists and mathematicians who are working on geometry. This is good text/reference book for graduate course.	Focused on geometric computation and algorithm, very complicated for beginners, who does not have prior computer programming knowledge. The various algorithms and concepts often used in this book are triangulation, indexing, calculating intersection, shortest paths etc.
	The book illustrates the most common cartographic deceptions, and provides some excellent color guides. If you want to learn how to make influential maps for a cause, this is the book!. The reader can learn what to look for and how to avoid the inadvertent or unintentional 'lies'. Worth the effort!	Basically, the book as an introduction to the science of cartography and targeted for prospective cartographer or decision making authority.
	The book details the use of freely available open source mapping software and tools such as MapServer, GDAL, OpenEV, and PostGIS to create web gis and web maps. Mostly focused on UMN Mapserver for web mapping and building web gis.	Not much technical discussion on how GPS databases work, how to decode GIS information. The book is fairly shallow. It will give you a couple of basic examples of how to use some pieces of software, but for anything more complicated, you have to look elsewhere.

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LAStools - efficient tools for LiDAR processing: Conference

The International LiDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF), taking place from February 11-13 2013 in Denver, is delighted to announce that the American Societyfor Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) will be running special ‘hot topics’ sessions alongside the main conference. 

ASPRS plays a vital role in the lidar industry as it is the key organization that sets data format and accuracy standards for kinematic laser scanning.  With a full morning dedicated to ASPRS on February 11, it will be sharing the results of crucial projects to benefit the lidar community; providing information to help improve accuracy and cost efficiency.

       

Lewis Graham, Lidar Division Director of ASPRS, will kick off the morning by revealing exciting new plans for the development of LAS validation software.  LAS is the standard data delivery format used throughout the world.  It is supported in all commercial lidar hardware and software and is also the required delivery standard for nearly all private and governmental kinematic lidar projects.  The new LAS validation software will be key in ensuring LAS file compliance and the software will be discussed publicly for the first time at ILMF.  

Another session not to be missed will be the first public update of a major project funded by the United States Geological Survey.  The project is investigating new approaches of calibrating and geometrically adjusting broad area airborne lidar projects and over the past year ASPRS’ Airborne Laser Scanning committee has been assessing new techniques.  The committee will provide a fascinating insight into the project so far, which is expected to have a major impact on how airborne laser scanning data are adjusted in the future.  

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