Tim Schmit (SSEC at NOAA) talks about remote sensing and satellite meteorology. Schmit uses the new SSEC globe to illustrate his talk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On April 5, more than 500 visitors learned about different applications of remote sensing technology. As a part of a\u00a0campus-wide science outreach event<\/a>, SSEC hosted an open house with many engaging displays and activities, including the new globe display. The 3-D sphere facilitates a more concrete explanation of satellite-based observations of the Earth and its atmosphere.<\/p>\n Howard Berger also used the globe to help visitors understand remote sensing concepts as well as atmospheric science basics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Throughout the open house, SSEC scientistsHoward Berger<\/strong>\u00a0andTim Schmit<\/strong>\u00a0(NOAA at SSEC) used the globe to talk about environmental satellites. Part of the series of animations on the globe illustrates the differences between geostationary and polar orbiting satellites as well as why both types of satellites are useful to researchers and forecasters. The second portion of the presentation covered different types of observations made by satellite instruments and how scientists use that information to understand different characteristics of the planet.<\/p>\n Margaret Mooney took visitors up to the roof of SSEC’s 16-floor building. During the roof tours, Mooney described the many instruments on the roof as well as SSEC’s role in the development of satellite meteorology.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Berger and Schmit also covered SSEC co-founder Verner Suomi\u2019s contributions to the field of satellite meteorology. Suomi developed and was instrumental to the completion of the initial concept for a geostationary environmental satellite. SSEC views the 3-D globe as the first step to creating an atmospheric science museum named in honor of Verner Suomi\u2019s accomplishments.<\/p>\n Sam Batzli had an exhibit in the lobby that displayed satellite images of Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In addition to exploring the Earth and satellite meteorology using the globe, visitors also had the opportunity to learn much more with a variety of exhibits set up in the lobby.\u00a0Tom Whittaker<\/strong>helped kids \u201cExplore the Atmosphere<\/a>\u201d with a set of computer applets that teach the basics of atmospheric science.\u00a0Tim Olsen<\/strong>\u00a0taught visitors about severe weather using mapping software.Sam Batzli\u00a0<\/strong>displayed satellite and aerial views of Wisconsin, including a few 3-D maps.\u00a0Hsuan Pi<\/strong>set up an activity to explain how scientists learn about other planets. However, visitors seemed most excited by\u00a0Margaret Mooney<\/strong>\u2019s tours of SSEC\u2019s roof. While learning about the different rooftop dishes and instruments, participants took in a view of the city from the top of SSEC\u2019s 16-floor building.<\/p>\n SSEC received partial funding for the globe through a grant from Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment. Madison Gas and Electric sponsored the future installation of a solar panel to power the globe, creating a tangible representation of the connection between the Earth and the sun. The solar panel will also facilitate conversations about energy conservation and sustainable living.<\/p>\n Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>A different perspective of Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n photo credit: Jeff Miller, University Communications<\/p>\n Sam Batzli is the director of WisconsinView, a free online service that provides access to images and data of Wisconsin. In this image, Batzli’s computer displays an image of the state Capitol (left) and a LandSat image of Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n From his 12th-floor office,\u00a0Sam Batzli\u00a0<\/strong>has a view of nearby Lake Mendota and Madison\u2019s downtown punctuated by the state Capitol. But instead of looking out the window, Batzli looks at Madison and the rest of Wisconsin from much higher altitudes.<\/p>\n Batzli is the director ofWisconsinView<\/a>, a federally funded program that offers a free Web service for easy access to a variety of statewide images and data. \u201cWe basically provide a shortcut,\u201d Batzli says. \u201cWisconsinView offers free access to public domain data sets that would otherwise be difficult or expensive to acquire.\u201d<\/p>\n Taken by cameras and sensors aboard airplanes and satellites, images in the archive managed by Batzli help utility companies determine the best place for a power line or water main. Dairy farmers rely on information from Batzli to select good grazing pastures. Even Wisconsin\u2019s weekend warriors rely on Batzli\u2019s databases to assess hunting grounds and plan hiking expeditions.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s crazy \u2014 you wouldn\u2019t believe how many uses there are,\u201d Batzli says. \u201cThese images help those who need more than just a coarse snapshot.\u201d<\/p>\n Thanks to Batzli, anyone who wants a different look at Wisconsin can easily browse close to 2,000 gigabytes of perspective.<\/p>\n WisconsinView has nearly 5,000 registered users from around Wisconsin and beyond, with new users registering every day. Led by UW\u2013Madison, WisconsinView is part of a nationwide effort called AmericaView. In addition to his role as the director of WisconsinView, Batzli also serves on theAmericaView<\/a>\u00a0Board of Directors.<\/p>\n Read\u00a0the entire profile<\/a>\u00a0as featured in\u00a0Wisconsin Week<\/em>\u00a0on April 09.<\/p>\n Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Data and Imagery<\/strong><\/p>\n During the radio show, Tim Olsen also discussed using GPS and GIS technology to create maps that users can query. This map was a part of theMapTEACH project<\/a>, which combined local knowledge of Alaska with modern technology.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What the heck is GPS?<\/strong>\u2014Tim Olsen\u00a0<\/strong>unraveled the mysteries of Global Positioning System technologies and uses on a radio program that aired on April 03. Speaking with\u00a0WORT<\/a>host Jim Carrier, Olsen started the show with a brief description of how GPS works. According to Olsen, a GPS device receives a signal from a network of satellites. The network can determine the location of the device depending on how long it takes for the signal to reach different satellites. Olsen says that the system is accurate within about 15 feet. Carrier and Olsen then discussed different uses for GPS, including: tracking systems for city ambulances and snowplows, monitoring factors for natural disasters, and high-tech games of hide-and-seek. To round out the show, Carrier and Olsen discussed the privacy issues brought about by GPS. Visit the WORT web site to find the archived\u00a0recording of the show<\/a>.<\/p>\n The swollen rivers in the central U.S. are clearly visible in this image from March 20.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Earth from above<\/strong>\u2014From an ice shelf on the move to dust blowing across the Midwest, satellites illuminate Earth\u2019s activities from a unique perspective. SSEC research meteorologist\u00a0Scott Bachmeier\u00a0<\/strong>uses satellite images to illustrate different interesting environmental case studies that he posts on the\u00a0CIMSS Satellite Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n On\u00a0March 10<\/a>, Bachmeier posted images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf. The ice shelf began to collapse in late February. Bachmeier took advantage of SSEC\u2019s resources to show readers the extent of the collapse.\u00a0Shelley Knuth\u00a0<\/strong>is a researcher with SSEC\u2019s\u00a0Antarctic Meteorological Research Center<\/a>. Knuth provided Bachmeier with an image of the collapsing ice shelf as captured by an instrument aboard NASA polar orbiting satellites.<\/p>\n The same instrument, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), yielded\u00a0images of rivers and lakes flooding central U.S.<\/a>\u00a0 A \u201cfalse color\u201d filter applied to the image accents the flooding. A time series of MODIS images shows the change in rivers between November 2007 and late March 2008. Melting snow and heavy precipitation contributed to this springtime flooding.<\/p>\n Dust from the southern U.S. traveled to the skies above Wisconsin with the help of a mid-latitude cyclone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Geostationary satellites also provide information about the Earth and its atmosphere. In\u00a0a post on April 11<\/a>, Bachmeier discussed dust that traveled to Wisconsin from the southern portion of the U.S. Satellite images show a large plume rolling across the Great Plains on April 10. The dust continued northward in the circulation associated with large mid-latitude cyclone. In addition to highlighting different satellite observations of the dust plume, Bachmeier posted photographs of dirty snow received by the Green Bay National Weather Service forecast office.<\/p>\n![\"april2008_tim\"](\"http:\/\/www.ssec.wisc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2008\/04\/april2008_tim.jpg\")
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