A Step Beyond Visualization: Applying User Interface Techniques to Improve Satellite Data Interaction

The quality of Earth observation (EO) based vegetation monitoring has improved during recent years, which can be attributed to the enhanced sensor design of new satellites such as MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on Terra and Aqua. It is however expected that sun-sensor geometry variations will have a more visible impact on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from MODIS compared to earlier data sources, since noise related to atmosphere and sensor calibration is substantially reduced in the MODIS data stream. For this reason, the effect of varying MODIS viewing geometry on red, near-infrared (NIR) and NDVI needs to be quantified. Data from the geostationary MSG (Meteosat Second Generation) SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) sensor is well suited for this purpose due to the fixed position of the sensor, the spectral resolution, including a red and NIR band, and the high temporal resolution (15 min) of data, enabling MSG data to be used as a reference for estimating MODIS surface reflectance and NDVI variations caused by varying sun-sensor geometry. The study was performed on data covering West Africa for periods of lowest possible cloud cover for three consecutive years (2004–2006). An analysis covering the entire range of NDVI revealed day-to-day variations in observed MODIS NDVI of 50–60% for medium dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.5) caused by variations in MODIS view zenith angles (VZAs) between nadir and the high forward-scatter view direction. Statistical analysis on red, NIR and NDVI from MODIS and MSG SEVIRI for three transects (characterized by different vegetation densities) showed that both MODIS red and NIR reflectances are highly dependant on MODIS VZA and relative azimuth angle (RAA), due to the anisotropic behaviour of red and NIR reflectances. The anisotropic reflectance in the red and NIR band was to some degree minimized by the ratioing properties of NDVI. The minimization by the NDVI normalization is very dependent on the vegetation density however, since the degree of anisotropy in red and NIR reflectances depends on the amount of vegetation present. MODIS VZA and RAA effects on NDVI were highest for medium dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.5–0.6). The VZA and RAA effects were less for sparsely vegetated areas (NDVI ≈ 0.3–0.35) and the smallest effect on NDVI was found for dense vegetation (NDVI ≈ 0.7). These results have implications for the end users' interpretation of NDVI, and challenge the expediency of the MODIS NDVI compositing technique, which should be refined to distinguish between forward- and backward-scatter viewing direction by taking RAA into account.

In this paper, a new method to delineate rain areas in northern Algeria is presented. The proposed approach is based on the blending of the geostationary meteosat second generation (MSG), infrared channel with the low-earth orbiting passive tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM). To model the system designed, we use an artificial neural network (ANN). We seek to define a relationships between three parameters calculated from TRMM microwave imager (TMI) associated with four parameters from infrared sensors of MSG satellite and two classes (rain, no-rain) from precipitation radar (PR) TRMM data. The seven spectral parameters issued from MSG and TMI are used as input data. Rain/no-rain classes from PR are used as the output data of this ANN. Two steps are necessary: training and validation. Results in the developed scheme are compared with the results of a reference method which is the scattering index (SI) method. The result shows that the developed model works very well and overcomes the shortcomings of the SI method.

At the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service a neural network model (NN) was defined in order to forecast the convective systems evolution in the Mediterranean area. This model, composed by a system of NNs, uses combination of water vapour absorption (WV) and infrared window (IR) data of Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). We realized that cloud top temperature, from IR window channel, does not give enough information to forecast the evolution of convective systems. As a consequence we introduced information about middle troposphere humidity content, from water vapor absorption band. We had preliminary results using the Meteosat rapid scan (RS) data. The use of WV and IR data from Meteosat-6 RS service, with a time sampling of 10 minutes, allowed us to track satisfactorily the evolution of convective cells and improved the detection of the beginning of the cell life. We can say that information of IR channel temperature only is not enough, for example, to evaluate the dissolving phase of the convective cell. A small decrease of the cloud top temperature (detected in the IR channel) it is not a unique indication for the beginning of that phase. It is known that, during mature phase, a convective cell may have a pulsating behaviour, so its top increases and decreases for an unknown time interval. After having defined two main evolution phases on the base of the features deduced from IR and WV channels, a specific NN algorithm was set up for nowcasting convective cells, using first RS data and then MSG data. A statistical analysis of cross-correlation between time series of different channels was performed for different areas of the Mediterranean region. From these statistics we may conclude that the performance of the NN system is more than satisfactory. This allows us to improve the operational automatic nowcasting application with the insertion of a NN module which gives information on the evolution of convective systems. In this way the forecasters are able to evaluate the probability of an increase or decrease of the severe convective activity.

Accurate rainfall detection and estimation are essential for many research and operational applications. Traditional rainfall detection and estimation techniques have achieved considerable success but with limitations. Thus, in this study, the relationships between the gauge (point measurement) and the microwave links (MWL) rainfall (line measurement), and the MWL to the satellite observations (area-wide measurement) are investigated for (area-wide) rainfall detection and rain rate retrieval. More precisely, we investigate if the combination of MWL with Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite signals could improve rainfall detection and rainfall rate estimates. The investigated procedure includes an initial evaluation of the MWL rainfall estimates using gauge measurements, followed by a joint analysis of the rainfall estimates with the satellite signals by means of a conceptual model in which clouds with high cloud top optical thickness and large particle sizes have high rainfall probabilities and intensities. The analysis produced empirical thresholds that were used to test the capability of the MSG satellite data to detect rainfall on the MWL. The results from Kenya, during the “long rains” of 2013, 2014, and 2018 show convincing performance and reveal the potential of MWL and MSG data for area-wide rainfall detection.

What influences geography teachers' usage of geographic information systems? A structural equation analysis

We present a new automated white box fuzzing technique and a tool, BuzzFuzz, that implements this technique. Unlike standard fuzzing techniques, which randomly change parts of the input file with little or no information about the underlying syntactic structure of the file, BuzzFuzz uses dynamic taint tracing to automatically locate regions of original seed input files that influence values used at key program attack points (points where the program may contain an error). BuzzFuzz then automatically generates new fuzzed test input files by fuzzing these identified regions of the original seed input files. Because these new test files typically preserve the underlying syntactic structure of the original seed input files, they tend to make it past the initial input parsing components to exercise code deep within the semantic core of the computation. We have used BuzzFuzz to automatically find errors in two open-source applications: Swfdec (an Adobe Flash player) and MuPDF (a PDF viewer). Our results indicate that our new directed fuzzing technique can effectively expose errors located deep within large programs. Because the directed fuzzing technique uses taint to automatically discover and exploit information about the input file format, it is especially appropriate for testing programs that have complex, highly structured input file formats.

Validation of the Prototype System for Wildfire Hotspot Detection and Monitoring of the African Sub-Sahara Region:A Case Study of the Horn of Africa Region The Italian Space Agency (ASI) recently installed a prototype system for hotspot detection and monitoring (FIRE) at its Broglio Space Centre (ASI/BSC) facility in Malindi (Kenya). FIRE has been developed at ASI Space Geodesy Centre (Matera, Italy) to monitor hotspots in the Mediterranean Regions and successively adapted to monitor hotspots in Sub-Saharan Africa. The FIRE system implements a processing chain that routinely receives Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) data through the EUMECAST Channel and extracts and transforms the SEVIRI data into geocoded reflectance, radiance and brightness temperature images. The Temperature images at 3.9 μm and 10.8 μm are used to detect the local thermal anomalies (hotspot). The time delay between the MSG data acquisition and the hotspot detection by the FIRE system is about 30 min.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide a powerful tool to transportation planners and engineers for a variety of analytical tasks. However, even with the advent of PC-based GIS systems and strong state and federal support, transportation planners and engineers in small and medium-sized communities face many constraints in finding the resources to pay for a GIS and in the development of a data base that can be used for practical applications. The Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) has been a leader in the design, implementation and management of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for almost three decades. The root of this successful implementation of GIS lies in the formation of multi-jurisdictional (cities, county, utilities, MPO), multi-application (transportation, natural resources, public works, assessment and taxation, land use planning) approach (termed the Common Mapping Project) and development of a Cooperative Project Agreement which has provided for sustained development of a parcel-level data base. This approach has allowed LCOG's transportation planners to have access to a very rich database. For example, the GIS provides land use and demographic inputs to the system model and overlay analyses incorporating the transportation system (both supply and demand characteristics), natural resources (soils, topography, hydrology, etc.) and other public works features (sanitary, storm sewers, utility lines, etc.). In addition, this approach has allowed LCOG to focus its transportation planning resources on the transportation system as other agencies have provided the resources for development and maintenance of other parts of the database. The 30-year history provides evidence of success of the approach. Without this cooperative, long-term approach, it is doubtful the GIS would be available to transportation planners in the Eugene-Springfield area. Certainly, we would not have the rich database that has resulted from this integrated approach. This paper/presentation will describe the approach taken by agencies in the Eugene-Springfield area in the development of its GIS, the benefits of this approach to transportation planning in a medium-sized area, and the key lessons learned over the years.

This paper argues that, from the perspective of interactive prototyping and experience, the hardware technology based on open source and thinking, can promote further development of interaction design research. The purpose of this paper is to explore the design methodology considering interactive prototype design process and experiencing process, and provide theoretical and technical support for the design of interactive products, with open source resources as the platform and task method. The results show that the open source code can be obtained in a variety of formats, and can be freely and easily modified to solve the design problems encountered by individuals or teams, to support the design goals. Through open source resources everyone can get electronic components and a variety of materials, as well as infrastructure and standardization of the production process. So that a number of design elements and open source code can be iterated quickly, having everyone maximize using open source resources efficiency. The design of interactive prototype is based on Arduino/Max6/MSP experiment method and emotional experience method. After the initial design and prototyping, the design concept can be realized. A design route combining usability and ease of use could be established which can be used in the field of industrial design engineering.

This study aims to create an integrated geographical information system (GIS) database of natural resources represented by mining activities in the Red Sea area in Sudan. GIS is a vital tool to help the decision‐makers in managing and classifying these resources in terms of quantity and quality within the concept of sustainable development. The paper extracts some models of investment map indicators. In addition to that, it conducts a study and research aimed at developing a mineral resources management and discovering and identifying the new areas of mineral wealth in GIS database. The motivation of this study stems from the fact that countries with these types of wealth can greatly grow their gross domestic product (GDP) through the optimum management and governance. Most of the least development countries (LDC) can focus on the search for alternative natural resources (beside other conventional resources, i.e., agriculture) to support their economy. Red Sea region is one of the great regions full of natural and mineral resources (specifically gold and minerals), beside its strategic location on the way of most of the global trade transaction path. This paper designs and implements GIS multiple database layers. The multiple layers were modelled to overcome the technical difficulties that result from processing of large quantities of tempospatial information. The database was built by using an Oracle database system due to its capability of multilayer design.

Complex multi-actor problem situations in natural resource management (NRM) need the convergence of different knowledge processes, first of all, in understanding and agreeing what the problem is before aspiring for joint-action. This is a joint-learning approach in NRM. Geographic information systems (GIS), with their integrative, analytic, and visualization capabilities, offer promising means to facilitate this approach. However, using GIS relies heavily on specialists that develop and interact with the system, and thus, precludes participation of others NRM actors having no computer skills. Such a limitation can promote dependence on externally-planned intervention and is not desirable. In this research, I explored the use of participatory methods in designing a GIS for facilitating multi-actor learning about their problematic situation in NRM at the local level and communicating the same at the provincial level. This is to reinforce collective effort in understanding, negotiating, and active social construction of natural resources to be jointly managed.<br/><br/>Joint-learning started when Ifugao farmers and I engaged in tracing back NRM history of the study area which is located in the Northern Philippine uplands of Ifugao. This was done in order to learn about the traditional spatial information system that was used to successfully manage their terraced ecosystem that dates back to more than 2,000 years. By reading historical documentation, interviewing the elderly, and visualizing their NRM territories from their oral descriptions, I was able to establish the old Ifugao society's divisions of spatial responsibility that were parts of independent "water districts." Through spatial dialogue, local farmers participated in interpreting aerial photographs and satellite images, and in designing a prototype GIS which is patterned after their successful baddang (workgroup) in these water districts. By joining local NRM planning activities, I was able to identify potential NRM processes that can be reinforced by GIS, such as monitoring the status of their forests and terraces, and systematizing their trial-and-error reforestation efforts. By demonstrating GIS capabilities in supporting these activities ( e.g., site selection, data aggregation, map generation), and the roles that local and provincial level NRM actors can play in each ( e.g., jointly monitoring conditions, analyzing mapped data, formulating plans and policies), we developed a scheme for inter-actor communication process that can help gather support, identify possibilities and define responsibilities in co-managing their delicate landscape.<br/><br/>This research was able to identify a room for local participation in such an expert-dependent tool as GIS. It also demonstrated the inter-dependence of different expertise from different disciplines to come together in developing a GIS that can be effective in promoting a multi-actor NRM. Moreover, it showed a different side of GIS from mapping and data management to joint construction of the 'world' to be managed. This is important to extend our understanding of the complex world through exchange of alternative perspectives for common knowledge and wisdom to evolve and hopefully, promote concerted action for a more sustainable NRM. Interesting topics for future research also emerged from this study. The foremost of which is whether expertise and secondary information is enough to design effective practice; or whether interactive technology design promotes better practice.

Geographical Information System (GIS) is associated as an essential tool and as a part of natural resource management activities worldwide. Though, GIS is receiving special attention in the field of hydrology and the aquaculture management, their deployment for spatial decision support in this domain continues to be very slow. This situation is owing to a variety of constraints together with an absence of appreciation of the technology, restricted understanding of GIS principles and associated methodology, and inadequate structure commitment to confirm continuity of these spatial decision support tools. This paper addresses these constraints and includes the use of basic GIS techniques. Fish and water samples were collected and analyzed from seven sites along the Cauvery river basin, Tamilnadu, India and the results were incorporated into GIS platform. The section on GIS terminology addresses the two fundamental types of GIS (Mapping and Interpretative analysis), and discusses the aspects related to the visualization of outcomes. Spatial distribution maps were prepared for the above analyzed parameters. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) tool have been applied to express the results obtained from the study area.

This paper presents the design and implementation of an integrated application program called ArcFVS that links the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) to realize spatial selection of input files and graphic display of modeling output. Data for testing and running the model came from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Database and were also collected in field surveys in north-central Indiana. ArcFVS 1.0 is designed using the ArcGIS software from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) and the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming environment to manipulate ESRI’s ArcObjects. The resulting product offers custom functions as commands in a new menu or as tools on a new toolbar. They are used to: select spatially or by attribute the forest plots to be projected by FVS, create the FVS input files for the selected plots and display in a geospatial environment different types of FVS output (text output files, tables with variables of interest and visualization image files). Advantages of ArcFVS 1.0 include the new GIS capabilities, enhanced format translation functions and the standardized programming environment.

In the 21 century, the construction of oil and gas resources information system has stepped into the mature and development stage, However, it also faces two technical difficulties: multi-data integration and the integration of attribute information and location information. This paper analyzes the technical features and advantages of Geographic Information System (GIS) and lists the application methods of GIS in the construction the oil and gas resources information system. It proposes the classification scheme of oil and gas resources information. By applying GIS spatial database technology, basic oil and gas resources information, including graph and data, can be managed collectively at one database platform. Based on GIS technology, it can provide the diversified information query method between space orientation and attribute data. By using the multi-data integration technology supported by GIS, it realizes the flexible transformation and transfer of spatial data. Based on GIS vector drawing ability, it realizes the flexible geological maps thematic mapping technology.With the help of GIS spatial analysis, it realizes oil and gas decision support functions such as virtual drilling, et al.. And it can be applied to the construction of oil and gas resources information system.

In this thesis, concepts for developing Spatial Data Infrastructures with an emphasis on visualizing 3D landscape and city models in distributed environments are discussed. Spatial Data Infrastructures are important for public authorities in order to perform tasks on a daily basis, and serve as research topic in geo-informatics. Joint initiatives at national and international level exist for harmonizing procedures and technologies. Interoperability is an important aspect in this context - as enabling technology for sharing, distributing, and connecting geospatial data and services. The Open Geospatial Consortium is the main driver for developing international standards in this sector and includes government agencies, universities and private companies in a consensus process. &#13;\n3D city models are becoming increasingly popular not only in desktop Virtual Reality applications but also for being used in professional purposes by public authorities. Spatial Data Infrastructures focus so far on the storage and exchange of 3D building and elevation data. For efficient streaming and visualization of spatial 3D data in distributed network environments such as the internet, concepts from the area of real time 3D Computer Graphics must be applied and combined with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). For example, scene graph data structures are commonly used for creating complex and dynamic 3D environments for computer games and Virtual Reality applications, but have not been introduced in GIS so far. &#13;\nIn this thesis, several aspects of how to create interoperable and service-based environments for 3D spatial data are addressed. These aspects are covered by publications in journals and conference proceedings. The introductory chapter provides a logic succession from geometrical operations for processing raw data, to data integration patterns, to system designs of single components, to service interface descriptions and workflows, and finally to an architecture of a complete distributed service network.&#13;\nDigital Elevation Models are very important in 3D geo-visualization systems. Data structures, methods and processes are described for making them available in service based infrastructures. A specific mesh reduction method is used for generating lower levels of detail from very large point data sets. An integration technique is presented that allows the combination with 2D GIS data such as roads and land use areas. This approach allows using another optimization technique that greatly improves the usability for immersive 3D applications such as pedestrian navigation: flattening road and water surfaces. It is a geometric operation, which uses data structures and algorithms found in numerical simulation software implementing Finite Element Methods. &#13;\n3D Routing is presented as a typical application scenario for detailed 3D city models. Specific problems such as bridges, overpasses and multilevel networks are addressed and possible solutions described. The integration of routing capabilities in service infrastructures can be accomplished with standards of the Open Geospatial Consortium. An additional service is described for creating 3D networks and for generating 3D routes on the fly. Visualization of indoor routes requires different representation techniques.&#13;\nAs server interface for providing access to all 3D data, the Web 3D Service has been used and further developed. Integrating and handling scene graph data is described in order to create rich virtual environments. Coordinate transformations of scene graphs are described in detail, which is an important aspect for ensuring interoperability between systems using different spatial reference systems. The Web 3D Service plays a central part in nearly all experiments that have been carried out. It does not only provide the means for interactive web-visualizations, but also for performing further analyses, accessing detailed feature information, and for automatic content discovery.&#13;\nOpenStreetMap and other worldwide available datasets are used for developing a complete architecture demonstrating the scalability of 3D Spatial Data Infrastructures. Its suitability for creating 3D city models is analyzed, according to requirements set by international standards. A full virtual globe system has been developed based on OpenStreetMap including data processing, database storage, web streaming and a visualization client.&#13;\nResults are discussed and compared to similar approaches within geo-informatics research, clarifying in which application scenarios and under which requirements the approaches in this thesis can be applied.&#13;\n