Exploring Satellite Imagery Reference Sites

This exercise references the following web sites:

> MODIS Rapid Response Site
>
> <http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/>

NASA's Earth Observatory

> <http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/>
>
> NASA's Visible Earth
>
> <http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/>
>
> NASA Earth Observations
>
> <http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Search.html>
>
> NASA Earth -- Science Mission Directorate

<http://nasascience.nasa.gov/earth-science/mission_list>

[This color underlined: Key feature and/or very important]{.underline}

[information either for later reference or immediate
reading]{.underline}.

**This color and font: Suggested reading when**

**you have time. Important feature for**

**targeted audience.**

This font indicates which web page or link to follow

Each of these sites can be used to find pertinent and/or

interesting MODIS imagery and information, however they differ in their
search and other capabilities. The goal of this exercise is to obtain a
brief familiarity with each of the sites.

*MODIS Rapid Response Site*.

Home Page

[Mission Statement]{.underline}

[Tools featured at bottom of home page]{.underline}

Web Fire Mapper, Active Fire Maps, Global Fire Maps!!!

If you have interest in any of the following :

\* Fires

\* Floods

\* Land

\* Oceans

\* Air Quality

\* Ice

\* Direct Broadcast

explore the link to "Applications" at the bottom

of the page.

Gallery

The images displayed on this page are selected images from the last
several days of interesting phenomena.

Click on any one of the images on this page.

Click on the links at the top of the page to display the image in
different resolutions.

Click on the "more info" link.

There should be some blue highlighted text referring to a granule. Click
on this link.

In the new window that opens scroll down to just below the image. There
should be links to hdf files used to create the image. If you click on
this link it will initiate a download of the data.

Take a few minutes to play with the different display options to the
left of the image.

Close the new window.

In the main window go back to the Gallery

Click on FSI Viewer next to one of the images and take a few minutes to
play with this feature.

On the main Gallery page try to following four

searches: [Brazil]{.underline}

> [Brazil and fires]{.underline}
>
> [Brazil AND fires]{.underline}
>
> [Brazil OR South America and Fires]{.underline}

How do the search results compare?

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see a calendar.
Click on any highlighted date to display the hand-picked image of that
day.

Real-Time

The images displayed on this page are the complete set of MODIS granules
from the most current overpasses.

Terra images are on the top and Aqua on the bottom.

You can click on the calendar at the top of the page and use this
feature to display the complete set of granule images for any day.

Click on "Display true-color and false-color"

Click on any one of the images to open a new window which displays the
image.

The false-color images are created to provide a different information
content to the image. Go to this link

<http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/faq/#faq03>

if you want to know more about the different combinations.

Near Real-Time Subsets

Go back to the home page. On the right hand side under

"Quick links" click on Near Real-Time Subsets

On one of the maps that appear click in any one of the orange squares.
You will see images corresponding to this area that may have
corresponding aeronet data.

You can click on

Display alternate dates available for this subset

click on any one of the list of dates below to see the corresponding
images.

You can also scroll down to the bottom of the subsets page to select a
specific ground instrument and display the corresponding images.

*Visible Earth Site*.

This site is simply a searchable image archive. The images available
extend way beyond MODIS.

If you wish to return results specifically from MODIS you must include
that word in the search term. You can also specify Terra or Aqua.

In the search bar at the top of the page repeat the searches

from the Rapid Response Site with the additional term "MODIS":

[India MODIS]{.underline}

[India Fires MODIS]{.underline}

[India Fires or Pollution MODIS]{.underline}

Play around a little bit and try one of the searches without using
"MODIS" . Try a search using "Aqua" instead of "MODIS".

[Do an additional search on "Terra orbit"]{.underline}

*Earth Observatory Site*

This is more of a reference site for the general public and for use by
educators.

Missions

An excellent but incomplete summary of many of the Earth observing
missions. [The page displays a link to an overpass predictor
tool.]{.underline}

[Mouse over the icon for each of the missions.]{.underline}

[There are very useful links to the home page for each
mission.]{.underline}

Take a few minutes to quickly browse the rest of the site.

When everyone is done we will take a few minutes to discuss the benefits
of each site and when and why you would use one instead of another.

*Earth Science Mission Directorate.*

An very complete summary of NASA's Earth observing missions