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# U.S. Geological Survey and Microsoft Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Geospatial Data Browsing and Retrieval Site on the World Wide Web

### Fact Sheet 072-99 (February 1999)

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 || Introduction || Major Milestone  || Benefits of the CRADA || || Future Plans || Information || Additional Information ||

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### Introduction

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| A portion of a USGS digital orthophoto quadrangle showingthe White House in Washington, DC. |

In May 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., entered into a cooperativeresearch and development agreement (CRADA) to make vast amounts of geospatial dataavailable to the general public through the Internet. The CRADA is a 36-month joint effort todevelop a general, public-oriented browsing and retrieval site for geospatial data on the Internet.Specifically, Microsoft plans to (1) modify a large volume of USGS geospatial data so theimages can be displayed quickly and easily over the Internet, (2) implement an easy-to-useinterface for low-speed connections, and (3) develop an Internet Web site capable of servicingmillions of users per day.

### Major Milestone

The Microsoft Terraserver Web site (terraserver-usa.com) opened tothe public in June 1998 serving more than 1 terabyte (1,000,000,000,000 bytes) of geospatial datafrom a user-friendly interface.  Terraserver is a mutually beneficial research effort where theFederal Government and private industry have come together to provide the general public accessto USGS geospatial data while allowing Microsoft and its partners to promote their data basesystems that can scale to very large sizes. 

Initially the CRADA focused on storing and displaying more than 3 terabytes of USGSdigital orthophoto quadrangle (DOQ) images. A DOQ is a digital image of an aerial photographwith distortions caused by the shape of the ground surface and camera angle removed. A DOQcombines the details of a photograph with the geometric qualities of a map.

Microsoft has made millions of resampled, compressed, browsable images of the entireUSGS DOQ archive available on the Internet and is serving these online as JPEG image files fora testing period of at least 18 months. After viewing the resampled images on the Internet site,users are able to download the image they see to their own computer.  With the user'spermission, a Java software program will write the image to a file on the user's computer harddisk at no charge. Those wishing to purchase full-resolution, uncompressed DOQ images will belinked to the USGS web site. Building on user feedback, Microsoft and the USGS will continueto improve the Internet site. 

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Benefits of the CRADA
This joint research effort increases the visibility of USGS geospatial data with the generalpublic because these images are prominently displayed on the Microsoft Internet site, whichalready receives millions of inquiries per day. This is an opportunity for the USGS to inform newuser communities about USGS geospatial data. 

Microsoft and its partners have extensive data display and storage technologies for handlingterabytes of information on the Internet.  The Terraserver Web site will show informationtechnology managers that by using off-the-shelf software products from Microsoft and webserver storage solutions from its partners, they can easily manage and serve huge data bases onInternet sites.
Future Plans
The Terraserver site will be updated frequently as more USGS DOQ's are produced.  Planscall for having 50 percent of the DOQ's for the conterminous United States online by thesummer of 1999. There are also plans to add USGS digital raster graphics to the TerraServer atthe same time.

After launching the initial display of resampled DOQ images on the Internet, the USGS andMicrosoft will pursue additional research activities under the CRADA.  The Terraserver Web sitemay be augmented with other USGS digital data products, such as digital line graphs, digitalelevation models, and aerial or satellite images.  In addition, linking other types of USGS datawill be considered.
Information
For more information on this CRADA with Microsoft, contact:

Beth DuffU.S. Geological Survey508 National CenterReston, VA  20192Phone: 703-648-4621Fax: 703-648-5939E-mail: [email protected]

More information about DOQ's can be found at:

erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs05701.html

For further information on CRADA opportunities with the USGS National MappingDisapline, please contact:

Ernest B. BrunsonU.S. Geological Survey500 National CenterReston, VA 20192Phone: 703-648-4643Fax: 703-648-5542E-mail: [email protected]
Additional Information
For information on other USGS products and services, call 1-888-ASK-USGS,  or visit the general interest publications Web site on mapping, geography, and related topics at erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/pubslists/.

For additional information, visit the ask.usgs.gov Web site or the USGS home page at www.usgs.gov.

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*This document has undergone official review and approval for publications established by theNational Mapping Division, U.S. Geological Survey. Some figures, have been modified or addedto improve the scientific visualization of information.*

U.S. Department of the Interior — U.S. Geological Survey — 509 National Center, Reston, VA 20192, USA **URL:***http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs07299.html* — **Contact:**[email protected]**Page Maintainer:** USGS Eastern Region Geography**Last modified:**   13:30:19 Fri 20 Feb 2004 — USGS Privacy Policy and Disclaimers— Accessibility