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Online 3D Terrain Visualization and GIS Tools Events

Matt Nolan and ARSC are hosting two events in March to incorporate GIS tools into regular scientific activity.

1. Overview of Online 3D Terrain Visualization and GIS tools

Date: Wednesday March 1
Time: noon - 2:00 pm (lunch provided)
Location: WRRB 010 Conference Room

Courses are free. Pre-registration not required (see note below*).

Over the past few years, a number of online 3D terrain visualization and GIS tools have emerged, including Google Earth, EarthSLOT, World Wind, and GeoFusion. This talk will provide an overview of the capabilities of these tools, and how they could be used in various types of UAF research, particularly as it relates to the upcoming International Polar Year. The talk is intended as a precursor to a workshop which will follow several weeks later, for those interested in putting these tools to use for their research right away. What's really new about these tools is that they:

Provide free, online access to visualizing the earth in 3D at high resolution,
Allow users to add their own GIS layers or annotations
Are easy enough to use that you can largely figure them out on your own because most of the hard work has already been done for you (if you can use PowerPoint, you can use these tools).

These tools are having a dramatic impact on the way earth science, earth science education/outreach, and earth science data access are done, and it is quite possible that they will become the new paradigm for such applications in the future. The first hour will be a presentation, followed by discussion and other demos as determined by group interest.

2. Workshop of Online 3D Terrain Visualization and GIS tools

Dates: Monday, March 27; Wednesday, March 29; Friday March 31
Time: 1 - 4:00 pm (snack provided)
Location: WRRB 010 Conference Room
Note: Pre-registration is required fo this three-day hands-on workshop

This workshop is intended to create earth science, earth science education/outreach, and earth science data access applications using online 3D terrain visualization and GIS tools such as EarthSLOT, Google Earth, World Wind and GeoFusion.

*To attend, please send an email to Matt Nolan that outlines the nature of your project, the types of data you hope to use, the target audience, what you would like to accomplish in the workshop, and how you envision using these tools in the future. We will then work with you before the workshop to refine your ideas, ensure your data are in easily ingestible formats, ensure that your computer has all of the necessary software, and suggest some advance reading if appropriate.

Your own Windows laptop computer is required (the needs of participants needing Macintosh access will be covered, but development will occur on PCs for consistency). The format of the workshop will be tailored to the nature of the participants' projects.

The workshop is limited to 10 participants. If the number of applicants exceed 10, preference will be given to graduate students with a clear vision of what they want to accomplish and who have all the necessary data in hand to finish a pilot project by the end of the workshop. Additional workshops will be held as demand warrants, and it is hope that the participants of this first workshop will serve as the nucleus of a UAF community built around use and advancement of these tools.

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Arctic Region Supercomputing Center
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