NSIDC Showcases the State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Lisa Ballagh, Mark Parsons, Ross Swick and Richard Armstrong March 2006 Additional contributors: Mary Jo Brodzik and Clark Judy

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO Overview NSIDC’s State of the Cryosphere Google Earth overview Keyhole Markup Language (KML) sample How to view NSIDC data via Google Earth State of the Cryosphere in Google Earth  Static and dynamic data Conclusion

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere at NSIDC Project science lead: Richard Armstrong State of the Cryosphere:  Glaciers  Permafrost  Sea Ice  Ice Shelves  Snow Sea Ice Index (February 2006)

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO Google Earth Overview Google Earth  Viewing capabilities  no analysis Earth in 3-D Can add data layers to Google Earth through the use of the Keyhole Markup Language (KML) KMZ file is a compressed KML file Image from Google Earth web page

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO Google Earth Overview Keyhole Markup Language (KML): Sample Ground Overlay code: overlay aaffffff

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO How to view NSIDC data via Google Earth Steps to view NSIDC data in Google Earth:  1. Download Google Earth: o  2. Download KMZ file from NSIDC web page o  3. Double click on KMZ file on your Desktop

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Online Glacier Photograph Database (approx. 3,000 glacier images)

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Glacier Pairs (images contributed by Dr. Bruce F. Molnia, USGS)

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Glacier Pairs -

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Permafrost data (Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground-Ice Conditions) – Static data set - Brown et al. (1998) Permafrost Map Legend

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Snow and ice data (Near Real-Time SSM/I EASE-Grid Daily Global Ice Concentration and Snow Extent) Dynamically created (file on NSIDC web page updated daily) Data Legend

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO State of the Cryosphere via Google Earth Importance of cryospheric data in Google Earth:  Easy to use (download KMZ file from NSIDC)  Spatially view cryospheric data sets  Outreach to the public, educators, scientists and more

36 th International Arctic Workshop 2006, INSTAAR, Boulder, CO Conclusion Provided an overview of Google Earth and cryospheric data sets in KML file Sample KML code Outreach Please try it out and send us feedback   User Services: Field, William O Columbia Glacier: From the Online glacier photograph database. Boulder, CO: National Snow and Ice Data Center/ World Data Center for Glaciology. Digital media.