WO2015142776A1 - System and method for generating and displaying climate system models - Google Patents

System and method for generating and displaying climate system models Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015142776A1
WO2015142776A1 PCT/US2015/020861 US2015020861W WO2015142776A1 WO 2015142776 A1 WO2015142776 A1 WO 2015142776A1 US 2015020861 W US2015020861 W US 2015020861W WO 2015142776 A1 WO2015142776 A1 WO 2015142776A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
data
global
earth
image
images
Prior art date
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PCT/US2015/020861
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French (fr)
Inventor
Barbara Schoeberl
Original Assignee
Animated Earth, Llc.
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Publication date
Priority claimed from US14/216,119 external-priority patent/US20140201667A1/en
Application filed by Animated Earth, Llc. filed Critical Animated Earth, Llc.
Publication of WO2015142776A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015142776A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G5/00—Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01W—METEOROLOGY
    • G01W1/00—Meteorology
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2340/00—Aspects of display data processing
    • G09G2340/10—Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2340/00—Aspects of display data processing
    • G09G2340/14—Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed

Definitions

  • 10001 lueh can be learnerf about the health of t e eart by studying the dynamic iotardepebdent relationships between the afmesphere (air), hydrosphere (w &t llfhosphere (iand f erypspher « (lee), and biosphere pip), collectively naferred to as the five elenientai spheres, Comparing/ and contrasting: eart ⁇ bservlng satellite data from different sources deepea seafchers' understanding of eadh systems and the interdepensency between different natural forces,
  • An embodiment of the invention provides a system and method fo generating and displaying ®aai o&serving- .spt# ' lfi ⁇ ⁇ fes@fV8feS, More specif iealiy i: a proprietary data ingest: program automatically ingests global data roducts and extracts the desired giobai eadb ata: set from the larger oollecion..
  • the processor generates giobai images base op the extracted global eedh data, wherein the global images display the giobai earth data: into a cylindrical ma pd3 ⁇ 4ecilon which can be displayed OP p: s hehcal projection,
  • a display device such as a computer + ⁇ monitor or other display device ibat receives the final Imagery torn the processor displays ine processe giobai data sals.
  • the overlay laye has an adjustable transparency capability allowing a: dynamic comparison be wee the base laye and the overlay.
  • the overlay layer has a tmnquaintey feature allo ing the: user to adjust the transparency to better compare me two layers. Overlaying a econd data set Is optional if the viewer desires to only observe the base layer. Both layers contain the: same range of data sets,
  • 80 1 If is yet another object of the invention to deepen understanding of earth systems and the: Interdependenoy between different natural force by providing: a syste and method that compare and contrasts global data representing ail five elemental SQ ress plus sop!olog sea! data eels which: address 3 ⁇ 4man activities.
  • the five elemental spher s are atmospbeple, bybrospherle, lifhospbefie, cryospherte, .blospherle plus ⁇ n ⁇ msp Sofc,- ⁇ tinman; cidity,
  • P 1T ibis another objec of the invention to provide an intuitive GUI Interface to facilitate: the user Interaction and ability to pulekl and easily access the earth Images.
  • RG. 2 is a.: la ia illus rating gio i e lti"Q 3Ser3 ⁇ 4 nci data sets from five elemental spheres and I aplbessphere according to an embedimenipf the invention.
  • FIG, SA B ' sad 60 illustrat aa interface according to en embodiment of me
  • FIGx 7 Is a flow diagram iilyptratln a method tor ⁇ enersting and displaying climate system models according Jo en embodiment of the invention-.
  • the Ingest system 11 Q au omatleaf ingests retrieves data from variaus sources, and unpacks the data from Its native: -The- second part, the Earth Today server ltd, processes tre ingested and unp cked data Into mag files, m ⁇ processes the data i s into common easy to: us® formats, archives the imag and data, and prepares the mages and data 3 ⁇ 4r dlstnoutidc to end-users.
  • a third part Is me development system 130 fa which the graphlcsi user interface (QUI) and system program are developed, updated and 1 maintained.
  • QUI graphlcsi user interface
  • the fourth part, the display system 3 ⁇ 4 is an update and display software packag that resides en an nd*U er3 ⁇ 4 computer.
  • the display system 140 allows the enqkiSer to recef e the most recent updates from the server, and provides art intuitive grsphlcat user interface (GUI) that allows the end-user to view and manipulate the data sets, whic reside on the end- user's computer,
  • GUI grsphlcat user interface
  • the ingest, system 110 can acquire global earth -obser ing satellite data sets from public archives w. (gi3 ⁇ 4 scienilflc-Clia a - 3 ⁇ 4. os ed: at east once j£% - some d3 ⁇ 4ta are posted multiple times per d y, Exemplar data sets representing t e five elemental spheres: include, but are not limited to, -atmospheric data (air ⁇ meteorological., trace gas, aerosol, etc , diosphehc data, fl!fe y - vegetation on land and chlorophyll In the sea p h ⁇ rospheric da a f afer - ocean swper tufes, rainfall, 3 ⁇ 4ht3 ⁇ 4g f [ithospheric dat (land - earthquakes and volcanoes, soil moistum), i;i3 ⁇ 4e - s o a d te
  • FIG. 2 is a: tabie I iastnsting exemplar giobai earth O serving data set from the five elemental spheres and the anthrosphere.
  • 100311 least one embodiment of the inyeotiom the ingest system 1 10 togs onto a series of File transteF proiocor (FTP) or Hypertext Transfer protocoi .(HTTP) sites and cheeks If ne data has been posted, if there s new date, the data is transferred to fhe proprlfe ar d ⁇ ta- Ingest .pf®grams,.
  • FTP File transteF proiocor
  • HTTP Hypertext Transfer protocoi .
  • Specifical y,, .the fa ' mi sy iern 110 can include software havirg a sedes of stand-alone routines tor each data product, wherei each code has : the following; generic truotyre: using: system date-time Identifiers, we form the access file name and use get to access rcrnote servers and locate the most updated fiie. This fife Is transferred to the local computer (e.g., via FTf 5 ⁇ . Files of interest are originally imbedded in several different format files that are natively Incompatible with one another and ar «. often dlfficuit to access and interpret Earth Today approaches each individual data set differently based on the nativ data format and processes gover ing the data..
  • 3 ⁇ 4e sys em also includes special codes to reprocess data or extend ihe dala range
  • These formats iaelude, out are no limited to, HierafcHa Data Format ⁇ imf Nlerarehat ata Format-Earth Observing System :F EOS ⁇ , Network Oomnien Dat J3 ⁇ 4e* CHo GOF), or Oridded Biliary or Gener I egylariy--rjisiribyted information: ⁇ n Binary P&m ( SR!B), the bodes extract % - data fr m t ese files. For example, Google Earth files (in Keyhole ferkupv Language CK L ⁇ am downloaded w!we dale is- extracted torn these files *
  • an image generation module also referred to herein as- the "processof gpnerates an image of the data.
  • the image generation module auiomaticaliy creates an Image for the display system 140 fe.g vie 511. x 1024 or a: higher rBsolution 024 x 2048 ,png image file). and/or a Google earth's Keyhole arku Language: ⁇ file, which Includes a color bar and legend.
  • the Image of the data is produced on a oyllndrleai map projection for cresting a global map,.
  • the image geperallDo mp lpie archives Ps data, im ge, and;/or KML fie, for example, - jftMeOF W mm®0i ⁇ ..sav) fifes,
  • the Ingest system 0 is configured so that f : can run each UDGP at a different time of the day (e , using GRO jobs) to provide minimum stress o network.
  • Some UDGP's can run multi le time cla to provide more frequent updates, Ont ⁇ m dfmen - of ⁇ m ⁇ ⁇ M o 30 UBGF written in IDL with over 50 specieis ed supporting routines,
  • t e server 120 manages the automatic logins and coptains the .archive folders for the data and images.
  • the server 120 can bring updated Images- oyer from the nges system 110 and. from other sources as appropriate, and can provide the images to the display system 30, in oao embodiment ⁇ the server 120 - soft ares Is UMlX-teased O** custom coded scnpt.
  • the server 120 can perform updates. evern!
  • the display system 140 can log enfo the server 120 and bring over the most recent oats and missing; data from the archive.
  • At least one embodi ent, 1 e display system: 1 ⁇ ipcfudes update software, ich, : when It is run, logs onto the server ⁇ 2h ⁇ comperes the archive on the end-user ' s computer with the server 20 archive, and brings the end-usehs archive yp to date,
  • At least one embodiment :of fee invention nses touch sci3 ⁇ 4e GUI Interface controls, e e e end-user sefecte Ihe datei sets oh interest and t e: date ranges fo those data sets. Th : appropriate images have been transferred: to and ere located within the archive on the 3 ⁇ 4nd ⁇ user3 ⁇ 4 E Display device.. The end use Is sole to generate and -instantly view a data animation by ra idly displaying the images In a sequence. The resulting animation is shown on the screen Image of a rotating earth globe.
  • the touch screen GUI controls allow the end-user to select the data displayed and control several parameters Including rotating: the giobe, controlling the speed of the globe's rotation, and/or the data advancement as well as oom In or out of the global Image.
  • the system can display one data set and can also overla a second transparent laye data set ove the first.
  • the system is a elective fool in both consumer and Informal educational settings . It can be used: by academic and research scientists in the course of their work to discuss science with their peers and Investigaie. infer-refationsiiips between: data. Moreover, ee system sae be used as a drowse too! io quickly scan through massive amounts of data; and to explain science to students and; as well as to the general pu&iie,
  • 3 ⁇ 4 Illustrates a system 300 according to another embodiment of tlie Invention, wdereln the system 300 includes data archive sources 310, an Ingest and processing module 320 : , add displays 330.
  • the data archive sources 310 include data from tik$k satellite archives;, MOAA satellit actives-, USGS ground based observatories , and soclopoiiticat data from: the Center for International Earth Science infbrhiation Network,
  • the ingest and processing: module 320 is connected to data archive soyrees BID, and includes daisy ingest module, a data processing module, an Image and data generetlon module, and a server archive module.:
  • the tmm "connected ⁇ ' Incii es opemitonaliy connected, logicall onnec ed, In communication with, physically o ec e ,: e3 ⁇ 4aged ; coupled, contacts, linked, affiled, and
  • FIG. illustrates a system 40 for generating and displaying dlmale system models according to an embodiment of the Invention.
  • the system inclydes a data collector 410, processor 420, display device: dydinp computer, view: screen. Gill Interface,, archived Images) 430, ET Displa Development Machine which designs, generates, updates the SUi use interface 440, data repository 450.
  • the data collector 410, processor 420, displa 430, display development 440, the data repository 4:30, and/or the display development machine ma reside on the s me epmpeler, pi ⁇ ..
  • ⁇ is a flow iegr rn Ifyslfaiog a me ocf lo operaing and fe$isy3n$ &®ih. ⁇ $ ® according to aa: e ⁇ dineit of the Invention, for exam le, using t e system 400..
  • M1;i Tie dat po!leiler 41 false referrad to heraln as Ida ' In es syst m" collects eldbat eadh data 3 ⁇ 4 image ⁇ & ⁇ text format. ⁇ 10, In at least oee embodiment ha ofeai earth data Inblodes betft Imaga data and text data.
  • the global earth data includes atmospheric data raeteor3 ⁇ 4tegfc8i dat s trace gas data, and aerosol data ⁇ , hydrosp ade data: ⁇ ( . sea surface temperature data; sea ⁇ -surface temperaiufe
  • the ata eoledor 410 automatically extracle global earth data from multiple date sources at predefined time intervals.
  • t e data collector 410 ean be programmed to extract globe! earth dat from MQAA3 ⁇ 4 website ever ' 8.0 minutes
  • the data coleelor 410 Is programmed to extract global earth data from MASA'a websie every Monday morning at 7:00 Af3 ⁇ 4 >
  • f cart automatically extract global earth data without .human interaction, P 43J : Ascribed above, the lowe t system extracts data whose: native format vary etwe Jft*-$$p0j$t*.
  • the global earth data Includes data in at least three difiereat formats, wherein the processor 420 reprocesses (I.e., converts) the global eartb data into a first format * , base layer, or a seeotid forma overla layer 520.
  • the Ingest system extracts data stored in a variety of formats torn separate and: independent spyrces rehi es. The data Is unpacked and processed $eettigrass cleaned yp ⁇ decompressed, and efomatted into common eas -use image and data fbrmefs).
  • the Earth Today Server 420 generates global images derived from fie collected global
  • the Earth Today Server Cproeessor 420 la conne t ' to the Earth Today display 430,
  • the display 431) can superlftpose a second global Image over the first global Image 530, ⁇ -s ⁇ cifleali , he firs '9!c> at i ' mage :i the base layer, Includes first global earth: data. e ⁇ iad speeds:) lus an underlying earth Image fo geographical reference and an optionall selected secoad global image
  • the second global Image can be supeHmposed ever the flrel global Image, wherein the transparency of the second global image can be aisled Vi the user jmerface 0, In led, e of For and
  • the goba! earth data and/or global images are stored in the dat repository : ⁇ : afs ⁇ - je&rt&T to : : 8 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ . ..*! ⁇ ⁇ ''electronic historical h& % in at: toast one embodiment he: global images displayed are retrieved from the data repository 4 >
  • FIG. B&s and 6C Illustrate a gra ical user Interface 608 according to an emdodiment of the invention, having .a first: panel: f Q s a second panel 620 and a third panel 630. T e GUI interface and the engine that drives it Is created, expanded, and
  • the middle section 624 allows th s ⁇ uoer 16 eustom-sefeei a specie data range by uslag a dropdown, c lendar , that atto s them 3 ⁇ 4>-.$ej0$i ⁇ M>- ⁇ ⁇ ® year lor the ftarft g point and ending point of their select Soe.
  • the bottom section 628 allows the end-use to select a time range ever ma lpie years to ⁇ 3 ⁇ 4£s» ibe- fe e «fi ⁇ frdm- year to the next fHis:jS U$e3 ⁇ 4l Wh n- cdm anng.; for exsaiple, the osone hole from one year to the next, or the decllbe Of arc te sea Ideyof Ihe El ⁇ iao/ta Nina (or ENSO) cycle a the Pacific, « ⁇ 1
  • the third panel 830 fthe ⁇ Cont l 6iobe !i panel) allows the end-yaer to eootrol whether or not the earth o e3 ⁇ 4 or how fast It rotates. The orientation of the globe can also fee altered. The end-user can also determine: If snd ; ho rapidly the data advances, and can 200m closer lo on a mgior otanterest
  • These divergent data types are decompressed and reprocessed do generate Images thai ca be compared visually and through, time.
  • the data may fee imaged In $12 x 1024 ,png Images and 204 x 4006 , ng and 8$ ⁇ :.ag fC « ⁇ te Markup : l3 ⁇ 4n8»ag.
  • M.M The data can be preserved in: at least two coramon formats, e.g., MetCOF and Idi ,sav formats; Globai earth: observing: satellite and groynd-feased image representing the five lem n al spheres, (hydrosphere/water, llhosphere iand, .
  • tmospftere/aif, cryoaphere ice, and hiosphere/iifed with added data from the anthro ⁇ phere humaa are then displayed on client competing devices sued as kiosks, configured laptop aod desktop computers, hand eld devices aad through 3 ⁇ 4 ⁇ «).
  • the data can foe processed Into a fommt suitable for the Earth Today system. This process oas contain man steps. Including Initial unpacking o the native data forrhat scre3 ⁇ 4ning-f3 ⁇ 4jf data- ⁇ remappi is data into e grid used .by Earth Toda , arid reforma ting the data. This can he performed on the Earth Today server mln - m p iw rogram instryeiions htten i UNIX Custom code or iPL custom ⁇ 3 ⁇ 4:
  • the Earth Toda display com uter progra Ipstruotlons e.g., written si g; Apple X ⁇ Gode ⁇ can enable a viewer to- ⁇ snlpsla e ⁇ afe- &efs ' 1!m ⁇ rariges, and global orientation:.
  • Date collections can Inclod ⁇ several related data sets.
  • 8 coral reef watch collection might include sea surface: temperature, sea surface temperature anomalies, corai stress, clouds, and rainfall
  • a poliufion watch coileption might: Include aerosols, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, surface winds, clouds, rainfall, air temperature, pOpuia!Jop density and lights at night.
  • a storpi watch collection might Ipclude clouds; winds, rain, sea surface: temperature, and lightning strikes,
  • a solid earth collection might include earth
  • a natural hazard colleotion might iuelude earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, aerosols, severe storms fe ⁇ rain, ind, clouds, sea surface temperature) ⁇ .
  • a biosphere colfectiop might Ipclude opul tion, vepetsiiee, ocean chlomphyll coneehf ration, and coral reef distress).
  • H53J M least ⁇ ⁇ smfedir ent of he inveniiof provides a nif3 ⁇ 4>rm
  • Trie raw data displaye on be sptem can be provided by multiple satellites and iastfurnents.
  • the Aqua satellite and/or m Atmospheric :Soun3 ⁇ 4ef ⁇ (&t i strument ⁇ can provide carbon monoxide (CO) and metPasie CH :fjata.
  • Fyrttermore, cloud and water vapor data can be provided by AA3 ⁇ 4 Geostationary Operations!- Environmental Satellite GOBS and or the Imager and ti e Sounder Instrument;: rainfall: data san be provided 3 ⁇ 4 the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TR M ⁇ satellite and/or the T i rada sens r- Another rainfall meaau:n3 ⁇ 4; sa eitite Is the eio ⁇ ⁇ re ⁇ f ⁇ tion ea ⁇ u ⁇ T ent ⁇ GPiyi), LlgNtnlng data can be provided by AA3 ⁇ 4 Geostationary Operations!- Environmental Satellite GOBS and or the Imager and ti e Sounder Instrument;: rainfall: data san be provided 3 ⁇ 4 the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TR M ⁇ satellite and/or the T i rada sens r- Another rainfall meaau:n3 ⁇ 4; sa eitite Is the eio ⁇ ⁇ re ⁇
  • POES Polar-orbiting Operational environmental Satellites
  • TOVS TIROS Operational Vertical Bounder
  • Sea sun3 ⁇ 4ee temperatures sst) sad anomalies can be provided by the Apua and Terra satellites, through fie Moderate ⁇ Resolution Imaging Speetforadiometer ( ODIS) Instrument, the Global Change: Observation Mission - Wae O ⁇ ) s telito, t e Advanced Microwave Scanning adiometer (A!yfSR
  • iOOIfl Furthermore, USGS and/or Smithsonian ground-based instruments can provide earthquakes andor volcano .eruption data.
  • Night fight data can be provided: y the Defense efeoi iogical Ssteite Pmgrarn ID!VtSP), the U ⁇ k ⁇ Polar Earth Observing Satellite S stem: pQESS) Preparatory Program (satellite), and/or the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( PF VilRS (instrnnsni) Population and infant mortality data can be provided by the. Center for International Eath Science Information Network Statistics (CIESIN).
  • CIESIN International Eath Science Information Network Statistics
  • the I Earth Toda system nan acquire ra dat fifes bv downloading the files over the internet (e.g., using: UN IX software utilities fife transier protocol (ftp), secure file transfer protocol tsffp), hypertext transfe protocol, (http), and secure cop protocol fsc i
  • data seis e g. Aaaa, ' 3 ⁇ 4rm : and dr Aura eatet!ife data sets
  • data seis e g. Aaaa, ' 3 ⁇ 4rm : and dr Aura eatet!ife data sets
  • data seis e g. Aaaa, ' 3 ⁇ 4rm : and dr Aura eatet!ife data sets
  • data pfsdya s aaa be packed wimp an NDF; fo Instance, as many as:6oTi data products can fee packed together.
  • a b!ghe guaflty aerosol product tha uses f ve MOD!S bands and measuring multiple wavelengths is selected over lower quality aerosol product that uses only one to three MODI ' S hands, measuring: fewer wavelengths.
  • carbon monoxide levels are measured at different: elevations ranging from the stratosphere, 200 heetopaseals (fr i ⁇ « t mites o 11,26 through: the troposphere to about one mile 7W hf3 ⁇ 4 (1 mile, or f km) above the earth's surface g ihem af
  • O0611 level 3 data produc mn. be created b averaging: the level 2 data Into bins that are defined by tre level 3 fnd ⁇ A bin can be defined as a !atitude longityde range, Before floai averaging,: additional f tilers on the d3 ⁇ 4ia nan be applied to eliminate out-of- range dale or other anoo/iatles. Bins with no data can be lved using a "nearest nelddbo i tec nique. Data torn occasional misstng days can: be filled by time- Irierpoiating between: existing days, A customized tiering s stem can be used that is tailored to. each data sei for example, by eonsulting with various earth: scientists within each field, Moreover, single iormaSing standard end image standard can be used among multiply dale sets,
  • final pr uets are generated and output torn the gfidde level 3 ⁇ 4da3 ⁇ 4 wherein the final products Include portable network graphics
  • sg files ansi/or he color bars ca be u ed to generate M z i p ⁇ mpmm m f ⁇ f ⁇ $$d$l9-&r ⁇ f*t4- to accompany the kms flies .
  • products can be produced tor a vahet oi ustomer, mn feg from seienoe ard museum display dais cap of actual data sets Is a data: b owse use by the general ublic SOSSJ
  • the slata- ⁇ n ' fo eatsgoifeed Into one or more groups,.
  • the atmospheric group can include data from the AQua :> Terra, and/o Aura Satellite instruments, combined with T and GOIS cloud and wafer vapor imagery, and t e NCEF global models providing wind and surtaee temperatures.
  • the ocean group can de ude data from he Agua safe!iste,: Terrs satellite, and/Pr 0P1S instrument, including sea surface temperature (SS ' T) and/or SJS anomalies. o generate SS anomal data, current observed SSI data can do compared to 3Q «yeer dimaiqlogy data, Image cap be generated showing the difference between the 30 ⁇ year climatology and the current temperatures.
  • the ocean group can include data torn 3 ⁇ 4u ODiS and/or Saa iFS, such as ocean color and or chlorophyll da a: evg,, archived as a Level 3 product). This product can inc ude only ocean data, emitting iami - data..
  • the Earth Today server can add a fvtOQtS (Blue Garble) lend imag of th corresponding month t complete the vegetitipn and chlorophyll concentration image.
  • land surface data is retrieved : from level 3 land surface, data, wherein the native format is a tiled, sinusoidal gnd.
  • This data can he remapped and re- i ned into a lamode/fongl ude grid using Eaitrv tod ys grda ng toot Poiar Ice s3 ⁇ 4iii $ can he amoved and relieved i a pbier siereograp ie ; projection coordinate sysiern.
  • This data product can he converted to the isftude/longitude cylindrical projection used hy the Earth Today s3 ⁇ 4 slam.
  • the po3 ⁇ 4t data set grou includes Urn, , volcano, eafthoaake, nd dp lightning data, wherein the point data has specific geoloeated data sets that are not n rmally godded because they are speaffe, isolated events; in point data sets, the image: can he produced through: series of points, Indicating latitude, longitude locations and, when applicable, amplitudes of the point data.
  • the plotting symbol can be altered depending o the value of th data, T alteration nan include cha ges in symbol ize; and/or oolon
  • T alteration nan include cha ges in symbol ize; and/or oolon
  • cloud data can be refermatted to match the cylindrical projection format used : by the Earth Today displays (e,g,, 1024 x 512, 4:096 x i it least one embodiment, cloud data
  • 3 ⁇ 4 ⁇ Human ac idities can include time Interpolated wula!ion projections and/or olrlb/deafh rates:.
  • Tbese data set c n be obtained imm- ifie Center lor International: E ⁇ rth -Sclenoe Informs! too M w K fCIESI ⁇ ) as a leva! 3 latllude/ionsl yde grsd
  • Trie dat sets can be converted into images using special feed display software for easy visual interpretatio ,
  • the Earth Today server can store the Imported Information using file names that organize the ies int appropriate folders and in the co ect and consistent time sequence.
  • the Earth Today system can generate iheTbase laye that Includes an Imbedded earth map and the overlay transparenc layer without the base map..
  • Images can be moved from the Earth Today server to the Earth Today display systems through a custom UNIX Importing script that is activated manually or Integrated Into an automated eron tab that accesses the Earth Today server and: reguests missing files from the different data sets. The senpt can check to. see which files the Earth Today display systems nav aiready imported ' sad can only imports new or missing files..
  • the script can: define the directory, iP location of the ladh Today server, the user mm > . i!or the us r password.
  • the script can detailed directory ath or each of th reieyant riala sets €oa ; f#lned the corresponding data directories, oreoven the scrip pan; argute a iisting of a l the files available within the relevant data directories on; the garth Today server and files reside in the dis lay system co?3 ⁇ 4 u and hieft lies are needed ern the Ea th Tod server.
  • the script can the construe! and execute U fX sop commands to acqui e al of the new or miss ng ies.
  • HT31 Mew data categories can be added to th Earth Tcday displa system by identifying: th source of desired data, and writing m ⁇ qm custom scripts for importing; the desired data, k coiar bar pan he created thai accurately portrays the color range used by any particpiar data sat.
  • Screen text canPbe written i conjunction with the project scientist that dPsehfees the data and what i s ows,
  • a voice -over can also be ms e, for example, sing AT& to - Q ⁇ oice oois or apesvending product.
  • the sections of vosceover Ipieces can be gathered and eoniblned In hTlnnl Out: or equivalent software; A use can; go to lie/frhport/f if s and navigate to the folde where the pieces are located;. Import the: pieces, drag: the pieces to the sound line;, and arrange the pieces.
  • the pieces can be exported as a Quicktime, .way or equivalent sound onl files,
  • the QUI interface cad fee u da ec y rriodifyieg tb Earth Today SYSTEM Xeede. This: can Include adding pe scripts, updating the number ⁇ t data sets on display, updating; -m Units, to the da , updating the cater bar and legend * ate.
  • the out interface can he updated rJy modtfy rsQ tbe interlace on the user machine, Spedficaily, the interface can be updated by ad]yst!ng the ⁇ and the Snbexbct to reflect: the new number of dat sets displayed * adjusting, the total number of data sets, and/or adding new files to corresponding directories where new data is found,:
  • the Interactive display of the near ⁇ eaim ' me and areb ved dat can have three screens- ⁇ first screen .can- display the available data sets as a: base layer or a second layer designed to: overlay the base layer using a sliding trB s a ⁇ ac : scale-
  • the ee ed screen cap allow: selection of the desired date range, lab selections nan Include the Mm 30 days, a preset fo a notable event,
  • FIG. 7 is e flo diagram tou ing a method for generating, and displaying climate system models according to an embodiment of the Invention
  • CSfobai earth data is collected 710
  • the global earth, data nan include, atmospheric data, hydrdapheric data, ilthosphehc data, eryospnenc data, bioapherie ata, and/or anthros henc data,
  • the collected global earth, data is grouped into multiple bins 720 with m analysis engine, wherein each bin defines a geographic arm, for example, via latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, a used herein, the term "analysis engine” includes a computer hardware component that calculate an average for the collected global earth data in each of the bins 730,
  • n l sis engine includes a conipuier hardware: component .eonneeied to tbe processor that paeratas global images thai display the global earth data on a map.
  • One ⁇ r more second lobai images ar3 ⁇ 4 displayed on $ first global Image wherein the irst ⁇ !o ai: image ineiudes first global earth data for a select geograpbie area, and fae second global image laciudes second global earth data: for the select geographic area .

Abstract

The invention provides a method for generating and displaying earth science system models where global earth data is collected, the global earth data including image data and text data, the global earth data further including atmospheric data, hydrospheric data, lithospheric data, biospheric data, and/or anthrospheric data. Still graphical reference images may also be available as overlays. The collected global data is processed into images and common format data products. There are two types of images, a base layer, which included the data over a map of the earth and the overlay, which has just the data and not earth image. The second global image (transparency layer) can be superimposed over the first global image (base layer). A use can select one of the base layer data, the adjustable transparency layer data, the time range, the global orientation and speed, the rate of data advancement, and a zoom function.

Description

SYSTE AH E MOO F0S¾ 0 R Tf iG flSf%AYTO
CLIMATE SYSTEM MODELS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS H011 is application is ¾ application of U.S. Patent
Figure imgf000002_0001
Application Serial Tie..13/410, 03* filed: rch: ¾.201 , which claims priority f om U,S. provislqnali pplication: Seria -61/ 406 filed March 2 : 201 ,
[i ai This application also claifas pr iority torn U.S, Provisional Appllcatioa Serial
No..61793746 filed March 15, 2013, Each of e adove mentioned ae t a lications are hemhy i corporated by refe nce,
BACKGROUND
0831 The present indention la In the field of systems, methods, and computer program prodyets for generating and displaying satellite antf gn¾np obseraci earth observations.
10001 lueh can be learnerf about the health of t e eart by studying the dynamic iotardepebdent relationships between the afmesphere (air), hydrosphere (w &t llfhosphere (iand f erypspher« (lee), and biosphere pip), collectively naferred to as the five elenientai spheres, Comparing/ and contrasting: eart ^bservlng satellite data from different sources deepea seafchers' understanding of eadh systems and the interdepensency between different natural forces,
000i Unfit recently, the components comprising the ive elemental sphere have been tudied Independently as their mm respective disciplines,: The importance of studying arth as a whole I now recognized in. order to undersand the complex Ipterrelatlons lps and Ihterdependencles of Ida: different natural and anthropoganlc forces, .However, until this en on, iools for studying eart observations across different, disc pli es ent sparse > no exi te t. Where they existe at. ail, m predyets were not comprehensive or easy to use, Earth Today, in ddit on to combinrng; products i m diSerent fiel s of earth science research has add a sixth element, human Influence is a ted being:: studied, calle the an hre^phere.
[Μδβΐ: History of data avai! b , in the T§8Q¾?s global observational satellite data sets managed b researchers were so large (relative to the existing proeessloglst ragd power) that only government centers end; a w universities could store or access the data,
i In: the 2000% N ¾ EOS made data products publicly available. However, data sets were sti extremeiy large and multipl data■■ products, sometimes hundreds of data prodyets, were bundle together with little or no documentation about the data products. t was nearl impossible to deterniine how ¾8nify a^;. r^ss t e desired products contained within the pyndle, s a consequence, only those who regularly worked with the data could effeeiiyeiy use or proces these data,. SA, UQ A and uropean data centers struggled to provide effective data ordering end delivery systems and reprocess data sets in a: timely way.
008f B the 201Qss; each scientific discipline had already Independently developed their own unique software, an proces for their data. The variety of data formats and different mapping: systems employed by different satellites and sensors Is bewildering Data: set idoeumentaiipn ranges from usable, to confusing, to nen-exlsfenL Until flits invention, there was no practical way to : compare archived or eear~real lme data fmm fferent sourc s;. 0¾1 .Earth Toda rnakes accessible ide range: of data se¾ spanning many earth science disciplines t observed an com are as images o time sequences from the most recent observations to as far back as each data set: das been available. This data Is available as Image seciyenees and as data products that have been re- forrnattdd in consistent, easydo-pse common data femna ( etCDF and Idl. sav). The images are: accessible through an eas to use raphical user Interlace ΘΟ I) Interface,
Figure imgf000004_0001
fj 1O;I An embodiment of the invention provides a system and method fo generating and displaying ®aai o&serving- .spt#'lfi · ©fes@fV8feS, More specif iealiyi: a proprietary data ingest: program automatically ingests global data roducts and extracts the desired giobai eadb ata: set from the larger oollecion.. Earth Today repeats this ingest fpnofipn from myltlpie data soyroea, wherein the g!ooal earth generates data products in at least five different formsis (images, overlay transparent images, Keyhole Markup Language i b), WetCBF flies and .s , files. The range of giobai earth data provided ippludes atmospherlo! hydrespherfe, litliospherle, oryosphedc, blospberic, and anthmspbedc,
| 0i1| A processor connected to the data pollec!or reproossses the global earth data Into a first format (base, layer) or a second formal (overlay wit trans arenc ^ The processor generates giobai images base op the extracted global eedh data, wherein the global images display the giobai earth data: into a cylindrical ma pd¾ecilon which can be displayed OP p: s hehcal projection, A display device such as a computer +· monitor or other display device ibat receives the final Imagery torn the processor displays ine processe giobai data sals. There ana. two types of images; a base layer,
Figure imgf000005_0001
and no earth image: Tr e second: global Image (ifspspareoe layer) can ee superimposed over the first global: triage (base laye Toe first global image, herei referre io as base layer*',: includes the data displayed: lus an u erl ing earth image for geographical reference, i e second global m ge, herein referred to as -the overlay layer contains only the satellite oPservaiions and: does not Include an earth image. The overlay laye has an adjustable transparency capability allowing a: dynamic comparison be wee the base laye and the overlay. The overlay layer has a tmnspareney feature allo ing the: user to adjust the transparency to better compare me two layers. Overlaying a econd data set Is optional if the viewer desires to only observe the base layer. Both layers contain the: same range of data sets,
it is an op]ect of me invention to o ide a system and method that a tomatically i < near-reaPtinie global earth: data from multiple independent data soyrees at: predetermined time inteo/als withqyt hymen Interaoflom
H¾! it Is another object of the invention to provide a system and: method thai generates .a series ot Images Mm- the extracted global earth data. Wherein the global earth Images can be displayed digitally eithe as a flat eart image or on spherical earth projeetiom It is still another object of the irwentioo to provide a system and method that can superimpose two or more user-selected types pf global earth data (e,g.., rainfall and cloud cover) from near-real time as well as archival images,
80 1 If is yet another object of the invention to deepen understanding of earth systems and the: Interdependenoy between different natural force by providing: a syste and method that compare and contrasts global data representing ail five elemental SQ ress plus sop!olog sea! data eels which: address ¾man activities. The five elemental spher s are atmospbeple, bybrospherle, lifhospbefie, cryospherte, .blospherle plus ^n^msp Sofc,- ©tinman; cidity,
it- Is sti l yet another object of the Invention to rovid a system and method that facilitates observation: of relatlonsblps between divergent sals of eabh-obserylng data from the five el amenta! spheres by .collecting daily near-real lima dais that Is added to a .growing data base that extends fern the present day to as far feaelr as each data product Is irst av iibi^.. The data-derived Images can than fee displayed digitally as a fiat eart image or as spherical earth- rojection.. The selection data to be displayed and several' variables about the display nan be controlled by the end-user through a GUI Interface.
d f it Is a other object- of the invention to use this invention as a tool that can im ro e the study of earth science and can fee used in a wide variety of applications* Inclydlng formal and informal: -e'd satloi - -( *12, college, and gradyate programs), by scientists, weather stations, and the ourioo general public,
P 1T : ibis another objec of the invention to provide an intuitive GUI Interface to facilitate: the user Interaction and ability to pulekl and easily access the earth Images.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL EW OF THE OUAWI G
pOISf The present -invention: Is described with reference to the accompanying: drawings. In- the drawings, Ite reference num ers Indicate identical or functionally similar elements,.
10 1 1 ;BG< 1 Illustrating a system according to an embodiment of the invention. RG. 2 is a.: la ia illus rating gio i e lti"Q 3Ser¾ nci data sets from five elemental spheres and I aplbessphere according to an embedimenipf the invention. f lli B, 3 ikistratis¾ a sys em according to enpther emtedtmeni Df the invention.
i¾I Ft©. 4 illustrates & systom generating and displsfing d mate system models according to an embodiment Of the t wPniiOd,
£00 33 Fl 3. S Is a Ho diagram liiystra ing a method tor generating and displaying
Figure imgf000007_0001
H¾ 1 FIG, SA B' sad 60 illustrat aa interface according to en embodiment of me
Invention.
i§02§i FIGx 7 Is a flow diagram iilyptratln a method tor § enersting and displaying climate system models according Jo en embodiment of the invention-.
PEmiLE DESCRIPTION
100201 ί Exemp!aryv nondimlflog, embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below. While specific configurations are discusped to provide a clear understaading! t phoold be yrtoe'rslood that the disclosed configurations are provided for Illustration purposes only.: A person of ordinar skill in the ad: ill recognize that other conig orations used without departing topi the. spirit and scope of the invention.
£00271 An em hodinient of the I ention pr vides a system (also referred t h'emin as the "Earth Today system") that: displays oeemreaMirne Images (e.g., within 24 hours of ipeasyremept) of global earth observing data sets tom five elements! spheres, namely, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere of llthosphere, eryosphere, end biosphere..
Figure imgf000008_0001
display system 30, The Ingest system 11 Q: au omatleaf ingests retrieves data from variaus sources, and unpacks the data from Its native: -The- second part, the Earth Today server ltd, processes tre ingested and unp cked data Into mag files, m~ processes the data i s into common easy to: us® formats, archives the imag and data, and prepares the mages and data ¾r dlstnoutidc to end-users. A third part Is me development system 130 fa which the graphlcsi user interface (QUI) and system program are developed, updated and1 maintained. The fourth part, the display system ¾ is an update and display software packag that resides en an nd*U er¾ computer.. The display system 140 allows the enqkiSer to recef e the most recent updates from the server, and provides art intuitive grsphlcat user interface (GUI) that allows the end-user to view and manipulate the data sets, whic reside on the end- user's computer,
02 1 The ingest, system 110 can acquire global earth -obser ing satellite data sets from public archives w. (gi¾ scienilflc-Clia a - ¾. os ed: at east once j£% - some d¾ta are posted multiple times per d y, Exemplar data sets representing t e five elemental spheres: include, but are not limited to, -atmospheric data (air ~ meteorological., trace gas, aerosol, etc , diosphehc data, fl!fe y - vegetation on land and chlorophyll In the sea p h^rospheric da a f afer - ocean swper tufes, rainfall, ¾ht¾g f [ithospheric dat (land - earthquakes and volcanoes, soil moistum),
Figure imgf000009_0001
i;i¾e - s o a d tee :eo¥e¾n;i ¾ b land and sea), and anthmsphere (human - ttg is at oio , population, energy use, tires, oii htdeaih rates). uch of the data is publicly available and may be acquired; t rn government sources sued as, for exam le, National Aeronautics and Space Administration { ASk} and M to :Qeear¾. «¾'.·Λώ^^©ο Administration (NOAAJ satellites and around-based Observations; by United States Geological Survey (USGS) observatories. Sociopolitical, fant rospher c) data .- can fed acquired from the Cen er for I fBrnationa! Earth Science Inforrnal n: Netw rk (G!ESt , Data sets from international sources ma foe included.
iWWt FIG. 2 is a: tabie I iastnsting exemplar giobai earth O serving data set from the five elemental spheres and the anthrosphere.
100311 least one embodiment of the inyeotiom the ingest system 1 10 togs onto a series of File transteF proiocor (FTP) or Hypertext Transfer protocoi .(HTTP) sites and cheeks If ne data has been posted, if there s new date, the data is transferred to fhe proprlfe ar d^ta- Ingest .pf®grams,. Specifical y,, .the fa ' mi sy iern 110 can include software havirg a sedes of stand-alone routines tor each data product, wherei each code has :the following; generic truotyre: using: system date-time Identifiers, we form the access file name and use get to access rcrnote servers and locate the most updated fiie. This fife Is transferred to the local computer (e.g., via FTf5}. Files of interest are originally imbedded in several different format files that are natively Incompatible with one another and ar«. often dlfficuit to access and interpret Earth Today approaches each individual data set differently based on the nativ data format and processes gover ing the data.. ¾e sys em: also includes special codes to reprocess data or extend ihe dala range These formats iaelude, out are no limited to, HierafcHa Data Format § imf Nlerarehat ata Format-Earth Observing System :F EOS}, Network Oomnien Dat J¾e* CHo GOF), or Oridded Biliary or Gener I egylariy--rjisiribyted information: \n Binary P&m ( SR!B), the bodes extract % - data fr m t ese files. For example, Google Earth files (in Keyhole ferkupv Language CK L} am downloaded w!we dale is- extracted torn these files*
10032:]: Once the data of interes Is: exfee ed and unpacked* it ia processed- through a program o- sre- imagery generated ¾r each data eat to be compatible In stee(: shape, and lime sequ ncing so i can: be compared with every other data set in the Earth Today system, the data flak!s ma be -further processed ¾ create more usable data. For exam le, vary high resolution: data may fee re-gndded to lower resolution by ave ging data wl ih larger god bo es, Data Hags and data statistics can be used to Γ όΙ bad data.. If there Is rasing data doe to incomplete coverage, data from the previous day may oe used to fill in gaps as appropriate, Fourier filters and box car smoothing algorithms may be appliedto noisy data to reduce noise.,
P03i| Once the data prOGessing Is complete, an image generation module also referred to herein as- the "processof gpnerates an image of the data.- The image generation module, auiomaticaliy creates an Image for the display system 140 fe.g„ 511. x 1024 or a: higher rBsolution 024 x 2048 ,png image file). and/or a Google earth's Keyhole arku Language: ψΜΙ file, which Includes a color bar and legend. In at least one embodiment, the Image of the data is produced on a oyllndrleai map projection for cresting a global map,. The image geperallDo mp lpie archives Ps data, im ge, and;/or KML fie, for example, - jftMeOF W mm®0i^ ..sav) fifes,
1 fn at least safe embedirnent of the Invention ., each: data set that is processed
Figure imgf000011_0001
is a separate -and naipye code for processi¾ data set. For instance, lightning data has its own separate code; chlorophyll has its own separate code, etc, .'Underlying these separate codes is the image generating soft are, · <Iat^#ne- r anage* ¾rt: software etc. Same liDSFs produce multiple useful data sets. For example the sea surface temperature SST! software produces SST¾S, ST anon ailes, and coral reef stress. The Ingest system 0: is configured so that f : can run each UDGP at a different time of the day (e , using GRO jobs) to provide minimum stress o network. osnd fcith sod processing resources. Some UDGP's can run multi le time cla to provide more frequent updates, Ont ^m dfmen - of ^m ^ ^M o 30 UBGF written in IDL with over 50 specieis ed supporting routines,
#3¾ in at least on embodiment, t e server 120 manages the automatic logins and coptains the .archive folders for the data and images. The server 120 can bring updated Images- oyer from the nges system 110 and. from other sources as appropriate, and can provide the images to the display system 30, in oao embodiment^ the server 120 - soft ares Is UMlX-teased O** custom coded scnpt. The server 120 can perform updates. evern! times a day and can move imagas IPat it ingests into product- speeiflc files or 'folde ", When updating fbe- display system f om: the archive, the display system 140 can log enfo the server 120 and bring over the most recent oats and missing; data from the archive. 03i| he dis lay sys em 1 0 runs o a ellent computing device s c as an appmprisi ly configured lapto or desktop compute s a kiosk:, o a 00m pete cloud- based. S s em, a spherical pro eetio or ether digital devises.. I a! least one embodi ent, 1 e: display system: 1 § ipcfudes update software, ich, : when It is run, logs onto the server†2h\ comperes the archive on the end-user's computer with the server 20 archive, and brings the end-usehs archive yp to date,
§37! At least one embodiment :of fee invention: nses touch sci¾e GUI Interface controls, e e e end-user sefecte Ihe datei sets oh interest and t e: date ranges fo those data sets. Th : appropriate images have been transferred: to and ere located within the archive on the ¾nd~user¾ E Display device.. The end use Is sole to generate and -instantly view a data animation by ra idly displaying the images In a sequence. The resulting animation is shown on the screen Image of a rotating earth globe. The touch screen GUI controls allow the end-user to select the data displayed and control several parameters Including rotating: the giobe, controlling the speed of the globe's rotation, and/or the data advancement as well as oom In or out of the global Image. The system: can display one data set and can also overla a second transparent laye data set ove the first.
Figure imgf000012_0001
by the end user through the GUI interlace. This enables the end-user to distinguish the two data sets (base layer plus transparency overlay) T for eiampie, clouds and precipitation or ozone and the jet stream:.
ϋ3¾ The system is a elective fool in both fermet and Informal educational settings . It can be used: by academic and research scientists in the course of their work to discuss science with their peers and Investigaie. infer-refationsiiips between: data. Moreover, ee system sae be used as a drowse too! io quickly scan through massive amounts of data; and to explain science to students and; as well as to the general pu&iie,
: ¾ Illustrates a system 300 according to another embodiment of tlie Invention, wdereln the system 300 includes data archive sources 310, an Ingest and processing module 320:, add displays 330. The data archive sources 310 Include data from tik$k satellite archives;, MOAA satellit actives-, USGS ground based observatories , and soclopoiiticat data from: the Center for International Earth Science infbrhiation Network, The ingest and processing: module 320 is connected to data archive soyrees BID, and includes daisy ingest module, a data processing module, an Image and data generetlon module, and a server archive module.: As used herein, the tmm "connected^' Incii es opemitonaliy connected, logicall onnec ed, In communication with, physically o ec e ,: e¾aged; coupled, contacts, linked, affiled, and attached, in at least one embo iment, each of the modules in the Ingest and processing module 320 are on the s me computer. The displays 330 Include kiosks, laptop and desktop computers, a eb-b sed doud-environment, spdenea! projections, Google™ Earth, handdieid devices, and displays ibr researchers and students.
δ| FIG. illustrates a system 40 for generating and displaying dlmale system models according to an embodiment of the Invention. The system inclydes a data collector 410, processor 420, display device: dydinp computer, view: screen. Gill Interface,, archived Images) 430, ET Displa Development Machine which designs, generates, updates the SUi use interface 440, data repository 450. In at least on embodiment, the data collector 410, processor 420, displa 430, display development 440, the data repository 4:30, and/or the display development machine ma reside on the s me epmpeler, pi©.. § is a flow iegr rn Ifyslfaiog a me ocf lo operaing and fe$isy3n$ &®ih.■ $ ® according to aa: e ^dineit of the Invention, for exam le, using t e system 400..
M1;i Tie dat po!leiler 41 false referrad to heraln as Ida 'In es syst m") collects eldbat eadh data ¾ image ηψ&ΐ text format. §10, In at least oee embodiment ha ofeai earth data Inblodes betft Imaga data and text data. The global earth data includes atmospheric data raeteor¾tegfc8i dat s trace gas data, and aerosol data}, hydrosp ade data: ©§<(. sea surface temperature data; sea■ -surface temperaiufe
Figure imgf000014_0001
lights at ni ht, human population data, energy use data, fire data, bld & death data). A series of still graphical reference Images will inelude bvi not be limited to the following; plate boundaries with, differentiated earth uake 'faults, g^nap¾ai: t> untoess oofai reef iQcalons, a graphlo model of wind current patterns, etc,
0 ¾ In a tees! one embodiment of the Invention, the ata eoledor 410 automatically extracle global earth data from multiple date sources at predefined time intervals. For example, t e data collector 410 ean be programmed to extract globe! earth dat from MQAA¾ website ever '8.0 minutes, another example, the data coleelor 410 Is programmed to extract global earth data from MASA'a websie every Monday morning at 7:00 Af¾ > Once the data collector 410 is programmed, f cart automatically extract global earth data without .human interaction, P 43J : Ascribed above, the lowe t system extracts data whose: native format vary etwe Jft*-$$p0j$t*. l^ ¾l ¾e data Is uapacked and processed; l e,, cleaned μ #&£0mf>r^$ecl, · ¾8<i mfdfm^^- ^ tjorfmyjn' easy to use formats), The data toiieator 41© is connected to the il oceas r..
S44| 420 aso referred: to dar^ie as tte ¾arth To y ? ¾ at least d enbodkaerst of trie invenilerh some 'towstibm 410 ma reside on the
Earth Today Server 420. in a least one eraoodmef t the global earth data Includes data in at least three difiereat formats, wherein the processor 420 reprocesses (I.e., converts) the global eartb data into a first format*, base layer, or a seeotid forma overla layer 520. As described above, the Ingest system extracts data stored in a variety of formats torn separate and: independent spyrces rehi es. The data Is unpacked and processed $e„ cleaned yp< decompressed, and efomatted into common eas -use image and data fbrmefs).
f§04¾ The Earth Today Server 420 generates global images derived from fie collected global
Figure imgf000015_0001
a spherical map of the earth. Specific areas cap be enlarged: through a zoom function la the QUI Interface.
046f The Earth Today Server Cproeessor) 420 la conne t 'to the Earth Today display 430, Wherein the display 431) can superlftpose a second global Image over the first global Image 530, ^-s^cifleali , he firs '9!c> at i'mage:i the base layer, Includes first global earth: data. e < iad speeds:) lus an underlying earth Image fo geographical reference and an optionall selected secoad global image |e.g., clouds). The second global Image can be supeHmposed ever the flrel global Image, wherein the transparency of the second global image can be aisled Vi the user jmerface 0, In led, e of For and
Figure imgf000016_0001
frts ^ a- selected time period: of the two l yers together, depicting me Intensit and location of the mm within the clouds. The goba! earth data and/or global images are stored in the dat repository : δδ: afs©- je&rt&T to :: 8Γ©ίη·. ..*!ι · ''electronic historical h& % in at: toast one embodiment he: global images displayed are retrieved from the data repository 4 >
|9#4?1 FIG. B&s and 6C Illustrate a gra ical user Interface 608 according to an emdodiment of the invention, having .a first: panel: f Qs a second panel 620 and a third panel 630. T e GUI interface and the engine that drives it Is created, expanded, and
Figure imgf000016_0002
adjusting the transparency of that layer. Th up/down arrows SIS: and 618 at the bottom of ^e:ppg : ll¾w ^ ^sars-t© .s$mf i.up or down the grpwtdglis of data sets, [Q0 §1 The second: panel 620 (In© "Select Date/Time'' anel) allows te end-user to select the desired: time-range, la the to section .622., caled "Presets'v the default option Is the sLafesi 30 daysS! ; The next o ti n: "Select N table Evenf , has s drop down menu of events the end- user is likely to : be familiar with, such as, far example. Hurricane. Katrine or the. Japanese earthpuake resulting in a Isynamb The middle section 624 allows th s ^uoer 16 eustom-sefeei a specie data range by uslag a dropdown, c lendar, that atto s them ¾>-.$ej0$i ^M>- β < ® year lor the ftarft g point and ending point of their select Soe. The bottom section 628 allows the end-use to select a time range ever ma lpie years to <^ ¾£s» ibe- fe e«fi^ frdm- year to the next fHis:jS U$e¾l Wh n- cdm anng.; for exsaiple, the osone hole from one year to the next, or the decllbe Of arc te sea Ideyof Ihe El ^iao/ta Nina (or ENSO) cycle a the Pacific, « §1 The third panel 830 fthe ^Cont l 6iobe!i panel) allows the end-yaer to eootrol whether or not the earth o e¾ or how fast It rotates. The orientation of the globe can also fee altered. The end-user can also determine: If snd; ho rapidly the data advances, and can 200m closer lo on a mgior otanterest
|O0SO| in at least one embodiment of the invention, source files containing global earth ohseryln satellite data and ground-oaaed oeservafions ere acquired dally In their diverse native data fcrmpis frorrs n yiiip!e podllciy accessible archive sources. These divergent data types are decompressed and reprocessed do generate Images thai ca be compared visually and through, time. The data may fee imaged In $12 x 1024 ,png Images and 204 x 4006 , ng and 8$^:.ag fC«^te Markup:l¾n8»ag. ( M.M The data can be preserved in: at least two coramon formats, e.g., MetCOF and Idi ,sav formats; Globai earth: observing: satellite and groynd-feased image representing the five lem n al spheres, (hydrosphere/water, llhosphere iand, . tmospftere/aif, cryoaphere ice, and hiosphere/iifed with added data from the anthro§phere humaa are then displayed on client competing devices sued as kiosks, configured laptop aod desktop computers, hand eld devices aad through ¾·«).ο:ι$ -oom titfng network .syst tk tSIl at least one mIMm pt of ihe Invention,: the Earth Today code includes ingestio nd processing, The ingestion of clata sets from; diverse sources can he perfomied :hy the Earth Today server using ^mp f- :pi¾¾raffi ¾$ir $¾*ft$ wrttl ii In Unix C'+* and open se rc¾ ede,. The data: can foe processed Into a fommt suitable for the Earth Today system. This process oas contain man steps. Including Initial unpacking o the native data forrhat scre¾ning-f¾jf data-ί remappi is data into e grid used .by Earth Toda , arid reforma ting the data. This can he performed on the Earth Today server mln - m p iw rogram instryeiions htten i UNIX Custom code or iPL custom οοα¾:
{80S2 The Earth Toda display com uter progra Ipstruotlons (e.g., written si g; Apple X~Gode} can enable a viewer to- ^snlpsla e ^afe- &efs '1!m© rariges, and global orientation:. Date collections can Inclod© several related data sets. For example 8 coral reef watch collection . might include sea surface: temperature, sea surface temperature anomalies, corai stress, clouds, and rainfall A poliufion watch coileption might: Include aerosols, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, surface winds, clouds, rainfall, air temperature, pOpuia!Jop density and lights at night. A storpi watch collection might Ipclude clouds; winds, rain, sea surface: temperature, and lightning strikes, A solid earth collection might include earth |uakest volcanoes, and maps of fault lines by type and a graphical display that explains the different types of faults, A natural hazard colleotion might iuelude earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, aerosols, severe storms fe^ rain, ind, clouds, sea surface temperature)^. A biosphere colfectiop might Ipclude opul tion, vepetsiiee, ocean chlomphyll coneehf ration, and coral reef distress). H53J M least ό β smfedir ent of he inveniiof provides a nif¾>rm| gbdded lavs! 3 data product for a vast range of dat sals, f he data sat range can span iitilple s t llite Ir simment: observations For example, the data sets tor oEooe, snow a ice, vegetation, and cteuds encon pass savgra! geaerations of satellite observations stitched seamlessly together in he dat base t m ximize the scope.
|SiI41: Trie raw data displaye on be sptem can be provided by multiple satellites and iastfurnents. Far example* the Aura- $ai \\ ®- n ptovfcfe ozm® aerosol (UV}? formaldehyde (HCON;)* and/or suiibr dioxide (802) data, The Aqua satellite and/or m Atmospheric :Soun¾ef · (&t i strument · can provide carbon monoxide (CO) and metPasie CH :fjata. Fyrttermore, cloud and water vapor data can be provided by AA¾ Geostationary Operations!- Environmental Satellite GOBS and or the Imager and ti e Sounder Instrument;: rainfall: data san be provided ¾ the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TR M} satellite and/or the T i rada sens r- Another rainfall meaau:n¾; sa eitite Is the eio^ ^re^ f^tion ea^u ^ T ent {GPiyi), LlgNtnlng data can
Figure imgf000019_0001
sensor (IIS)),
P0S§1 In addition, Ida NQ Polar-orbiting Operational environmental Satellites (POES) satellites and/or the TIROS Operational Vertical Bounder (TOVS) instrument assimilated through a Global: Forecast: System National Centers for Environmental Prediction (GES hICEP) Satellite, series model can provide wind, wind vectors, trepo anse. height, and/or land surfac tern peratur data. Sea sun¾ee temperatures sst) sad anomalies can be provided by the Apua and Terra satellites, through fie Moderate ^Resolution Imaging Speetforadiometer ( ODIS) Instrument, the Global Change: Observation Mission - Wae O ^ ) s telito, t e Advanced Microwave Scanning adiometer (A!yfSR| Instrnmeni to* Afv!SR-£ instrument The Aq a
Figure imgf000020_0001
can also■.provide soil moisture data, The Aqua satellite, t e MSR-E Instrumen t AMSR
Figure imgf000020_0002
%@· 8COivhW satellite, can r vide national snow: and fee date ( SE}? m^ -w^ r -i oo r, - & sea Ice data. ny of these satellites can be replaced data from newer saietlliessensors become available or discontinued if a satei lite/sensor ceases to produce data.
iOOIfl Furthermore, USGS and/or Smithsonian ground-based instruments can provide earthquakes andor volcano .eruption data. The fviC S 1nsirurnent;; the Aqua &ψ the Terra satellites, can provid data relating to th normalised difference vegetation mde>f (MDVfJ, tires, sea surface temperature, and sea surfac tem erature anomalies, Q &^ : *i PQ h ! :conc@ tr¾tiof¾ can be provided b the Aqua satellite, the Se^vlewlng:: Wide Field of View Sensor CSeaWiFS) Instrument, the ODIS instrument on the SeaStar sete ite. Night fight data can be provided: y the Defense efeoi iogical Ssteite Pmgrarn ID!VtSP), the U≠k ≠ Polar Earth Observing Satellite S stem: pQESS) Preparatory Program (satellite), and/or the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite ( PF VilRS (instrnnsni) Population and infant mortality data can be provided by the. Center for International Eath Science Information Network Statistics (CIESIN).
|δβδ?| The I Earth Toda system nan acquire ra dat fifes bv downloading the files over the internet (e.g., using: UN IX software utilities fife transier protocol (ftp), secure file transfer protocol tsffp), hypertext transfe protocol, (http), and secure cop protocol fsc i Several data seis (e g. Aaaa, '¾rm: and dr Aura eatet!ife data sets) can be fe !vad ln rtierarcN Scat data format Several data pfsdya s aaa be packed wimp an NDF; fo Instance, as many as:6oTi data products can fee packed together. The data arrays determined to Be of the greatest interest and or bava the iraatest physical Impact are evaluated and selected for display oh the Earth Today systeoi.. The relevant data arrays can be extracted from the HD fifes.
Sil For example, a b!ghe guaflty aerosol product tha uses f ve MOD!S bands and measuring multiple wavelengths is selected over lower quality aerosol product that uses only one to three MODI'S hands, measuring: fewer wavelengths. In another example, carbon monoxide levels are measured at different: elevations ranging from the stratosphere, 200 heetopaseals (fr i<«t mites o 11,26 through: the troposphere to about one mile 7W hf¾ (1 mile, or f km) above the earth's surface g ihem af
(IR! bands. The: Earth Today system can use the 700 hpa f l ,5 miles or 2.4 km) level, which la low enough to record the results of human activity on the earth's surface but high enough to ensum: relfab!e satellite measu ements.
0S¾ The ocean, tend and1 atmospheric groups can use different compression schemes and: different grids. All of the data fern each: day can be compressed and remapped: Idle a cylindrical projection (also palled: a "lai-ion prp|ectson, i which can be ra ped onto a spherical earth projection o the computer nionilop time sequence can be generated from a series of frames viewed in succession. If a data sat is available onee day, the sequence can update once per day. If data is available every 8 hours, be sequence can updates four times In a day. The: animated sequences can 8 be adjusted according lo tm fluenc ≠ updates so feat . frsme-raie are consistently even :.belween data eels th a different number of updates per *S¾y,.
l≠ i Th m oday system oar¾ primaril download "level 2 daia'1 products, e provide the latitude add ;|ori§¾ude of eacd data powt · Aftftf ¾ level 2 data is ingested, data tdat has been flagged the data: g nerat r as fee ©r missing data dan be■ removed;. ingested data can melu le a hig resolution level 3: data set that needs to be re-gridded,:
O0611 level 3 data produc mn. be created b averaging: the level 2 data Into bins that are defined by tre level 3 fnd< A bin can be defined as a !atitude longityde range, Before floai averaging,: additional f tilers on the d¾ia nan be applied to eliminate out-of- range dale or other anoo/iatles. Bins with no data can be liiled using a "nearest nelddbo i tec nique. Data torn occasional misstng days can: be filled by time- Irierpoiating between: existing days, A customized tiering s stem can be used that is tailored to. each data sei for example, by eonsulting with various earth: scientists within each field, Moreover, single iormaSing standard end image standard can be used among multiply dale sets,
|0 i2| in at least en© embodiment of the invention, final pr uets are generated and output torn the gfidde level ¾da¾ wherein the final products Include portable network graphics |;png) images (e.g-, 1024 x 51:2. resolution,: 409:8 x: 1048 resolution), corresponding color fears, legends, date range, and or time stam s,. IDL .sav flies, NelCDf files, and KML flies. Scientific experts and/or advisors can compose screen text and audio files to describe, eac date sei Explanatory movies can be generated using the visual Eart Toda ■ -products., animation, and or video clips lor a learning cantac Additionally, larger tbrmat , sg files ansi/or he color bars ca be u ed to generate M z i p ^ mpmm m f ^ f^$$d$l9-&r^f*t4- to accompany the kms flies .
Figure imgf000023_0001
products can be produced tor a vahet oi ustomer, mn feg from seienoe ard museum display dais cap of actual data sets Is a data: b owse use by the general ublic SOSSJ The slata- ^n 'fo eatsgoifeed Into one or more groups,. For example, the atmosp eric group, ocean group, land group, ice group: and t e point data set group. The atmospheric group can include data from the AQua:> Terra, and/o Aura Satellite instruments, combined with T and GOIS cloud and wafer vapor imagery, and t e NCEF global models providing wind and surtaee temperatures.
i i 1 The ocean group can de ude data from he Agua safe!iste,: Terrs satellite, and/Pr 0P1S instrument, including sea surface temperature (SS'T) and/or SJS anomalies. o generate SS anomal data, current observed SSI data can do compared to 3Q«yeer dimaiqlogy data, Image cap be generated showing the difference between the 30~year climatology and the current temperatures. The ocean group can include data torn ¾u ODiS and/or Saa iFS, such as ocean color and or chlorophyll da a: evg,, archived as a Level 3 product). This product can inc ude only ocean data, emitting iami - data.. Greater data accuracy can be achieved by onl considering ocean areas for "neares neighbor ff!F for missing ocean data only. The Earth Today server can add a fvtOQtS (Blue Garble) lend imag of th corresponding month t complete the vegetitipn and chlorophyll concentration image..
§§§1 I at least one embodiment, land surface data is retrieved: from level 3 land surface, data, wherein the native format is a tiled, sinusoidal gnd. This data can he remapped and re- i ned into a lamode/fongl ude grid using Eaitrv tod ys grda ng toot Poiar Ice s¾iii $ can he amoved and relieved i a pbier siereograp ie; projection coordinate sysiern. This data product can he converted to the isftude/longitude cylindrical projection used hy the Earth Today s¾ slam.
8S§J in ${ teasbonp om xidimonl trf- the invention, the po¾t data set grou includes Urn,, volcano, eafthoaake, nd dp lightning data, wherein the point data has specific geoloeated data sets that are not n rmally godded because they are speaffe, isolated events; in point data sets, the image: can he produced through: series of points, Indicating latitude, longitude locations and, when applicable, amplitudes of the point data. For mages, the plotting symbol can be altered depending o the value of th data, T alteration nan include cha ges in symbol ize; and/or oolon For example, th amplitude of an earthquaiie is the magnitude of the event, In another example, fire
Figure imgf000024_0001
can be refermatted to match the cylindrical projection format used: by the Earth Today displays (e,g,, 1024 x 512, 4:096 x i it least one embodiment, cloud data
Includes dynamic image sequences presently acquired from xplaneielouds. as a synthes&ed: produc that incorporates dat from the following geostationary satellites: ©OES CliS.):, eteosat Edrepel and/or Olofoa! Monltorihg: System ((MB) { ap i,
Figure imgf000024_0002
^m ar^t^ P«¾f^*r Visible infared Imaging: Radiometer Suite 'pp
VI I S {i strument} Dy CAA . ¾ ^Human ac idities can include time Interpolated wula!ion projections and/or olrlb/deafh rates:. Tbese data set c n :be obtained imm- ifie Center lor International: E^rth -Sclenoe Informs! too M w K fCIESI^) as a leva! 3 latllude/ionsl yde grsd Trie dat sets can be converted into images using special feed display software for easy visual interpretatio ,
T :1 Tile Ingested data can fee automatically processed: do computer dedicated o the data r fdrrnatting process.. he = final products can be im rted to the Eerth Today server on a mgular schedule using algorithms developed using eusfemteed, automated, U IX sop an ft eommsni scripts embedded in: an extended c m tab. The Earth Today server can store the Imported Information using file names that organize the ies int appropriate folders and in the co ect and consistent time sequence. The Earth Today system can generate iheTbase laye that Includes an Imbedded earth map and the overlay transparenc layer without the base map..
7i in at least one em odiment, Images can be moved from the Earth Today server to the Earth Today display systems through a custom UNIX Importing script that is activated manually or Integrated Into an automated eron tab that accesses the Earth Today server and: reguests missing files from the different data sets. The senpt can check to. see which files the Earth Today display systems nav aiready imported' sad can only imports new or missing files..
Importing script ca reside on the display
Figure imgf000025_0001
system computer. The script can: define the directory, iP location of the ladh Today server, the user mm>. i!or the us r password. The script can detailed directory ath or each of th reieyant riala sets€oa;f#lned the corresponding data directories, oreoven the scrip pan; argute a iisting of a l the files available within the relevant data directories on; the garth Today server and files reside in the dis lay system co?¾ u and hieft lies are needed ern the Ea th Tod server. The script can the construe! and execute U fX sop commands to acqui e al of the new or miss ng ies.
HT31 Mew data categories can be added to th Earth Tcday displa system by identifying: th source of desired data, and writing m\qm custom scripts for importing; the desired data, k coiar bar pan he created thai accurately portrays the color range used by any particpiar data sat. Screen text canPbe written i conjunction with the project scientist that dPsehfees the data and what i s ows, A voice -over can also be ms e, for example, sing AT& to - Q~ oice oois or apesvaient product. The sections of vosceover Ipieces can be gathered and eoniblned In hTlnnl Out: or equivalent software; A use can; go to lie/frhport/f if s and navigate to the folde where the pieces are located;. Import the: pieces, drag: the pieces to the sound line;, and arrange the pieces. The pieces can be exported as a Quicktime, .way or equivalent sound onl files,
|0O? | The generated .way file ca fee named according to fie naming convention, and placed In
Figure imgf000026_0001
of the screen text viewing can he -synchronized with the voieeever by playing the data set and: ad|usfin§ numbers on the left . of each line in order to safest the length of time each text line appears on the monitor, ; color bar legend can be created by using the command fee, obtaining the | g and/or pnf fifes, and eonved. files to s§! rgb
[0075] The QUI interface cad fee u da ec y rriodifyieg tb Earth Today SYSTEM Xeede. This: can Include adding pe scripts, updating the number ©t data sets on display, updating; -m Units, to the da , updating the cater bar and legend* ate. Furtherraore, the out interface can he updated rJy modtfy rsQ tbe interlace on the user machine, Spedficaily, the interface can be updated by ad]yst!ng the βΟΠ and the Snbexbct to reflect: the new number of dat sets displayed* adjusting, the total number of data sets, and/or adding new files to corresponding directories where new data is found,: |Θ0 ¾ the Earth Today Gilt code nan: be written ..using Apple Xcode oftware- The Interactive display of the near^eaim'me and areb ved dat can have three screens- Ί first screen .can- display the available data sets as a: base layer or a second layer designed to: overlay the base layer using a sliding trB s a ^ac : scale- The ee ed screen cap allow: selection of the desired date range, lab selections nan Include the Mm 30 days, a preset fo a notable event, a .dme r^fi§ ;$af0qtofr^-cisi.e daf¾ for a start and step of a select period of time, and/or a month date selection that can be compared over multiple years. The third panes can enable the manipulation of fie lobal po ition and zoom iunctions. The third panel can also enable the globe is remain stationary or rotate at a variable or
Figure imgf000027_0001
advance at a variable rate.. In at least one em odiment, one. of two differen sliding scales advance the data rate t e &,fk$i$!$ wg .:§caie:aut m .lioa!i :. dw«s the data rate while a second sliding scale Is manually: advances the data rate, [00771 T e main panel can eal subroutines wttte to erfo m: different functions used : y: lh6 SOf interraee, ■ ¾od : ne and maid ni can coordinate the subroutines including foS wldg:. lie ais lay Pf explanatory text that appears o lie screen, control of data access, he otspiay of the globe on the screen, control of dual ser e s (ø.§,. , a fsrst serpen dis laying: td^ g!pd and a second1 screen displaying th GUI tools},, control of the selection arrow, control of the calendar appearance and functions, 8 data panel controlling the data, a date slider, month control, a numbe control, a fonts controller, buttons scripts defining screen buttons, semen labels, voice oven interactive options, opening of 8L drawing capabilities options, appearance of earthquakes, loading of tne #ng mag s, loading of the color oars, controiilpg of the time ban controlling of the time slider, and or contmiiing ,of tbe time stamp,
|90T¾ FIG. 7 is e flo diagram tou ing a method for generating, and displaying climate system models according to an embodiment of the Invention, CSfobai earth data is collected 710 In Image end/or text: format:, fee example, with the ingest: system. The global earth, data nan include, atmospheric data, hydrdapheric data, ilthosphehc data, eryospnenc data, bioapherie ata, and/or anthros henc data,
fu 9 The collected global earth, data is grouped into multiple bins 720 with m analysis engine,, wherein each bin defines a geographic arm, for example, via latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, a used herein, the term "analysis engine" includes a computer hardware component that calculate an average for the collected global earth data in each of the bins 730,
£@980 fSiobal images are generated with a processor based on the calculated averages 740, A used herein, the term " n l sis engine" includes a conipuier hardware: component .eonneeied to tbe processor that paeratas global images thai display the global earth data on a map. One ©r more second lobai images ar¾ displayed on $ first global Image wherein the irst §!o ai: image ineiudes first global earth data for a select geograpbie area, and fae second global image laciudes second global earth data: for the select geographic area .
P§S1 The terminology used herein Is for the purpose of describing: parbenlar embodlnients only and s not intended to be im ting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms: ¾ "aft* and lhe" are Intended to Include the plural forms as well,. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It iil be fypher understood that the mot terms inciyde" and or *M \ when ysed In this speeificatiop, specify the presence of stated features, Integars, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of at least one other fe ure, integer, step, operation, element component , and/or grou s thereat
10821 e corresponding structures, mate al, acts, and eqoiva!eats of all means plus function elements in the claims below era intended to Include any structure, or materi l, f r perforaiing the function In coiii lnation with other clalmeci elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention ha been presented for purposes of illustration and deschptioo:, but Is, not Intende to be ex austive or limited to
Figure imgf000029_0001
to those of ordinary sKill In the ar witPout departing from scope and spirit of the invention; The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain he principles of the Invention and the practical application, end to enable others of ordinary s d the frsventseh fat various embodmen s with &dou=s
Figure imgf000030_0001
to t s par euiaf use cpnten !siec.

Claims

hat Is claimed is:
Figure imgf000031_0001
2, The method according to claim further comprising: adjusting, a transparenc of t e second data -oniy globai I ge thai has bee sypertmposed over the: first global image which Includes a combined image of the earth and observe data,
3,. The method according to cl im: is wherein said collecting of the global earlh data comprises collecting eal-tim globs! earth data. The method according to claim 1 r, further comprising, storing the global earth data and the ¾lofeai; irn¾g s¾ ^ieef rente ¾¼ sHc l archive, wherein said displaying of the first and second global Images comprising retrieving the first and second global images torn the eieoiromc historical archive.
S>. The method according to claim 1. wherein the: global images are animated by the end user,: wherein the end user selects a: time sequence of frames iaciudtng one or more layers, wherein the frames are advanced to generate a movie sequence, and wherein the. end user modifies the selection to instantly vie another animation.
6, T e met od according o m 1, herein said collecting ohthe global earth data Includes aytomatleafly xtr¾eilRg t¾e,9eb l earth dale torn multiple dat sources ithout human interaction.
7. The nelho accor liig ¼ i\ \m .wderal sa¾-sutoW^i^iiy ex acii0 of the global earth data ls: performed: at predefined time Intervals, a. The method accodng o claim , wherein the ίΜ earth data includes data in at feast three drfemm lermats, and wherein said method further comprises
reprocessmgih gfo ai earth data i to one of a first fomiaf and a second .format.
9. The method according to eta Im 1 ? wherei :
the atmospheric data includes at feast: one of meteorological data, trace gas data, and: aerosol da¾
the h^drpspheric dsa: includes at i t one of eea surface teoipetature data, sea surface temperature anomaly data, rainfall, and lightning;
the lithosph eric data Includes at le f t one of eeisniie data, volcano data, soil nioieture data;: the oryosp ertc data I cudes at least one of snow data and km data; and the nthros h eric data includes at least one of lights at night, honian population data, energy use data, fire data, birth data, and death data, and
wherein a series of still graphical reference images include plate boundaries with differentiated earthpuake faults, geographical oundaries, coral reef locations, and a graphic model of wind current patterns.
10, A. method comprising:
automatical ly e tracting global earth data fom multiple data sources with a data cpllec!or, the .global earth data Including data in at leasf five diflerentrtorrnats, the different formats Including im^e^^o^r!sy faospammrnsges, Keyhole arkup Language '{K t}* ffCOF' , and idl ,s ¾ flies, and wherein the range of global: earth data provided includes atmospheric, hydnDspheno,. fithospderic, cryospherlo blpspheric, and anthrospherie;
Figure imgf000033_0001
device displays t e processed global data sets,
defe P the giobai ead afs Includes Image data and e t data,
whereto the global eart data Includ s atmospheric data, byd ospt ie data, !i hospherie data, er ospherie data, bidspheric data, and anihrospherle data, wherein the display device displays at least one secon global image: on a first giobat tniage, he: first global img§o ineludipg: first, global earth data for a select geogra ic area, end the second global image inc!ed!ng second global earth data for the select geographic area.
11 , The method according to e!aio if 0, fprtber composing adjusting a transparenc of the first global Image and the second global image..
1 , The method according to claim 10, further com ising storing the global earth data and the gfobpi in agss i an electronic m'stPheal archive, wherein said displaying of the first and second global images ppmphsing retneving the firs! and second global Images from the electronic historical archim
13, The method according to claim 10, wherein the first global Image includes an animated sequence of global images of the first global earth data for the select geographic area, and wherein the second global image Includes an animated segyence of gioeal images of the second global earth data for the select geographic area.
. T e me d according to claim 1Q. ¾r fe said automatically extracting of the global sarin data ia erfcrme i at predefined Hrne intervals,
15, T e: n thod acoondinp to claim 10, t erein::
the atmospheric data: includes meteorological data, trace gas data, and aemsol data;
the J diesphenc data includes se : surface temperature data, sea surface tem erature nornaiv data, rainfall, %himg: s fik § h¾- «f¾:os H«n¾ includes seismic data, volcano data, soil moisture data, the cryospherlcdata includes snow data and Ice data; aod:
th snthfospherie data includes lights at lg , liunian population data,: energy use data, fire da a, birth data, and death dat¾
wherein a series of still graph seal reference images include plate boundaries with differentiated earthquake faults, geographical boundaries,, coral reef ideations, and: a graphic: model of wind mmt : patterns,
10, A system comprising;
a data collector for collecting giod i earth data, the global earth data including at least one of Image data and text data, fhe glofeai earth data including.: at least one of atmospheno data, hydrosphebc data, lithqspberic data, er osphe ic data, hlospherfo data, and anthrqspherlc data;
a analysis engine connected to: said data collector, said analysis engine groups the collected global earth data into multiple bins, each bin defining a geographic area, said; analysis engine calculates an average for the collected global earth data in each of the bins;
a processor connected to said analysis engine, said processor generates global iniages based on the collected global earth data, iha giobal images displaying the global earth data on a map; and
a display connected to said processor, said display displays at least one second global image on a first global Image, the first global image including first: global earth dais to# g g?¾ff ® « ipolqdine; second global earth data for ae select geographic area.
17, Th system acco ding; to claim ί , further composing: an interface for adjusting a transpapancy of at least one o! t e first gtooal image and the second giebal image,
18, The yste aeoofdln§ ¾ claim , further composing a data reposston for sfdring th e g iob ! ea rth data■ and s i e global i mages.:
19, The system accor i g d claim 'i, wherein the global earth data includes data In at least three different formats, and: wherein said -.processor reprocesses the giodaf earth data into one of a first forma and a second format,
W> he system according to claim Ί ', wherein
the atmospheric date includes at feast one of meteorblogicai data, trace gas: data, and aerosol data;
the nydfosphedc data includes at least one of sea .surface tem erature, sea surface tempefatnre ano ailes, rainfall, and llgdting;
the iithosp eric data includes at !eaat one of seismic data, volcano data, soil, and mpistufe data;
the cryosphedc data i cudes at least one df snow data and Ice data; and the anthr¾sphehe data Modes si least one of lights at night, daman population data, energy use data, fire data, birth data, and death data,
wherein a series of still praph&al reference images loci nde plate boundaries with differentiated earthquake faults, g¾sgmpWc¾! :^n at¼spW*l reef !ocatsons, and a graphic model of wind: ayrrent :paiie:ms.
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