The document discusses how remote sensing data from satellites can be brought into GIS applications, noting that moderate resolution data from instruments like MODIS and VIIRS as well as higher resolution ASTER imagery are available from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. It describes GIS-friendly formats and services like web map services that allow this satellite imagery and derived data layers to be directly used in GIS software, and provides examples of applications like AppEEARS that allow users to extract and explore time series data.

1. From Satellites to Maps:
Bringing Remote Sensing Data
to your GIS Application
Lindsey Harriman
NASA LP DAAC Science Integration Lead
SGT, Inc., contractor to the USGS EROS Center
lindsey.harriman.ctr@usgs.gov
*Work performed under USGS contract G15PD00467

2. 2

4. So where can I get these data?

5. Land Processes
Distributed Active Archive Center
LP DAAC
Surface Reflectance,
Land Cover,
Vegetation Indices
Land Processes
Distributed Active Archive Center

6. Community
MEaSUREs
Terra &
Aqua
MODIS
Terra
ASTER
S-NPP
NASA
VIIRS
Data at the LP DAAC

7. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)

8. Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)

9. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)

10. Bringing to Data to GIS
• GIS Services
•MODIS Web Map Service (WMS)
•Ongoing development for Web Coverage Service (WCS)
• GIS-Friendly Formats
•Georeferenced, full resolution ASTER imagery (GeoTIFF)
•Time series MODIS, SRTM, WELD, and Population data from the
Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples
(AppEEARS) (GeoTIFF, NetCDF4)

11. Web Map Service (WMS)
• Available for a selection of MODIS
datasets
• Expanding data offerings in future
• Rolling one-year basis
• Works in ArcGIS, QGIS,
browser – or consume for your
own application!
• Access information:
https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/data_access/web_map_ser
vices_wms

18. ASTER L1T Full Resolution Browse
Characteristics
• 15 meter, visible browse image
• 90 meter, thermal browse
image
• GeoTIFF in UTM projection
• Terrain corrected
Uses
• Visual inspection of change or
disaster event
• Digitizing land features
• Digitizing infrastructure
• Base map
Download from:
NASA Earthdata Search: https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/
USGS EarthExplorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

19. Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) Thermal Infrared (TIR)

20. AppEEARS (Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples)

21. Data available in AppEEARS

22. AppEEARS
Point Sampler
User input: Coordinate pairs
• Set temporal constraint
• Select individual data layers
• Automatically receive decoded
quality information

24. AppEEARS
Area Sampler
User input: Polygons
• Set temporal constraint
• Select individual data layers
• Reformat
• Reproject
• Automatically mosaic
• Automatically receive decoded
quality information

25. MCD12Q1.2007
MCD12Q1.2008
MCD12Q1.2009
MCD12Q1.2007
MCD12Q1.2008
MCD12Q1.2009

26. Questions?
List serv: https://lists.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/lpdaac
Website: https://lpdaac.usgs.gov