Research on global environmental change requires new data processing and analysis tools that can integrate heterogeneous geospatial data from real-time in situ measurement, remote sensing RS and geographic information systems GISs at the global scale. The rapid growth of virtual globes for global geospatial information management and display holds promise to meet such a requirement. Virtual globes, Google Earth in particular, enable scientists around the world to communicate their data and research findings in an intuitive three-dimensional 3D global perspective. Different from traditional GIS, virtual globes are low cost and easy to use in data collection, exploration and visualization. Since 2005, a considerable number of papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings from a variety of disciplines. In this review, we examine the development and applications of Google Earth and highlight its merits and limitations for Earth science studies at the global scale. Most limitations are not unique to Google Earth, but to all virtual globe products. Several recent efforts to increase the functionalities in virtual globes for studies at the global scale are introduced. The power of virtual globes in their current generations is mostly restricted to functions as a ‘geobrowser’; a better virtual globe tool for Earth science and global environmental change studies is described.

Google Earth as a virtual globe tool for Earth science applications at the global scale: progress and perspectives

This article surveys the history and current state of the art of visualization in meteorology, focusing on visualization techniques and tools used for meteorological data analysis. We examine characteristics of meteorological data and analysis tasks, describe the development of computer graphics methods for visualization in meteorology from the 1960s to today, and visit the state of the art of visualization techniques and tools in operational weather forecasting and atmospheric research. We approach the topic from both the visualization and the meteorological side, showing visualization techniques commonly used in meteorological practice, and surveying recent studies in visualization research aimed at meteorological applications. Our overview covers visualization techniques from the fields of display design, 3D visualization, flow dynamics, feature-based visualization, comparative visualization and data fusion, uncertainty and ensemble visualization, interactive visual analysis, efficient rendering, and scalability and reproducibility. We discuss demands and challenges for visualization research targeting meteorological data analysis, highlighting aspects in demonstration of benefit, interactive visual analysis, seamless visualization, ensemble visualization, 3D visualization, and technical issues.

Visualization in Meteorology—A Survey of Techniques and Tools for Data Analysis Tasks

Building a virtual outcrop, extracting geological information from it, and sharing the results in Google Earth via OpenPlot and Photoscan: An example from the Khaviz Anticline (Iran)

Google Earth (GE) has recently become the focus of increasing interest and popularity among available online virtual globes used in scientific research projects, due to the free and easily accessed satellite imagery provided with global coverage. Nevertheless, the uses of this service raises several research questions on the quality and uncertainty of spatial data (e.g. positional accuracy, precision, consistency), with implications for potential uses like data collection and validation. This paper aims to analyze the horizontal accuracy of very high resolution (VHR) GE images in the city of Rome (Italy) for the years 2007, 2011, and 2013. The evaluation was conducted by using both Global Positioning System ground truth data and cadastral photogrammetric vertex as independent check points. The validation process includes the comparison of histograms, graph plots, tests of normality, azimuthal direction errors, and the calculation of standard statistical parameters. The results show that GE VHR imageries o...

Horizontal accuracy assessment of very high resolution Google Earth images in the city of Rome, Italy

Since Google Earth was first released in 2005, it has attracted hundreds of millions of users worldwide and made a profound impact on both academia and industry. It can be said that Google Earth epitomized the first-generation of Digital Earth prototypes. The functionalities and merits that have sustained Google Earth’s lasting influence are worth a retrospective review. In this paper, we take the liberty to conduct a bibliometric study of the applications of Google Earth during 2006–2016. We aim first to quantify the multifaceted impacts, and then to develop a structured understanding of the influence and contribution associated with Google Earth. To accomplish these objectives, we analyzed a total of 2115 Scopus publication records using scientometric methods and then proceed to discussion with a selected set of applications. The findings and conclusions can be summarized as follows: (1) the impact of Google Earth has been profound and persistent over the past decade. Google Earth was mentioned in an average of 229 publications per year since 2009. (2) Broadly, the impact of Google Earth has touched upon most scientific disciplines. Specifically, during 2006–2016, Google Earth has been mentioned in 2115 publications covering all of Scopus’s 26 subject areas; (3) the influence of Google Earth has largely concentrated in GIScience, remote sensing and geosciences. The extended influence of Google Earth has reached a wider range of audiences with a concentration in fields such as human geography, geoscience education and archaeology.

Applications and impacts of Google Earth: A decadal review (2006-2016)

Visualization of A-Train vertical profiles using Google Earth

The immense potential for new science findings as a result of inter-instrument data analysis has led to the development of a new data portal at GSFC: the A-train Data Depot. The power and utility of this new service to the general public is amplified immensely when the archived data are used in conjunction with online data analysis services like Giovanni. This presentation details some of the challenges of data usage from multiple distinct missions and how the tool sets we have developed can help to overcome these challenges, considerably cut down on analysis overhead and promote science exploration in an otherwise very challenging arena.

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John Farley

Papers

Visualization of A-Train vertical profiles using Google Earth

A-Train Data Depot: Integrating and exploring data along the A-Train tracks