Jasmine S' Nahorniak

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Bridges to the Community

• Jasmine S. Nahorniak
• Mark R. Abbott
• Ricardo M. Letelier
• Curt Vandetta

NASA grant NNG05GA73G International EOS/NPP
Direct Broadcast Meeting 2005
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Direct broadcast stations act as a bridge
between real-time satellite data and the user
community.
We have a responsibility to provide accurate
documentation, instruction, and support.
The stations are ideal candidates to act as
regional learning centers.
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Roadmap

• A case study
• The OSU direct broadcast station
• Major software transition
• User impact
• Bridging the gap
• Educating the community
• Regional Learning Centers

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The Oregon State UniversityDirect Broadcast
Station

• located in Corvallis, Oregon on the west coast
  of the United States
• operational since February 2001
• satellite data are collected from MODIS (TERRA
  and AQUA)

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• Station objectives
• collect, process, and disseminate real-time
  MODIS oceans data
• all data (real-time and archived) freely
  available online, by ftp, and by subscription
• user-friendly data access
• http//picasso.coas.oregonstate.edu/ORSOO/MODIS/DB
  /

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1
orbit data
oceans met data
oceans SST data
outsideusers
2
1200
4
1400
camera
web server
data base
ftp server
3
1230
Key
SUN
SGI
PC
Linux
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Early 2004 MODIS science team
restructured TERRA MODIS processing
suspended oceans code responsibility transferred
from the University of Miami to the Ocean Color
team (NASA) Implications for direct
broadcast TERRA MODIS processing not fully
supported major software change
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1
orbit data
oceans met data
oceans SST data
outsideusers
2
1200
4
1400
camera
web server
data base
ftp server
3
1230
Key
SUN
SGI
PC
Linux
9
Processing Level Level 0 Raw data converted into
a time-ordered set of packets (PDS) Level
1b Calibrated radiances at 36 wavebands Level
2 Ocean products at 1 km resolution (not
mapped) Level 3 Daily equal-area maps of ocean
products Images Thumbnails and larger images
representing the data
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Processing Level raw 0 0 1b 1b
2 2 3 images
Software (platform) RT-STPS - NASA (SUN)and
GBAD NASA (SGI) MODIS Level 1 Processing
Software for Direct Broadcast Data - NASA
(SGI) MODIS ocean data processing code
University of Miami (SGI) MS2GT, SIMAP,
IDL,ENVI, Matlab (SUN)
Original configuration
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Processing Level raw 0 0 1b 1b
2 2 3 images
Software (platform) RT-STPS - NASA (Linux)and
GBAD - NASA (Linux) SeaDAS - NASA (Linux)
New configuration
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Processing Level raw 0 0 1b 1b
2 2 3 images
Software (platform) RT-STPS - NASA (SUN)and
GBAD - NASA (SGI) MODIS Level 1 Processing
Software for Direct Broadcast Data - NASA
(SGI) MODIS ocean data processing code
University of Miami (SGI) MS2GT, SIMAP,
IDL, ENVI, Matlab (SUN)
Software (platform) RT-STPS - NASA (Linux)and
GBAD - NASA (Linux) SeaDAS - NASA (Linux)
Original configuration
New configuration
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The Transition
Pros Compatible with NASA Simple installation
and updates Easier to implement Runs on Linux
PCs (less expensive than SUN/SGI) No software
licenses required Simplifies processing
Cons Requires complete overhaul ofthe
processing system TERRA MODIS oceans processing
supported but not validated Output filenames,
formats, and contents are different than
before Data users will be affected
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Original files
New files
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Impact on our data users Filename change File
contents change File sizes and spatial coverage
change New algorithms TERRA MODIS not
validated How do we ease transitions like this?
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The Bridge
Users need access to Accurate, online
documentation Technical support Software
tools Training classes
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• What have we learned from our users?
• large data files
• excessive documentation
• software tools provided
• consistency (data files, software, different
  satellites)
• online instruction (documentation, teaching
  modules)
• online discussion groups with prompt replies
  http//ocforum.gsfc.nasa.gov
• different users have different needs

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This 2-day workshop attracted 40 participants
from across the United States as well as Canada,
Peru, Chile, and the United Kingdom. A
combination of talks and hands-on-tutorials
covering a variety of software tools. The
itinerary focused on the file formats, contents,
and software for viewing and manipulating the
data. The information presented in the 2003
workshop is now largely obsolete a repeat
workshop should be organized, focusing on the new
file formats.
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• What did we learn from the workshop?
• Many attendees wanted to know
• Which software should I use?
• a wide variety of software is available for data
  processing
• users were confused and intimidated by the
  variety of choice
• Different users have different needs
• some want to create pretty pictures
• others want in-depth knowledge of the data and
  software
• it is difficult to cater to both types of user
  at a single workshop

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Suggestions for future workshops Cater
workshops to different types of users (basic vs.
advanced) Hold workshops at / near direct
broadcast stations Customize the workshops to
topics of regional interest Yearly or biennial
workshops
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• EOS direct broadcast stations are currently
  located at 101 locations in 28 countries.
• The stations at these disperse locations are
  ideal for acting as regional learning centers.

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Regional Learning Centers
Pros Globally distributed Main data users
usually local Station technicians know more
about their data than anyone Incorporate
regional environmental issues Outreach to the
community Attract more researchers, better
research, and funding
Cons Each workshop must be custom-made Someone
has to organize it!
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Conclusion A major software transition in
progress at the Oregon State University direct
broadcast station, brought issues of user impact
to the forefront. The utilization of existing
direct broadcast stations as regional learning
centers would both serve the needs of the users
as well as provide a forum for public
outreach. Acting as bridges between satellite
data and the scientific community, direct
broadcast stations should play a larger role in
educating the public.