Resources by jona.frroku

Planet Labs

Planet Labs

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: Planet Labs Inc.
Publication Date: 2014
Creators: Planet Labs Inc.

Planet Labs offers high-resolution satellite imagery from its fleet of small satellites (Dove and SkySat). The platform provides access to detailed and frequent imagery for various applications such as monitoring and analysis. The satellites collect data across multiple spectral bands, including Red, Green, Blue, and Near-Infrared (NIR), facilitating diverse analyses such as vegetation health assessment and land cover classification. The constellation’s design allows for frequent revisits, with PlanetScope achieving near-daily coverage and SkySat capable of sub-daily tasking, essential for applications requiring up-to-date information. Planet Labs collects imagery covering up to 300 million square kilometers daily, resulting in a vast number of observations over time. PlanetScope imagery dates back to 2014, with 8-band data available from 2020. The RapidEye constellation, acquired by Planet Labs, provided imagery from 2009 until its retirement in 2020. In total, the dataset has data in a size exceeding 10 PB. Planet Labs’ dataset covers several sub-datasets, each corresponding to different satellite constellations and imaging capabilities:​

  • PlanetScope: Consists of hundreds of small satellites capturing imagery at approximately 3.7-meter resolution across four multispectral bands (Red, Green, Blue, NIR). This dataset supports applications like agricultural monitoring, forest management, and environmental assessment. ​

  • SkySat: Comprises around 15 satellites providing high-resolution imagery at 50-centimeter resolution, with capabilities for sub-daily tasking. SkySat data is valuable for detailed analyses, including infrastructure monitoring and urban planning. ​

  • RapidEye (Retired): Included five satellites that operated from 2009 to 2020, delivering 5-meter resolution imagery across five spectral bands (Blue, Green, Red, Red Edge, NIR). RapidEye data was utilized for applications such as land use mapping and crop monitoring

NASA Worldview

NASA Worldview

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
Publication Date: 2000
Creators: NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

NASA Worldview is an interactive web-based tool that allows users to visualize and explore satellite imagery from NASA’s Earth Observing System. It offers access to over 1,200 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers, allowing users to explore various datasets related to Earth’s atmosphere, land, oceans, and cryosphere. Many imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, providing near real-time views of Earth’s conditions. This feature is particularly beneficial for time-sensitive applications such as wildfire management, air quality monitoring, and flood surveillance. Users can interactively browse, compare, animate, and download imagery. The platform supports visualization of natural events like wildfires, tropical storms, and volcanic eruptions through its “Events” tab. The dataset accessible through Worldview is extensive, with NASA’s Earth science data archive exceeding 100 PB. Worldview provides access to historical satellite imagery dating back to 2000, enabling users to explore changes over time. The dataset is organized into various sub-datasets, each focusing on specific earth observation parameters:​

  • Corrected Reflectance (True Color): Provides natural-looking images by combining data from specific spectral bands, useful for observing land surface, oceanic, and atmospheric features. ​

  • Chlorophyll-a Concentration: Offers data on the near-surface concentration of chlorophyll-a, aiding in the assessment of marine ecosystem productivity and health. ​

  • Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR): Displays the amount of light available for photosynthesis over the ocean and large bodies of water, measured in Einstein/m²/day. ​

  • Black Marble Nighttime Imagery: Provides nighttime light data, useful for assessing anthropogenic sources of light emissions and monitoring nighttime phenomena. ​

  • Brightness Temperature: Offers observations of brightness temperature, useful for distinguishing features in clouds and over clear land, as well as land, sea ice, and open water over polar regions during winter.

NOAA Coast Watch

NOAA Coast Watch

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Publication Date: 1990
Creators: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The NOAA CoastWatch program provides access to satellite data specifically focused on coastal and oceanographic observations, including sea surface temperatures, chlorophyll levels, and other marine parameters. It delivers near-real-time and historical data on key ocean conditions, making it essential for scientific research, weather forecasting, fisheries management, and climate studies. CoastWatch offers a wide range of oceanographic parameters. One of the key features is Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data, which helps track ocean heat changes, marine ecosystem health, and climate patterns such as El Niño and La Niña. Ocean color and chlorophyll concentration data are essential for studying phytoplankton biomass, harmful algal blooms, and overall water quality. Sea surface wind data provides information on wind patterns over oceans, which is crucial for understanding hurricanes, air-sea interactions, and ocean circulation. Additionally, sea level anomalies and altimetry data help detect variations in ocean height, which are useful for monitoring sea level rise, ocean currents, and storm surge risks. One of the unique aspects of the CoastWatch dataset is its near-real-time data availability, with updates occurring multiple times per day. This makes it an essential tool for weather forecasting, disaster response, and operational decision-making in maritime activities. Historical data extends back to the late 1980s, making it possible to analyze long-term ocean trends, including climate change effects on marine environments. The dataset has a size of more than 1000 TB and is organized into various sub-datasets, each focusing on specific oceanographic parameters:​

  • Sea Surface Temperature (SST): Provides global SST measurements, essential for climate monitoring and weather forecasting.​

  • Chlorophyll-a Concentration: Offers data on phytoplankton biomass, aiding in the assessment of marine ecosystem productivity and health.​

  • Sea Surface Winds: Includes wind speed and direction data over the ocean surface, crucial for understanding weather patterns and ocean-atmosphere interactions.​

  • Sea Level Anomalies: Contains information on variations in sea surface height, important for studying ocean circulation and sea level rise.

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD)

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD)

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Publication Date: 2001
Creators: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) provides land cover and land use data for the United States, derived from satellite imagery. It includes information on different land cover types and changes over time. The NLCD provides 30-meter spatial resolution raster data, making it one of the most detailed national-scale land cover datasets available. It is derived from Landsat satellite imagery, which enables accurate mapping of vegetation, urban areas, water bodies, and other land cover types. The dataset covers multiple years from 2001 to 2019, allowing researchers to track land cover changes over time. Updates are made periodically to reflect land cover trends, including urban expansion, deforestation, wetland loss, and agricultural shifts. In addition to land cover, impervious surface maps show the extent of human development (roads, buildings, infrastructure). Tree canopy cover maps indicate the percentage of tree cover in different regions, supporting climate and carbon cycle studies. In total, the dataset has a size of more than 1000 GB. The total number of observations is in the billions, as each pixel provides information about land cover, impervious surfaces, or canopy cover.

Polar View

Polar View

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: European Space Agency (ESA)
Publication Date: 2011
Creators: European Space Agency (ESA)

Polar View provides near-real-time and historical satellite-based monitoring of polar regions and sea ice conditions. The service includes ice mapping, iceberg tracking, and snow cover data, supporting research in climate change, shipping, and Arctic operations. The platform integrates data from various satellites, including ESA’s Copernicus Sentinels, MODIS, and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar). The dataset has a size of more than 1000 TB due to decades of satellite data accumulation. Polar View has been continuously operating since 2005. Some of its integrated datasets, like passive microwave sea ice records, extend back to the 1970s. Polar View processes thousands of satellite images per year, generating:

  • 6,800+ satellite scenes annually
  • 4,700+ map products
  • 50,000+ image subsets
  • 15,000+ monitoring product

Polar View is made up of multiple thematic sub-datasets, including:

  • Sea Ice Data: Ice concentration maps, ice edge tracking, and ice charts.
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Imagery: High-resolution satellite radar images used for ice detection.
  • Iceberg Monitoring: Near-real-time iceberg locations for safe navigation.
  • Snow Cover & Melt: Snow extent and melting patterns.
  • River & Lake Ice: Freeze/thaw monitoring for flood risk and transport.
  • Glacier & Ice Sheet Data: Glacier runoff, mass balance, and movement tracking.
  • Optical Mosaics: Large-scale satellite images of polar regions.
Terra Populus

Terra Populus

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: Terra Populus
Publication Date: NA
Creators: Terra Populus

Terra Populus, also known as IPUMS Terra, is a data repository that provides global population and environmental data, integrating census, survey, and environmental data from around the world. It allows users to explore how demographic and environmental conditions are interrelated over time and across geographic locations. The dataset is organized into three primary structures:​

  1. Microdata: Individual and household-level census records, detailing demographic variables such as age, sex, occupation, education, and migration. ​

  2. Area-Level Data: Aggregated data about specific geographic areas, including population summaries and environmental characteristics. ​

  3. Raster Data: Spatial grids representing environmental variables like land cover, temperature, and precipitation.

Google Earth Engine

Google Earth Engine

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: Google LLC
Publication Date: NA
Creators: Google LLC

Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based platform that provides access to a vast archive of satellite imagery and geospatial data, along with powerful tools for analysis and visualization. It supports a wide range of datasets from various satellite missions, including Landsat, MODIS, and Sentinel, among others. The platform integrates extensive data archives with powerful computational capabilities, enabling users to analyze and visualize geospatial information effectively. GEE hosts one of the largest publicly available data catalogs, encompassing over 90 PB of analysis-ready satellite imagery and more than 1,000 curated datasets. This includes data from various satellite missions, climate models, and geospatial datasets, providing comprehensive coverage for diverse applications.​ The total data repository of GEE exceeds 90 PB, making it one of the most extensive geospatial data archives available. Given the vast array of datasets and the high temporal resolution of satellite imagery, GEE contains billions of individual observations. For example, daily global coverage by satellites like Sentinel-2 results in a continuous influx of new data, contributing to the platform’s extensive repository. GEE’s datasets span over four decades, with historical imagery dating back to the 1970s. GEE organizes its datasets into a hierarchical structure within the Earth Engine Data Catalog:​

  • Image Collections: These are groups of related images, such as satellite imagery from specific missions (e.g., Landsat, Sentinel). Each image within a collection is associated with metadata, including acquisition date, sensor information, and processing level.​

  • Feature Collections: These datasets consist of vector data representing geographic features like administrative boundaries, roads, or land cover classifications. Each feature includes geometry (points, lines, polygons) and associated attribute information.​

  • Tables: Tabular datasets containing geospatial information, such as climate data, socioeconomic indicators, or environmental statistics, often linked to specific geographic locations.

Copernicus Open Access Hub

Copernicus Open Access Hub

jona.frroku
Open Dataset
Creators: European Space Agency (ESA)
Publication Date: 2014
Creators: European Space Agency (ESA)

Copernicus Open Access Hub provides free access to Sentinel satellite data for Earth observation, including imagery from Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3, and Sentinel-5P, supporting environmental and climate research. The dataset serves as an important platform for accessing Earth observation data from the Sentinel satellite constellation. This initiative is integral to the European Union’s Copernicus Programme, designed to monitor and understand our planet’s environment for the benefit of all citizens. The Hub provides unrestricted access to high-resolution satellite imagery and data, ensuring that users worldwide can utilize this information without licensing fees or usage restrictions. The temporal coverage varies by mission, starting in 2014. This provides a continuous record of Earth’s environmental parameters over the past decade. In total, the dataset has a size of more than 45 TB and each sentinel captures thousands of scenes daily:​

  • Sentinel-1: Acquires approximately 2,500 scenes per day.​
  • Sentinel-2: Captures around 1,500 scenes daily.​
  • Sentinel-3: Provides continuous data streams for various parameters.

The datasets is organized based on the specific Sentinel missions and their respective data products:​

  • Sentinel-1 Products:

    • Level-1 GRD (Ground Range Detected): Focused on land and ocean monitoring, these products are radiometrically calibrated and geo-referenced.​
    • Level-1 SLC (Single Look Complex): Suitable for interferometric applications, preserving phase information.​

  • Sentinel-2 Products:

    • Level-1C: Top-of-atmosphere reflectance data, ortho-rectified.​
    • Level-2A: Bottom-of-atmosphere reflectance data, corrected for atmospheric effects.​

  • Sentinel-3 Products:

    • OLCI (Ocean and Land Colour Instrument): Provides data on ocean color and land surface reflectance.​
    • SLSTR (Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer): Measures sea and land surface temperatures.​

  • Sentinel-5P Products:

    • L2 Products: Includes data on atmospheric trace gases like nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and methane.

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