T264 Use of Geoscience Data and Information Resources in Education and Research (Posters)

Tuesday, 24 October 2017
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Halls 4EF

DISCOVER US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GLOBAL FIDUCIALS DATA – HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY FOR GEOSPATIAL RESEARCH, OBSERVING EARTH PROCESSES, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION

Paper number: T264-15
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The existence of US Geological Survey (USGS) Global Fiducials data is an unintended, well-kept secret. The purpose of this presentation is to attempt to overcome this secrecy by providing a thorough introduction to Global Fiducials data, its characteristics, its history, and its availability. Since the mid-1990s, more than 500 locations, each termed a 'Fiducial Site', have been systematically and repeatedly imaged with U.S. National Imagery Systems (USNIS) space-based electro-optical (EO) sensors. Each location was selected for long-term monitoring based on its history, susceptibilities, and environmental values. Monitoring dynamic Earth surface change and developing a comprehensive understanding of sensitive areas of our planet are fundamental goals of the Fiducial Site investigation strategy.

Since 2008, imagery from more than a quarter of the Fiducial Sites has been made publicly available. More than 5,000 images, each with 1.0-1.3 m resolution, have been released for unrestricted use. The ~150 time-series, some spanning more than 20 years, focus on wildland fire recovery, Arctic sea ice change, Antarctic habitats, temperate glacier behavior, mid-continent wetland dynamics, eroding barrier islands, coastline evolution, Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites, resource management, natural disaster response, global change studies, ecosystem monitoring, and other topics.

Orthorectified Fiducials images are provided in a GeoTIFF format with supporting metadata. They can be freely downloaded from the USGS EarthExplorer website: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov and from the USGS Global Fiducials Library website: https://gfl.usgs.gov. The data may be used without restrictions. Currently, access to imagery and related investigations are facilitated by the USGS-led Civil Applications Committee (CAC). The Global Fiducials Program was developed during the early days of the Clinton Administration and initially overseen by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-306200

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