Earth From Above: Using Color-Coded Satellite Images to Examine the Global Environment: 0 - Softcover

Parkinson, Claire

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0935702415 ISBN 13: 9780935702415

Publisher: University Science Books, 1997

Synopsis

"
Earth from Above provides an easy introduction to understanding and interpreting satellite images, using illustrative examples to instruct on the fantastically informative new global data sets. Beginning with two short chapters on visible satellite images and radiation, the book then covers six key Earth-atmosphere variables on such environmentally important topics as the Antarctic ozone hole, El Niño, deforestation, the missing carbon dilemma, and the effects of sea ice, snow cover, and volcanoes on atmospheric temperatures. A final chapter broadens the discussion to consider satellite Earth observations in general.
The book is heavily illustrated, including photographs, maps, schematic diagrams, and 50 colour-coded satellite images. Each section concludes with a list of questions encouraging the reader to review the text and, in the case of sections with satellite image, to examine the images and find answers from them. Answers to all questions are provided at the back of the book.

Contents

Preface
1. Introduction: Visible Images from Space
2. Radiation
3. Atmospheric Ozone and the Antarctic Ozone Hole
4. Polar Sea Ice
5. Continental Snow Cover
6. Sea Surface Temperatures and the El Niño
7. Land Vegetation
8. Volcanoes
9. Conclusions: Strength and Limitations of the Satellite Data"

About this title

From the Author:

Book summary.
"Earth from Above" provides an easy introduction to understanding and interpreting satellite images, using illustrative examples to instruct on the fantastically informative new global data sets being provided by satellites and on the limitations of the data and the cautions to bear in mind when using them. The book begins with short chapters on visible satellite images and radiation, then continues with chapters on six key variables in the Earth-atmosphere system, each illustrated with color-coded satellite images. The six variables are atmospheric ozone, sea ice, continental snow cover, sea surface temperatures, vegetation, and volcanoes. A final chapter broadens the discussion to satellite Earth observations in general. The six chapters on Earth-atmosphere variables include within them such environmentally important topics as the Antarctic ozone hole, El Nino, deforestation, the missing carbon dilemma, and the effects of sea ice, snow cover, and volcanoes on atmospheric temperatures. The thrust, however, is the satellite data and how the satellite data are being used to obtain information about the Earth-atmosphere system. The book is heavily illustrated, including photographs, maps, schematic diagrams, and 50 color-coded satellite images. Each section concludes with a list of questions, answers to which are provided at the back of the book.

Synopsis:

This text aims to familiarize the uninitiated with satellite data and with the reading of colour-coded satellite images of the Earth. It gives a sense of how the raw data is converted into information about the Earth and the atmosphere, and shows the range of information being collected about the Earth through satellites. There is also coverage of six of the important topics in Earth/atmosphere studies now being examined with data from satellites: atmospheric ozone; polar sea ice; continental snow cover; sea surface temperatures; land vegetation; and volcanoes.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Science Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0935702415
• ISBN 13: 9780935702415
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192