GIS in Education

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) has awarded three indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) multiple award contracts (MACs) for commercial satellite synthetic aperture radar (COMSAR) imagery, data products and direct downlink services. Contracts were awarded to MDA Geospatial Services, Inc, EADS North America, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

Each contract includes a five-year ordering period with a guaranteed minimum of $10,000 and a maximum ceiling of $85,000,000. The effective date is December 29, 2009.

NGA, as the Department of Defence’s (DoD) sole procurer of commercial remote sensing (CRS) data, routinely procures commercial imagery from both domestic and foreign sources. NGA and its mission partners utilise commercial SAR data for intelligence, military and homeland security applications. The contracts improve NGA’s ability to provide intelligence in low light and bad weather conditions.

IceWEB, Inc., a leading provider of purpose built appliances and building blocks for cloud storage networks, announced today that Canadian Health has deployed IceWEB high performance GIS (Geographic Information System) server technology to augment their efforts to combat the growth of the H1N1 Flu virus.

“IceWEB is proud to Partner with Canadian Health to assist in supporting the fight against a worldwide epidemic,” stated John R. Signorello, CEO of IceWEB.

About IceWEB, Inc.
Headquartered just outside of Washington, D.C., IceWEB manufactures and markets purpose built appliances, network and cloud storage solutions and delivers on-line cloud computing application services. Its customer base includes U.S. government agencies, enterprise companies, and small to medium sized businesses (SMB).

For more information, please visit www.IceWEB.com.

SuperGeo Technologies officially announces the release of the whole new full-functioned mobile GIS software—SuperPad 3 today. SuperPad 3 consists of SuperPad software and SuperPad Studio (SuperPad customization tool) as well. Therefore, you no longer need to purchase the customization software, and you are allowed to customize the solutions according to the company’s needs or personal needs.

The powerful drawing, displaying, and processing capabilities of SuperPad 3 greatly improves the difficulties of processing with quantities of data and shortens the waiting time. As a result, you are able to get the best processing results in the shortest time to raise the working efficiency of field survey.
The whole new user interface of SuperPad 3 enables you to switch toolbar buttons easily in the limited screen; to switch the toolbar position; to add the buttons you use frequently to my favorites to switch the toolbar buttons more conveniently. Consequently, the human design of user interface can reduce the burden of manipulation and help you use the software more easily.

SuperPad 3 supports the interoperability between SuperGIS Server and SuperGIS Image Server. With connecting to SuperGIS Server, you can display and query the data online; or you can download large quantities of image data from SuperGIS Image Server to be background display. Therefore, you do not need to bring great volume of data in the field; instead, you only need to connect to the Internet to get the data to raise the productivity.

SuperPad Studio is the brand new SuperPad customization software. Compared with SuperPad Builder, the new visualized user interface of SuperPad Studio and the WYSIWYG manipulation allow you to view the result shown while running the project to reduce the time of repeatedly modification. SuperPad Studio completely uses the object library of SuperGIS Mobile Engine so that developers can apply the GIS objects conveniently to design the powerful functions. Moreover, the easy, convenient, and intuitive developing process facilitates developers to produce more essential codes so that even programming beginners can customize SuperPad easily and produce the solution completely fitting the needs.

The whole new user interface of SuperPad 3 provides you with a simpler and more convenient manipulation environment.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has introduced a facility, which allows one to access land use maps of the Second Master Plan (SMP) and the approved Detailed Development Plan (DDP) through the internet. The first-of-its-kind initiative in the country was launched by Minister for Information and Urban Development Parithi Ellamvazhuthi here on Sunday.

According to express buzz report, prints of the maps/plans could be taken free of cost through the website cmdachennai.gov.in, without going to the CMDA’s office at Egmore. A total of 398 maps of the SMP and 56 maps of the DDPs have been converted into the digital format with embedded security features.

President Obama signed a defense spending bill Monday that includes money for local projects requested by Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands.

The largest designation was $10.2 million for programs being developed by Redlands-based Environmental Systems Research Institute.

"The GIS technologies being developed at ESRI are some of the most innovative in the world, and they are widely used by the federal government in areas ranging from the Census to helping first responders in a crisis," Lewis, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement Tuesday.

The House approved $11 million for ESRI when it passed the bill in late July. The Senate passed the bill Saturday.

The bill also includes $6.4 million for research programs conducted by Redlands-based Advatech Pacific, Inc., $2.4 million million for a project being developed by MetaFlows Inc. in Redlands, and $1 million for a University of Redlands project based on ESRI technology.

Overall, the legislation includes about $63 million requested by Lewis for local projects, according to his office.

The ESRI programs will help "disseminate satellite and other data to commanders and soldiers in the field, and will standardize data from international navigation databases and integrate it with defense, law enforcement and homeland security data to provide tools to military, homeland security and first responder defenders," according to Lewis's office.

The bill includes $508 billion for ongoing defense operations, and $128 billion to support troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The fiscal year began Oct. 1, so the funding became effective immediately when it was signed into law, according to Lewis's office.

Check out this latest Oklahoma Road Conditions map update provided by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. Snow storms have been bothering a number of US states for the past days.

Last Updated Sat Dec 26 11:31:21 2009.

TROOP A- Kilpatrick/Turner Turnpike-Roads are clear and open. Watch for snow and ice patches. Logan County-I35 use caution watch for snow and ice patches. Canadian County-I40 use caution watch for snow and ice patches. Oklahoma County-I35 and I40 inside lanes are still snow packed, watch for ice patches. I44 outside lanes are still snow packed, watch for ice patches. Lincoln County-Most secondary roads are still snow packed. Use caution. Cleveland County-I35 roadway wet, watch for ice patches. McClain County-I35 roadway wet, watch for ice patches. Pottawatomie County-I40 watch for ice patches. 12-26-09/1052 KJM

TROOP B- All of Troop B area is extremely slick and hazardous. All roadways are ice covered then snow packed with minimal roadway showing some close to impassible. All secondary roads and county road are nearly impassible. 12/26/2009 10:55 MAD

TROOP C- Roadways in Wagoner, Muskogee and Cherokee county are still hazardous especially on less travelled roads. Roadway in Adair, McIntosh, Sequoyah, and Haskell counties are slick in spots with some treacherous spots. Drivers should pay particular attention to exit/entrance ramps.

TROOP D- All roads in Troop D still have slick spots including bridges and overpasses. 12/26/09 11:45 bw

TROOP E- ALL MAJOR ROADS OPEN--SLICK AREAS IN NORTHERN PUSHMATAHA AND MCCURTAIN COUNTIES 12/26 1000 HRS

TROOP F- Temperatures are approaching above freezing and roadways are beginning to thaw. Use extreme caution....still have alot of slick spots that are causing vehicles to continue running off the road. The Arbuckle Mtns as well as on/off ramps are still solid ice. 1102 hrs 12/26/09 JJ

TROOP G- I44 H.E. Bailey Turnpike is open and clear with very few ice patches. SH 7 in Comanche County is open and clear with very few ice patches on bridges and overpasses. SH 7 East of Velma in Stephens County remains ice covered and slick. Secondary roads are starting to thaw but still remain slick in areas. 12-26-09 11:50 kh

TROOP H-

TROOP I- There are no known hazardous conditions currently in this area. Counties included are Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Ellis and Woodward counties. mab 0710 122609

TROOP J- All seven counties have some slick spots. Watch for a few more problems in southern Kingfisher & Blaine counties.12/26/09 11:05 RCF

TROOP K- Roadways are slick in spots, use caution. 0634 12/26/2009 KH

TROOP L- All highways in the area including the Will Rogers Turnpike (I-44) are still icy and slick. Most secondary roads are snow covered and are impassable. 12-26-09 1114 hrs. DJG

TROOP M- Roadways in all counties are open but continue to have some slick spots. 12/26/09 0730 TKB

STRATHDALE resident Damien Demaj was recently deemed the world’s best cartographer at the International Cartographic Conference at Santiago in Chile.

Damien Demaj was given the honour as the chief cartographer for the recent publication of EARTH, which was judged the world's best atlas at the 24th International Cartographic Conference.

Damien Demaj accepted the award on behalf of the Australian publishing company, Millennium House, and was thankful to have been recognised for his efforts. He said he was thrilled to have been given the award by an independent jury of seven professors and doctors of Cartography from the International Cartographic Association.

“It’s a tremendous honour as a freelance cartographer,” he said.

His achievement is made more significant by the fact that he did it all locally.

“Essentially I was in charge of the cartography for the book. This was all done from my studio here in Bendigo”, Mr Demaj said.

He said he hoped that his success would make people aware that beautiful maps still existed.

South Hadley-Residents in the US with Internet service will be able to access the town's GIS maps in January. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) will host this service, says report.

Town Planner Richard Harris said the advantages of having PVPC host the GIS database are many. It will give the public easy access to information that would otherwise have to be obtained by a trip or phone call to Town Hall, such as property valuations, zoning districts, voting precincts and polling locations.

The data management system will link planning, zoning and public works information, as well as from other departments, adding efficiencies for the departments, said Harris.

Contracting with PVPC will save the town money, as the service will be free for a year and cost just $1,500 the following year. The fee would be $2,000 more the second year if PVPC performs maintenance on the GIS maps, a service for which the Board of Assessors alone now pays $2,000 annually, Harris said.

If the town were to try and host the Web-based system, it would have to invest in computer server and information storage space, he said.

PVPC has already made the investment and expects to invest more money, because it views the service as part of the regional planning agency's mission, said Jim Scace, senior planner and GIS specialist. PVPC has pledged to keep the cost low in the future for towns that sign up for the service in its early stages, he said.

"We've looked at other systems and this is a fraction of the cost. It's a no-brainer," said Daniel Evans, the town's information services manager.

NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data for in-vehicle, portable, wireless and enterprise solutions, announced its NAVTEQ Traffic service is now available through an on-board turn-by-turn navigation application for the iPhone for the first time. The G-Map US & Canada navigation application was created by XROAD, a leading brand of location-based service products and mobile navigation software and devices, is powered by NAVTEQ map data and provides real-time traffic via NAVTEQ Traffic, for the US and Canada.

G-Map US & Canada is an upgraded version of the original G-Map application which was the first embedded GPS navigation software for iPhone and iPod Touch to offer turn-by-turn guidance. G-Map US & Canada now includes several new features including spoken street names (using text-to-speech technology) and real-time traffic through NAVTEQ Traffic. No wireless connection is needed to get a user to his or her destination.

NAVTEQ Traffic is a quality-tested, comprehensive solution that links up-to-the minute traffic information to map data and enables wireless transmission directly to in-vehicle navigation systems, personal navigation devices and cell phones. NAVTEQ Traffic delivers detailed information about road construction, traffic speeds and incidents such as accidents, allowing drivers to make better routing and re-routing decisions. NAVTEQ Traffic is available in 128 geographic areas, covering more than 200 million people in the United States and Canada.

"We believe navigation on handsets will be a constantly evolving construct but the one constant will be the requirement for consistent quality," said Sean Lee, Marketing Director, XROAD. "We took great pains to build a quality, user friendly experience which is supported by the quality inputs for traffic and maps that NAVTEQ is providing. Real time traffic is a natural combination that consumers not only desire but will fully appreciate."

"NAVTEQ recognizes that the integration of traffic content significantly enhances a consumer’s overall navigation experience, which is why we are committed to delivering traffic solutions that drive the everyday use of navigation,” commented Dave Dale, vice president, Americas Sales, NAVTEQ. "The XROAD application for the App Store is a compelling offering that has helped advance the way consumers perceive navigation by offering not only the peace of mind of turn-by-turn guidance, but also the potential for enhanced personal productivity."

China Wednesday successfully launched two of its satellites from the Tai-yuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province.

"Yaogan VIII" remote-sensing satellite and science researching mini-satellite, "Hope One" were put into the orbit by a Long March 4C carrier rocket.

"The 4C carrier's mission will be completed only when both the satellites reach their destination safely, said Wong Weiliang, CZ4C Chief Commander," according to a China Central Television news report.

The "Hope One" satellite will be used by young Chinese students and enthusiasts to study science aerospace and technology.

China, since 2006, has launched many Yaogan remote-sensing satellites into the space. Early this month, China launched Yaogan VII rom the Jiuquan satellite launch center in Gansu, China.

The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket.

Via brahmand.com.

GeoDecisions has been selected by the city of Hartford, Wisconsin in the US, to assist in the implementation of an enterprise GIS. The three-year project will include a variety of tasks, including system hardware and ESRI software package implementation.

The company has already accomplished GIS needs assessment and strategic plan for Hartford. Additional tasks include on-site support, database design, data conversion, custom application development, Web-based mapping, custom training, and ESRI-certified training.

This project will lead to greater efficiency in the day-to-day operations of the city and further enhance the delivery of information to citizens.

eSpatial announced the availability of its latest product iSMART6 in the market. This release provides new Geo-BI (Geo Business Intelligence) capabilities, web GIS capabilities and a new web user interface. eSpatial will also offer iSMART6 "in the cloud" as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution.

It eliminates dependency on traditional desktop client software. It is based on customer requirements for corporate GIS capabilities via web and driven by eSpatial's strategy. With iSMART6, eSpatial delivers a new product that combines the ease of use and deployment of consumer map products with all of the analytic and management capabilities of a GIS.

The GeoBI tools enable users to view and analyse information in a completely new way, with interactive charts and graphs, new ways of searching, displaying and reporting. Other new features include advanced web editing, new rules engine allowing administrators to define rules to validate data and users to run rules and review and correct rule exceptions. It has included the ability to integrate with salesforce.com.

Eamon Walsh, eSpatial CTO said, “The web editing functionality and Geographic Business Intelligence in iSMART takes this technology to the next level delivering powerful and robust editing and management capabilities into standard online business applications".

The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) announced it was unanimously voted into the full membership of the Coalition of Geospatial Organisations (COGO) during a meeting at the ASPRS/MAPPS 2009 Conference.

“To be voted into COGO by our peer national geospatial organisations is a great way for USGIF to accomplish its mission of bringing together geospatial intelligence stakeholders,” said USGIF President Keith Masback. “With this partnership, we hope to bring more awareness to the GEOINT Community as a whole.”

COGO is a recently formed coalition of 16 national professional societies, trade associations and membership organisations in the geospatial field, representing more than 30,000 individual producers and users of geospatial data and technology. The purpose of COGO:

-Providing a forum for organisations concerned with national geospatial issues that will improve communications among member organisations and others.
-Providing educational information on relevant issues for their respective memberships.
-Aligning and strengthening their respective policy agendas and facilitate development of strategies to address national issues.

“Geospatial intelligence is rapidly becoming recognised at the highest policy levels across the country as vitally important to the health, safety and welfare, security and prosperity of the nation,” said Cy Smith, COGO Chair.

Members of COGO include the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM), American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), Association of American Geographers (AAG), Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS), Geospatial Information Technology Association (GITA), GIS Certification Institute (GISCI), International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS), National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC), United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA).

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for the infrastructure that sustains our world, today announced that the digital version of The Year in Infrastructure 2009 is immediately available here, and print copies are available upon request. This 200-page yearbook highlights the extraordinary work of Bentley users improving the world’s infrastructure and the quality of life for us all. It features descriptions and color images of the more than 250 project nominations recognized, 17 winners honored in the 2009 Be Inspired Awards competition, and four recipients of Be Inspired Special Recognition Awards. In addition, it provides links to special Be Connected online seminars presented by Be Inspired Award winners and finalists. Each seminar offers insight into the design innovations and best practices employed to achieve the outstanding results that placed these projects among the top choices of the Be Inspired Awards judges.

James H. McGraw IV, group publisher, McGraw-Hill Construction, said, “The projects that infrastructure professionals design and build are changing and improving the lives of people everywhere. I am truly amazed at the impact these projects have on communities. This work is enhancing the lives of millions, and we congratulate these architectural, engineering, construction, and geospatial professionals on their remarkable achievements.”

CEO Greg Bentley said, “The extraordinary projects in our Year in Infrastructure 2009, like those in previous editions, are testament to the imagination, innovation, and dedication our users demonstrate in accomplishing the crucial task of sustaining the world’s infrastructure. Through this publication, we proudly recognize and share these remarkable achievements, which combine higher-performing infrastructure and more cost-effective project realization, with business entities, government officials, industry organizations, and the media. We want the world to appreciate, as we do, the incredible value of our users’ work to our society, to our environment, and to our global economy.”

To request a print copy of The Year in Infrastructure 2009, visit www.bentley.com/2009Yearbook.

ESRI and Trimble announced call for demonstration projects for mobile government initiatives. Twenty state or local governments will receive software, hardware and training to develop mobile government application templates introduction.

This 2009 Mobile Government Grant Series consists of two separate programmes, Mobile Standard and Mobile Advanced, which will award hardware, software, and training totalling a value of $89,980 to a total of 20 state and local government agencies. Ultimate goal of the programme is to foster innovative approaches to solving government problems through the combined use of GIS, GPS, wireless, and server technology.

ESRI and Trimble recognise that the leading thinkers and innovators of technology within government should be presented with opportunities to move their projects forward while sharing those efforts with their peers using a best practices approach. They support and encourage the spirit of public-private collaboration and call for demonstration projects from governments in all disciplines within the United States wishing to establish an integrated server and mobile GIS solution.

Applicants must thoroughly communicate an understanding of the technologies they intend to leverage and what it will take to implement them. Eligible applicants must have the capacity for GIS in their organisation. The programme is not designed to initiate a GIS programme but rather to enhance an existing programme. To view a full version of the disclaimer, visit the ArcScripts Web site.

Read more here.

ScanEx Research & Development Center (“ScanEx”) is now an official distributor of synthetic aperture radar data products from the Canadian RADARSAT-2 satellite, as reported. A distribution agreement between MDA Geospatial Services Inc. (“MDA GSI”), operator of the RADARSAT-2 satellite, and ScanEx was signed in Moscow on December 7, 2009 upon completion of the 4th International Conference “Earth from Space – the Most Effective Solutions”.

Co-operation between ScanEx and MDA GSI began in 2004 when a license agreement for RADARSAT-1 data reception and distribution in Russia and the CIS countries was signed. The RADARSAT-1 satellite is operated by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and MDA GSI has worldwide distribution rights. RADARSAT-1 data is downlinked directly to ScanEx’s UniScan network reception stations that have been certified by CSA and MDA GSI, and deployed in Russia (7 stations) and Kazakhstan (2 stations).

In Russia, RADARSAT-1 data is used primarily to provide operational satellite-based maritime and flood monitoring services, using proprietary ScanNet technology. Examples of RADARSAT-1 satellite products are shown for demonstration purposes on the web-portal “Kosmosnimki – the Seas of Russia” (http://ocean.kosmosnimki.ru/). This web-portal was opened in early December 2009 to demonstrate maritime oil pollution monitoring, ice situation and water-borne navigation status within the Russian seas using remote sensing satellites.

The application of RADARSAT-2 images will expand the possibilities of radar satellite monitoring of natural and man-made objects and phenomena. Primary areas of RADARSAT-2 data applications include maritime monitoring, forestry and agriculture, geology, cartography, operational monitoring during emergencies, monitoring of surface displacements of the Earth and objects on it using interferometric image processing. The RADARSAT-2 satellite has all 7 imaging modes available from RADARSAT-1 plus 5 more imaging modes. In addition it has 4 polarization types compared only 1 on RADARSAT-1.

At the 4th International Conference “Earth from Space – the Most Effective Solutions”, held in Moscow from December 1-3, MDA Sales Director Tom Hughes spoke about the unique advantages of the RADARSAT-2 satellite which provides the longest radar operation per orbit (28 minutes) and the largest swath width per scene (500 km) of all radar satellites currently in operation.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has received a number of inquiries asking about our response to the release of e-mail hacked from the Climate Research Unit at University of East Anglia. AGU finds it offensive that these emails were obtained by illegal cyber attacks and they are being exploited to distort the scientific debate about the urgent issue of climate change.

AGU's position statement on climate change

AGU reaffirms the position statement approved by AGU Council in 2007. This statement is based on the large body of scientific evidence that Earth's climate is warming and that human activity is a contributing factor. Nothing in the University of East Anglia hacked e-mails represents a significant challenge to that body of scientific evidence.

AGU policy requires that all position statements be reviewed after four years and updated as necessary. AGU's position statement on climate change will be reviewed in 2011 and modified as needed to reflect evidence of recent scientific research.

Scientific inquiry and publishing

AGU is, and always has been, firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of publishing excellence, including the objectivity and integrity of the peer review process for all our publications. We do not censor the authors of papers submitted to our journals or the editors of those journals.

Science and the scientific method is seldom a linear march to the “correct” and indisputable answer. Disagreement among scientists is part of the energy that moves inquiry forward. AGU’s publications in Earth and space science provide platforms for scientists to present the results of their original research in scholarly journals with high professional standards. The primary requirement is that the research passes through a rigorous peer review process.

In the area of climate research, AGU has published — and will continue to publish — excellent, peer-reviewed scientific findings without regard to whether those findings might be interpreted as supporting or contradicting prevailing views on climate change and the impact of human activity on climate.

AGU meetings as a forum for scientific exchange

AGU welcomes the participation of all scientists at its professional meetings and conferences. Scientists are not censored in any way, and abstracts are not peer reviewed. We view an AGU meeting as an open forum for scientific discussion. When we organize our meeting activities the conveners strive to put together sessions that are balanced in terms of the numbers of presentations per session, the breadth of treatment they provide on given topics, and the mixture of incremental and breakthrough scientific results they present. This process allows for those with opinions that fall outside the mainstream to present their ideas.

AGU Chapman Conference on the Exploration and Study of Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments (SAE)
Baltimore, Maryland USA
15–17 March 2010

Conference Objectives

The objectives of the conference are two-fold: first, to communicate to the wider community the most recent results and share expertise in planning subglacial aquatic environment (SAE) exploration programs. Secondly, to bring together a diverse group of experts that might not otherwise collaborate or interact to broaden the interdisciplinary nature of all aspects of SAE research. The conference will bridge existing knowledge to future research and will be a benchmark for SAE exploration and study. A longer-term objective is to create a sustainable, vibrant, and growing community of SAE researchers and enthusiasts.

Abstract Submissions

The Abstract submission deadline has been extended to 08 January 2010.

Review the list of submission instructions before preparing your abstract.

Program Committee

Robin Bell, LDEO, Columbia University (USA)
Jemma Wadham, University of Bristol (UK)
Kay Bidle, Rutgers, The State University New Jersey (USA)
Sergey Bulat, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russia)

Further Information

If you would like to receive future updates about this conference, e-mail chapman-subglacial@agu.org, or call the AGU Meetings Department at +1-202-777-7330.

The Meeting of the Americas is being held in Foz do Iguassu, 08–13 August 2010. The Program Committee will develop a Union-wide science program that will cover topics in all areas of geophysical sciences. With its majestic beauty, rich history, and tropical grandeur, the cosmopolitan city of Foz de Iguassu is an ideal venue for a productive meeting and a memorable experience.

Session Proposals Deadline: 31 December 2009 — 23:59h ET, or 03:59+1 GMT.

Members of the Earth and space sciences community are invited to propose a session for the 2010 Meeting of the Americas.

Visit "2010 Meeting of the Americas Session Proposals" guidelines.

SPIE Remote Sensing Conference
20 - 23 September 2010
Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis
Toulouse, France

Abstract Due Date:
22 March 2010

Present your research at Europe's premier event focusing on satellite imaging technologies: SPIE Remote Sensing.

This conference covers the latest developments in remote sensing, including next-generation satellites, SAR image analysis, and LIDAR technologies.

Papers are being accepted in these areas:
• Atmospheric Sensing
• Earth Surface Sensing
• Platforms and Systems
• Environmental Monitoring and Application

Advantages of Participating -- You will:
• Present to experts in the field
• Network with your peers
• See where your works fits into the global effort to monitor the earth

Submit your paper to SPIE Remote Sensing.

Even if you did not register for the MATLAB Virtual Conference, there is still time for you to access exclusive conference presentations, research products on the exhibit floor, and see why over 5,000 of your peers attended the MATLAB Virtual Conference.

This event is currently scheduled to close on January 15th.

See exclusive presentations by Cleve Moler, the first author of MATLAB; and Roy Lurie, the VP of MATLAB Development. With over 12 hours of conference presentations waiting for you, there is sure to be a session that will be of interest.

Explore three floors of exhibit space, where you can find the latest information on the MATLAB family of products, as well as several key product partners. Visit the Network Lounge and view the Forums to see what people were chatting about during the live event. You can still post and continue the discussions.

Track 1 - Do You Speak MATLAB?

Learn about the core capabilities of MATLAB for technical computing.

• Analyzing and Visualizing Data with MATLAB

• Developing Algorithms with MATLAB

• Developing and Deploying Applications with MATLAB

Track 2 - So, You Think You Know MATLAB?

Learn about the full breadth of the MATLAB product family.

• Speeding Up MATLAB Applications with Parallel Computing

• Object-Oriented Programming in MATLAB

• Indexing Techniques for Image Processing in MATLAB

Track 3 - How Far Can You Take MATLAB?

See innovative applications of MATLAB as part of the design and development process.

• Cummins Utilizes Large Scale Automated Data Analysis for Automotive Diesel Engine Development

• RWE Integrates a MATLAB Based Pricing Engine with SAP®

• Generating Embedded C Code from MATLAB

Track 4 - MATLAB Enabled Campus

Learn how MATLAB enabled campuses accelerate learning and discovery.

• Teaching with MATLAB / Tips and Tricks

• Technical Computing on Campus: A Curriculum View

• Quantitative Data Analysis for Life Sciences

• Tools for Symbolic Computing in MATLAB

Register for the conference.

Posters presented during the AGU Fall Meeting 2009 under the session title: Toward Phenological Assessments: Regional, National, Global.

Chair: Julio L Betancourt
Chair: Mark D Schwartz
Chair: Geoffrey M Henebry
Location: Poster Hall (Moscone South)

Facilitating Phenological Assessments at Local, Regional and National Scales: Year Two Progress of the USA National Phenology Network J. F. Weltzin

The USA-National Phenology Network Biophysical Program M. V. Losleben; T. M. Crimmins; J. F. Weltzin

Toward Phenological Assessments: The USA-National Phenology Network and Plant Phenology K. A. Thomas; J. F. Weltzin; E. G. Denny

The USA National Phenology Network Land Surface Phenology/Remote Sensing Phenology Program J. T. Morisette; J. F. Brown; G. M. Henebry

Incorporating Animals in Phenological Assessments: USA National Phenology Network Methods to Observe Animal Phenology A. J. Miller-Rushing; J. F. Weltzin

The USA-NPN Information Management System: A tool in support of phenological assessments A. Rosemartin; R. Vazquez; B. E. Wilson; E. G. Denny

A new approach to generating research-quality phenology data: The USA National Phenology Monitoring System E. G. Denny; A. J. Miller-Rushing; B. P. Haggerty; B. E. Wilson

Next Generation Data Model for Phenology Observations B. E. Wilson; E. G. Denny; M. D. Schwartz; A. J. Miller-Rushing; R. Vazquez; K. A. Thomas; A. Rosemartin; H. A. Shanafield

Building a Rich Community-Contributed Phenology Dataset: Lessons Learned from Winegrapes in California’s Napa Valley K. N. Cahill; D. R. Cayan; M. Dettinger

Potential for Water Salvage by Release of the Biocontrol Beetle, Diorhabda carinulata, on Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) Dominated Western U.S. Rivers R. S. Murray; P. L. Nagler; C. van Riper; D. Bean; E. P. Glenn

The phenology of roughness length – long term analysis from a Michigan mixed forest K. Maurer; G. Bohrer; P. Curtis; C. S. Vogel

Phenology and growth of different vegetation types in the Ent Dynamic Global Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (DGTEM) Y. Kim; P. R. Moorcroft; R. D. Koster; N. Y. Kiang

Impacts of phenology on estimation of actual evapotranspiration with VegET model. V. Kovalskyy; G. M. Henebry

The Relationship Between Seasonal Pattern of Photosynthetic Parameters and Plant Phenology G. Zhang; M. A. White

Growing C4 perennial grass for bioenergy using a new Agro-BGC ecosystem model A. V. Di Vittorio; R. S. Anderson; N. L. Miller; S. W. Running

A simple and robust method for remote sensing of phenology using green and red reflectance: GRVI-method T. Motohka; K. Nishida

MODIS VEGETATION PHENOLOGY METRICS ESTIMATED WITH AN ENHANCED TIMESAT ALGORITHM B. Tan; J. T. Morisette; R. E. Wolfe; F. Gao; J. M. Nightingale; G. A. Ederer; J. A. Pedelty

Altering Their Ecological Niche: Investigating the Response of Avian Migrants to Changes in Vegetation Phenology at Northern Latitudes M. E. Budde; D. H. Ward; C. R. Ely; C. M. Handel; J. W. Hupp

The relationship between climate and satellite-derived vegetation phenology Y. Gu; J. F. Brown; T. J. Hawbaker

Detecting crop growth stages of maize and soybeans by using time-series MODIS data T. Sakamoto; B. D. Wardlow; A. A. Gitelson; S. B. Verma; A. E. Suyker; T. J. Arkebauer

Cross-calibration of AVHRR and MODIS NDVI Conterminous United States Datasets T. Miura; J. F. Brown; Y. Gu

Modeling boreal forest performance with MODIS, site characteristics, and weather to monitor climate, management, and disturbance impacts. B. K. Wylie; K. Murnaghan; J. A. Rover; L. L. Tieszen; B. Brisco

Using Webcam Technology for Measuring and Scaling Phenology of Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) Infested with the Biocontrol Beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) on the Dolores River, Utah P. L. Nagler; T. Brown; P. E. Dennison; K. R. Hultine; E. P. Glenn

Dual Scale Trend Analysis To Evaluate Climatic and Anthropogenic Effects on the Vegetated Land Surface in Agricultural Russia K. de Beurs; G. M. Henebry

Contemporary Trends in Land Surface Phenologies from the Aral Basin Suggest Weather- or Irrigation-Driven Changes in GPP not Land Cover Change C. K. Wright; K. de Beurs; G. M. Henebry

Prospects for phenological monitoring in an arid southwestern U.S. rangeland using field observations with hyperspatial and moderate resolution imagery D. M. Browning; A. S. Laliberte; A. Rango; J. E. Herrick

Broad-scale Spatiotemporal Relationships Between Air Temperature, Sea Ice, and Northern Hemisphere Vegetation Phenology N. G. Platonov; D. C. Douglas; I. V. Alpatskiy; I. Mordvintsev

The Landsat Phenology Study (LaPS): Preliminary CONUS Results for 2008 G. M. Henebry; D. Roy; J. Ju; V. Kovalskyy

High-resolution Average Forest Phenology and Annual Residuals for Quantifying the Start of Spring and Summer Leaf-area Dynamics A. J. Elmore; S. M. Guinn

Phenologically informed re-ordering of Landsat to account for inter-annual variability: a method to map Ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) using remotely sensed imagery B. N. Isaacson; A. Singh; S. P. Serbin; P. A. Townsend

A Geospatial Approach to Mapping Bioenergy Potential of Perennial Crops in North American Tallgrass Prairie S. Wang; F. B. Fritschi; G. Stacy

Patterns in the Spring Phenology of High Elevation Western United States National Parks from 2000 to 2009 A. Hudson Dunn; K. de Beurs

Assessing the Moment Distance Metric as an Indicator of Spring Green-up Using MODIS NBAR Data and Lilac/Honeysuckle Bloom Dates E. L. Salas; M. D. Schwartz; G. M. Henebry

Towards a Phenological Assessment of California: Integrating Multiple Data Sources and the Implications for Statewide Analyses K. L. Roth; B. P. Haggerty; E. S. Bradley; M. P. Toomey; S. J. Mazer; D. Roberts

DigitalGlobe announced that the latest high-resolution satellite, WorldView-2, is expected to achieve full operational capability on January 4, 2010. The satellite is expected to complete its commissioning process by January 4, enabling DigitalGlobe to begin taking orders today for WorldView-2 imagery from its global resellers, partners and customers.

Jill Smith, Chairman and CEO of DigitalGlobe said, “Timeliness is becoming important to our customers. The combination of WorldView-2’s collection capacity and daily revisit capabilities, coupled with the ready availability of the current and complete coverage of the globe provided by our ImageLibrary, enables DigitalGlobe to deliver imagery faster to our customers. In addition, WorldView-2’s eight-band multispectral capabilities will offer industry-leading image quality providing for new and enhanced applications and services such as feature identification and change detection.”

WorldView-2 joins DigitalGlobe’s existing sub-meter satellites on orbit, QuickBird and WorldView-1, to enable an annual imaging capacity equivalent to three times the earth’s land mass. WorldView-2 collects multispectral imagery at 1.8 meter resolution and panchromatic imagery at 0.46 meters. The additional multispectral band capability provides more spectral information, supporting improved levels of analysis. In addition, WorldView-2 is capable of direct tasking and direct downlink to support broader base of customers demanding rapid dissemination of satellite imagery.

To learn more about DigitalGlobe’s advanced constellation of sub-meter satellites, please visit www.digitalglobe.com.

The GeoSpatial Solutions (GSS) division of Merrick & Company announced the online availability of the new version 6.0 Merrick Advanced Remote Sensing (MARS) software suite. Geospatial users interested in evaluating MARS may download either the 32-bit or 64-bit software installers directly from the Merrick website at www.merrick.com/MARS.

Developed to support users working with very large light detection and ranging (LiDAR) datasets, the MARS software suite is a robust, production-grade Windows application designed to manage, visualise, process and analyse LiDAR data. Boasting powerful visualisation capabilities and excellent data processing performance, MARS also supports high-resolution orthoimagery, GIS/CAD vector data and hyperspectral imagery.

ERDAS announced the technology preview of LPS eATE. It is a new module for generating high-resolution terrain information from stereo imagery. This technology preview provides a sample of the new ERDAS terrain processing solution. ERDAS eATE will be formally released in 2010.

It is an add-on module to LPS, an integrated suite of workflow-oriented photogrammetry software tools for production mapping, including the generation of digital terrain models, orthophoto production and 3D feature extraction. Automating precision measurement, maintaining accuracy and including flexible operations such as image mosaicking, LPS increases productivity while ensuring high accuracy.

LPS eATE is an ideal solution for both small and large terrain generation jobs. It utilises the power of multi-core computer systems and supports parallel processing across a networked group of computers. Providing an unparalleled environment for processing terrain data, LPS eATE can handle a wide range of data input, from satellite to airborne frame to digital pushbroom sensor. With modern airborne and satellite sensors achieving increasingly higher resolutions, LPS eATE maximises this image resolution and generates high-density results.

LPS eATE supports the ability to visualise imagery in 3D by associating RGB values with terrain points in a LAS file. It includes tools for producing LAS point clouds. The output point clouds can be classified and automatically filtered to remove undesired objects as an integrated part of the eATE process.

“Production mapping professionals are demanding experts who understand what accuracy and reliability mean. With an increasing number of sensors delivering vast amounts of raw imagery every day, they need to rely on powerful tools that boost their productivity,” said Mladen Stojic, Senior Vice President, Product Management & Marketing, ERDAS.

Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) has invited application for 2010 scholarship programme. CaGIS sponsors two scholarships to students whose research and accomplishments support the mission of CaGIS. The scholarships recognise academic achievement and encourage the continuing success of outstanding cartography, GIS, and geographic information science (GIScience) students. The scholarships also recognise achievement or potential for achievement in original research advancing the specific disciplines of cartography or GIScience. Winners are selected based on academic achievement, particularly in the calendar year prior to the award. Applications are reviewed by the CaGIS Scholarship Committee.

-CaGIS Masters Scholarship Award ($500): It is to be granted to a student enrolled in, or accepted into, a Masters’ degree programme during 2009 or 2010.
-CaGIS Doctoral Scholarship Award ($1000): This award is to be granted to a student enrolled in, or accepted into, a PhD degree programme during 2009 or 2010.

Winners are invited to present their research at an upcoming CaGIS-sponsored conference (such as AAG, GIScience, or AutoCarto) and may be eligible for limited travel or registration support if they choose to present.

According to eligibility criteria, candidates must be enrolled full-time in a four-year undergraduate or graduate degree programme during 2009 or 2010, studying cartography, geographic information science, or a closely related field. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member attesting to these eligibility requirements and to scholarly achievement and potential is required. Membership in CaGIS is not required, though professional and a service activity such as participation in CaGIS is one of the selection criteria. Prior scholarship winners are eligible to apply in subsequent years if all appropriate criteria are satisfied. Undergraduate applicants who have not yet been accepted into graduate school should request that their faculty advisor assess their potential for graduate study in their reference letter.

Applicants can visit http://www.cartogis.org/awards/ for complete application procedure. Applications must arrive no later than 5:00pm CST on January 15, 2010. The selected applicants for the scholarships will be notified on or near February 15, 2010.

SuperGeo has developed a digital map platform for emergency response. Taiwan Power Company and the Atomic Energy Council, under the Executive Yuan of Taiwan Government are looking to integrate different data, such as census and nuclear plant locations, into the GIS platform for display, browse and analysis. The developed system will be used during emergencies.

This system intends to create a reference for relevant units and decision-makers to have a basis for their decisions. Using SuperGIS Desktop as the fundamental platform for updating and displaying data, the system includes village census, the location of nuclear plants, the location of radiation hospitals and the amount of iodine tablets that they store. The system allows relevant units and decision-makers to easily and rapidly import real-time data for the system to automatically determine the emergency response that should be taken by each village.

Therefore, the time for calculation and updating data can be reduced and emergency response decisions can be made faster. This shall reduce the overall injuries, deaths and property losses. The evacuation information shown dynamically can also allow decision-makers to quickly find out the gathering points and evacuation routes available at each village, allowing them to quickly make decisions and publish their evacuation decisions for the general public.

ThinkGeo has released version 5.0 of Cygnus Track, the next major revision of its professional GPS tracking software platform. Cygnus Track 5.0 focuses on enhancing performance, improving the user experience and making it easier to track assets of all types.

Cygnus Track 5.0 introduces a new cloud-based hosting system that promises to vastly improve performance throughout the system. User interface upgrades deliver a larger map with more robust controls; greater customization of alerts for speeding, emergency situations and other events, and greatly enhanced controls for map icons and symbology that allow users to customize their tracking system to fit their exact needs.

GPS tracking is now more accessible with Cygnus Track, thanks to the introduction of Cygnus Track Starter Edition, an affordable GPS tracking option that provides all of the software's core features and tracking capabilities. Additionally, a free 30-day trial of Starter Edition is provided to all through ThinkGeo's website. New accounts are set up immediately and can be used right away, greatly simplifying the process of getting a tracking operation up and running.

Cygnus Track's Hosted, Enterprise and Integrator Editions have also been upgraded to provide even greater customization and control. Businesses of any size, including operations that span the globe, can take advantage of Cygnus Track's unprecedented flexibility to create the exact tracking solution they need. ThinkGeo also offers professional development services to help customers design their own custom tracking system.

ThinkGeo has also introduced a new avenue of free, online support at the Cygnus Track Support Forum, where users can post both pre-sales and support-related questions with no registration required. The Support Forum is available online at http://gpstracking.thinkgeo.com/ctforums.

ERDAS released LPS 2010. LPS Core now includes ERDAS MosaicPro (as well as IMAGINE Advantage). In addition, this release provides improved sensor support and increased performance. LPS is a powerful softcopy photogrammetry system for a variety of workflows, defence, remote-area mapping, transportation planning, orthophoto production and close-range applications. With automated algorithms, fast processing and a tight focus on workflow, LPS ensures productivity.

By adding ERDAS MosaicPro to LPS 2010, customers will have decreased memory use and greater processing speed, making it easier to mosaic a large number of images. As part of the streamlining of mosaicking across the product lines, it includes the merged functionality of the IMAGINE Mosaic Tool. In addition, there is a new illumination equalisation colour balancing method.

LPS 2010 is compatible in data processing from a wide variety of sensors. It is compatible for GeoEye and WorldView rigorous models from multiple formats, including NCDRD. There is the support for KOMPSAT RPC and RapidEye NITF RPC as well.

Other performance improvements include accelerated vertical datum handling when using large DEMs in ortho-resampling and calibration, as well as better memory handling in the Terrain Prep tool. The Terrain Editor has received several productivity enhancing interface changes. ERDAS has also added grid correction for modelling focal plane distortions in ORIMA. The computed grid can be imported to LPS.

For approved customers, LPS eATE preview provides an advance look at the new ERDAS terrain processing solution. It enables users to generate high-resolution terrain information from stereo imagery like never before, ensuring speed and accuracy, providing an unparalleled environment for processing terrain data from airborne and satellite sensors. This solution is currently planned for general release in early 2010.

“With an increasing number of sensors delivering vast amounts of raw imagery daily, production mapping professionals need powerful tools that boost their productivity,” said Mladen Stojic, Senior Vice President, Product Management & Marketing, ERDAS.

Hi everyone. Val and I are at the AGU Fall seminar right now in San Francisco, California. The 2009 conference will run until Friday, December 18.

We will be posting documents and other stuff on this blog that are related to AGU -- maybe later this week.

If you wanna meet us, we are presenting our posters on Thursday afternoon. We will be happy to chat with you.

See you.

Integrity Logic released Geograph WI. It is the latest version of the GIS for the iPhone/iPod platform, covering the state of Wisconsin. This release features over 40 layers of geographic data which can be combined and merged in any desired way. “The scope of this application is extending with each release,” said Max Tardiveau, founder of Integrity Logic.

Like its fifteen sister applications already covering eighteen states, Geograph WI contains a wide array of data layers which can be combined and moved in any desired way: geological map from the U.S. Geological Service, land elevation from NASA, hydrologic units, congressional districts, over 6,000 mineral resource data points and so on.

This release introduces a number of additional layers, which can be downloaded from the application: state assembly districts with link to the representatives’ web sites, 12,000 geodetic points with link to National Geodetic Survey details, cities and villages with link to Census Bureau’s statistics, dams and many more.

Geograph WI is a completely self-contained application. It does not require any Internet access. This is critical for anyone who needs access to this information when out of cellular range, in the field.
Geograph WI can use the iPhone’s built-in GPS and the iPod’s location service, and can also capture high-definitions maps, which can be retrieved from the device’s photo album.

A new collection of selected Landsat earth images worldwide, Global Land Survey 2005 (GLS2005), is now available for free download to any user around the globe.

Under a long-term partnership, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA periodically selected and processed thousands of the best-available Landsat satellite images, or “scenes,” into a Global Land Survey, recording baseline conditions across the Earth’s land surface such as forest cover, urban sprawl, cropland areas, glacier size, regional snow cover, drought status, wildfire scars, and coastal features.

Nearly 10,000 satellite images, each covering approximately 100 X 100 miles, are now available from the recently completed 2005 data set. All GLS images can be previewed and downloaded for free at either of two USGS web sites: Glovis or Earth Explorer.

The earliest GLS data sets, GLS1975 and GLS1990, were drawn from U.S. and international partner receiving-station archives of images.

SuperGeo has released SuperGIS DataRectifier 3. It is a set of data rectification tool for vector and raster layers. Like SuperGIS DataManager 3 and SuperGIS DataConvertor 3, SuperGIS DataRectifier 3 is the application of SuperGIS 3 products. Users can use the data rectification tool after the installation of any SuperGIS 3 series product.

It facilitates users to use a vector or raster reference layer with correct geodetic coordinates and use six parameters to rectify a layer without geodetic coordinates or with offset coordinates caused by some special factors. Therefore, the rectified layer can get the correct coordinates and can be overlaid with other layers or applied with other layers.

It enables users to edit, import, and export the coordinates of Geodetic Control Points (GCP) easily to improve the efficiency of GCP management. In addition, the brand new map browsing tools and the ways to browse and select GCPs are also improved. Thus, the rectification can be significantly accelerated and the accuracy of GCPs can be increased as well.

SuperGIS DataRectifier 3 supports file formats like *.LAN, *.JPG, *.GEO and *.SHP.

Remote sensing solutions provider DMCii has introduced 22m imagery to its geospatial image library, complementing its extensive 32m imagery. The new data offers double the number of image pixels per hectare to boost the effectiveness of the DMC system for precision agriculture and deforestation monitoring.

The DMCii image catalogue at www.dmcii.com is organised by geographical location, allowing visitors to preview sample imagery. The highly calibrated ortho-rectified imagery can be delivered for direct import into industry standard image processing applications.

Since the successful launch of the latest generation DMC imaging satellites on 29th July, both UK-DMC2 and Deimos-1 have been commissioned and carefully calibrated to match the existing DMC constellation satellites. The standard red, green and near infrared spectral bands have been selected to have the same characteristics as Landsat and provide a reliable data source for many Earth Observation applications with the added benefit of wide area coverage and daily imaging capability.

The two new satellites increase the DMC constellation imaging capacity twenty-fold, enabling DMCii to image the whole world several times per year if required. A direct downlink reception service will be available in Q1 2010 for customers with compatible ground stations, offering near real-time imaging.

About DMC International Imaging Ltd
DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) is a UK based supplier of remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMC data is now used in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

In partnership with the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and the other DMC member nations (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain), DMCii works with the International Charter: ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to provide free satellite imagery for humanitarian use in the event of major international disasters such as tsunami, hurricanes, fires and flooding.

DMCii was formed in October 2004 and is a subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, the world leader in small satellite technology. SSTL designed and built the DMC with the support of the BNSC and in conjunction with the DMC member nations Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain.

Contacts:
Robin Wolstenholme, Ballard Communications Management
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288
Email: r.wolstenholme@ballard.co.uk

Paul Stephens, Sales & Marketing Director, DMC International Imaging Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)1483 804299
Email: p.stephens@dmcii.com

Whether you are a first time attendee or a seasoned AGU member, you'll find a robust program covering all areas of Earth and space science. In addition to 1,293 sessions and 15,516 presentations, the AGU 2009 Fall meeting offers 15 named lectures, 24 Town Hall meetings and even webcasts! There are workshops to help you learn how to promote your work and spread news about science, a Career Center to help you find a job, 220 Exhibits and we expect to host 16,000 scientists from around the world!

Kickoff the AGU Fall 2009 Meeting with the Open Member Meeting on Sunday, 13 December, 1615h-1715h, Moscone West, Rooms 2020-2024. Join your fellow members and elected officers for a presentation, "A Time of Transition: Member Open Forum," and learn about the Union's plans for the future. An Icebreaker reception will be held immediately afterward, 1730-1900h, Moscone West.

AGU Important Information for Attendees

Registration Hours:
Sunday: 1200h -1830h
Monday-Tuesday: 0700h-1700h
Wednesday-Friday: 0730h-17:00h

Open Member Meeting:
Sunday, 13 December
1615h-1715h
Moscone West
Rooms 2020-2024

Exhibit Hall Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, 0930h-1800h
Friday, 0930h-1200h

The AGU booth (#701) will also be open Monday, 14 December from 0930h-1800h.

Visit the AGU booth and enter to win an iPod Touch!

Spatial Insights released CartoUS 2010, an up-to-date, affordable nationwide mapping database ready to ship or download. Based on the US Census Bureau TIGER files just released in October, CartoUS 2010 boasts 54 layers of mapping data packaged into layers by county, state, region, or nationwide. It includes an additional 18 tables of attributes.

The geographic layers of CartoUS 2010 include roads (primary, secondary, and local), Census boundaries (from block group and larger), metro areas, legislative and school district boundaries, water features, American Indian reservations and ZIP code tabulation areas. Military installations, Economic Census boundaries, landmarks, and railways have also been updated.

This annual update heralds six new layers over the last release, including the 111th Congressional District boundaries. Other new esoteric though useful improvements include name changes, explicit area measurement for polygons, and the addition of internal point coordinates.

Formats of the dataset are MapInfo ProfessionalTM TAB (with enhanced display characteristics built in) and ESRITM SHAPE file. Expedited delivery is available via ftp download. Puerto Rico and the US Territories are also available.

Check it out here.

ESi and 3-GIS have released WebEOC Mapper Professional 2.1 - the first product from their new joint venture company, Tucuxi ("Too-Koo-Shi"). With the new WebEOC Mapper Professional Version 2.1, decision makers at emergency operations centres can create a dynamic, geographically-based common operating picture without the need for specialised GIS or mapping experience.

This generation of Mapper is the only visualisation application with full two-way interaction with WebEOC software. Mapping and location functions are already built into the WebEOC core Board Builder tools - so with Mapper Professional 2.1 emergency managers can easily create WebEOC boards that automatically generate maps of captured information.

The new version 2.1 includes various ergonomically developed features: driving directions around roadblocks, live fire locations (from MODIS satellites), role-based security and audit logs, real-time GeoRSS data feeds (such as live earthquake feeds) and many more.

As the only mapping software specifically designed to work with WebEOC, Mapper 2.1 is supported by 24-hour ESi and Tucuxi customer service.

Pictometry is offering a $500,000 State Police Online Training (SPOT) grant opportunity to State law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. Under terms of the SPOT grant offering, Pictometry will provide qualified agencies with up to 200 seats of Pictometry Online (POL) and one year of access to aerial oblique and orthogonal imagery.

POL is combines intelligent images with the speed and convenience of the internet. Utilised primarily by mobile users to pre-plan and stage resources for critical response, the technology also enables users to cost effectively maximise the technology by deploying to multiple users quickly and easily.

Pictometry imagery is recognised by the rich visual detail it provides as well as the measuring and annotation capabilities it provides which enable users to see, measure and plan directly on imagery. Using a patented image capture system, Pictometry imagery reveals multiple views of properties and their surrounding areas as well as detailed structural information such as the front, sides and rooftop views of buildings and structures.

NASA Climate Change Grant was awarded to two UGA professors! University of Georgia professors in two schools have received a $447,000 grant from NASA that will offer undergraduate students a year-long combination of classroom and field classes studying the effects of climate change on birds.

NASA's three-year global climate change education teaching and research grant funds instruction activities that are scheduled to begin with fall 2010 classes. The grant will fund fall, spring and summer courses that will teach students about global climate change models, research methods and designing field experiments. The final course in the lecture and lab series—to be held during summer classes—will have students perform their experiments in the field. That field experience will make students more competitive for graduate schools and jobs, said Jeffrey Hepinstall-Cymerman, an assistant professor of landscape ecology in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Hepinstall-Cymerman said the students will use NASA data, models, spatial analysis, statistics and field methods while studying the effects of climate change on birds and bird migration.

“This training offers a unique opportunity for students to obtain an understanding of the complexities and challenges involved in predicting floral and faunal responses to a changing climate, in addition to exposing them to important field and analytical methods at the cutting edge of applied ecology,” he said.

Hepinstall-Cymerman and two other professors in the Warnell School, Robert Cooper and Michael Conroy, are lead investigators on the grant, which also includes Marshall Shepherd, a professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. As part of the grant, the team will install ground sensors at Whitehall Forest, a research forest located off campus and managed by Warnell, and at the Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research station to allow students to compare ground measurements with measurements made with NASA satellites. This will allow students to see how the satellite images covering large areas compare to detailed information gathered on the ground, Conroy explained. “This is an excellent example of how you use that technology to teach,” he said.

The effect of climate change on birds is sometimes overlooked when the controversial subject is debated, but Conroy notes that if springs continue to get warmer, then it affects when the primary food source for birds—insects—emerge.If birds don’t adjust to that change, he said, newly-hatched birds won’t have enough food.

Global climate models are key tools for studying aspects of climate change. Shepherd, through funding from a Northeast Georgia PRISM (Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics) grant, implemented a fully functional educational global climate model called EdGCM into weather-climate exercises in the department of geography. “I was familiar with the NASA-funded EdGCM model from my previous tenure at NASA and felt that it was the ideal platform for integrating climate modeling in an accessible manner for today’s ‘digital native’ students,” said Shepherd. He will assist with implementation of EdGCM into the project’s instructional activities and provide climate science expertise.

Although the NASA grant primarily funds instruction activities, the summer undergraduate research will offer undergraduate students the type of field research experience generally found only at the graduate level and will tie in with work Cooper is doing on breeding bird productivity along an elevational gradient at Coweeta. “The mountainside is a surrogate for climate change,” said Cooper, “and leafout and insect emergence will be later at higher elevations. Migrating birds that arrive in the spring to breed may be right on time to hit peak insect numbers at higher elevations, but not at lower sites, a phenomenon that is likely to be even more extreme with increasing global temperatures.”

RapidEye, the only geospatial solutions provider to own and operate a constellation of five identical Earth Observation satellites, released the German version of their online shop for satellite imagery today – “The RapidEye Geodata Kiosk”.

The RapidEye Geodata Kiosk is an online shop for satellite imagery with ready-to-use data available immediately after purchase. After a secure credit card payment is made, the data is ready to be picked up immediately via secure download.

All data available in the Geodata Kiosk are RapidEye Ortho Products (level 3A); orthorectified, five meter pixel sized imagery from the RapidEye satellite constellation, ready to integrate into any GIS system. In addition to the data for Germany this release also includes the data for 16 free demonstration products for potential customers to test.

“With the RapidEye Geodata Kiosk we have the ability to accommodate satellite imagery requests from almost anybody; from the GIS professional who might want to use the data as background imagery, to value adders, who can derive expert analyses from it, to the university student, as well as to my neighbor who might be looking for an image of Berlin for his home. By using the Internet to distribute our data we will be able to service large and small orders of our satellite imagery easily, quickly and automatically,” commented Wolfgang G. Biedermann, RapidEye's CEO. “With the release of our German version we are getting our 'feet wet', and we ask that everyone try it out so that we can work out any initial problems before we make a big splash with the roll-out of our international version in 2010.”

RapidEye plans to expand the Geodata Kiosk to include data products from around the world, with a dedication to providing continually fresh imagery and making data from almost every country on Earth available to anyone, anywhere at anytime.

“The big benefits for our customers are that they can choose and buy only the area they really need, as no minimum sized area is required and purchases can be made with as little as 50 Euro. Customers instantly get what they order and can choose between different delivery formats, including GeoTIFF and NITF. Re-projection on-the-fly between UTM and geographic coordinate systems is also an option that will appeal to our more knowledgeable customers,” comments Michael W. Prechtel, Head of Marketing and Sales for RapidEye.

The Geodata Kiosk can be accessed through the direct URL www.geodatakiosk.com, or by visiting RapidEye's website at www.rapideye.de. This initial version of the Geodata Kiosk may have minor system difficulties, but will not affect the quality of its data.

The RapidEye Geodata Kiosk is not the only way to obtain RapidEye satellite imagery, nor is the imagery available on the Kiosk all that's available from RapidEye. For the opportunity to purchase millions more square kilometers of Earth as single or multi-temporal datasets, RapidEye's library can be searched either through a local distributor or directly through the RapidEye Customer Service department at sales@rapideye.de. To find a distributor in your area, please visit RapidEye's website at www.rapideye.de/distributors.

Infoterra and its Malaysian partner IMS have now installed a TerraSAR-X Virtual Ground Station at the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA) in Kuala Lumpur: Following the delivery and installation of all necessary technical equipment as well as thorough training on the planning and ordering tool, Nikolaus Faller, Chief Operations Officer of Infoterra GmbH, officially handed the access key to Nik Mazlina Nik Mustapha, Head of Remote Sensing Data Services at MRSA, on Friday, Dec 4.

"From today, the MRSA will be able to access the ordering system, plan acquisitions, and task the TerraSAR-X satellite directly," states Azhar Salleh, Chief Executive officer of IMS. Describing the concept of a Virtual Ground Station, Nikolaus Faller adds: “At Infoterra, we will ensure the immediate processing and delivery of any data requested by the MRSA through our established ground segment. The data will be accessible for MRSA on our servers the minute the processing has been finalized“.

The contract includes not only the Virtual Ground Station, but large volumes of TerraSAR-X data that will be acquired and delivered throughout 2010. This data will be used for flood management purposes, as Malaysia is regularly affected by severe
flooding along its coasts as well as inland, and damages are often significant.

Based on TerraSAR-X data, Malaysians experts will create an up-to-date database for those regions regularly affected by flooding. “Based on this database, we will be able to initiate appropriate prevention measures and – in case disaster strikes – react more quickly and target our emergency response effort more effectively," says Nik Mazlina Nik Mustapha, outlining the purpose of acquiring this data. "The unique reliability of the weather-independent TerraSAR-X satellite, along with its excellent geometric accuracy, will surely be a key advantage in such time-critical situations. Its data will help us to prevent damages and maybe even save lives."

The privileged access to TerraSAR-X acquisition capacities via a Virtual Ground Station is exclusively provided by the German EADS Astrium subsidiary Infoterra GmbH, holder of the commercial marketing rights for the satellite's data and services. Around the globe, particularly customers that receive large amounts of data and/or require a quick and flexible tasking option, make use of this access concept.

OpenGeoscience - a free service where you can view maps, download photographs and other information. Use OpenGeoscience material free-of-charge for non-commercial private study, research and educational activities.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) has published a series of interactive geological maps onto OpenGeoscience, an online portal that has been unofficially dubbed "googlerock."

The maps will be available to the public free of charge. This is the first time free maps containing such a level of detail have been published online.

"OpenGeoscience provides the public with a wealth of geological information including maps, photos and digital data. Users can combine this with other environmental information to help them understand their environment," stated Dr Keith Westhead, head of information delivery.

The map has an interface similar to Google maps, where users can drill down into geological information in a particular area. It also includes the free provision of offshore maps, earthquake location information and samples of ground stability hazard maps.

And the portal provides software downloads to help geological mapping, free educational resources and access to a wealth of digital geological information and reports held by the BGS. Visit the portal for free GIS and Remote Sensing Data download.

ERDAS announced the availability of ERDAS 2010 annual software. It includes new and updated versions of ERDAS’ products to author, manage, connect and deliver geospatial information.

It includes new versions of ERDAS IMAGINE, LPS, ERDAS ER Mapper, ERDAS Extensions for ArcGIS, ERDAS ADE, ERDAS APOLLO and ERDAS TITAN Client. In addition, ERDAS is introducing several new products, including IMAGINE Feature Interoperability and IMAGINE SAR Interferometry, as well as a technology preview of a new automated terrain extraction capability in LPS eATE.

ERDAS IMAGINE 2010 is a fully integrated desktop authoring platform, incorporating image analysis, remote sensing and GIS capabilities. Featuring a new ribbon interface, ERDAS IMAGINE makes it easier for users to streamline workflows and customize their workspace. It also provides enhanced tools for parallel batch processing, spatial modeling, map production, mosaicking and change detection.

LPS 2010 is a powerful softcopy photogrammetry system for a variety of workflows, including defense, remote-area mapping, transportation planning, orthophoto production (for basemap generation) and close-range applications. LPS eATE enables users to generate high-resolution terrain information from stereo imagery like never before, ensuring speed and accuracy, providing an unparalleled environment for processing terrain data from airborne and satellite sensors.

ERDAS APOLLO 2010 is equipped to fully understand, competently manage and rapidly serve large volumes of vector, raster and terrain data. It implements Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Integrating ERDAS Image Web Server and ERDAS TITAN, ERDAS APOLLO is now available in three tiers to cater to any organization’s management, collaboration and delivery needs.

Product downloads, collateral and licensing information are available on the ERDAS website. Media kits will begin shipping later this month to software maintenance customers. Buy ERDAS software here.

From a record 96 abstracts submitted by international experts, the Annual international LiDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF) Technical Committee has organised a wide-ranging Conference program of 30 technical papers for ILMF10 which is being held in Denver, Colorado, USA from 3-5 March 2010.

The ILMF Conference agenda will be delivered by representatives of the major global LiDAR [Light Detection and Ranging] system manufacturers, service providers and government and national user organisations. Technical papers from examining the latest developments in LiDAR technology to reporting on recent projects from around the world, reflect the increasing use of LiDAR for fast, high-resolution and cost-effective data gathering in map making for urban areas, rural asset management and along flood plains and the coastal zone.

A new session at ILMF10 is devoted to Mobile Mapping, the cutting edge technology for development of digital maps for highways and urban areas. The accuracy and speed of data capture in the field by Mobile Mapping technology supersedes traditional survey methods, and applications for the data include 3D maps, advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle fleet management.

Conference Chairman, Alastair MacDonald from TMS International comments, ‘Mobile Mapping comprises complex integration of a number of sensors including high accuracy positioning, digital photographic and 3D imaging cameras and terrestrial LiDAR systems, all computer-linked and time-synchronised and contained on a single vehicle.

‘The advantages of Mobile Mapping are: the speed of data acquisition and the recording of “real world”, geo-referenced information; increased efficiency and productivity as many different forms of data are acquired simultaneously rather than requiring separate survey missions; and the accuracy of the data, resulting from the high resolution and precision of the sensors, which can be verified very quickly on site.’

A unique element to this event is the ‘Basics to LiDAR workshop series’ a two day workshop which caters to those that are new to the business and want to find out what LiDAR is, how it works, what the applications are, the cost benefits and how it compares with other mapping technologies. There will also be four sessions on Mobile Mapping.

The 10th Conference is supported by a major technical exhibition, consisting of the worlds leading LiDAR system and component manufacturers, operators and software companies.

Full details on ILMF10 including the conference program can be found at www.lidarmap.org.

The third generation full-functioned mobile GIS software, SuperPad 3, which is going to be released by SuperGeo Technologies will support Windows 7. Therefore, users will be able to use the powerful mobile GIS functions provided by SuperPad 3 on Windows 7.

SuperGeo Technologies has been dedicated to providing users with the professional GIS software with highly flexible structure so that users are able to accomplish their work more effectively and conveniently. Windows 7 has significantly improved the operating capability, so you are allowed to apply SuperPad’s powerful mapping and data processing performances on the high-efficient operating platform. Therefore, in the new operating system, SuperPad 3 can be definitely still used to fulfill your professional GIS needs.

In addition to SuperPad 3, the other SuperGIS 3 series products, like SuperGIS Desktop 3 which is expected to be released in 2010, will support Windows 7 as well.

Now, you can download the free trial of SuperPad 3 on www.supergeotek.com and experience the whole new, faster, more powerful SuperPad 3.

NASA to launch spacecraft that will survey asteroids, stars, galaxies in infrared light NASA's latest space telescope will scan the sky in search of never-before-seen asteroids, comets, stars and galaxies, with one of its main tasks to catalog objects posing a danger to Earth. The sky-mapping WISE, or Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, is scheduled to launch on Friday from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central California coast aboard a Delta 2 rocket.

If all goes as planned, WISE will orbit some 325 miles above the Earth and produce the most detailed map yet of the cosmos. It is designed to detect objects that give off infrared light or heat. Infrared light is ideal for uncovering dusty, cold and distant objects that often can't be seen by optical telescopes.

The mission is expected to find millions of hard-to-see objects, said principal investigator Edward Wright of the University of California, Los Angeles.
"It's really a mission to survey everything that's out there," Wright said. "What we're trying to do is make a map of the universe."

Scientists estimate it will take six months for WISE to peruse the entire sky. The spacecraft will circle the Earth 15 times a day and take about 7,500 images a day in four infrared wavelengths.

The spacecraft will also look for failed stars called brown dwarfs, gaseous balls that never quite gathered enough mass to set off the nuclear fires that cause stars to shine. Also of interest are galaxies that shine with the brilliance of more than a trillion suns.

Images recorded by RazakSAT, which orbited the earth along the equator will be made available to users, such as government agencies and bodies, beginning next year, said Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Fadillah Yusof.

He said the images recorded by the satellite were most important and they could be utilized for various applications such as precision agriculture, landscape mapping, disaster prevention, road network and urban planning.

"The RazakSAT satellite is now operating smoothly after its launch on July 14. The configuration process is still going on to sharpen the images produced," he said when met after launching the images recorded by RazakSAT. The event was being held in conjunction with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) 2009.

Fadillah said the images recorded by the RazakSAT satellite could also be used by the military to monitor activities along the country's border because the RazakSAT could record four or five images each day.

There were also countries located along the equator that were interested to obtain the images recorded by the satellite, he said.

The RazakSAT satellite is the world's first remote sensing satellite launched at the Near Equator Orbit (NEqO). The first image recorded by the satellite was on July 20 at Koh Samui, Thailand. About 200 images had been recorded by the satellite at several locations in Malaysia between September and November.

MapmyIndia and Europe based navigation software provider Sygic have come together to launch 'MapmyIndia Sygic Mobile Maps' to convert GPS-enabled mobile phones into GPS navigators, allowing seamless travel anywhere in India. The application uses existing MapmyIndia maps and Sygic software to offer an intuitive GPS navigation solution for mobile phones.

MapMyIndia assures that the application does NOT require GPRS data connection or cellular network to operate and for the same reason, will not result in the user ending up with inflated bills. Additionally, the application supports a wide variety of platforms -- including Windows Mobile, Symbian, Android and the iPhone. It also supports live, turn-by-turn voice and map instructions.

The application can be purchased through the MapmyIndia web shop or by calling MapmyIndia Customer Care on 09999333223/4. MapmyIndia will ship a CD, through which users can install the application and maps on their phone. There is a one time charge of Rs. 2,490 - the only charge you will ever pay for this. iPhone users can purchase and download the 'mobile maps India' application at price of US $79.99 from the iTunes app store.

The application boasts of detailed, comprehensive maps of over 401 cities across India with street-level turn-by-turn directions, as well as national, state and district highways. There is also a neat integration of information set on points of interest like budget/premium hotels, petrol pumps, eating joints, ATMs, hospitals as well as tourist and religious spots. Its very interesting feature is its synchronization abilities with the phone's contact list and the address list using which you can get turn by turn directions to your contact's home or office!

“US Topo” is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey. Digital US Topo maps are designed to look, feel, and perform like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known. However, in contrast to paper-based maps, US Topo maps provide technical advantages that support faster, wider public distribution and enable basic, on-screen geographic analysis for all users.

“The public’s high regard for USGS topographic maps stretches over a century,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “Because Survey maps consistently describe our nation’s entire landscape, they are the standard mapping reference for scientists, land managers, property owners, and every variety of outdoor enthusiasts. So I am very pleased that this new type of USGS topographic map not only preserves the best qualities of older topographic maps but now, in a popular digital format, can better serve both specialised users and the general public.”

Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, US Topo maps are available free on the Web. Each map quadrangle is constructed in GeoPDF format from key layers of geographic data — orthoimagery, roads, geographic names, topographic contours, and hydrographic features — found in The National Map, a nationwide collection of integrated data from local, state, federal, and other sources.

“These digital maps can be as simple or as sophisticated as the need dictates, easily customised on the spot”, said USGS Director Marcia McNutt.

US Topo users can turn geographic data layers on and off as needed, zoom in and out to highlight specific features or see a broader context, and print the maps — in their entirety or in customised sections — on a wide variety of printing devices. File size for each digital US Topo 7.5-minute quadrangle, about 15-20 megabytes, is convenient for most computer users. Electronic analytical tools are also available for free download.

Mark DeMulder, Chief of the USGS National Geospatial Program said “Here is how US Topo differs from most other electronic maps:

- Nationally consistent data quality assured to high standards
- Looks and feels like legacy paper USGS topographic maps but has technical advantages
- Can be used on the computer or printed to scale
- Down loadable free from the on-line USGS Store
- Users can select from various reference systems, e.g lat-long, UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)
- Direct “mash-up” capabilities with Google Maps
- Continuous evolution and incorporation of additional data layers.”

Further information about how to download and use US Topo, currently available coverage, and the timetable for production of US Topo maps can be found online at: nationalmap.usgs.gov/ustopo.

In preparation for its smart grid initiative, Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is using mobile GIS technology from ESRI to conduct a thorough field collection of data about its overhead and underground facilities.

"Our GIS system is going to be really the heart and soul of the smart grid initiative," said Bill Wickersheim, GIS administration supervisor for Imperial Irrigation District. "Our main goal is to collect all the data about everything we have in the field so that the proper departments can do the planning they need to do to upgrade our system."

While IID prepares to implement a smart grid, the collected GIS data is already benefiting other departments. IID's environmental department is using field data in its GIS for right-of-way and habitat analysis. The real estate department is using it for right-of-way negotiations, deed research, and territory negotiations with neighboring Native American tribes. The utility's legal department is using GIS data to stay abreast of regulatory compliance. The right-of-way department is using the data to obtain permits for geothermal and mineral research.

"GIS traditionally plays a strong role in all aspects of the utility, and it becomes crucial when implementing a smart grid," said Bill Meehan, ESRI's director of utility solutions.

Microsoft updates Bing Maps with Streetside eye-level views and a Twitter feed.

Microsoft on Dec. 2 released new features for Bing, its search engine, set to roll out over the next few days. Prominent among these new features is the beta version of the updated Bing Maps, featuring Streetside and Photosynth imagery. Although Streetside works very similarly to Google's Street View, in that it offers an eye-level perspective on local terrain, Microsoft took pains on the official Bing Blog to imply differences between the two applications.

Many of the adjustments to Bing Maps seem to echo a Microsoft mission to pair traditional online cartography with real-time information from the Web. Particularly in that spirit is Twitter Maps, which displays Tweets originating from particular geographic locations; for example, typing in "New York" will display the most recent Tweets originating from Bryant Park, a Madison Avenue bar and other locations, marked by a Twitter-branded pin on the Bing Map.

Other "Map Apps" include current traffic, live traffic video feeds from across the United States, local attractions and businesses, a hotel finder, Photosynth, and Signs & Billboards. A feature called Local Lens indexes local blogs from around the country, showing events happening within particular communities.

There is also a new Bing for Windows Mobile application with "improved auto-locate and voice search". The application allows users to speak a search query into their phones and provides streamlined access to maps and driving directions, quick bookmarking of local businesses and locations for later reference, and saved favorites and recent searches.

Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA announced on Tuesday that from January 2010 its aircraft will be equipped with sensors to allow the use of the GPS Landing System, a landing and takeoff system and Vertical Situational Display, a tool for determining the aircraft's position in relation to the ground.

The GPS Landing System allows the plotting of curved segments in a single procedure, with increased accuracy and safety, enabling continuous ascent or descent.

Vertical Situation Display enables pilots to accurately identify information on ground relief and obstacles from the cockpit, by providing an additional tool for monitoring the position of the aircraft in relation to the ground.

The City of Toronto has joined a handful of other cities around the world in making its municipal data open to the public.

Toronto major David Miller launched toronto.ca/open, the city's official data set catalogue, at the Toronto Innovation Showcase in early November.

The site includes "an initial group of data sets ranging from apartment inspection data to child care data availability to dozens of GIS mapping data (sets) that will enable a broad range of location-based applications," he said.

An independently developed companion site, datato.org, that allows the public to request new data sets, set priority levels on the data sets by casting votes and enter discussions and debates launched the same day.

Miller initially announced that efforts were underway to create "a library of open data in machine readable formats" at the Mesh Conference for Web developers this spring.

"Anyone can download, analyze and mash up our data or write applications to make it more accessible and useful. It is an invitation to Torontonians to do what they do best: create, innovate and build a better city," Miller said.

Open data is happening in at least five other cities in a big way, according to City of Toronto CIO Dave Wallace, who also spoke at the Toronto Innovation Showcase.

Proactive disclosure is key, according to Wallace, who pointed out that about 90 per cent of data is routinely available. "We just have to get it out there," he said.

Context is another key element, noted Wallace. It's important for everyone to understand what is in these data sets and to understand the codes, he said.

The majority of data that is opening up is GIS, said Wallace. Initial data sets include Toronto Centreline data, address points, business improvement areas, apartment standards for by-law infractions against buildings, day care centres and city subsidized spaces, TTC schedules and events.