Abstract

TerraLook: Providing Easy, No-Cost Access to Satellite Images
Track: Parks and Natural Reserves
Author(s): Gary Geller, Sujoy Chaudhuri, Gene Fosnight

Access to satellite images has traditionally been limited to
remote sensing scientists with the necessary tools and expertise,
even though other communities, including conservation,
education, urban studies, and development, could also benefit
from them. This situation has resulted in underutilization of the
data. Fortunately, these access hurdles can be overcome with
data and tools appropriate for underserved communities.
TerraLook provides a time-series of no-cost georeferenced
images in standard jpeg format that can be used with any GIS
tool; an open source software tool is also provided for those
who lack their own. Together, these make satellite images and
analysis capabilities available to people lacking either the
needed experience with remote sensing or the resources to buy
images or commercial software, or that simply desire free,
quick, and easy access to good-looking images. The data
includes historical Landsat images going back to the mid-
1970's, as well as current ASTER data.

Gary Geller
NASA/JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena , California 91109
United States
Phone: 818-354-0133
E-mail: Gary.N.Geller@jpl.nasa.gov

Sujoy Chaudhuri
Ecollage
11A Rajiv Nagar
Pune 411014
India
Phone: +91 9960642505
E-mail: chaudhuri.sujoy@gmail.com

Gene Fosnight
SAIC
USGS EROS
Sioux Falls , South Dakota 57198
United States
Phone: +1 605-594-6051
E-mail: fosnight@usgs.gov