Earth & Space Science
EXPLORING YOUR WORLD THROUGH GOOGLE EARTH.
Millions of people have used Google Earth as an interesting way to look at their house or town, but it has many more capabilities that can be used to view and understand the world around us. Students will learn how to use these capabilities through classes introducing the principles of remote sensing and hands-on instruction on how to use Google Earth and manipulate content, combined with daily outdoor activities around the UAF campus.
Studies will involve students collecting their own data using digital cameras, global positioning system (GPS) devices and resources on the world-wide-web. Examples include:
o Arial photography captured using digital cameras and high-tech balloon based cameras
o Searches and mapping using GPS devices
o Use of infrared video cameras
o Viewing high resolution satellite imagery of students’ hometowns and geographical features
o Playing in 3-dimensional environments using your own graphics
o Activities include day fieldtrips to Denali National Park and visits to the Alaska Satellite Facility, Poker Flats Rocket range and Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Students will also visit scientists at UAF who use remote sensing techniques and instruments on a daily basis for research and real time monitoring of impending volcanic activity.
Instructors:
Dr Peter Webley is an Assistant Research Professor at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. He received a BS (1997) in Geophysical Sciences and an MS (1998) in Atmospheric Sciences from University of East Anglia, UK, and a PhD (2003) in Remote Sensing from University of Reading, UK.
He grew up in Paignton, Devon in the United Kingdom, moving to Alaska in December 2005, after a postdoctoral fellowship at Kings College London. From 2005 – 2008, he was a postdoctoral associate fellow of the Alaska Region Supercomputing Center at UAF.
Since his arrival in Alaska, he has been involved in volcanic ash prediction, Google Earth applications and satellite detection of ash clouds. In addition to working at the Geophysical Institute, he works as part of the Alaska Volcano Observatory. On Feb 24th 2009, he was the speaker on volcanic ash clouds and eruptions in the North Pacific as part of the UAF Science for Alaska Lecture Series.
http://www.uaf.edu/scienceforalaska/fbx-lectures/volcano-detectives-locati/
Dr. John E. Bailey, UAF Department of Geography