Satellite images captured the catastrophic floods that hit Pakistan on August 1, 2010 the worst since 80 years which have affected 14 million people. As many as 12 million people have been affected by the torrential rains and floods and about 1,300 people have died.
A total of 650,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed and up to 500,000 people are homeless in Punjab province. At least 1.4 million acres of farmland were destroyed in the province, where people rely heavily on agriculture for food.
Pre-Flooding – Nowshera, Pakistan-October 7, 2007
QuickBird satellite image of Nowshera and the surrounding area.?? (credit:DigitalGlobe)
Post-Flooding – Nowshera, Pakistan-August 5, 2010
Worldview-2 satellite image of Nowshera and the surrounding area.?? (credit:DigitalGlobe)
The satellite images above were taken from the Worldview-2 and QuickBird satellite sensor and shows the pre and post flooding in northern Pakistan standing water burying farmlands and settlements.
Flooding of the Kabul River meanders over flat ground near the area, and standing water outside of the river's banks formed large loops of water similar in shape to the river's path. Flooding is especially severe in the northwest, although this may result partly from the absence of many high-profile features in that area.
Satellite Imagery and Mapping of Natural Disasters
Emergency managers use remote sensing and mapping tools such as satellite imagery and GIS can facilitate critical decision-making before and after a disaster impacts an area.?? In the early, crucial stages of a disaster or emergency and throughout the disaster process, managers use satellite imagery and GIS products because they provide important information, in quick and easy-to-understand formats.
Remote Sensing gives state and government agencies the ability to view the damage from multiple vantage points. The spatial resolution of an image determines the ability to view individual features such as buildings and bridges. It also affects the ability to monitor and assess damage conditions, and depends on the nature of the hazard itself.
To view photos of the flooding in Pakistan visit here.
To view our YouTube channel and watch a video on “Satellite Image Gallery of Natural Disasters – Floods, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Tsunamis” and more.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite images support the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response and cleanup with spill mapping including documenting the condition of coastal wetlands before oil landfall. Satellite imagery will assist?? response teams in forecasting the trajectory of the oil and in documenting changes in the ecosystem.
Satellites can document the overall extent of the oil but cannot distinguish between the sheen and thick patches. While the sheen represents most of the area of the slick, the majority of the oil is concentrated in the thicker part. Satellite images should be able to identify the thicker parts, helping oil spill responders know where to deploy oil-skimming boats and absorbent booms.
This half-meter resolution satellite image (above) features a portion of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. Streaks of oil blown by wind and currents can easily be seen against the darker colored water. The image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite from 423 miles in space on April 29, 2010 as it moved from north to south over the United States at a speed of four miles per second.
Researchers also plan to measure changes in vegetation along the coastline and assess where and how oil may be affecting marshes, swamps, bayous, and beaches that are difficult to survey on the ground.
Researchers and scientists will be:
* Collecting satellite imagery to assess the impact on wetlands and coasts
* Developing maps showing NOAA projections of spill trajectory with respect to DOI Lands
* Collecting samples to ascertain source and levels of toxicity to soils and water systems
* Conducting tests to determine cause of mortality of wildlife
* Developing models that depict how local tidal and current conditions will interact with seafloor bathymetry to carry oil over barrier islands
* Providing decision support tools to help DOI land managers mitigate the effects of the oil spill and assist in restoration efforts
WorldView-2 Satellite Image of Gulf Oil Spill
(Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)
This is an enhanced satellite image of the oil spill and clean up effort in the Gulf of Mexico.
This image leverages the different sensor bands of the WorldView-2 satellite to highlight the oil and dispersant.
The oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig occurred after an explosion on April 20, 2010 and various methods of containing the oil spill have been developed, including controlled burns, domes over the oil spill, and the use of remotely operated vehicles to manipulate equipment on the sea floor.
To watch a time lapse video of satellite images of the Gulf Oil Spill visit here.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite images of the construction and newly completed Cape Town Stadium (also known as Green Point Stadium) in Cape Town, South Africa a 68,000 seat multi-purpose stadium built for the FIFA World Cup 2010.
(Image Copyright ?? DigitalGlobe 2010. All Rights Reserved.)
The Green Point Stadium which was demolished in 2007 with a 18,000 seat capacity hosted many football matches including the Santos Football Club and Ajax Cape Town at different points and to various popular music concerts including Michal Jackson.
Construction began in March of 2007 and took?? 33 months to complete costing approximately US $600 million. The stadium was completed in December of 2009.
(Image Copyright ?? GeoEye 2010. All Rights Reserved.)
The stadium is located in Green Point, between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, near the Cape Town city center. The stadium will host first round, second round, quarter, and semi-final matches. GeoEye-1 .50-meter resolution collected this image September 11, 2009.
After the 2010 World Cup, the stadium will be reduced to a capacity of 55, 000 and will cater to various sports, including rugby, as well as music concerts and other major events.
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
IKONOS Satellite captured a satellite image of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupting on Wednesday, sending ash drifting over Europe. Three of the biggest airports – Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt were closed due to excessive ash cloud coverage. The ash cloud is now spreading towards Greece.
IKONOS (1m) Satellite Image of Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Eruption in Iceland
(Image credit: GeoEye)
This one-meter resolution satellite image features the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano, located in southern Iceland near the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier. According to news reports, the volcano erupted on March 20,2010 for the first time in almost 200 years. The image was taken by the IKONOS satellite from 423 miles in space on March 31, 2010 as it moved from north to south over Iceland at a speed of four miles per second.
To watch video on Eyafjallajokull Eruption go here.
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite images captured the damage of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Yushu, China last week. The quake struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu Wednesday and has left 12,135 injured, of whom 1,434 are in serious condition.
The death toll has climbed to 2,039 from the earthquake in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, with 195 people still missing, according to the rescue headquarters.
GeoEye-1 (0.5m) satellite image of Yushu, China, was taken one day after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the area April 14,2010. Although high-rise buildings appear to be standing, likely due to modern construction standards, there is extensive destruction to smaller structures in the lower left quadrant of the image. These smaller dwellings have been largely reduced to rubble. Vehicles crowd the main street near the town square along the river where people have gathered and temporary structures have been erected. Bridges appear to be intact but could be damaged. The satellite image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite sensor from 423 miles in space on April 15, 2010 as it moved from north to south over China at a speed of four miles per second.
Yushu, China
Pre Earthquake1 QuickBird (0.61m) Satellite Image Collected November 6, 2004
(Image credit: DigitalGlobe)
Yushu, China
Post Earthquake
QuickBird (0.61m) Satellite Image Collected April 15, 2010
(Image credit: DigitalGlobe)
In Gyegu, thousands of wood-earth buildings collapsed and many larger structured were heavily damaged or destroyed. At an elevation of 3,700m (12,000 ft) and connected by few roads, most of which were damaged in the quake, is difficult to reach for the response teams.
Rescuers continue to search for survivors as homeless residents work to recover what they can and set up shelter from the freezing overnight temperatures.
To view more photos of the earthquake, visit here.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Europe’s first mission dedicated to studying the Earth?s ice was launched April 8, 2010 from Kazakhstan. From its polar orbit, CryoSat-2 will send back data leading to new insights into how ice is responding to climate change and the role it plays in our ‘Earth system’.
CryoSat-2 was placed into orbit 700 km above the Earth by a Russian Dnepr rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch operator is Kosmotras.
CryoSat will be the third of ESA's Earth Explorer satellites in orbit, following the launches of GOCE (in March 2009) and SMOS (in November 2009).
The 700 kg CryoSat spacecraft ' whose name comes from the Greek kryos meaning cold or ice ' carries the first all-weather microwave radar altimeter. The instrument has been optimized for determining changes in the thickness of both floating sea ice, which can be up to several meters, and polar land ice sheets, which in Antarctica can be close to 5 km thick. The mission will deliver data on the rate of change of the ice thickness accurate to within one centimeter.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Artist sketch of GeoEye’s next-generation, high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite, GeoEye-2 orbiting above the earth. GeoEye selected Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to build GeoEye-2, which is expected to launch in late 2012. Once launched, the satellite will provide the world’s highest resolution and most accurate color imagery to government and commercial customers.
Photo credit: GeoEye/Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company
The third generation satellite will provide same capabilities as the GeoEye-1 satellite but will provide customer demands for??increased quantities of imagery at higher resolution.
Lockheed Martin built GeoEye’s IKONOS satellite. Launched in 1999, IKONOS has exceeded 10 years of successful on-orbit operations. It continues to provide high-resolution imagery of the Earth to GeoEye’s commercial and government customers around the world.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite images captured the amazing architecture of the city of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE (United Arab Emirates). Abundant in oil, architecture, and global tourism, these cities are one of the world’s most attractive and rapidly developing leisure destinations that offers state of the art modern architecture and facilities offering the highest in comfort and luxury for the traveler or business professional.
also known as Burj Dubai – Tallest Building in the World
Courtesy of GeoEye
Dubai
Having existed for more then 150 years, Dubai was created with the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Over the years Dubai’s sophisticated buildings and structures have amazed the world as a popular destination business hub and highlighted human rights issues concerning its largely foreign workforce.
The Jebel Ali free zone, comprising the Jebel Ali port (reputedly the world’s largest man made port) was established in 1979, which provided foreign companies unrestricted import of labor and export capital. This allowed the city to develop the Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City.
The recent completion of the construction of Burj Al Arab, the world’s tallest freestanding hotel (image above), as well as the creation of new residential developments, were used to market Dubai for purposes of tourism.
Click on link or satellite image to view animation
Satellite Image Courtesy of Space Imaging Middle East
Along the coast of Dubai are human-made islands. The construction process for the Palm Islands involved dredging sand from the bottom of the Persian Gulf and then spraying the sand over the areas to create the desired shapes. Satellite imaging technology has played a role in the construction of these islands, as the sand-spraying ships rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite readings to locate their targets.
For more information on The Palm Islands visit here.
ASTER Satellite Image of Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Jumeirah
and The World Islands
Courtesy of NASA/Japanese Space Team
Dubai’s population has doubled every ten years since 1971. The city has seen an increase in private real estate investments in recreating Dubai’s skyline with such projects as The Palm Islands and Burj Khalifa.
Abu Dhabi the 2nd largest city is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and home for the Emirati Royal Family. Abu Dhabi also hosts many oil companies and has grown to become a cosmopolitan metropolis which has progressively grown over the years. While not as cosmopolitan or as sophisticated as Dubai, Abu Dhabi is a modern city with broad boulevards, tall office and apartment buildings, and busy shops. At present, Abu Dhabi boasts the worlds highest absolute and per-capita level of sovereign wealth funds.
Satellite image above of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, located on Yas Island, will open in 2010 and is set to be the world's largest indoor theme park. The 150-foot tall red steel roof was designed as the classic body shell of a Ferrari GT car and includes a 200-foot Ferrari logo. The park will also include a Formula One spec race track that will host the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and other racing events. GeoEye-1 .50-meter resolution collected this image on October 2009.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite Images captured the damage of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile on February 27th. The earthquake was so sudden, people were shocked when it occurred. The intensity of the quake was so devastating that it caused blackouts in some areas of Santiago, Chile's capital city.
QuickBird Satellite Image (0.6m) – Pre Earthquake/Tsunami
Reports of hundreds of bodies have been found and possibly more will be discovered. Police and military troops are posted on street corners to prevent looting and chaos. Many of the city’s 500,000 inhabitants are short of food, water and electricity was cut off.
Military helicopters carrying relief supplies landed Tuesday in the coastal town of Concepcion, which was in ruins following the 8.8 magnitude quake and tsunami.?? A makeshift morgue was established in a gymnasium, where bodies lay on the floor for identification and the names of the dead were posted outside.
The earthquake was so powerful that it likely shifted Earth’s axis and shortened the length of a day, NASA announced Monday.
By speeding up Earth’s rotation, the magnitude 8.8 earthquake shortened an Earth day by 1.26 millionths of a second, according to new computer-model calculations by geophysicist Richard Gross of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
Gross also estimates that the earthquake shifted Earth’s figure axis by about three inches (eight centimeters).
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
Satellite images of Whistler Olympic Park and Cypress Mountain in Canada hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games a major international multi-sport event held on February 12'28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America. Whistler has over 8,000 acres, the highest peak-to-peak gondola and the longest unsupported lift in the world.
GoeEye-1 satellite image (0.5 meter resolution) below features Cypress Mountain, located in Cypress Provincial Park, adjacent to the District of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Freestyle skiing and snowboard events are held here. The image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite from 423 miles in space on Feb. 19, 2010 as it moved from north to south over Canada at a speed of four miles per second. (Image credit: GeoEye)
This is a Worldview-2 satellite image (0.5 meter resolution) below of Cypress Mountain, Olympics Venue in Vancouver, Canada for moguls, aerials and snowboarding competitions.?? (Image credit: DigitalGlobe).
The satellite image below of Whistler Olympic Park was taken by GeoEye's IKONOS satellite (1 meter resolution) from 423 miles in space on Jan. 16, 2010 at 10:35 a.m. (local) time as it moved from north to south over Canada at a speed of four miles per second. Nordic and sliding events are held here. (Image credit: GeoEye)
QuickBird Satellite Image (0.6 meter resolution) below of Whistler Olympic Park Vancouver, British Columbia – Slide Center. (Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)
Whistler is a resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Vancouver.
All alpine skiing events are being held on Whistler Mountain and sliding events (bobsleigh, luge and skeleton) are being held on Blackcomb Mountain. Cypress Mountain (located in Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver) is hosting the 2010 freestyle skiing (aerials, moguls, and ski cross), and all 2010 snowboard events (half-pipe, parallel giant slalom, snowboard cross).
Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and mountain biking at Whistler-Blackcomb. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s.
About Satellite Imaging Corporation:
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).
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