Landsat 8 is Operational

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Landsat Mission News
Welcome Landsat 8!

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have collected information about Earth from space. On February 11, 2013, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) was launched successfully to continue the repetitive acquisition of high quality multispectral data of the Earth’s surface. Since launch, checkout activities have included systems initialization and calibration activities, directing the spacecraft to perform orbit maneuvers, and moving into operational orbit (WRS-2).

On May 30, 2013, the checkout period was completed, and the USGS officially became the operational manager of the Mission during an official ceremony. The Landsat Data Continuity Mission will henceforth be known as Landsat 8. Landsat 8 is designed for a 5-year lifespan, and carries 10 years of fuel onboard. Data products from Landsat 8 are now available for download to all users at no charge from EarthExplorer (http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov), GloVis (http://glovis.usgs.gov), and the LandsatLook Viewer (http://landsatlook.usgs.gov)!

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Landsat Product Information
Landsat 8 Data Product Details

The data products available from Landsat 8 are processed to be consistent with Landsat 1 through 7 data products. The Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instruments onboard are providing over 400 new scenes per day.

Processing details include:

GeoTIFF output format
Cubic Convolution (CC) resampling method
30-meter (OLI multispectral); 15-meter (OLI panchromatic); 100-meter (TIRS) pixel sizes
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) map projection (Polar Stereographic in Antarctica)
World Geodetic System (WGS) 84 datum
MAP (North-up) image orientation
Data products are 16-bit

Landsat 8’s additional bands will create a larger data file size, at approximately 1 GB with compression. (See http://landsat.usgs.gov/band_designations_landsat_satellites.php for band designations for all Landsat sensors). More information can be found at http://landsat.usgs.gov/LDCM_DataProduct.php.

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Product News
New Multispectral Scanner (MSS) Data Available

The workhorse of the Landsat 5 mission was the Thematic Mapper (TM) instrument. After the TM sensor failed in November 2011, the Multispectral Scanner (MSS) instrument was brought back online a few months later. The MSS had not acquired data for over a decade.

While the MSS was acquiring data, the Landsat ground station was crafting new capabilities to ingest the raw instrument data. The data have recently been successfully ingested and are available from EarthExplorer, GloVis, and LandsatLook Viewer. More details on the new MSS data are available at http://landsat.usgs.gov/NewMSSProduct.php.
Old Metadata Format Removed

Since August 2012, all Landsat products have included a new metadata format to align with operational data from the Landsat Data Continuity Mission/Landsat 8. The historic metadata file was included to allow users enough transition time to adjust to the new format.

Although a number of scenes will continue to have both metadata files until the data is removed from Downloadable status and reprocessed, Landsat scenes processed after April 29, 2013 will no longer have the “*_MTLold.txt” file.
Landsat 8 Quality Assessment Band Information

The new Quality Assessment (QA) band is an important addition to Landsat 8 data files. Each pixel in the QA band contains a decimal value that represents bit-packed combinations of surface, atmosphere, and sensor conditions that can affect the overall usefulness of a given pixel.

Used effectively, QA bits improve the integrity of science investigations by indicating which pixels might be affected by instrument artifacts or subject to cloud contamination. Details about the Landsat 8 QA band can be found at http://landsat.usgs.gov/L8QualityAssessmentBand.php.
Landsat 8 Reflectance and Radiance Conversions

Standard Landsat 8 data products are delivered in 16-bit unsigned integer format. To match data products from Landsat 1 through Landsat 7, the Landsat 8 data can be rescaled to the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance and/or radiance using radiometric rescaling coefficients provided in the product metadata file (MTL file). The MTL file also contains the thermal constants needed to convert TIRS data to the at-satellite brightness temperature.

Conversion formulas to TOA Radiance, TOA Reflectance, and At-Satellite Brightness Temperature are located at http://landsat.usgs.gov/Landsat8_Using_Product.php.
Questions about Landsat 8?

Questions about Landsat 8, the Landsat Missions, or Landsat data products can be directed to Landsat Customer Services: custserv@usgs.gov.

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Tips and Tricks
Learning More about Landsat Surface Reflectance Climate Data Records

Landsat Surface Reflectance products are available on-demand from the archive of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data. The 30+ year archive of data enables the generation of Climate Data Records (CDRs) to support land surface change studies and the creation of other geophysical and biophysical parameters.

Landsat surface reflectance CDRs are generated using the Landsat Ecosystem Disturbance Adaptive Processing System (LEDAPS), originally developed through a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) grant by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the University of Maryland (Masek et al., 2008). The software is an adaptation of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) atmospheric correction routines to process Level-1 Landsat TM or ETM+ data.

Water vapor, ozone, geopotential height, aerosol optical thickness, and digital elevation data are used with Landsat data as inputs to the Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S) radiative transfer model to generate top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance, surface reflectance, brightness temperature, and masks for clouds and cloud shadows. The results are bundled and delivered as the Landsat surface reflectance CDR product.

Landsat Surface Reflectance CDRs are available to download from EarthExplorer (http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov). Additional information about Surface Reflectance CDR’s can be found at http://landsat.usgs.gov/documents/cdr_sr_product_guide.pdf.

Masek, J.G., Huang, C., Wolfe, R., Cohen, W., Hall, F., Kutler, J., and Nelson, P. (2008). North American forest disturbance mapped from a decadal Landsat record. Remote Sensing of Environment. 112:2914-2926.

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Landsat Image of Interest
LDCM Long Swath Visualization

On April 19, 2013, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission passed over one long swath from Russia to southern Africa: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/news/russia-south-africa.html.

Our mission partners at NASA crafted a beautiful fly-over that includes this image of the Ethiopian Highlands (Lake Tana is in the upper right).
Landsat Image of Interest

Eco-Comedy Video Competition 2013

• Be humorous!
• Address the issue of climate change. We are interpreting the topic very broadly, so it includes topics like disasters, fossil fuels, clean energy, wildlife (like polar bears), politics, deniers, and so on.
• Reach a broad audience.
• Be an original production.
• Be less than three minutes (including titles and credits).
• Posted to Eco-Comedy Video Competition 2013 YouTube Channel at:  http://www.youtube.com/user/ecocomedy2013.
• Submitted by 11:59pm Eastern Time Zone on Friday, March 1, 2013.

Launch of Landsat 8 February 11, 2013

The next Landsat satellite in the series, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (to be called Landsat 8 once it’s in safely in orbit), is on schedule to launch on February 11 from Vandenberg AIr Force Base in southern California.  If people want to stage an event about it, and publicize their geospatial programs, a Launch Party Kit is available.  Please see message from Holli Riebeek, forwarded.
________________________________________

Did you know that the longest continuous view of Earth from space comes from the Landsat satellite program? Its 40-year archive offers a priceless record of our changing communities and landscapes. The record continues on February 11, 2013, when NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey are scheduled to launch the eighth Landsat satellite, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission.

We invite you to participate in this exciting and historic milestone in humanity’s work in space. You can join others across the planet in celebration of this much-anticipated event by hosting a launch party!
Planning and hosting your own launch party with NASA resources is fun and easy, and it’s a wonderful way to engage your community in your interests and the work you do.

Everything you need to host a great party and join in the launch fun is at your fingertips, at this URL:
http://launchkit-ldcm.gsfc.nasa.gov<http://launchkit-ldcm.gsfc.nasa.gov/>

You will find activities and decorations to make your party fun for all ages. You’ll be able to watch the launch and associated events live, including talks from NASA and USGS scientists and engineers.

We hope you’ll join us and people around the world to celebrate! Contact us with any questions by using the “Contact Us” link on the launch party website (lower right).
–
Holli Riebeek, Sigma Space
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Landsat Education & Public Outreach
301-614-5753

NASA Summer Programs for High School Students

GLOBE Climate Video Competition Extended

5 March 2012

Dear Partner,
The GLOBE Program is challenging GLOBE schools from around the world to share their climate explorations and research through video. We are pleased to announce an extension of the submission deadline to 31 March 2012, due to overwhelming response. If you have not reminded your teachers to participate, now would be an excellent time to forward them information about the competition.
Winning videos will be highlighted as a part of the GLOBE Earth Day and Anniversary celebration. All videos submitted will become a part of the GLOBE Program YouTube channel.
Full details for video creation and submission are available here.
If you have any questions please contact climatecampaign@globe.gov. We hope to hear from you and your teachers soon!

Sincerely,
Donna Charlevoix and the GLOBE Science & Education Team

NASA opportunity for current female high school juniors

Hello Everyone:
We are forwarding the attached flyer for NASA’s Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars (WISH) Program.

WISH is seeking female high school juniors from across the country to participate in NASA’s pilot project which starts with an on-line community and culminates with a summer experience at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Summer, 2012.

Applicants need to be:
•U.S. citizens
•Current female high school juniors during the 2011-2012 school year
•Interested and excited about STEM
•Committed to a one-year relationship with JSC; and
•Able to access to the Internet and email (at home, school or public library)
•A scholar with a cumulative GPA of 3.25/4.0 or higher

More information is available at: http://wish.aerospacescholars.org

Please forward this to anyone who might be interested.

Thank you.

Gary

Prof. Gary L. Slater
Director, Ohio Space Grant Consortium
School of Aerospace Systems
College of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Cincinnati

GLOBE Professional Development Opportunity

Are you or do you know a middle through high school GLOBE teacher interested in collaborating with other teachers, students, and scientists from around the U.S.? We would like to invite you to apply to the NSF ITEST-funded grant “From Learning to Research: Developing Future Earth Science Scientists and Professionals” 2012-2013 Cohort.

GLOBE teachers (6-12th grades) from the United States are invited to apply. The goal of the project is to assist teachers in assembling a locally focused climate project with their students while collaborating with schools and scientists from around the U.S.

Teacher will attend a summer institute from 6-13 July in Boulder, CO. All travel, food, and lodging will be covered by the grant. Then, during the 2012-2013 school year, teachers will be expected to participate in the following:
1. Participation with students in online collaboration with other classrooms, including bi-weekly webinars for teachers
2. Participation with students at a spring 2013 virtual student conference
3. Assembling and completing a locally focused climate project with students in one of these four areas:
a) Aerosols and/or Ozone and Climate
b) General Atmosphere/Climate
c) Hydrology and Climate
d) Land Cover Changes and/or Phenology and Climate
4. Completing required assessments, surveys, collecting and entering classroom data

Teachers will receive the following:
1. $1000 Stipend
2. Equipment to support GLOBE activities
3. Opportunity to connect with scientists and other schools across the U.S.
4. Access to inquiry-based climate and Earth System Science curriculum materials
5. An estimated 40 hours of customized professional development
6. Access to a network of content-area and technology specialists
7. The opportunity to share findings and projects at professional conferences and/or meetings

If you are not a trained GLOBE teacher, but are using GLOBE data in your classroom, please contact us for training information.

If you are interested in applying, please send an email to learning2research@globe.gov by 15 March 2012. More information is available at: http://globe.gov/learning2research. Note that preference will be given to schools with more than one teacher application.

GLOBE Program Mailing Lists Service. For assistance with this list, contact: help@globe.gov
To remove your address from this mailing: mailto:sympa@globe.gov?subject=SET%20us-all%20NOMAIL
or send a blank message to sympa@globe.gov with subject: SET us-all NOMAIL

BudBurst Academy Free online course for K-12 teachers

From: Teresa Mourad
Date: January 30, 2012 4:32:24 AM AKST
To: “eesummit@list.esa.org”
Subject: [EESummit] BudBurst Academy Free online course for K-12 teachers

Please share this opportunity for K-12 educators with those in your network who may be interested.
*****************************************************************

Limited time offer! Act now and be part of the first online course from The BudBurst Academy that begins on February 15 and take advantage of the registration fee being waived.

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is offering a new online course for educators focused on its successful citizen science program – PBB – 501 Project BudBurst: Introductiion to Plant Phenology and Climate Change. This inaugural offering is being offered at no charge to K-12 educators and is suited for both formal and informal educational settings. This online course provides all needed information to implement Project BudBurst (www.budburst.org) in the classroom and engage your students in a national program by learning more about plants and climate change at a local level.

Involvement in Project BudBurst will give students valuable experience collecting data and will give them the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to ongoing scientific research where scientists are very interested in the observations students across the county are making.

This professional development course will provide you with detailed information on Project BudBurst and how to participate including how to select your plants and make observations, suggestions for structuring your classroom involvement, classroom activities to engage your students in making observations, analyzing data, as well as forming a community with other K-12 educators within Project BudBurst.

Participants in PBB – 501 can sign up for optional graduate level continuing education credits from Colorado School of Mines. The fee for 2 credits is $90.00

More information can be found at www.budburst.org/academy

Teresa
Teresa Mourad
Director, Education and Diversity Programs

GLOBE video competition

Go to this link to access the GLOBE video competition for climate projects. Projects are to be submitted between Feb. 15 and March 15.

http://globe.gov/scrc/earthdayvideo

NASA’s Sun-Earth Day Tweetup announces 10 slots reserved for educators!

Teachers who use twitter, either personally or in their classroom, are invited to register for one of the ten slots reserved especially for educators. Teachers will participate in the tweetup and receive an extra packed bag of materials to take home.

To register, enter your information here: http://bit.ly/eMBrGU

The deadline for applying is March 2, 2011.

Each year, NASA celebrates Sun-Earth Day near the spring equinox with a series of events that highlight the agency’s research and discoveries about our home planet and its star. “Ancient Mysteries, Future Discoveries” is this year’s theme for Sun-Earth Day and the Tweetup.

Tweetup participants will be given a personalized tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space museum in Washington. They will observe the sun — weather permitting — from the museum’s public observatory and hear from Smithsonian experts who study the history of astronomy and planetary science. After the Smithsonian visit, the attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at Goddard’s Integration and Test Facility, where engineers ground test instruments and satellites.

Tweetup attendees also will have the opportunity to meet NASA scientists and engineers and be part of a live webcast with the co-hosts of NASA EDGE, an unscripted video podcast that takes a unique look at agency programs and initiatives.

For more information about this year’s Sun-Earth Day, visit: http://sunearthday.nasa.gov

—— End of Forwarded Message

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