The remote sensing component of SIZONet comprises
near-realtime delivery of data through the Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA) and the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS). Data sets include thermal-IR and visible range imagery from
MODIS and AVHRR received on-site, Radarsat Synthetic Aperture Radar
(SAR, through 2008), QuikScat scatterometer and passive microwave
satellite data. Among other products, we distribute imagery through an
interface designed for low-bandwidth access in coastal villages and products such as the onset of melt or freezing and
snow-depth distribution by processing downlinked data in collaboration
with our Phase I partners at NASA-Goddard and JPL (Nghiem et al. 2006;
Markus et al. 2006). Such data are of great value for planning of field
campaigns and allow us and other projects to target areas where
ground-based observations are particularly useful in the context of
validation and improvement of retrieval algorithms. We are also
compiling data sets that complement our airborne and ground-based
surveys and are currently evaluating how to best post such information
(see, e.g., http://gi.alaska.edu/~cpetrich/RADAR-relevant/) to provide
framing information for users of our data and products.
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