Wednesday, November 18, 2015

GOEG Seminar Series: Dr. Miguel Roman (NASA)

THE UNIVERSITY OF  MARYLAND

Department of Geographical Sciences’ Seminar Series, Fall 2015


Thursday, November 19, 2015

3:30 — 5:00 p.m.,  1124 LeFrak Hall


A new generation of satellite instruments, represented by the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), offer global measurements of nocturnal visible and near-infrared light suitable for urban science research. While many promising urban-focused applications have been developed using nighttime satellite imagery, most studies have been limited by the quality of the captured imagery and the retrieval methods used in heritage products. Instead, science- quality products that are both global in extent and local in resolution were needed to dynamically monitor human settlements worldwide. Since the first-light images from the VIIRS were received in January 2012, our team has worked on maximizing the capabilities of these low-light measurements to generate a wealth of new information useful for understanding urbanization processes, urban functions and the vulnerabil- ity of urban areas to climate hazards. Our team has demonstrated that tracking VIIRS nighttime measure- ments can provide valuable information about the character of the human activities and behaviors that shape energy consumption and vulnerability. VIIRS measurements provide insight into the social, eco- nomic, and cultural activities that shape energy and infrastructure use.