National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

N.O.A.A.

Who am I?

Brian Shaw

IT/GIS Specialist - NOAA/NGS

(since 2002)

Alexandria, VA

Who am I?

Education

• Radford University– BS in Computer Science

• History, Math and Geography minors

• University of Redlands– MS in Geographic Information Systems

Presentation Outline

• About NOAA

• How NOAA uses Geospatial Data

• NOAA GIS Applications

• Intern/Career Opportunities

• NOAA’s Geospatial Data Portals

About NOAA

NOAA’s Vision“An informed society that uses a comprehensive understanding of the role of the oceans, coasts and atmosphere in the global ecosystem to make the best social and economic decisions”

NOAA’s Mission“To understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social and environmental needs”

About NOAA

National Weather Service - NWS is the official source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States

National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service - NESDIS manages the U.S. civil operational remote-sensing satellite systems, global data bases for meteorology, oceanography, solid-earth geophysics, and solar terrestrial sciences.

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research - OAR develops NOAA environmental products and services that protect life and property and promote sustainable economic growth.

NOAA Line Offices:

National Ocean Service - NOS works to observe, understand, and manage our nation’s coastal and marine resources

National Marine Fisheries Service - NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency responsible for the stewardship of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat

NOAA Marine and Aviation Services - The fleet of NOAA ships and aircraft that collect oceanographic, atmospheric, hydrographic, fisheries and coastal data

• GIS Data – Storm watches/warnings, Forecasts, NEXRAD radar imagery

• GIS Data – Fish Statistics, Essential Fish Habitat

• GIS Data – El Nino and Tsunami Data Modeling, Visualization and Integration

• GIS Data – Nautical charts, Shoreline, Geodetic Control, Marine Boundaries, Water-level, ESI, Bathymetry

• GIS Data – Satellite Imagery and Derived Data Products

• GIS Data – NOAA Ship Tracker

About NOAA

Organizational Structure: Department of Commerce

NOAA

NWS NMFS NOS OAR NESDISNOAAMAS

NGS

NOAA Line Offices

Program Office

Presentation Outline

• About NOAA

• How NOAA uses Geospatial Data

• NOAA GIS Applications

• Intern/Career Opportunities

• NOAA’s Geospatial Data Portals

Weather Forecasts & Warnings

The National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts, and warnings for the United States.

Example products:• Warnings & Forecasts• Graphical Forecasts• Air Quality• Satellite Imagery (NEXRAD Radar)• National Digital Forecast Database

Charting and Navigation

C-CAP Land Cover and Change

Water Quality and HABs

Elevation – Topography and Bathymetry

Benthic Habitat Maps

Nautical Charts

Shoreline Delineation

Satellite Imagery & Data Products

NOAA has 16 Meteorological Satellites including:• GOES • POES • DMSP• NPOESS

Satellite Systems:• Complete global weather monitoring• Search and rescue operations• Supporting aviation safety • Maritime/shipping safety

Example Data Products:• Coastwatch• Sea Surface Temperature• Operational Significant Events Imagery• Fire & Smoke Products• Snow & Ice Cover

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

Partnering with other organizations NOAA Research provides better forecasts, earlier warnings for natural disasters and a greater understanding of the Earth.

Selected Research Areas:

• Tsunami Research • Developing GIS Interpretive aids

• Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Array • Real time data from moored ocean buoys• Improved understanding El Nino/La Nina events

• 3D Modeling & Visualization• Atmospheric Modeling

Fisheries Service

NOAA Fisheries assesses and predicts the status of fish stocks, ensures compliance with fisheries regulations and works to reduce wasteful fishing practices.

Program Examples:

• Habitat Protection, Conservation, and Restoration

• Fisheries Management• Protected Resources Management• Stock Assessment• Socioeconomic Analysis• Ecosystem Dynamics

Geodetic Control

Aerial Imagery

Elevation

Boundaries

Surface Waters

Transportation

Land Ownership

NOAA’s Geospatial Foundation

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey provides the solid thread that weaves through all of NOAA’s observation systems. The positional framework it provides is integral to supporting the agency’s and the nation’s data collection and validation efforts.

NGS and Geodetic Control

Geodetic Control

What is Geodetic Control?

• Horizontal Control Networks– horizontal positions (Lat/Lon)

• Vertical Control Networks– height and elevation

• Gravity Control Networks– measurements of the gravitation

pull at a defined locations.

Why is Geodetic Control important?

• The earth is an irregular ellipsoid and is hard to model

• Defines position and heights

Presentation Outline

• About NOAA

• How NOAA uses Geospatial Data

• NOAA GIS Applications

• NOAA’s Geospatial Data Portals

• Intern/Career Opportunities

Tides and Currents

Habitat Restoration Project Mapper

Watershed Database and Mapping Projects

To assist with restoration projects NOAA has developed decision support tools for specific watersheds that combine scientific data and watershed characteristics into a GIS.

Tracking Historical Hurricanes

Query Storms By:

• Storm Name• ZIP Code• Latitude and Longitude• City or State• Geographic region

The Historical Hurricane Tracks tool is an interactive mapping application that allows you to easily search and display Atlantic Basin and East-Central Pacific Basin tropical cyclone data.

Tsunami Response and Recovery

Tsunami Response Map Viewer - Indian Ocean Geospatial Information Service supports GIS data needs for emergency managers

Tsunami Hazard GIS Interpretive Aides for emergency managers to assess the tsunami hazard in their coastal communities.

Analyzing the 26 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

The NOAA Tsunami Research Program has been developing a series of GIS interpretive aids for scientists and the public to analyze the Indian Ocean tsunami event.

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami

Data Visualization and Integration

The Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory (PMEL) studies the dynamic interactions between submarine volcanic activity and seafloor hot springs at an observatory, Axial seamount. NEMO scientists assess the impact of the eruption and document the on-going changes in Axial's summit caldera. GIS is as a visualization tool and data management system for the NEMO project.

Presentation Outline

• About NOAA

• How NOAA uses Geospatial Data

• NOAA GIS Applications

• NOAA’s Geospatial Data Portals

• Intern/Career Opportunities

NOS Data Explorer• Single point of entry to search and acess all geospatial data within NOS

• Access data via FGDC metadata, hot-link and/or download tools

http://nosdataexplorer.noaa.gov

NOAA Observing System Architecture

NOSA provides the first comprehensive listing of NOAA’s observational systems.

http://www.nosa.noaa.gov

NOAA’s nowCoast Web Portal

NOAA’s GIS Web Mapping Portal to Real-Time Coastal Observations and NOAA Forecasts

http://nowcoast.noaa.gov/

NOAA’s Coral Reef Information System

CoRIS is designed to be a single point of access to NOAA coral reef information and data products, especially those derived from NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

http://www.coris.noaa.gov/

Presentation Outline

• About NOAA

• How NOAA uses Geospatial Data

• NOAA GIS Applications

• NOAA’s Geospatial Data Portals

• Intern/Career Opportunities

Intern/Career Opportunities

GIS Intern Programs

Environmental Careers Organizationwww.eco.org

DOC Career Opportunities (Internships)

http://ohrm.os.doc.gov/career/index.htm

Intern/Career Opportunities

Career Opportunities

Federal Government Career Opportunities http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov

GIS jobs ESRI - Redlands, CA

Google “GIS jobs”

www.monster.com

www.gisjobs.com

www.gjc.org

? Questions ?