Identification_Information: Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Publication_Date: [INSERT IMAGE DATE] Publication_Time: [INSERT IMAGE TIME] Title: [INSERT IMAGE FILE NAME] Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data Other_Citation_Details: [INSERT SATELLITE NAME] Online_Linkage: [INSERT URL LINK TO IMAGE] Description: Abstract: Satellite images provide a unique, dramatic perspective of our Earth and its atmosphere. The images used to piece together this view of the United States were generated at the Space Science & Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison using data gathered from an advanced sensor that flies aboard the satellites in NASA's Earth Observing System, Terra (1999) and Aqua (2002). Traveling north to south, Terra loops over the equator in the morning. Aqua moves in the opposite direction, passing south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Both satellites are in a 705km near polar, 89min, sun-synchronous orbit and carry the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Together, the Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS provide a complete view of the Earth every one to two days across a wide spectrum of electromagnetic energy. During a given day, both Terra and Aqua will make two to four passes each over the continental USA during daylight hours, and another two to four during the night. The MODIS Today United States composite features the latest image available from either Terra or Aqua, allowing users to toggle between satellites. You will occasionally notice distinct boundaries in the composite because the images that comprise the composite originate from different passes. By combining the images acquired from the blue, red and green portions of the energy spectrum, SSEC generates a "true" or "natural" representation of the Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere. Other combinations using infrared portions of the energy spectrum result in "false color" images that make it easier to differentiate surface features such as ice and snow from clouds and land from water. The MODIS instruments are able to capture images at a maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel at the Earth's surface. This website features MODIS images at 4000 meter resolution over the entire continental United States as well as 2000-, 1000-, and 250-meter resolution images for eight subset regions. Several processing steps are needed to create the images from the raw data collected by the MODIS instrument. First, the raw digital counts acquired by MODIS are calibrated to physical units known as reflectance. Next, the images are processed to remove some (but not all) of the image features introduced by the atmosphere, such as haze. Then the images are transformed from the projection geometry of the instrument (which includes distortions due to phenomena such as earth curvature) into a standard map projection, known as the equirectangular projection. Finally, the images are enhanced using contrast adjustment and image sharpening techniques. As new images become available from Terra and Aqua throughout the day, they automatically appear on the website. The images are usually available within 60 minutes of the time they are acquired onboard the spacecraft. Purpose: The purpose of this website is to provide the public with daily satellite imagery of the coterminous United States in an easy-to-use interface. These images are processed at the Space Science & Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison and can be viewed directly in any web browser or graphics program as well as GIS software and GoogleEarth (using the downloadable KML file). Supplemental_Information: MODIS-today images are a simplified, derived form of imagery from the full science data in HDF format. This image represents MODIS spectral band numbers [INSERT BAND COMBINATION NUMBERS WITH COMMA SEPARATORS e.g. 1,4,3] as red, green, and blue. If you are looking for full Level 1 science data please visit: http://ladsweb.nascom.nasa.gov/ for more information. Time_Period_of_Content: Time_Period_Information: Single_Date/Time: Calendar_Date: [INSERT IMAGE DATE] Time_of_Day: [INSERT IMAGE TIME] Currentness_Reference: publication date Status: Progress: Complete Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned Spatial_Domain: Bounding_Coordinates: West_Bounding_Coordinate: -126.967400 East_Bounding_Coordinate: -111.705664 North_Bounding_Coordinate: 50.430500 South_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.940691 Keywords: Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Theme_Keyword: Satellite Imagery Theme_Keyword: MODIS Theme_Keyword: Near Real-time Theme_Keyword: University of Wisconsin-Madison Theme_Keyword: SSEC Theme_Keyword: CIMSS Theme_Keyword: Direct Broadcast Theme_Keyword: Direct Reception Theme_Keyword: Direct Readout Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Place_Keyword: United States Place_Keyword: United States of America Place_Keyword: USA Place_Keyword: US Place_Keyword: Lower 48 Place_Keyword: Coterminous United States Place_Keyword: Contiguous United States Place_Keyword: Conterminous United States Access_Constraints: None. Use_Constraints: For non-commercial use. Attribute credit to: Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Point_of_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, Space Science & Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Contact_Person: Liam Gumley Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing address Address: 1225 W Dayton St Address: University of Wisconsin-Madison City: Madison State_or_Province: WI Postal_Code: 53706 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 608-263-7435 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 608-262-5974 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: cimssmaster@ssec.wisc.edu Data_Set_Credit: Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Native_Data_Set_Environment: Linux cluster Data_Quality_Information: Lineage: Process_Step: Spatial_Data_Organization_Information: Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Raster Raster_Object_Information: Raster_Object_Type: Pixel Row_Count: 1500 Column_Count: 1300 Vertical_Count: 1 Spatial_Reference_Information: Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition: Geographic: Latitude_Resolution: 0.000000 Longitude_Resolution: 0.000000 Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees Planar: Planar_Coordinate_Information: Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: row and column Coordinate_Representation: Abscissa_Resolution: 0.011739796566 Ordinate_Resolution: 0.008993205923 Geodetic_Model: Horizontal_Datum_Name: D_WGS_1984 Ellipsoid_Name: WGS_1984 Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000 Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257224 Distribution_Information: Resource_Description: Downloadable Data Standard_Order_Process: Digital_Form: Digital_Transfer_Option: Online_Option: Computer_Contact_Information: Network_Address: Network_Resource_Name: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/ Access_Instructions: (see website for instructions) Online_Computer_and_Operating_System: (Linux) Fees: None Ordering_Instructions: Visit http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/ Turnaround: Online download. Available_Time_Period: Time_Period_Information: Range_of_Dates/Times: Beginning_Date: 20071023 Ending_Date: on going Metadata_Reference_Information: Metadata_Date: 20080425 Metadata_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: Sam Batzli Contact_Organization: Space Science & Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing address Address: 1225 W Dayton St Address: University of Wisconsin City: Madison State_or_Province: WI Postal_Code: 53706 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: 608-263-3126 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 608-262-5974 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: cimssmaster@ssec.wisc.edu Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998 Metadata_Time_Convention: UTC Metadata_Access_Constraints: None. Metadata_Use_Constraints: None. 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