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Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches of 2021
For more than 30 years, Dr. Beach, aka Dr. Stephen Leatherman, has created an annual Top 10 Beach list. A professor and coastal geomorphologist at Florida International University, Dr. Beach factors in 50 different criteria including water color, sand softness, wave size, water temperature and more.
As we get ready to launch Landsat 9 this fall, we’re taking a tour of Dr. Beach’s Top 10 US beaches of 2021 as seen by Landsat 8.
10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Coast Guard Beach is located just north of the remote Nauset Inlet on Outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Except for the picturesque old white Coast Guard station that still sits atop the glacial bluffs, there is no development here; the best way to reach this beach is by bicycle from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center or shuttle bus.
First mapped by Champlain in 1605, the shifting sands of this inlet are clearly visible in the Landsat image. This location is also at the point where the glacial sea cliffs transcend into a barrier beach (e.g., sand spit) that provides protection for the lagoon and development of lush salt marshes.
“In my early days as a Professor at Boston University and later at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I spent many summer and some winter-time days conducting scientific studies along this barrier beach.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coast Guard Beach on May 1, 2021.
9. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Beachwalker Park is a public beach located on the southern part of Kiawah Island, South Carolina. This barrier island in the Charleston area is 10-miles long and features a fine grained, hard-packed beach that can be traversed easily by bicycle.
This Landsat image shows a huge accumulation of sand as a series of shoals on the south end of the island, which can be reached from Beachwalker Park. These sandy shoals will eventually coalesce, becoming an extension of the sand spit that is the south end of Kiawah Island.
“In the early 2000s, I served as the beach consultant to the Town of Kiawah Island because their world-famous golf course on the north end was being threatened by severe erosion. It was necessary to artificially bypass some sand on the north end of the island so that the normal flow of sand along the island was reinstated, saving the outermost link of this PGA golf course.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Beachwalker Park on April 9, 2021.
8. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
Coronado Beach in San Diego is the toast of Southern California with some of the warmest and safest water on the Pacific coast. This 100-meter-wide beach is an oasis of subtropical vegetation, unique Mediterranean climate, and fine sparkling sand.
The harbor serves as a major port for the Navy’s Pacific fleet, the home port for several aircraft carriers. The docks and the crossing airplane runways for the Naval base are visible in this Landsat image.
“I really enjoy visiting this beautiful beach as well as having lunch and drinks, taking advantage of the hotel’s beachside service.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coronado Beach on April 23, 2020.
7. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin Clearwater, Florida
Caladesi Island State Park is located in the small town of Dunedin on the Southwest Florida coast. The stark white undeveloped beach is composed of crystalline quartz sand which is soft and cushy at the water’s edge, inviting one to take a dip in the sparkling clear waters.
While island is still in the Park’s name, Caladesi is no longer a true island as shown on the Landsat image--it is now connected to Clearwater Beach.
“Caladesi is located in the Tampa area, but it seems like a world away on this getaway island.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Caladesi Island State Park on April 9, 2021.
6. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Duke Kahanamoku Beach is named for the famous native Hawaiian who was a big-board surfer and introduced surfing as a sport to mainland Americans and indeed the world.
One of the prominent features on this Landsat image is Diamondhead with its circular shape near the coast. This large cone of an extinct volcano provides the iconic backdrop for photos of Waikiki Beach.
“This is my favorite spot at the world-famous Waikiki Beach where you can both play in the surf and swim in the calm lagoonal waters.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Duke Kahanamoku Beach on May 17, 2020.
5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
Lighthouse Beach in the village of Buxton is located at Cape Hatteras, the most northern cape in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This lifeguarded beach is the number one surfing spot on the US Atlantic Coast as the large offshore sand banks, known as Diamond Shoals, cause wave refraction focusing wave energy on this beach.
The Landsat image shows the seaward growth of south flank of Cape Hatteras as evidenced by the parallel lines of beach ridges.
“It is fun to walk down the narrow sand spit, more exposed at low tide, as waves are approaching from both directions because of the bending of the waves.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Lighthouse Beach on May 3, 2020.
4. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
St. George Island State Park, located on the Florida panhandle and far from urban areas, is a favorite destination for beachgoers, anglers and bird watchers as nature abounds. Like other beaches on the panhandle, this long barrier island has a sugary fine, white sand beach.
In this Landsat image, St. George can be seen north of the bridge that links this barrier island to the mainland. The enclosed bay behind St. George Island is fairly shallow and the water much less clear as shown on the Landsat image, but it is not polluted.
“Besides swimming in the crystal-clear Gulf of Mexico waters, I enjoy beachcombing and shelling. While this island was hit hard in 2018 by Hurricane Michael, it has substantially recovered as there was little development to be impacted.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of St. George Island State Park on October 13, 2020.
3. Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach at the southern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the first seashore to be incorporated into the National Park Service system.
The Landsat image shows Ocracoke to the north as separated by an inlet from Portsmouth Island. The village of Ocracoke was built at the wide area of the island where it was protected from oceanic waves during coastal storms which include both winter nor’easters and hurricanes.
“Ocracoke was once the home of the most infamous pirate Blackbeard and is still a very special place—my favorite getaway beach.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach on May 3, 2020.
2. Cooper’s Beach, Southampton, New York
Cooper’s Beach in the tony town of Southampton on the south shore of Long Island, New York is shielded from the cold Labrador current, making for a fairly long summer swimming season. The white quartz sand is medium to coarse grained with some pebbles, making the beach slope fairly steeply into the water.
This Landsat image shows the fairly large coastal pond named Mecox Bay to the east with Shinnecock Inlet and Bay also displayed to the west. Coopers Beach is hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand and is backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass.
“I spent several decades conducting scientific studies of this very interest oceanic shoreline because it is so dynamic and the beachfront real estate so expensive. Some of the most gorgeous and expensive residential houses in the United States are located in the world-famous Hamptons.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coopers Beach on August 30, 2019.
1. Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island Hawaii
Hapuna Beach State Park is a white coral sand beach that resides in a landscape dominated by dark brown lava flows on the Big Island of Hawaii. The crystal-clear water is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving during the summer months in contrast to winter big-wave days when pounding shorebreaks and rip currents make swimming impossible.
Hapuna and the other pocket beaches appear as an oasis in this otherwise fairly bleak landscape except for the areas irrigated as prominently shown on the Landsat imagery by the green vegetation.
“This volcanically active island is the only place that I know where you can snow ski at the high mountain tops and water ski in the warm ocean water on the same day.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Hapuna State Park on January 5, 2021.
What’s your favorite beach?
View Dr. Beach’s 2021 picks and see Landsat views of these beaches over time.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
When you first saw Earth from all the way up in space, what were your first thoughts? Did it change the way you viewed things?
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Choose Your Champion: Tournament Earth 2020
Tournament Earth is here! We want YOU to help us choose our best Earth image.
Since 1999, NASA Earth Observatory has published 16,000+ images. To celebrate our 20th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we want you to pick our all-time best image. Each week from March 23 to April 28, you can vote for your favorite images. Readers will narrow the field from 32 nominees down to one champion in a five-round knockout-style tournament.
The nominees are separated into four groups: Past Winners, Home Planet, Land & Ice, and Sea & Sky.
Past Winners
No, that is not an animation of the death star orbiting Earth. It is the winner of Tournament Earth in 2016– the Dark Side and the Bright Side. The image shows the fully illuminated far side of the Moon that is not visible from Earth. Other contenders in this category are a picture of a volcanic eruption plume, sands and seas in the Bahamas, and lightning seen from the Space Station.
Home Planet
This picture of the Twin Blue Marbles is the number one seed in our "Home Planet" category, but that doesn't mean it's going to take home the crown. It has stiff competition from the iconic photo of Earth rising to an epic total solar eclipse to our Earth at night.
Land & Ice
Are you a land lover or ice lover? If you don't know, you might found out by browsing the beautiful imagery in this category. Vote on scenes from the partially frozen North Caspian Sea (above) to lava flowing in Iceland between the Bardarbunga and Askja volcanoes (below).
Sea & Sky
Hurricanes, lightning, and volcanic explosions are just a few of the amazing captures from NASA satellites and astronauts in this category.
The model-based visual above shows an expansive view of the mishmash of particles that dance and swirl through the atmosphere. It shows tropical cyclones, dust storms, and fires spreading tiny particles throughout the atmosphere during one day in August 2018.
Our satellites also capture the fine mixing of particles and churning of tides in our rivers. The image above shows dissolved organic matter from forests and wetlands that stained the water dark brown near Rupert Bay. A similar process darkens tea.
Learn more about Tournament Earth in the video below.
See all of the images and vote now HERE.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes…and Our Instruments
Fires are some of the most dynamic and dramatic natural phenomena. They can change rapidly, burning natural landscapes and human environments alike. Fires are a natural part of many of Earth’s ecosystems, necessary to replenish soil and for healthy plant growth. But, as the planet warms, fires are becoming more intense, burning longer and hotter.
Right now, a fleet of vehicles and a team of scientists are in the field, studying how smoke from those fires affects air quality, weather and climate. The mission? It’s called FIREX-AQ. They’re working from the ground up to the sky to measure smoke, find out what’s in it, and investigate how it affects our lives.
Starting on the ground, the Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) operates out of a large van. It’s one of two such vans working with the campaign, along with some other, smaller vans. It looks a little like a food truck, but instead of a kitchen, the inside is packed full of science instruments.
The team drives the van out into the wilderness to take measurements of smoke and tiny particles in the air at the ground level. This is important for a few reasons: First of all, it’s the stuff we’re breathing! It also gives us a look at smoke overnight, when the plumes tend to sink down out of the atmosphere and settle near the ground until temperatures heat back up with the Sun. The LARGE group camps out with their van full of instruments, taking continuous measurements of smoke…and not getting much sleep.
Just a little higher up, NOAA’s Twin Otter aircraft can flit down close to where the fires are actually burning, taking measurements of the smoke and getting a closer look at the fires themselves. The Twin Otters are known as “NOAA’s workhorses” because they’re easily maneuverable and can fly nice and slow to gather measurements, topping out at about 17,000 feet.
Then, sometimes flying at commercial plane height (30,000 feet) and swooping all the way down to 500 feet above the ground, NASA’s DC-8 is packed wing to wing with science instruments. The team onboard the DC-8 is looking at more than 500 different chemicals in the smoke.
The DC-8 does some fancy flying, crisscrossing over the fires in a maneuver called “the lawnmower” and sometimes spiraling down over one vertical column of air to capture smoke and particles at all different heights. Inside, the plane is full of instrument racks and tubing, capturing external air and measuring its chemical makeup. Fun fact: The front bathroom on the DC-8 is closed during science flights to make sure the instruments don’t accidentally measure anything ejected from the plane.
Finally, we make it all the way up to space. We’ve got a few different mechanisms for studying fires already mounted on satellites. Some of the satellites can see where active fires are burning, which helps scientists and first responders keep an eye on large swaths of land.
Some satellites can see smoke plumes, and help researchers track them as they move across land, blown by wind.
Other satellites help us track weather and forecast how the fires might behave. That’s important for keeping people safe, and it helps the FIREX-AQ team know where to fly and drive when they’ll get the most information. These forecasts use computer models, based on satellite observations and data about how fires and smoke behave. FIREX-AQ’s data will be fed back into these models to make them even more accurate.
Learn more about how NASA is studying fires from the field, here.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches of 2021
For more than 30 years, Dr. Beach, aka Dr. Stephen Leatherman, has created an annual Top 10 Beach list. A professor and coastal geomorphologist at Florida International University, Dr. Beach factors in 50 different criteria including water color, sand softness, wave size, water temperature and more.
As we get ready to launch Landsat 9 this fall, we’re taking a tour of Dr. Beach’s Top 10 US beaches of 2021 as seen by Landsat 8.
10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Coast Guard Beach is located just north of the remote Nauset Inlet on Outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Except for the picturesque old white Coast Guard station that still sits atop the glacial bluffs, there is no development here; the best way to reach this beach is by bicycle from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center or shuttle bus.
First mapped by Champlain in 1605, the shifting sands of this inlet are clearly visible in the Landsat image. This location is also at the point where the glacial sea cliffs transcend into a barrier beach (e.g., sand spit) that provides protection for the lagoon and development of lush salt marshes.
“In my early days as a Professor at Boston University and later at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I spent many summer and some winter-time days conducting scientific studies along this barrier beach.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coast Guard Beach on May 1, 2021.
9. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Beachwalker Park is a public beach located on the southern part of Kiawah Island, South Carolina. This barrier island in the Charleston area is 10-miles long and features a fine grained, hard-packed beach that can be traversed easily by bicycle.
This Landsat image shows a huge accumulation of sand as a series of shoals on the south end of the island, which can be reached from Beachwalker Park. These sandy shoals will eventually coalesce, becoming an extension of the sand spit that is the south end of Kiawah Island.
“In the early 2000s, I served as the beach consultant to the Town of Kiawah Island because their world-famous golf course on the north end was being threatened by severe erosion. It was necessary to artificially bypass some sand on the north end of the island so that the normal flow of sand along the island was reinstated, saving the outermost link of this PGA golf course.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Beachwalker Park on April 9, 2021.
8. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
Coronado Beach in San Diego is the toast of Southern California with some of the warmest and safest water on the Pacific coast. This 100-meter-wide beach is an oasis of subtropical vegetation, unique Mediterranean climate, and fine sparkling sand.
The harbor serves as a major port for the Navy’s Pacific fleet, the home port for several aircraft carriers. The docks and the crossing airplane runways for the Naval base are visible in this Landsat image.
“I really enjoy visiting this beautiful beach as well as having lunch and drinks, taking advantage of the hotel’s beachside service.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coronado Beach on April 23, 2020.
7. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin Clearwater, Florida
Caladesi Island State Park is located in the small town of Dunedin on the Southwest Florida coast. The stark white undeveloped beach is composed of crystalline quartz sand which is soft and cushy at the water’s edge, inviting one to take a dip in the sparkling clear waters.
While island is still in the Park’s name, Caladesi is no longer a true island as shown on the Landsat image--it is now connected to Clearwater Beach.
“Caladesi is located in the Tampa area, but it seems like a world away on this getaway island.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Caladesi Island State Park on April 9, 2021.
6. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Duke Kahanamoku Beach is named for the famous native Hawaiian who was a big-board surfer and introduced surfing as a sport to mainland Americans and indeed the world.
One of the prominent features on this Landsat image is Diamondhead with its circular shape near the coast. This large cone of an extinct volcano provides the iconic backdrop for photos of Waikiki Beach.
“This is my favorite spot at the world-famous Waikiki Beach where you can both play in the surf and swim in the calm lagoonal waters.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Duke Kahanamoku Beach on May 17, 2020.
5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
Lighthouse Beach in the village of Buxton is located at Cape Hatteras, the most northern cape in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This lifeguarded beach is the number one surfing spot on the US Atlantic Coast as the large offshore sand banks, known as Diamond Shoals, cause wave refraction focusing wave energy on this beach.
The Landsat image shows the seaward growth of south flank of Cape Hatteras as evidenced by the parallel lines of beach ridges.
“It is fun to walk down the narrow sand spit, more exposed at low tide, as waves are approaching from both directions because of the bending of the waves.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Lighthouse Beach on May 3, 2020.
4. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
St. George Island State Park, located on the Florida panhandle and far from urban areas, is a favorite destination for beachgoers, anglers and bird watchers as nature abounds. Like other beaches on the panhandle, this long barrier island has a sugary fine, white sand beach.
In this Landsat image, St. George can be seen north of the bridge that links this barrier island to the mainland. The enclosed bay behind St. George Island is fairly shallow and the water much less clear as shown on the Landsat image, but it is not polluted.
“Besides swimming in the crystal-clear Gulf of Mexico waters, I enjoy beachcombing and shelling. While this island was hit hard in 2018 by Hurricane Michael, it has substantially recovered as there was little development to be impacted.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of St. George Island State Park on October 13, 2020.
3. Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach at the southern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the first seashore to be incorporated into the National Park Service system.
The Landsat image shows Ocracoke to the north as separated by an inlet from Portsmouth Island. The village of Ocracoke was built at the wide area of the island where it was protected from oceanic waves during coastal storms which include both winter nor’easters and hurricanes.
“Ocracoke was once the home of the most infamous pirate Blackbeard and is still a very special place—my favorite getaway beach.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach on May 3, 2020.
2. Cooper’s Beach, Southampton, New York
Cooper’s Beach in the tony town of Southampton on the south shore of Long Island, New York is shielded from the cold Labrador current, making for a fairly long summer swimming season. The white quartz sand is medium to coarse grained with some pebbles, making the beach slope fairly steeply into the water.
This Landsat image shows the fairly large coastal pond named Mecox Bay to the east with Shinnecock Inlet and Bay also displayed to the west. Coopers Beach is hundreds of yards wide, made of grainy white quartz sand and is backed by large sand dunes covered by American beach grass.
“I spent several decades conducting scientific studies of this very interest oceanic shoreline because it is so dynamic and the beachfront real estate so expensive. Some of the most gorgeous and expensive residential houses in the United States are located in the world-famous Hamptons.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Coopers Beach on August 30, 2019.
1. Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island Hawaii
Hapuna Beach State Park is a white coral sand beach that resides in a landscape dominated by dark brown lava flows on the Big Island of Hawaii. The crystal-clear water is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving during the summer months in contrast to winter big-wave days when pounding shorebreaks and rip currents make swimming impossible.
Hapuna and the other pocket beaches appear as an oasis in this otherwise fairly bleak landscape except for the areas irrigated as prominently shown on the Landsat imagery by the green vegetation.
“This volcanically active island is the only place that I know where you can snow ski at the high mountain tops and water ski in the warm ocean water on the same day.” – Dr. Beach
Landsat 8 collected this image of Hapuna State Park on January 5, 2021.
What’s your favorite beach?
View Dr. Beach’s 2021 picks and see Landsat views of these beaches over time.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
How to meet researchers constant need of high-quality geospatial data
By bringing together maps, apps, data, and people, geospatial information allows everyone to make more informed decisions. By linking science with action, geospatial information enables institutes, universities, researchers, governments, industries, NGOs, and companies worldwide to innovate in planning and analysis, operations, field data collection, asset management, public engagement, simulations, and much more.
By bringing together maps, apps, data, and people, geospatial information allows everyone to make more informed decisions. By linking science with action, geospatial information enables institutes, universities, researchers, governments, industries, NGOs, and companies worldwide to innovate in planning and analysis, operations, field data collection, asset management, public engagement, simulations, and much more.
Areas of Engagement
Researchers use spatial information to trace urban growth patterns, access to mobility and transportation networks, analyze the impact of climate change on human settlements, and more. When spatial datasets are linked with non-spatial data, they become even more useful for developing applications that can make a difference. For instance, geospatial data coupled with land administration and tenure data can significantly impact urban planning and development by the landowners.
For example, a recent project by the Government of India, 'The Swamitva Project,' uses geospatial data to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India. 'Swamitva,' which stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas, uses Drone Surveying technology and Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) technology for mapping the villages. The project aims to provide the 'record of rights' to village household owners, possessing houses in inhabited rural areas in towns, which would enable them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits from banks. The project stands to empower the rural peoples of India
Geospatial is also playing a crucial role in disaster management. By deploying geospatial data for all disaster management phases, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, vulnerability reduction, response, and relief, significant disaster risk reduction and management can be achieved.
We all are aware that when a hail storm strikes, the damage can be catastrophic. In fact, with damage totals sometimes exceeding USD 1 billion, hailstorms are the costliest severe storm hazard for the insurance industry, making reliable, long-term data necessary to estimate insured damages and assess extreme loss risks.
That's why a team of NASA scientists is currently working with international partners to use satellite data to detect hailstorms, hail damage, and predict patterns in hail frequency. This project will provide long-term regional- to global-scale maps of severe storm occurrence, catastrophe models, and new methods to improve these storms' short-term forecasting.
"We're using data from many satellite sensors to dig in and understand when and where hailstorms are likely to occur and the widespread damage that they can cause," shares Kristopher Bedka, principal investigator at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. "This is a first-of-its-kind project, and we're beginning to show how useful this satellite data can be to the reinsurance industry, forecasters, researchers, and many other stakeholders."
Climate change is another area where research based on geospatial data is of extreme importance. The geospatial analysis not only provides visual proof of the harsh weather conditions, melting polar ice caps, dying corals, and vanishing islands, but also links all kinds of physical, biological, and socioeconomic data in a way that helps us understand what was, what is, and what could be. For instance, air quality is a public health issue that requires ongoing monitoring. Not only does air quality data provide information that can protect residents, but it also helps to monitor the overall safety of a geographic area. NASA uses satellites to collect air quality data on an ongoing basis. The satellites can evaluate air quality conditions near real-time and observe different layers and effects that may coincide.
Satellite data can reveal information like the aerosol index and aerosol depth (which indicates the extent to which aerosols are absorbing light and affecting visibility) in any given area. Other types of data that satellites collect include levels of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, nitric acid, sulphur dioxide, fires, and dust.
Near real-time data helps to warn residents of low air quality. It can also be used to determine how climate change impacts a geographic area and guides new infrastructure design with climate change in mind.
Thus, there is hardly any living area where geospatial data or location intelligence cannot significantly impact. The more one engages in geospatial research, the more fascinating the journey of discovery becomes.
COVID-19 and Geospatial Research
The current pandemic has made each one of us realize the importance of geospatial data all the more. Be it identifying the hotspots, taking corrective measures sooner, and curbing the spread of the virus. Geospatial research has enabled the authorities to make headway more effectively in all spheres.
The location has been the answer to most of the problems. Thus more and more companies are now engaging in the development of apps that can help trace the virus and help businesses and individuals recover faster. Accordingly, researchers are increasingly engaging in projects that could bring such significant geospatial products to life soon.
Research bottlenecks due to COVID
Projects that aim to harness location intelligence's power have high-end hardware, software, and data requirements. Researchers typically have a high-end infrastructure at their disposal. These systems are placed either in their workplace or the universities where they are pursuing their research projects. These research hubs are also their gateway to highly accurate geospatial data. In regular times, they do not need to look anywhere else. However, the scenario is completely changed due to the pandemic. With the universities remaining closed for a long time, researchers are more dependent on the online availability of good quality infrastructure and data. As a result, platforms providing Data as a Service (DaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions are becoming popular among the research community.
Meeting hardware requirements
Lockdown and closure of educational institutions have brought researchers face-to-face with the lack of high-end infrastructure required for processing geospatial data. In such a scenario, researchers rely more and more on platforms that can provide the convenience of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Hardware is becoming less and less essential in the age of cloud computing. Cloudeo's Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions can help the researchers streamline their hardware requirements, save costs, and increase their research work efficiency. With Cloudeo's Infrastructure as a Service, a researcher needs to pay only for what they need. This helps in minimizing investment in local infrastructure. They can also quickly and dynamically adapt the processing power or storage they need, spreading big processing jobs over many cores. This is something that they might not accomplish (or afford) with their physical hardware. Also, while using this service, all the data gets backed up securely in the cloud and remains protected from unexpected critical hardware failures.
Meeting geospatial data requirements
Researchers need access to platforms that can provide high-quality geospatial data from multiple sources at a low cost. Cloudeo's DaaS is emerging as an increasingly popular solution among the researchers for accessing highly valuable data from various sources, like suppliers of spaceborne, airborne, and UAV imagery and data. It's a cost-effective solution as the users do not have to buy permanent licenses for EO data integration, management, storage, and analytics. Data as a service is especially advantageous for short-term projects, where long-term or permanent licenses and data purchases can become cost-prohibitive.
Over the past few years, more and more Earth Observation (EO) data, software applications, and IT services have become available from an increasing number of EO exploitation platform providers – funded by the European Commission, ESA, other public agencies, and private investment.
For instance, ESA's Network of Resources (NoR) supports users in procuring services and outsourcing requirements while increasing uptake of EO data and information for broader scientific, social, and economic purposes. The goal is to support the next generation of commercial applications and services.
Cloudeo acts as the NoR Operator, together with its consortium partners RHEA Group and BHO Legal, by managing service providers' onboarding into the NoR Portal. The portal is a compilation of the NoR Service Portfolio, listing services on the NoR Portal, promoting the NoR services worldwide, and procuring such services for commercial users and ESA sponsorship.
Through NoR, cloudeo plays a vital role in improving and supporting education, research, and science. It is promoting community building by enabling collaboration between all stakeholders.
Research is crucial for the growth of an economy. As businesses mostly realize the importance of integrating geospatial with everyday affairs, research in the field of geospatial is gaining momentum. Accordingly, the need for access to high-quality geospatial data is also increasing. While most universities are equipped to meet these researchers' needs in regular times, with the current lockdowns and closure of institutions, the researchers are relying on robust, accurate online platforms that can meet their hardware, software, and geospatial data requirements. Cloudeo is one such reliable platform for accessing geospatial data from disparate sources. It can also complete the infrastructure requirements of researchers effectively. By bringing in all the data creators, data processors, and data users and solution/app developers onto one platform, cloudeo is creating the most user-friendly geospatial solutions marketplace to meet the infrastructure, software, and data needs of researchers.
Explore cloudeo today and take an essential step towards excelling in your research and academic endeavors. No one can tell you about everything spatial so accurately!