This map presents low-resolution imagery for the world and high-resolution imagery for the United States and
other metropolitan areas around the world. The map includes NASA Blue Marble: Next Generation 500m resolution
imagery at small scales (above 1:1,000,000), i-cubed 15m eSAT imagery at medium-to-large scales
(down to 1:70,000) for the world, and USGS 15m Landsat imagery for Antarctica. It also includes 1m i-cubed
Nationwide Select imagery for the continental United States, and GeoEye IKONOS 1m resolution imagery
for Hawaii, parts of Alaska, and several hundred metropolitan areas around the world. For more information on this map,
including the terms of use, visit
http://goto.arcgisonline.com/maps/ESRI_Imagery_World_2D
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This worldwide street map presents highway-level data for the world and street-level data for the United States,
Canada, Europe, Southern Africa and elsewhere. This comprehensive street map includes highways, major roads,
minor roads, railways, water features, administrative boundaries, cities, parks, and landmarks, overlaid
on shaded relief imagery for added context. The street map was developed by Esri using DeLorme data and NAVTEQ
street data. Coverage for street-level data elsewhere in the world includes Mexico (Mexico City only),
Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg only), and Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara only). For more information on this map,
including the terms of use, visit
http://goto.arcgisonline.com/maps/ESRI_StreetMap_World_2D
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This map presents land cover imagery for the world and detailed topographic maps for the United States.
The map includes the National Park Service (NPS) Natural Earth physical map at 1.24km per pixel for
the world at small scales, i-cubed eTOPO 1:250,000-scale maps for the contiguous United States at medium scales,
and National Geographic TOPO! 1:100,000 and 1:24,000-scale maps (1:250,000 and 1:63,000 in Alaska) for
the United States at large scales. The TOPO! maps are seamless, scanned images of United States
Geological Survey (USGS) paper topographic maps. For more information on this map, including the terms of use,
visit
http://goto.arcgisonline.com/maps/NGS_Topo_US_2D
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MODIS (Aqua/Terra) Corrected Reflectance (True Color)
MODIS/Aqua Temporal Coverage: 3 July 2002 - present
MODIS/Terra Temporal Coverage: 24 February 2000 - present
True Color: Red = Band 1, Green = Band 4, Blue = Band 3
These images are called true-color or natural color because this combination of wavelengths is similar to what the human eye would see. The images are natural-looking images of land surface, oceanic and atmospheric features. The downside of this set of bands is that they tend to produce a hazy image.
The MODIS Corrected Reflectance imagery is available only as near real-time imagery. The imagery can be visualized in Worldview, the Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Rapid Response. The sensor resolution is 500 m and 250 m (Bands 1 and 2 have a sensor resolution of 250 m, Bands 3 – 7 have a sensor resolution of 500m, and Bands 8 - 36 are 1 km. Band 1 is used to sharpen Band 3, 4, 6, and 7), imagery resolution is 250 m, and the temporal resolution is daily.
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MODIS (Aqua/Terra) Corrected Reflectance (Bands 7,2,1)
MODIS/Aqua Temporal Coverage: 3 July 2002 - present
MODIS/Terra Temporal Coverage: 24 February 2000 - present
False Color: Red = Band 7, Green = Band 2, Blue = Band 1
This combination is most useful for distinguishing burn scars from naturally low vegetation or bare soil and enhancing floods. This combination can also be used to distinguish snow and ice from clouds. Snow and ice are very reflective in the visible part of the spectrum (Band 1), and absorbent in Bands 2 (near infrared) and 7 (short-wave infrared, or SWIR). Thick ice and snow appear vivid sky blue, while small ice crystals in high-level clouds will also appear blueish, and water clouds will appear white.
The MODIS Corrected Reflectance imagery is available only as near real-time imagery. The imagery can be visualized in Worldview, the Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Rapid Response. The sensor resolution is 500 m and 250 m (Bands 1 and 2 have a sensor resolution of 250 m, Bands 3 – 7 have a sensor resolution of 500 m, and Bands 8 - 36 are 1 km. Band 1 is used to sharpen Band 3, 4, 6, and 7), imagery resolution is 250 m, and the temporal resolution is daily.
Vegetation and bare ground
Vegetation is very reflective in the near infrared (Band 2), and absorbent in Band 1 and Band 7. Assigning that band to green means even the smallest hint of vegetation will appear bright green in the image. Naturally bare soil, like a desert, is reflective in all bands used in this image, but more so in the SWIR (Band 7, red) and so soils will often have a pinkish tinge.
Burned areas
Burned areas or fire-affected areas are characterized by deposits of charcoal and ash, removal of vegetation and/or the alteration of vegetation structure. When bare soil becomes exposed, the brightness in Band 1 may increase, but that may be offset by the presence of black carbon residue; the near infrared (Band 2) will become darker, and Band 7 becomes more reflective. When assigned to red in the image, Band 7 will show burn scars as deep or bright red, depending on the type of vegetation burned, the amount of residue, or the completeness of the burn.
Water
Liquid water on the ground appears very dark since it absorbs in the red and the SWIR. Sediments in water appear dark blue. Ice and snow appear as bright turquoise. Clouds comprised of small water droplets scatter light equally in both the visible and the SWIR and will appear white. These clouds are usually lower to the ground and warmer. High and cold clouds are comprised of ice crystals and will appear turquoise.
MODIS Corrected Reflectance vs. MODIS Surface Reflectance
The MODIS Corrected Reflectance algorithm utilizes MODIS Level 1B data (the calibrated, geolocated radiances). It is not a standard, science quality product. The purpose of this algorithm is to provide natural-looking images by removing gross atmospheric effects, such as Rayleigh scattering, from MODIS visible bands 1-7. The algorithm was developed by the original MODIS Rapid Response team to address the needs of the fire monitoring community who want to see smoke. Corrected Reflectance shows smoke more clearly than the standard Surface Reflectance product. In contrast, the MODIS Land Surface Reflectance product (MOD09) is a more complete atmospheric correction algorithm that includes aerosol correction, and is designed to derive land surface properties. In clear atmospheric conditions the Corrected Reflectance product is very similar to the MOD09 product, but they depart from each other in presence of aerosols. If you wish to perform a complete atmospheric correction, please do not use the Corrected Reflectance algorithm. An additional difference is that the Land Surface Reflectance product is only tuned for calculating the reflectance over land surfaces.
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MODIS (Aqua/Terra) Fire and Thermal Anomalies
MODIS/Aqua Temporal Coverage: 3 July 2002 - present
MODIS/Terra Temporal Coverage: 1 November 2000 - present
The MODIS Fire and Thermal Anomalies layer shows active fire detections and thermal anomalies, such as volcanoes, and gas flares. Fires can be set naturally, such as by lightning, or by humans, whether intentionally or accidentally. Fire is often thought of as a menace and detriment to life, but in some ecosystems it is necessary to maintain the equilibrium, for example, some plants only release seeds under high temperatures that can only be achieved by fire, fires can also clear undergrowth and brush to help restore forests to good health, humans use fire in slash and burn agriculture, to clear away last year’s crop stubble and provide nutrients for the soil and to clear areas for pasture. The fire layer is useful for studying the spatial and temporal distribution of fire, to locate persistent hot spots such as volcanoes and gas flares, to locate the source of air pollution from smoke that may have adverse human health impacts.
The MODIS Fire and Thermal Anomalies product is available from the Terra (MOD14) and Aqua (MYD14) satellites as well as a combined Terra and Aqua (MCD14) satellite product. The sensor resolution is 1 km, and the temporal resolution is daily. The thermal anomalies are represented as red points (approximate center of a 1 km pixel).
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VIIRS Corrected Reflectance (True Color)
Temporal coverage: 24 November 2015 - present
True Color: Red = Band I1, Green = Band M4, Blue = Band M3
These images are called true-color or natural color because this combination of wavelengths is similar to what the human eye would see. The images are natural-looking images of land surface, oceanic and atmospheric features.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Corrected Reflectance imagery is available only as near real-time imagery. The VIIRS instrument in on board the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi-National Polar orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. The imagery can be visualized in Worldview, the Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Rapid Response. The sensor resolution is 750 m and 375 m (M Bands are 750 m, I Bands are 375 m), imagery resolution is 250 m, and the temporal resolution is daily.
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VIIRS Corrected Reflectance (Bands M11-I2-I1)
Temporal coverage: 24 November 2015 - present
False Color: Red = M11, Green = I2, Blue = I1
This combination is most useful for distinguishing burn scars from naturally low vegetation or bare soil and enhancing floods.
This combination can also be used to distinguish snow and ice from clouds. Snow and ice are very reflective in the visible part of the spectrum (Band I1), and absorbent in Bands I2 (near infrared) and M11 (short-wave infrared, or SWIR). Thick ice and snow appear vivid sky blue, while small ice crystals in high-level clouds will also appear blueish, and water clouds will appear white.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Corrected Reflectance imagery is available only as near real-time imagery. The VIIRS instrument in on board the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi-National Polar orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. The imagery can be visualized in Worldview, the Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Rapid Response.The sensor resolution is 750 m and 375 m (M Bands are 750 m, I Bands are 375 m), imagery resolution is 250 m, and the temporal resolution is daily.
Vegetation and bare ground
Vegetation is very reflective in the near infrared (Band I2), and absorbent in Band I1 and Band M11. Assigning that band to green means even the smallest hint of vegetation will appear bright green in the image. Naturally bare soil, like a desert, is reflective in all bands used in this image, but more so in the SWIR (Band M11, red) and so soils will often have a pinkish tinge.
Burned areas
Burned areas or fire-affected areas are characterized by deposits of charcoal and ash, removal of vegetation and/or the alteration of vegetation structure. When bare soil becomes exposed, the brightness in Band I1 may increase, but that may be offset by the presence of black carbon residue; the near infrared (Band I2) will become darker, and Band M11 becomes more reflective. When assigned to red in the image, Band M11 will show burn scars as deep or bright red, depending on the type of vegetation burned, the amount of residue, or the completeness of the burn.
Water
Liquid water on the ground appears very dark since it absorbs in the red and the SWIR. Sediments in water appear dark blue. Ice and snow appear as bright turquoise. Clouds comprised of small water droplets scatter light equally in both the visible and the SWIR and will appear white. These clouds are usually lower to the ground and warmer. High and cold clouds are comprised of ice crystals and will appear turquoise.
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VIIRS Fires and Thermal Anomalies
Temporal coverage: 20 January 2012 - present
The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) Fire layer shows active fire detections and thermal anomalies, such as volcanoes, and gas flares. Fires can be set naturally, such as by lightning, or by humans, whether intentionally or accidentally. Fire is often thought of as a menace and detriment to life, but in some ecosystems it is necessary to maintain the equilibrium, for example, some plants only release seeds under high temperatures that can only be achieved by fire, fires can also clear undergrowth and brush to help restore forests to good health, humans use fire in slash and burn agriculture, to clear away last year’s crop stubble and provide nutrients for the soil and to clear areas for pasture. The fire layer is useful for studying the spatial and temporal distribution of fire, to locate persistent hot spots such as volcanoes and gas flares, to locate the source of air pollution from smoke that may have adverse human health impacts.
The 375m I-band data complements the MODIS fire detections; they both show good agreement in hotspot detection but the improved spatial resolution of the 375m data provides a greater response over fires of relatively small areas and provides improved mapping of large fire perimeters. The 375m data also has improved nighttime performance. Consequently, these data are well suited for use in support of fire management (e.g., near real-time alert systems), as well as other science applications requiring improved fire mapping fidelity.
The VIIRS Fire and Thermal Anomalies product is available from the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi-National Polar orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. The sensor resolution is 375 m, imagery resolution is 250 m, and the temporal resolution is twice daily. The thermal anomalies are represented as red points (approximate center of a 375m pixel).
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Produced from a vector layer containing country borders found at Natural Earth, a public domain map dataset.
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European Regional Protected Areas
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database of marine and
terrestrial protected areas and is one of the key global biodiversity datasets being widely used by scientists,
businesses, governments, International secretariats and others to inform planning, policy decisions and
management.
The WDPA is a joint project between UN Environment and the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN). The compilation and management of the WDPA is carried out by UN Environment World Conservation
Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), in collaboration with governments, non-governmental organisations,
academia and industry. There are monthly updates of the data which are made available online through
the Protected Planet website where the data is both viewable and downloadable.
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The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database of marine and
terrestrial protected areas and is one of the key global biodiversity datasets being widely used by scientists,
businesses, governments, International secretariats and others to inform planning, policy decisions and
management.
The WDPA is a joint project between UN Environment and the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN). The compilation and management of the WDPA is carried out by UN Environment World Conservation
Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), in collaboration with governments, non-governmental organisations,
academia and industry. There are monthly updates of the data which are made available online through
the Protected Planet website where the data is both viewable and downloadable.
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