<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Dear Open Source Remote Sensing and
Geospatial Colleagues, </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Please consider submitting an abstract for this open source remote sensing
session at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Meeting December 15-19,
2008 in San Francisco. It will be a great opportunity to promote and learn
about open source remote sensing in a vibrant international earth science
community (estimated 15,000 attendees). </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif">
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Session Name: IN24: <b>Open Source Remote Sensing for Environmental Mapping
and Analysis</b> <br>
Session URL: </font><a href="http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm08/?content=search&show=detail&sessid=586" target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="sans-serif"><u>http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm08/?content=search&show=detail&sessid=586
</u></font></a><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
AGU Abstract Submission URL: </font><a href=http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm08/ target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="sans-serif"><u>http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm08/
</u></font></a><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
(Please reference session IN24, and note the abstract submission deadline:
September 10, 2008) </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Session Abstract: </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Anthropogenic and natural pressures on ecosystems and environments threaten
human and ecological health at many levels. Remote sensing analysis of
aerial photography and satellite imagery provides views of the environment
necessary for sound environmental stewardship. Unprecedented amounts of
earth imagery are now available on our desktops through data portals and
virtual earths, and many open source geographic information system (GIS)
applications are available. However, there is a great need for free or
low cost, easy to use remote sensing software tools to help non-geospatial-experts
make better use of these image resources to enhance environmental mapping
and analysis. <br>
<br>
The goal of this session is to highlight open source remote sensing tools
and applications in environmental analysis. How are open source remote
sensing tools being used in environmental analysis (e.g., land cover mapping;
change detection; disaster recovery; habitat analysis; impervious surface
mapping)? Are remote sensing mapping algorithms incorporated in virtual
earths to expand their analytical capability? Can we develop easy to use
open source decision support tools to help guide environmental decision
making at the national, regional, local and citizen levels? How can we
better harness the observations of citizens informed about their local
environments in a geospatially-enabled manner? <br>
<br>
Thank you for your kind attention, and please forward this announcement
to any interested colleagues. </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif">
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Sincerely, </font><font size=3 face="sans-serif"> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Drew Pilant, Ph.D. <br>
US Environmental Protection Agency <br>
Office of Research and Development <br>
Landscape Characterization Branch <br>
tel: 919.541.0648 <br>
fax: 919.541.9420 </font><font size=2 color=blue face="sans-serif"><u><br>
</u></font><a href=mailto:pilant.drew@epa.gov target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="sans-serif"><u>pilant.drew@epa.gov</u></font></a>