Satellite images captured the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami damages in result of a 8.9-magnitude earthquake that hit northern Japan early Friday March 11, 2011. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that caused widespread devastation and damaging a nuclear power plant. Thousands are unaccounted for while search and rescue efforts continue fearing the death toll will rise in the thousands. Japan’s Prime Minister says this is the worst crisis that hit Japan since WWII.

WorldView-2 Satellite Image of Fukushima Daiichi

Nuclear Power Plant – March 14, 2011

(Image Credit:  DigitalGlobe. All Rights reserved.)

Japan’s troubled Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, otherwise known as Fukushima Daiichi, appears in this WorldView-2 satellite image (above) that was captured following an explosion at Unit 3 on March 14, 2011. Click on images to view in high resolution.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan

IKONOS Satellite Image of Post Tsunami Acquired on March 12, 2011

(Image Credit:  GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.)

GeoEye-1 Satellite Image of Pre Tsunami Acquired on November 15, 2009

(Image Credit:  GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.)

Friday’s tsunami disasters damaged a series of nuclear reactors (satellite images above), first reactor No. 1, then No. 3, No. 2  and today No. 4 was reported on fire. Japan suspended operations to prevent a stricken nuclear plant from melting down Wednesday after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous for workers to remain at the facility.

Sendai, Japan

IKONOS Satellite Image of Post Tsunami Acquired on March 12, 2011

(Image Credit:  GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.)

This one-meter resolution satellite image of Sendai, Japan (above), was taken one day after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Oshika Peninsula on March 11, 2011. According to news reports, this is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history. Analysts believe the powerful earthquake moved Japan’s main island eight feet (2.4 meters), shifted the Earth on its axis four inches (10 centimeters), and unleashed a devastating tsunami. The imagery shows extensive destruction to buildings, vehicles and infrastructure. Entire regions have been flooded, swept away or reduced to ruin. The image was taken by GeoEye’s IKONOS satellite at 10:36 a.m. (local time) on March 12, 2011 from 423 miles in space as it moved from north to south over Japan at a speed of four miles per second.

GeoEye-1 Satellite Image of Pre Tsunami Acquired on November 15, 2009

(Image Credit: GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.)

To View More Before and After  Satellite Photos of Japan Tsunami Damage:

Natori - Before and After

Shinchi – After

Minamisanrikucho – After

The above satellite images were captured from high resolution satellite sensors and shows damages to communities, buildings and roads. Satellite imagery is used to get ground and air assessments of the damage to help rescue and relief workers to focus on their efforts to respond to emergencies and natural disasters.

Damage and Recovery Assessments

Satellite images and aerial photography greatly aids rescue efforts  for emergency personnel to access damage from tsunamis and earthquakes and allows government agencies the ability to view the damage from multiple vantage points. The spatial resolution of an image determines the ability to view individual features such as buildings and bridges. It also affects the ability to monitor and assess damage conditions.

More Videos and Photos:

Tsunami roars ashore

Chilling Video of Japan Tsunami

Before and After Tsunami

Photos and Images of Post Tsunami

TIME Magazine Photos

About Satellite Imaging Corporation

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company, provides global satellite imaging and processing services for a number of industries, including oil and gas, mining, cadastre, tax mapping, construction, environmental, forestry and agriculture.

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified Satellite Imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including, flight simulations, terrain modeling, engineering and construction using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

Satellite Imaging Corporation
36842 Meadow Creek Court
Magnolia, Texas  77355-8603
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900 Ext.: 202
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite Images captured the environmental disaster of a contaminated waste reservoir that gave way to 24.7 million cubic feet of toxic red sludge on October 4^th, 2010,  killing nine people, injuring 150, forcing home evacuations and ruined property over 15 square miles.

The red sludge devastated creeks and rivers near the spill site and entered the Danube on Thursday October 7^th 2010, moving downstream toward Croatia, Serbia and Romania.

IKONOS (0.8m) Satellite Image of Toxic Red Sludge – Ajka, Hungary, Kolontar Village

(Image copyright © GeoEye 2010. All Rights Reserved.)

The IKONOS one-meter resolution satellite image features a portion of Hungary’s toxic sludge spill east of Ajka, Hungary in the village of Kolontar. The image was taken on October 7^th, 2010 and shows a close-up of the holding pond where the red mud pollution broke through the retainer wall. On the same day the image was captured authorities reported the spill had reached the Danube River, threatening to contaminate the waterway’s ecosystem. The image was collected by the IKONOS Satellite from 423 miles in space as it moved from north to south over Hungary at a speed of 4.2 miles per second.

QuickBird (0.6m) Satellite Image of Toxic Red Sludge – Ajka, Hungary, Kolontar Village

(Image copyright © DigitalGlobe 2010. All Rights Reserved.)

Watch a BBC video on the Industrial disaster here.

View a slideshow of the toxic sludge that hit Kolontar village in Hungary here.

Environmental Disaster Analysis and Monitoring Using Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery incorporated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), can give emergency officials a wealth of information for prevention, analysis, assessment and monitoring of environmental disasters and damage from small to large regions around the globe.

Satellite Images gives state and government agencies the ability to view the damage from multiple vantage points. The spatial resolution of an image determines the ability to view individual features such as buildings and bridges. It also affects the ability to monitor and assess damage conditions, and depends on the nature of the hazard itself.

The following Images are an example of analysis;

SPOT (2.5m) Satellite Image of Reservoir in Ajka, Hungary – Before

FORMOSAT-2 (2.0) Satellite Image of Reservoir in Ajka, Hungary – After

(Satellite Images Copyright © SPOT 2010. All Rights Reserved.)

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as GIS.

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information please contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
36842 Meadow Creek Court
Magnolia, Texas  77355-8603
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
E-mail: info@satimagingcorp.com

Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite images captured the catastrophic floods that hit Pakistan on August 1, 2010 the worst since 80 years which have affected 14 million people. As many as 12 million people have been affected by the torrential rains and floods and about 1,300 people have died.

A total of 650,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed and up to 500,000 people are homeless in Punjab province. At least 1.4 million acres of farmland were destroyed in the province, where people rely heavily on agriculture for food.

Pre-Flooding – Nowshera, Pakistan-October 7, 2007

QuickBird satellite image of Nowshera and the surrounding area.  (credit:DigitalGlobe)

Post-Flooding – Nowshera, Pakistan-August 5, 2010

Worldview-2 satellite image of Nowshera and the surrounding area.  (credit:DigitalGlobe)

The satellite images above were taken from the Worldview-2 and QuickBird satellite sensor and shows the pre and post flooding in northern Pakistan standing water burying farmlands and settlements.

Flooding of the Kabul River meanders over flat ground near the area, and standing water outside of the river’s banks formed large loops of water similar in shape to the river’s path. Flooding is especially severe in the northwest, although this may result partly from the absence of many high-profile features in that area.

Satellite Imagery and Mapping of Natural Disasters

Emergency managers use remote sensing and mapping tools such as satellite imagery and GIS can facilitate critical decision-making before and after a disaster impacts an area.  In the early, crucial stages of a disaster or emergency and throughout the disaster process, managers use satellite imagery and GIS products because they provide important information, in quick and easy-to-understand formats.

Remote Sensing gives state and government agencies the ability to view the damage from multiple vantage points. The spatial resolution of an image determines the ability to view individual features such as buildings and bridges. It also affects the ability to monitor and assess damage conditions, and depends on the nature of the hazard itself.

To view photos of the flooding in Pakistan visit here.

To view our YouTube channel and watch a video on “Satellite Image Gallery of Natural Disasters – Floods, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Tsunamis” and more.

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
36842 Meadow Creek Court
Magnolia, Texas  77355-8603
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite images support the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response and cleanup with spill mapping including documenting the condition of coastal wetlands before oil landfall. Satellite imagery will assist  response teams in forecasting the trajectory of the oil and in documenting changes in the ecosystem.

Satellites can document the overall extent of the oil but cannot distinguish between the sheen and thick patches. While the sheen represents most of the area of the slick, the majority of the oil is concentrated in the thicker part. Satellite images should be able to identify the thicker parts, helping oil spill responders know where to deploy oil-skimming boats and absorbent booms.

GeoEye-1 Satellite Image of Gulf Oil Spill

(Image Credit: GeoEye)

This half-meter resolution satellite image (above) features a portion of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. Streaks of oil blown by wind and currents can easily be seen against the darker colored water. The image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite from 423 miles in space on April 29, 2010 as it moved from north to south over the United States at a speed of four miles per second.

QuickBird Satellite Image of Gulf Oil Spill

(Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)

WorldView-2 Satellite Image of Gulf Oil Spill

(Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)

Researchers also plan to measure changes in vegetation along the coastline and assess where and how oil may be affecting marshes, swamps, bayous, and beaches that are difficult to survey on the ground.

Researchers and scientists will be:

* Collecting satellite imagery to assess the impact on wetlands and coasts
* Developing maps showing NOAA projections of spill trajectory with respect to DOI Lands
* Collecting samples to ascertain source and levels of toxicity to soils and water systems
* Conducting tests to determine cause of mortality of wildlife
* Developing models that depict how local tidal and current conditions will interact with seafloor bathymetry to carry oil over barrier islands
* Providing decision support tools to help DOI land managers mitigate the effects of the oil spill and assist in restoration efforts

WorldView-2 Satellite Image of Gulf Oil Spill

(Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)

This is an enhanced satellite image of the oil spill and clean up effort in the Gulf of Mexico.

This image leverages the different sensor bands of the WorldView-2 satellite to highlight the oil and dispersant.

The oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig occurred after an explosion on April 20, 2010 and various methods of containing the oil spill have been developed, including controlled burns, domes over the oil spill, and the use of remotely operated vehicles to manipulate equipment on the sea floor.

To watch a time lapse video of satellite images of the Gulf Oil Spill visit here.

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
36842 Meadow Creek Court
Magnolia, Texas  77355-8603
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite images of the construction and newly completed Cape Town Stadium (also known as Green Point Stadium) in Cape Town, South Africa a 68,000 seat multi-purpose stadium built for the FIFA World Cup 2010.

QuickBird Satellite Image of Green Point  Stadium Completed Construction

Cape Town, South Africa

(Image Copyright © DigitalGlobe 2010. All Rights Reserved.)

The Green Point Stadium which was demolished in 2007 with a 18,000 seat capacity hosted many football matches including the Santos Football Club and Ajax Cape Town at different points and to various popular music concerts including Michal Jackson.

Construction began in March of 2007 and took  33 months to complete costing approximately US $600 million. The stadium was completed in December of 2009.

GeoEye-1 Satellite Image of Green Point Stadium Construction

Cape Town, South Africa

(Image Copyright © GeoEye 2010. All Rights Reserved.)

The stadium is located in Green Point, between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, near the Cape Town city center. The stadium will host first round, second round, quarter, and semi-final matches. GeoEye-1 .50-meter resolution collected this image September 11, 2009.

After the 2010 World Cup, the stadium will be reduced to a capacity of 55, 000 and will cater to various sports, including rugby, as well as music concerts and other major events.

Official FIFA World Cup Website

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
36842 Meadow Creek Court
Magnolia, Texas  77355-8603
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite images captured the damage of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Yushu, China last week. The quake struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu Wednesday and has left 12,135 injured, of whom 1,434 are in serious condition.

The death toll has climbed to 2,039 from the earthquake in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, with 195 people still missing, according to the rescue headquarters.

GeoEye-1 (0.5m) satellite image of Yushu, China, was taken one day after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the area April 14,2010. Although high-rise buildings appear to be standing, likely due to modern construction standards, there is extensive destruction to smaller structures in the lower left quadrant of the image. These smaller dwellings have been largely reduced to rubble. Vehicles crowd the main street near the town square along the river where people have gathered and temporary structures have been erected. Bridges appear to be intact but could be damaged. The satellite image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite sensor from 423 miles in space on April 15, 2010 as it moved from north to south over China at a speed of four miles per second.

Yushu, China

Pre Earthquake1
QuickBird (0.61m) Satellite Image Collected November 6, 2004

(Image credit: DigitalGlobe)

Yushu, China

Post Earthquake
QuickBird (0.61m) Satellite Image Collected April 15, 2010

(Image credit: DigitalGlobe)

In Gyegu, thousands of wood-earth buildings collapsed and many larger structured were heavily damaged or destroyed. At an elevation of 3,700m (12,000 ft) and connected by few roads, most of which were damaged in the quake, is difficult to reach for the response teams.

Rescuers continue to search for survivors as homeless residents work to recover what they can and set up shelter from the freezing overnight temperatures.

To view more photos of the earthquake, visit here.

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
12777 Jones Road, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77070-4671
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite Images captured the damage of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile on February 27th. The earthquake was so sudden, people were shocked when it occurred. The intensity of the quake was so devastating that it caused blackouts in some areas of Santiago, Chile’s capital city.

QuickBird Satellite Image (0.6m) – Pre Earthquake/Tsunami

Chile – Coastline

Image Credit: DigitalGlobe

QuickBird Satellite Image (0.6m) – Post Earthquake/Tsunami

Chile – Coastline

Image Credit: DigitalGlobe

Reports of hundreds of bodies have been found and possibly more will be discovered. Police and military troops are posted on street corners to prevent looting and chaos. Many of the city’s 500,000 inhabitants are short of food, water and electricity was cut off.

Military helicopters carrying relief supplies landed Tuesday in the coastal town of Concepcion, which was in ruins following the 8.8 magnitude quake and tsunami.  A makeshift morgue was established in a gymnasium, where bodies lay on the floor for identification and the names of the dead were posted outside.

Video of Chaos After Earthquake

Video Earthquake Aftershocks

Earthquake Altered Earth’s Axis

The earthquake was so powerful that it likely shifted Earth’s axis and shortened the length of a day, NASA announced Monday.

By speeding up Earth’s rotation, the magnitude 8.8 earthquake shortened an Earth day by 1.26 millionths of a second, according to new computer-model calculations by geophysicist Richard Gross of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Gross also estimates that the earthquake shifted Earth’s figure axis by about three inches (eight centimeters).

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
12777 Jones Road, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77070-4671
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Satellite images of Whistler Olympic Park and Cypress Mountain in Canada hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games a major international multi-sport event held on February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America. Whistler has over 8,000 acres, the highest peak-to-peak gondola and the longest unsupported lift in the world.

GoeEye-1 satellite image (0.5 meter resolution) below features Cypress Mountain, located in Cypress Provincial Park, adjacent to the District of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Freestyle skiing and snowboard events are held here. The image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite from 423 miles in space on Feb. 19, 2010 as it moved from north to south over Canada at a speed of four miles per second. (Image credit: GeoEye)

This is a Worldview-2 satellite image (0.5 meter resolution) below of Cypress Mountain, Olympics Venue in Vancouver, Canada for moguls, aerials and snowboarding competitions.  (Image credit: DigitalGlobe).

The satellite image below of Whistler Olympic Park was taken by GeoEye’s IKONOS satellite (1 meter resolution) from 423 miles in space on Jan. 16, 2010 at 10:35 a.m. (local) time as it moved from north to south over Canada at a speed of four miles per second. Nordic and sliding events are held here. (Image credit: GeoEye)

QuickBird Satellite Image (0.6 meter resolution) below of Whistler Olympic Park Vancouver, British Columbia – Slide Center. (Image Credit: DigitalGlobe)

Whistler is a resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Vancouver.

All alpine skiing events are being held on Whistler Mountain and sliding events (bobsleigh, luge and skeleton) are being held on Blackcomb Mountain. Cypress Mountain (located in Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver) is hosting the 2010 freestyle skiing (aerials, moguls, and ski cross), and all 2010 snowboard events (half-pipe, parallel giant slalom, snowboard cross).

Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and mountain biking at Whistler-Blackcomb. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s.

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications including engineering and construction, homeland security, defense, intelligence and disaster response using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
12777 Jones Road, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77070-4671
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

These images are made possible by cutting edge satellite imaging technology. By using the latest remote sensing technology, we are able to display these sites from around the world.

The satellite images below of the world’s most famous memorials, tombs and mausoleums were captured by high resolution commercial satellite sensors. These large and impressive structures were created for deceased leaders or other person(s) of importance. Most of these structures date back thousands of years, and many memorials, tombs and mausoleum sites still stand today.

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the image. Please beware that these high resolution images may require some time to download, depending on your connection speed.

Great Pyramids of Giza, El Giza, Egypt

Giza Pyramids – QuickBird, DigitalGlobe

The Giza Pyramids were constructed around 2500 BC as monumental tombs. The largest and oldest pyramid was originally over 480 feet high and is made of 5.7 million tons of limestone. It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20 year period concluding around 2540 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. Satellite Images: Copyright © 2009 DigitalGlobe. All Rights Reserved.

More on Great Pyramids of Giza

Taj Mahal, New Delhi, India

Taj Mahal – IKONOS, GeoEye

Located at the city of Agra in the State of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful masterpieces of architecture in the world a style that combines elements of Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. Satellite Image: Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on Taj Mahal Mausoleum

First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty – Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China

Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China – JAXA

Terracotta Warriors and Horses – QuickBird, DigitalGlobe

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Qin Shi Huang, 259 BC to 210 BC), who established the first unified dynasty in China in 221 BC, is the grey-green pyramid in the top image. The base of the pyramid is 375m in both east-west and north-south directions. East of the mausoleum, you can see the semi-cylindrical roof of No. 1 Pit of the Museum of Qin Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses, where thousands of standing terra-cotta figures of life-sized soldiers and horses were excavated. Satellite Image: Copyright © 2009 JAXA/
Digital Globe. All Rights Reserved.

More on First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty

The Pantheon Mausoleum, Rome, Italy

Pantheon Mausoleum – GeoEye-1, GeoEye

The Pantheon meaning “Every god” is a building in Rome, built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. A near-contemporary writer, Cassius Dio, speculates that the name comes from the statues of many gods placed around the building, or from the resemblance of the dome to the heavens. Since the French Revolution, when the church of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, was deconsecrated and turned into a secular monument, the Panthéon, the generic term pantheon may be applied to any building in which illustrious dead are honored or buried. Satellite Image: Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on The Pantheon

St. Peter Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

St. Basilica Church – IKONOS, GeoEye

Old St. Peter’s Basilica was the fourth-century church begun by the Emperor Constantine between 326 and 333 AD. This church had been built over the small shrine believed to mark the burial place of St. Peter. It contained a very large number of burials and memorials, including those of most of the popes from St. Peter to the 15th century. Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on St. Peter Basilica

Lenin’s Mausoleum, Red Square, Russia

Lenin’s Mausoleum – QuickBird, DigitalGlobe

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, situated in Red Square in Moscow, is the mausoleum that serves as the final resting place of Vladimir Lenin. His embalmed body has been on public display there since the year he died in 1924 (with rare exceptions in wartime). Aleksey Shchusev’s diminutive but monumental granite structure incorporates some elements from ancient mausoleums, such as the Step Pyramid and the Tomb of Cyrus the Great. Satellite Image: Copyright © 2009 DigitalGlobe. All Rights Reserved.

More on Lenin’s Tomb

Lincoln’s Memorial, Washington DC, U.S.A.

Lincoln Memorial – GoeEye-1, GeoEye

American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln. Satellite Image: Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on Lincoln’s Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

Monticello House – GoeEye-1, GoeEye

Dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third president of the United States. The Monticello House a neoclassical building was designed by John Russell Pope. It was built by Philadelphia contractor Tyler Nichols. Construction began in 1939, the building was completed in 1943, and the bronze statue of Jefferson was added in 1947. When completed, the memorial occupied one of the last significant sites left in the city. Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Washington Memorial, Washington DC, USA

Washington Monument – GeoEye-1, GeoEye

The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, D.C. and one of the city’s early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles. It was finished on December 6, 1884. Satellite Image Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on Washington Monument

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, O’ahu, Hawaii

USS Arizona – IKONOS, GeoEye

The resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 by Japanese imperial forces and commemorates the events of that day. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the island of O’ahu was the action that led to United States involvement in World War II. Satellite Image Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on USS Arizona Memorial

Twin Towers Memorial, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York

World Trade Center Memorial – IKONOS, GeoEye-1

Proposed Memorial completion around 2011 will be  built to remember and honor the nearly three thousand people who died in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001. The Memorial will consist of two massive pools set within the footprints of the Twin Towers with the largest manmade waterfalls in the country cascading down their sides. They will be a powerful reminder of the Twin Towers and of the unprecedented loss of life from an attack on our soil.

The names of the nearly 3,000 individuals who were killed in the September 11 attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, and the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing will be inscribed around the edges of the Memorial pools. Satellite Image Copyright © 2011 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on the Twin Towers Memorial

The Pentagon Memorial, Arlington, Virgina, USA

Pentagon Memorial – IKONOS, GeoEye

An outdoor memorial dedicated to the 184 people killed in the building and on American Airlines Flight 77 in the September 11, 2001 attacks (not counting the hijackers aboard the plane). The memorial opened to the public on September 11, 2008. Satellite Image Copyright © 2009 GeoEye. All Rights Reserved.

More on Pentagon Memorial

More Famous Mausoleums, Memorials, Tombs and Fascinating Tombs of interest.

Remote Sensing Technology

Remote Sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) have become increasingly important tools for researchers and scientists as these systems link information to precisely calibrated physical locations, and integrate information drawn from multiple sources. The usefulness of satellite images and aerial photographs for identifying and analyzing sites such as the above was recognized from the early days of aviation and the imagery is now available from an array of aircraft and high resolution satellite borne sensors and LIDAR that provide even greater potential for investigating or researching these sites of importance.

Satellite images has been used by government, commercial, industrial, civilian, and educational communities throughout the world. The data is used to support a wide range of applications in such areas as archaeology, agriculture, forestry, mining, engineering, construction, and creating 3D dimensional models (DEMs) and fly throughs.

About Satellite Imaging Corporation:

Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC), a privately held technology company that provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite imaging technology producing seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaics DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using CAD and GIS applications using high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
12777 Jones Road, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77070-4671
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910
Website: www.satimagingcorp.com

Remote sensing earth observation (EO) satellites provide significant contributions to desertification assessment and monitoring, particularly by providing the spatial information needed for regional-scale analysis of the relationships between climate change, land degradation and desertification processes.

GeoEye-1 Satellite Image of Gobi Desert, China

Image Credit: GeoEye

Gobi desert is expanding at an alarming rate. The expansion is particularly rapid on the southern edge into China. Dust storms, which used to occur regularly in China, have seen a dramatic increase in occurrence in the past 20 years, mainly due to desertification, and causing further damage to China’s agriculture economy.

Desertification, land degradation and drought deprive people of food and water and force millions to leave their homes. Desertification refers to the creation of new deserts through the degradation of drylands, which cover 40% of the world’s land surface. Land degradation, caused by over-cultivation, over-grazing, deforestation and inefficient irrigation, affects roughly 20% of Earth’s drylands.

Satellite imaging technology has been  recognized as playing an important role in achieving this objective by using these methods for monitoring the areas most at risk to support land and water management decisions.

Earth observation (EO) satellite technologies allow land degradation processes to be monitored over time. Monitoring desertification, land degradation and droughts requires continuous evaluation, some of which can be retrieved with earth observation technologies and state-of-the-art geo-spatial applications.

Landsat satellite image series from Lake Mead, we can see the diminishing water level of the reservoir between the 1990s and 2009. The red color in the lower right image shows where the water level has dropped. These false-color images use TM bands 7,4,2.

Credit: NASA/USGS

High-spectral resolution satellite imagery can dramatically increase the accuracy of dryland monitoring. Hyperspectral imagery incorporated with field and laboratory data for analysis can be used to derive more quantitative and specific soil properties directly linked to soil degradation status, such as soil chemical properties, organic matter, mineralogical content, infiltration capacity, aggregation capacity, and runoff coefficient.

Combining satellite image data with weather data, numeric models and geographical information systems (GIS) are used to create standardized geo-information products.

Satellite Image data is expected to contribute to a wide array of global change-related application areas for vegetation and ecosystem dynamics, hazard monitoring, geology and soil analysis, land surface climatology, hydrology, land cover change, and the generation of orthorectified digital elevation models (DEMs).

Satellite imagery analysis allows for:

• Fast and accurate overview
• Quantitative green vegetation assessment
• Underlying soil characteristics

Satellite remote sensing is an evolving technology with the potential for contributing to studies for land cover and change detection by making globally comprehensive evaluations of many environmental and human actions possible. These changes, in turn, influence management and policy decision making. Satellite image data enables direct observation of the land surface at repetitive intervals and therefore allow mapping of the extent and monitoring and assessment of:

• Crop health
• Storm Water Runoff
• Change detection
• Air Quality
• Environmental analysis
• Energy Savings
• Irrigated landscape mapping
• Carbon Storage and Avoidance
• Yield determination
• Soils and Fertility Analysis
• Identification

About Satellite Imaging Corporation

Satellite Imaging Corporation provides high resolution satellite imagery from satellite sensors such as GeoEye-1, WorldView-2 Worldview-1, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and other remote sensing products for analysis and mapping applications such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

The company specializes in mono and stereo satellite image processing techniques and produce seamless orthorectified satellite imaging mosaic DEM’s and 3D terrain models for many industries using GIS applications including, flight simulations and terrain modeling for your specific project needs.

For more information contact:

Satellite Imaging Corporation
12777 Jones Road, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77070-4671
U.S.A.

Toll Free (866) 283-2952 (US and Canada only)
Tel: (1) 832-237-2900
Fax: (1) 832-237-2910

Website: www.satimagingcorp.com