What does WMS mean?
The Open Geospatial Consortium Web Map Service (WMS) protocol defines a simple interface for web based mapping applications.
The WMS protocol is based on a simple query syntax for posting a request for the desired layers and region to the server,
which returns a map as a standard image (PNG, GIF, or other format). The capabilities of a Web Map Service are described in
an XML (Extensible Markup Language) document. The WMS link provides access to this XML document.
What does WCS mean?
The Open Geospatial Consortium Web Coverage Service (WCS) protocol defines a simple interface for electronic retrieval
of geospatial data as "coverages", that is, digital geospatial information representing space-varying phenomena.
The WCS protocol is based on a simple query syntax for posting a request for the desired coverage and region to the server,
which returns coverage in a standard geospatial coverage format (GeoTIFF, NetCDF, or other format). The capabilities of
a Web Coverage Service are described in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) document. The WCS link provides access to this XML document.
What does Interactive Map mean?
Interactive map services provide visual display of one or more data layers. Users can view layers containing different types
of data, adding reference information such as continents, rivers, and political boundaries if desired. Zoom and pan capabilities
are also available.
These maps may contain large graphics and may take a long time to load, especially over a slow connection. They also require
current browsers with javascript enabled. Macintosh users, especially should make sure that they have at least Netscape 6 or IE 5.
PC users should have either Firefox or IE 4 or higher.
What does Download Interface mean?
The download interface is a GUI for constructing WCS requests. It allows you to view avaialble imagery and select
the bounding box and specific coverages you wish to download. It then generates the WCS requests for the coverages
and region selected.
What does KML/KMZ mean?
KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML-based language for managing the display of three-dimensional geospatial data
in the programs Google Earth, Google Maps,Google Mobile, ArcGIS Explorer, and WorldWind. (The word Keyhole is an earlier name for the
software that became Google Earth; the software was produced in turn by Keyhole, Inc, which was acquired by Google
in 2004. The term "Keyhole" actually honors the KH reconnaissance satellites, the original eye-in-the-sky military
reconnaissance system now some 30 years old.)
KML files are very often distributed as KMZ files, which are zipped KML files with a .kmz extension.
The files available have been tested in Google Earth version 4 and may not work in previous versions.
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