CONTACT: Patricia Viets FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7/23/96
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has initiated a new service, the Satellite Active Archive (SAA) that enables Internet users around the world to quickly access global weather satellite data. The data can be delivered over the Internet or mailed to users on various media.
The system was developed by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) in Suitland, Md. NESDIS operates four environmental satellites, two that orbit the earth going from pole to pole, and two geostationary satellites that orbit around the equator and view the United States and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Data from the polar-orbiting satellite's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, which provides thermal and visible image data, is available on-line through the SAA. In coming months atmospheric sounder data from NOAA's polar-orbiting satellites will be available along with selected data from various non-NOAA environmental satellites.
"The satellite data are extremely useful to all segments of our society," said Rob Mairs, chief of NESDIS's information processing division. "People in agriculture, construction, the oil industry, climate research, and many other professions all find this data invaluable to their businesses."
The SAA system is very user-friendly and easily accessible over the World Wide Web http://www.saa.noaa.gov). It is also compatible with NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System, enabling global change researchers to more readily gain a greater understanding of planet Earth.
NOAA expects that the primary user will be the environmental sciences researcher. However, with network connectivity established, NOAA sees a much wider user base, to include the educational community at all levels and the general public.
###Note to Editors: Reporters who would like to tour the Satellite Active Archive facility in Suitland, Md., should contact Patricia Viets. Further information about the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) can be accessed through the World Wide Web at http://ns.noaa.gov/NESDIS/NESDIS_Home.html
Note to Editors: Reporters who would like to tour the Satellite Active Archive facility in Suitland, Md., should contact Patricia Viets at 301-457-5005. NOTE: All NOAA press releases, and links to other NOAA material, can be found on the Internet at http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs. Journalists who wish to be added to our press release distribution list, or who wish to switch from fax to e-mail delivery, can send an e-mail to releases@www.rdc.noaa.gov,or fax to(202)482-3154. NOAA constituents can send an e-mail to constaff@www.rdc.noaa.gov, or fax to(202)501-2953.