Global Change studies are increasingly being considered a vital source of information to understand the Earth Environment, in particular in the framework of human-induced climate change and land use transformation. Satellite Earth Observing systems provide a unique tool to monitor those changes. While the range of applications and innovative techniques is constantly increasing, this book provides a summary of key case studies where satellite data offer critical information to understand the causes and effects of those environmental changes, minimizing their negative impacts. This book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the field of remote sensing, geographical information, meteorology and environmental sciences. Also scientists and graduate up to post-graduate level students in environmental science will find valuable information in this book.

Disaster management is generally understood to consist of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. While these phases are all important and interrelated, response and recovery are often considered to be the most critical in terms of saving lives. Response is the acute phase occurring after the event, and includes all arrangements to remove detriments and a long-term inventory of supplies to deal with irreversible damage. The timely provision of geospatial information is crucial in the decision-making process, and can save lives and rescue citizens. The aim of this volume is to share technological advances that allow wider, faster and more effective utilization of geospatial information in emergency response situations. The volume describes current accomplishments and challenges in providing geospatial information with these attributes, and is organized in six parts: - Practice and legislation, with a focus on the utilization of geospatial information in recent disaster events, as well as resulting legislative attempts to share and access data. - Data collection and data products. - Data management and routing in 3D. - Emerging technologies, including positioning, virtual reality and simulation models. - Integration of heterogeneous data. - Applications and solutions. This volume is aimed at researchers, practitioners and students who work in the variety of disciplines related to geospatial information technology for emergency response, and represents the very best of current thinking from a number of pioneering studies over the past four years.

The growing market penetration of Internet mapping, satellite imaging and personal navigation has opened up great research and business opportunities to geospatial communities. Multi-platform and multi-sensor integrated mapping technology has clearly established a trend towards fast geospatial data acquisition. Sensors can be mounted on various platforms, such as satellites, aircrafts or helicopters, terrestrial vehicles, water-based vessels, and may even be hand-carried by individuals. Mobile mapping refers to a means of collecting geospatial data using mapping sensors mounted on a mobile platform. Its development was primarily driven by the advances in digital imaging and direct-georeferencing technologies. With the escalating use of telecommunication networks and the increasing availability of low-cost and portable sensors, mobile mapping has become more dynamic, and even pervasive. The book addresses a wide variety of research issues in the mobile mapping community, ranging from system development to sensor integration, imaging algorithms and mobile GIS applications. This book will provide researchers and practitioners a good overall view of what is being developed in this topical area.

How does one determine how similar two maps are? This book aims at the theory of spatial similarity relations and its application in automated map generalization, including the definitions, classification and features of spatial similarity relations. Included also are calculation models of spatial similarity relations between arbitrary individual objects and between arbitrary object groups, and the application of the theory in the automation of the algorithms and procedures in map generalization.

Advances in Mapping from Remote Sensor Imagery: Techniques and Applications reviews some of the latest developments in remote sensing and information extraction techniques applicable to topographic and thematic mapping. Providing an interdisciplinary perspective, leading experts from around the world have contributed chapters examining state-of-the-art techniques as well as widely used methods. The book covers a broad range of topics including photogrammetric mapping and LiDAR remote sensing for generating high quality topographic products, global digital elevation models, current methods for shoreline mapping, and the identification and classification of residential buildings. Contributors also showcase cutting-edge developments for environmental and ecological mapping, including assessment of urbanization patterns, mapping vegetation cover, monitoring invasive species, and mapping marine oil spills-crucial for monitoring this significant environmental hazard. The authors exemplify the information presented in this text with case studies from around the world. Examples include: Envisat/ERS-2 images used to generate digital elevation models over northern Alaska In situ radiometric observations and MERIS images employed to retrieve chlorophyll a concentration in inland waters in Australia ERS-1/2 SAR images utilized to map spatiotemporal deformation in the southwestern United States Aerospace sensors and related information extraction techniques that support various mapping applications have recently garnered more attention due to the advances in remote sensing theories and technologies. This book brings together top researchers in the field, providing a state-of-the-art review of some of the latest advancements in remote sensing and mapping technologies.

Disaster management is generally understood to consist of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. While these phases are all important and interrelated, response and recovery are often considered to be the most critical in terms of saving lives. Response is the acute phase occurring after the event, and includes all arrangements to remove detriments and a long-term inventory of supplies to deal with irreversible damage. The timely provision of geospatial information is crucial in the decision-making process, and can save lives and rescue citizens. The aim of this volume is to share technological advances that allow wider, faster and more effective utilization of geospatial information in emergency response situations. The volume describes current accomplishments and challenges in providing geospatial information with these attributes, and is organized in six parts: - Practice and legislation, with a focus on the utilization of geospatial information in recent disaster events, as well as resulting legislative attempts to share and access data. - Data collection and data products. - Data management and routing in 3D. - Emerging technologies, including positioning, virtual reality and simulation models. - Integration of heterogeneous data. - Applications and solutions. This volume is aimed at researchers, practitioners and students who work in the variety of disciplines related to geospatial information technology for emergency response, and represents the very best of current thinking from a number of pioneering studies over the past four years.

How does one determine how similar two maps are? This book aims at the theory of spatial similarity relations and its application in automated map generalization, including the definitions, classification and features of spatial similarity relations. Included also are calculation models of spatial similarity relations between arbitrary individual objects and between arbitrary object groups, and the application of the theory in the automation of the algorithms and procedures in map generalization.

Global Change studies are increasingly being considered a vital source of information to understand the Earth Environment, in particular in the framework of human-induced climate change and land use transformation. Satellite Earth Observing systems provide a unique tool to monitor those changes. While the range of applications and innovative techniques is constantly increasing, this book provides a summary of key case studies where satellite data offer critical information to understand the causes and effects of those environmental changes, minimizing their negative impacts. This book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the field of remote sensing, geographical information, meteorology and environmental sciences. Also scientists and graduate up to post-graduate level students in environmental science will find valuable information in this book.

Natural and anthropogenic disasters have caused a large number of victims and significant social and economic losses in the last few years. There is no doubt that the risk prevention and disaster management sector needs drastic measures and improvements in order to decrease damage and save lives of inhabitants. Effective utilization of satellite positioning, remote sensing, and GIS in disaster monitoring and management requires research and development in numerous areas: data collection, access and delivery, information extraction and analysis, management and their integration with other data sources (airborne and terrestrial imagery, GIS data, etc.), data standardization, organizational and legal aspects of sharing of remote sensing information. This book provides researchers and practitioners with a good overview of what is being developed in this topical area.

Effective utilization of satellite positioning, remote sensing, and GIS in disaster monitoring and management requires research and development in numerous areas, including data collection, information extraction and analysis, data standardization, organizational and legal aspects of sharing of remote sensing information. This book provides a solid overview of what is being developed in the risk prevention and disaster management sector.

Advances in Mapping from Remote Sensor Imagery: Techniques and Applications reviews some of the latest developments in remote sensing and information extraction techniques applicable to topographic and thematic mapping. Providing an interdisciplinary perspective, leading experts from around the world have contributed chapters examining state-of-the-art techniques as well as widely used methods.
The book covers a broad range of topics including photogrammetric mapping and LiDAR remote sensing for generating high quality topographic products, global digital elevation models, current methods for shoreline mapping, and the identification and classification of residential buildings. Contributors also showcase cutting-edge developments for environmental and ecological mapping, including assessment of urbanization patterns, mapping vegetation cover, monitoring invasive species, and mapping marine oil spills crucial for monitoring this significant environmental hazard.

The authors exemplify the information presented in this text with case studies from around the world. Examples include:

• Envisat/ERS-2 images used to generate digital elevation models over northern Alaska
• In situ radiometric observations and MERIS images employed to retrieve chlorophyll a concentration in inland waters in Australia
• ERS-1/2 SAR images utilized to map spatiotemporal deformation in the southwestern United States

Aerospace sensors and related information extraction techniques that support various mapping applications have recently garnered more attention due to the advances in remote sensing theories and technologies. This book brings together top researchers in the field, providing a state-of-the-art review of some of the latest advancements in remote sensing and mapping technologies.

The first book to capture and preserve the inside story of the exclusive brotherhood that manned the front lines of the Cold War. Featuring interviews from seventeen veteran submariners, Standing Watch: American Submarine Veterans Remember the Cold War Era offers the perspective of the submariners themselves-lending them a voice and paying homage to their service. Jonathan Li-Chung Leung provides an original glimpse into a world of unique challenges and characters, a life isolated and submerged, and a duty defined by the juxtaposition of monotonous routine and unparalleled excitement. These personal accounts of life below the surface offer readers a front-row seat to close encounters with Soviet submarines and the naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as an intimate understanding of daily life onboard the vessels, the culture of military discipline, and the religious-like fervor exercised in honoring traditions big and small. By applying first-hand perspectives to a larger thematic overview, this book uses authentic narratives to deliver a lively and colorful picture of the Silent Service. Set against the backdrop of sobering geo-political disputes and their own role as the nation's defenders against a seemingly ambiguous super-enemy, these veterans focus on their responsibilities and reflect on careers built on the simple axioms of pride and service. This invigorating and unalloyed account is an unprecedented addition to the existing literature on naval and military history.

Imagine this: your audience gave you a standing ovation, your client was smiling and handing you a signed contract, your supervisor came to you and said, "Thank you We're so glad to have you." The world has changed. You can influence people and get what you want by making effective business presentations. Mastering business presentations lets you eliminate whatever's blocking you and take back control of your future. Instead of leaving your future in someone else's hands. Business presentations make it all possible. Over the years, I get asked many of the same questions over and over. Questions such as... What is a business presentation? Why is business presentation important? How do I make a business presentation? How do I start a presentation? How to handle tough questions during a business presentation? And more... In this book I answer those questions and 13 others. I also offer some suggestions on what comes next. Sign up for our free training (instructions inside this book) and we've got additional tools to implement your own Business Presentation Strategies.