Free Haiti Imagery through Digital Globe

Digital Globe is offering free access to Haiti imagery pre- and post-earthquake.

They're offering three ways to access the imagery:

1. KML Overlay for Google Earth that displays the most current imagery for a given location.
2. ImageConnect plug-in for GIS software that allows GIS professionals to view all the images that have been loaded to the Crisis Event Service.
3. FTP access to GeoTIFF imagery from QuickBird, WorldView-1 and WorldView-2.

Register at this site for free imagery: http://dgl.us.neolane.net/res/dgl/survey/CES_H.jsp

Haiti earthquake information & maps

Note: The Map Room has a good wrap-up of related maps, updated almost daily.

The Haiti earthquake, 7.0 magnitude, struck about 10 miles south-west of Port-au-Prince, was quickly followed by two aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude. The automatically generated Preliminary Earthquake Report from theUSGS shake map U.S. Geological Survey includes many maps, including a shake map (top) and a look at historical seismicity in the area (bottom).  More maps here.

They say: The January 12, 2010, Haiti earthquake (7.0 magnitude) occurred in the boundary region separating the Caribbean plate and the North America plate. This plate boundary is dominated by left-lateral strike slip motion and compression, and accommodates about 20 mm/y slip, with the Caribbean plate moving eastward with respect to the North America plate.

Historical seismicityThe location and focal mechanism of the earthquake are consistent with the event having occurred as left-lateral strike slip faulting on the Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden fault system. This fault system accommodates about 7 mm/y, nearly half the overall motion between the Caribbean plate and North America plate. More here.

From the U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center, World Data Center for Seismology, Denver.

And from NASA Earth Observatory, a map showing the topography and tectonic influences in the region of the earthquake.

the topography and tectonic influences in the region of the earthquake

The NYTimes mapping division has a useful before and after tool using satellite (GeoEye) imagery; several key buildings are highlighted.

Looking back to Loma Prieta... and forward

ShakeMap of the 1989 M 6.9 Loma Prieta EarthquakeToday is the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Although a bay area native I was not here then, but remember it vividly. I was worried about my parents, my childhood haunts, and Jose Conseco, who was playing at the time for the Oakland A's in the "Bay Bridge World Series" vs the SF Giants. Fans at the game on October 17 1989 talk about the field bulging and moving like a "giant rolling pin under the ground." Jose and my folks were ok, but many people lost their livExpected Levels of Shaking from Future Earthquakeses, the bay bridge was changed forever, and the region sustained billions in damage. There are many great maps of the shaking produced by the 6.9 quake, here is one at left found at the USGS guide to living in earthquake country. The region is still primed for another big shake: look at this graphic of potential shaking forecasted for the future.

Mapping virtual trees and buildings

From a series of news releases (all text, no pics, alas): UK aerial survey specialist Bluesky has launched a brand new digital map layer accurately modelling the location and extent of trees and their proximity to buildings. Designed as a tool to aid insurance assessors, property developers and Local Authority Planners, ProximiTREE details the exact spatial location and height of individual trees together with the circumference of its canopy. From this information a determination can be made of the root extent and the potential impact on either existing or proposed properties.

They plug this product for its use in avoiding building subsidence, but in fire-prone Cali, we could use it to look at defensible space and risk.

They also provide a range of good downloads, including sample data and software for your enjoyment.

The Delta Blues

A great source of maps and animations about the Delta is the Public Policy Institute of California. See their map of a possible future delta; and their animation of another possible future delta (underwater).

Delta news: new plans for more dams?

Two articles about the Governor's plan for the Delta:Governor's panel warns delta must be fixed from the SF Chron; and Delta Vision Task Force Proposes Peripheral Canal, More Dams from the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center.

Fire Resources

A list of fire resources for CA (and other) fires:

• NOAA fire detection: fires with smoke plumes plotted
• U Maryland Fire Information: get latest perimeter shapefiles from MODIS
• USFS Current Fires:named large incidents

So smoky here

You know why: All the burning in Northern California is shown via the NASA hazards site. I haven't seen any perimeter maps yet.

OakMapper’s inspiration gets a makeover

The USGS Earthquake mapper gets a makeover. The original site was the inspiration for the OakMapper.

Fire Terrorism

It's back: discussion about the use of arson and catastrophic fire by terrorists. The Fire Center have been talking about this; and I think this kind of worry was what helped us get homeland security money for fire research and outreach in pre-Katrina times.