Adapting Satellite Data for Display on Mobile Devices

In 2005 the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center introduced the PDA Animated Weather (PAW) service which provides a collection of image products specifically formatted for display on hand held mobile web devices. This service is intended to be a technology demonstrator, providing public access to leading edge research conducted at SSEC.

Production of products typically involves collecting and merging of measured or derived satellite data from a variety of sensors. The primary source of these data is the SSEC Data Center which provides access to its real time archives of global satellite imagery. The Abstract Data Distribution Environment (ADDE) is the mechanism through which these image objects can be sorted, sectorized and served to the PAW production platform.

Products are routinely produced by a set of automated scripts which collect and render the source data into standardized geographic projections and resolutions. Images are scaled to fit the majority of small frame devices including smart phones and mini-applications (gadgets). Additional data observations can be plotted over the image data. These graphical overlays illustrate important geo-referenced features/regions and can provide links to point/area specific products.

Users can traverse multi-layered image channels as static or time animations using standard web browsers. Memory mapped frames provide a generic interface providing pseudo zoom and roam capabilities. Graphical overlays of plotted and contoured ancillary data can be toggled on and off.