Good news, my trip to Antarctica is now within sight! Kind of. Seeing it only from my couch, Antarctica is a place, to most of us, that can only be imagined. Well, now planning a trip there may be almost as easy as planning your next summer vacation. Kind of. It may be without the warm beaches, resorts, or hotels even- but you can still go.
An eight year satellite mapping project reached it's victory Tuesday when The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) was unveiled. This high-definition color map is now the most geographically accurate image of the continent ever made. The best part, it can be viewed by anyone with access to the internet- or anyone for that matter. This will aid researchers in plotting their expeditions, and geologist can better study it's formation. And for us, the general public, it is a more realistic view of a place we have only seen from the perspective of TV cameramen.
The resolution of the LIMA is 10 times better than any other database for Antarctica, making it possible to see images as small as half the size of a basketball court.
This is important. It will allow researchers to better study the ecosystems that live on the continent, and monitor the affects of global warming.
Antarctica has experienced more global warming over the last 50 years than the global average. Haven't we all seen the images of our polar bears searching for food, and the melting ice that surrounds them? LIMA may be a huge step in learning even more about how global warming is affecting this continent, but most importantly, what needs to be done to stop it or slow it.
Want to see? Go here: http://lima.usgs.gov/ or here: http://lima.nasa.gov/
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