Title: Our Place on Planet Earth Using GPS
1Our Place on Planet EarthUsing GPS Satellites
to Zero in on OKeeffe Middle School
- Russia launched the first satellite in 1957
(SPUTNIK) - In 1959, scientists at the UW-Madison conducted
pioneering meteorological satellite experiments
under the direction of Dr. Verner E. Suomi, the
Father of Satellite Meteorology. - U.S. launched the first weather satellite in 1960
(Tiros I) - GPS - Global Positioning Systems
- Uses satellites and geometry to find latitude
longitude
2GPS Global Positioning Systems
- A GPS is a hand-held receiver that can establish
location in latitude and longitude by
triangulating radio signals sent out from
satellites. -
3The Global Positioning System Consists of 24 to
28 GPS satellites in operational orbit 12,500
miles (20,200 km) in space.
- At this altitude, satellites take 12 hours to
complete one orbit. - Satellites are spaced so that at least 4 are are
overhead at any one time. - These satellites send out radio signals that
hand-held GPS receivers use to establish the
location (and elevation) by triangulation.
44 satellites to determine elevation, latitude,
longitude time
5The Earth is a sphere which looks like a circle.
A circle is comprised of
360 degrees
- Latitude is measured from the equator to the
poles. (90 degrees north south) - Longitude is measured from west to east. (360o)
- Time Zones result from
- dividing 360 degrees by 24 hours to get 15,
which is why we add one hour for every time zone,
or 15 degrees longitude away from Greenwich,
England to convert to local time.
6Degrees on a satellite map photo
- This is a NOAA satellite weather map photo of the
Northwest U.S. - with lines of latitude and longitude.
- (50º N latitude top, 40º N middle)
- (120º west longitude N-S through CA)
- Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees
(degree symbol º) - based on the circle of the Earth.
- Each degree is made up of 60
- minutes, or 60'.
- Each minute degree is made
- up of 60 seconds, or 60".
-
7Georgia OKeeffe is a GLOBE school
8- GLOBE is a hands-on environmental science and
education program involving students in primary
and secondary schools throughout the world.
9GLOBE Schools and Countries
10GLOBE Measurement Areas
- Atmosphere/Climate
- Hydrology/Water Quality
- Soil
- Land Cover
- Phenology
- Other
11OKeeffe Atmosphere Shelter
- On Thorton Street, but where?
- (need GPS to find Latitude longitude)
- Not optimally located since its close to the
school building but we can document it in
metadata (data about data)