The Sensor - January 2008

On December 20, 2007, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its weather prediction for the winter of 2007-2008.

In forecasting weather for the continental United States, NOAA examines several factors, but first among them is the state of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which leads to El Niño and La Niña. For the coming winter, NOAA predicted a moderately strong La Niña.

This image shows the temperature for the top millimeter of the ocean’s surface—the skin temperature—for November 2007 compared to the long-term average. A strong band of blue (cool) water appears along the Equator, particularly strong near South America. Orange to red (warm) conditions appear north and south of this strong blue band. The 2007 data were collected by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) flying on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The long-term average is based on data from a series of sensors that flew on NOAA Pathfinder satellites from 1985 to 1997.

Considering the ongoing La Niña as well as long-term temperature and precipitation trends, NOAA issued a prediction for cooler-than-normal temperatures from the Pacific Northwest through the northern states to northern Michigan. Much of the rest of the nation, including northwest Alaska, was expected to experience warmer-than-normal temperatures. The winter prediction also called for above-average precipitation in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains, and below-average precipitation in the Southwest, the southern and central plains, much of the Southeast, and the mid-Atlantic coast.

Source: NASA Earth Observatory

SEEN AND HEARD

Geospatial intelligence has revolutionized the way U.S. Border Patrol does business. Border Patrol has come to rely upon software applications that deliver precise geospatial data to assist agents in the apprehension of intruders and contraband.

“The system takes radar returns that we get from our towers and locates those on a map. The idea is that they scan the horizon, pick up activity that is crossing the border, identify it initially with the radar, and then follow up with cameras to see exactly what it is. The equipment tracks what is coming across while the Border Patrol goes to pick it up. Information from the towers is communicated to a central command post. It’s integrated into a common operating picture. Then the command post assigns a Border Patrol person to intercept an event and they can share the common operating picture. An agent can get a repeat of what the command post is looking at. They get a blip on the radar and identify where it is at, which way it is moving, and how fast it is moving with GPS.”

Brad Benson, Border Patrol spokesman

(Source: Military Geospatial Technology)

CONGRATULATIONS

Diamond Data Systems, Inc. Takes 4th Spot as one of New Orleans “Best Places to Work” by City Business
Diamond Data Systems, Inc. was honored with 4th place out of a field of thirty-five large companies as one of New Orleans Best Places to Work based on a recent survey conducted by City Business, a regional business publication. The survey focused on each company’s benefits offered to its employees. The criteria included average salary, health care, paid time off and employee-focused programs, coupled with a brief employee survey. For more information on Diamond Data, vist www.diamonddata.com.

Featured Guest on The Space Show
On Monday, December 31, 2007, Professor Joanne Gabrynowicz was the featured guest on The Space Show, hosted by David Livingston under www.TheSpaceShow.com. Listeners could talk to Professor Gabrynowicz or the host by calling in or sending an e-mail during the program. The show aired from 2:00-3:30 PM Pacific Time.

Congratulations to Socorro Harvey of NVision Solutions for being featured in “Blueprint for Business: Lessons of Success” in the business section of the Clarion Ledger on December 2, 2007.

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Congratulations to EIGS member company, Waggoner Engineering for being named Mississippi’s top design firm and one of the South Central United State leading design firms by South Central Construction magazine. In its most recent issue focusing on the growth in demand for design professionals, the magazine compiled a listing of the top 100 design firms in a five-state region based on the number of design professionals including engineers and architects. Waggoner, with 30 design professionals, is ranked first in Mississippi and 23rd out of 100 in the five-state region that also includes Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas.

(Source: Mississippi Business Journal, December 2, 2007)