Insights
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  • Satellite Science & Environmental Intelligence

Evaluating the Use of Earth Observations Digital Twin Technologies 

Swirls of blue, green, and orange on a global map

Earth Observations Digital Twin technologies are data analytics, artificial intelligence, and advanced modeling technologies that provide an estimate of the true state of the Earth. An Earth Systems Digital Twin is observations-based and grid-flexible with multiple components and high-resolution data over space and time to capture all available observations and feed a variety of direct observations to users. Adding or removing data is flexible, cost-efficient, and agile with fast processing. NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) is exploring the use of this technology.

Through their joint venture program, they contracted three companies to each developed a prototype to explore this technology.  CSS employee owners (formerly Riverside staff) were responsible for evaluating these prototypes. Our staff evaluated the code for each Earth Observations Digital Twin prototype and explored using them for enhancing the ability to process, monitor, quality-control, consolidate, fuse, and assimilate environment observations and streamline the satellite data ground processing. Our staff provided feedback and recommendations to NESDIS regarding the validity and integrity of using an Earth Observations Digital Twin, and whether or not they could be used for potential future applications.

An example of an Earth Observations Digital Twin showing the Earth’s temperature.

Learn more about how NESDIS is exploring the use of Earth Observations Digital Twin

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Contributing to Wind Energy Area Designations 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently announced two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico. The WEAs are located off the coasts of Galveston, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana and have the potential to power nearly three million homes.   BOEM collaborated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to identify…

New Contract. Same Great Work.

We’re pleased to announce a new small business joint venture with Paul Bechtel & Associates (PB&A), which was awarded a 5-year contract to continue supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs.  For 40 years our staff have supported EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs in the review and evaluation of pesticide data.…

Examining Cetaceans for Contamination and Pathogens

CSS has employee owners who are experts in monitoring cetacean health. Several CSS scientists supporting NOAA’s Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have recently conducted research and tests on marine mammals to explore uncommon behaviors and causes for strandings. View some examples of this research below. Microplastics are becoming increasingly abundant in coastal and marine environments.…