NASA, Japan release improved map of the Earth
NASA and Japan released an improved version of the world's most complete topographic map of the Earth on October 17; the map is available to internet users at no cost.
The map is known as the "ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model" (GDEM) and was created using images collected by the Japanese Advanced Spacebourne Thermal Emissions and Reflection Radiometer, known as ASTER, aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft.
The first version of the map was released in 2009 by NASA and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. This latest updated version, released October 17, covers 99 percent of the Earth's surface, includes over 260,000 additional images, "improved spatial resolution, increased horizontal and vertical accuracy" and has the ability to "identify lakes as small as 0.6 miles (1 km) in diameter."
The map is available for internet users to download, free of charge, at https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/ or http://www.ersdac.or.jp/GDEM/E/4.html.
A video demonstration of the map showing the Hawaiian island of Oahu is available to watch or download at: http://goo.gl/w5ls2.
