Tag Archives: Outside the Box

Outside the Box – Salt Caverns

Posted on May 7 2013 by Katie

Above is a map of naturally occurring salt deposits throughout the continental United States.

The United States is home to three types of natural gas storage facilities: depleted fields, aquifers and salt caverns. Depleted fields still hold more natural gas than any facility type, but since 2007, salt caverns have become the most common new sites for storage. Salt caverns offer several advantages. They are highly flexible in that they operate under extreme pressure making injection or delivery of natural gas a much quicker process. Salt caverns can also cycle gas more frequently; in other scenarios, there are just two … Read more

Outside the Box – Singapore Supertrees

Posted on March 7 2013 by Katie

This futuristic overhead view of the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Supertrees of the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore makes for something out of a sci-fi flick. Innovative architecture showcasing beautiful plant-life from all over the world, this advanced design relies on green technology to keep the visitors wowed. Image captured November 16, 2012 by the satellite WorldView-2, courtesy of DigitalGlobe. Photo enhanced by Apollo Mapping.

What is a supertree? In Singapore, there is a tourist destination called Gardens by the Bay, and at the destination, there are these trees, some 16-stories high, that act as vertical gardens in … Read more

Outside the Box – Hetch Hetchy Valley

Posted on February 7 2013 by Katie

The O’ Shaugnessy Dam holds nearly 360,000 acre feet of water in the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. But it also not without its controversies as most of the people in the greater San Francisco area appreciate the water it provide. Though a growing minority believe the valley should be returned to its natural condition, and that the residents should find better water alternatives and importantly, become more efficient in their water intake. 50-cm natural color image captured August 22, 2012 by WorldView-2 (WV-2), courtesy of DigitalGlobe. Photo enhanced by Apollo Mapping.
… Read moreAn overhead view of a wild vein of the Tuolumne

Ever Wondered How Much Imagery High Resolution Satellites Collect?

Posted on February 7 2013 by Katie

This map shows the areas imaged by Pléiades 1A from September 1 to December 31, 2012 over Central America (in dark blue). Please note that in many instances, multiple images were collected over the same area which is impossible to portray in this static map.

Well, we definitely have! So in this monthly piece, we pick a high resolution satellite, a time period and a geography, and then report key statistics on the total amount of imagery collected. So without further ado, let’s jump into our analysis.

  • Graphic Region of Interest: Given that it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, collections

    • … Read more

Outside the Box – Solo Solar

Posted on January 10 2013 by Katie

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand that covers only about 10 square kilometers of land, but it’s residents are taking a stand that countries far larger should take heed of. This island nation will be the first to be completely powered by solar energy. Not just their government buildings, but everything on their expanses will soon be powered solely by the sun. The territory is made up of three atolls (coral reef islands) and is comprised of only 1,500 inhabitants, but the message they are sending to the world is that they want to be completely energy self-sustainable. Currently, … Read more

Outside the Box – Banning Plastic Bags

Posted on December 11 2012 by Admin

Over the last decade, there has been much uproar over the use of plastic bags at grocery and retail stores. Often referred to as single-use bags, they are known to take an extraordinarily long time to break down in landfills. There isn’t a commonly agreed upon length of time, but estimates vary between 500 and 1,000 years. To make these estimates, scientists use respirometry tests. The test gives newspapers a life-cycle of 2-5 months, whereas a banana peel takes a few days. When the test is applied to traditional plastic bags you find at grocery stores, there is no decomposition … Read more

Outside the Box – Waste to Energy

Posted on November 28 2012 by Admin

At the end of September, the architect of the Capitol in Washington DC announced that there had been over 3,700 tons of non-recyclable solid waste burned over a nine month period, resulting in a more efficient use of the Congressional facilities waste. But how is burning our trash a good thing? Well, the waste-to-energy process converts the trash into usable electricity; and in this case, it was used to power homes in the areas surrounding Alexandria, Virginia. While there is concern that this process results in more carbon dioxide emissions, others believe that the energy it saves in hauling and … Read more

Outside the Box – Good Stuff

Posted on October 31 2012 by Admin

There is a movement in the United States called the ‘25×25’ whose goal is for our country to get 25% of its energy from renewable resources such as wind, solar, and biofuel by the year 2025. That sounds great, but how are we going to do that? In 2010, thirty-four million head of cattle went to market; and what do cows produce (besides milk)? Poo! That’s right, maybe we can use their waste to fuel our economy. Manure contains undigested carbohydrates and proteins that benefit plant growth when used as fertilizer, but when heated can produce 8,500 btu/lb. To generate … Read more