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Satellite Remote Sensing for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games (continued)

Product Development and Use

RSAC began working on image-derived products immediately after receiving the imagery, with Jan Johnson, an RSAC image analyst, performing the work. RSAC used GIS coverage, obtained from Region 4, to attribute the image with the locations of observation posts, helicopter landing zones, the downhill courses themselves, and other facility information. One of the more experimental products developed was a "fly-through" movie (figure 2). RSAC envisioned this overview product as an orientation tool for security personnel who were unfamiliar with the Snowbasin site. RSAC hosted a meeting with representatives from USDA Forest Service LEI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Weber County Sheriff's Office to discuss appropriate products and how they could be used. A high degree of enthusiasm was generated for the fly-through movie files and RSAC agreed to develop the agreed-upon products.

Figure 2—Screen capture of 3-D
movie file used for orientation.

The movies for this project consisted of (.AVI) files that were produced with ERDAS IMAGINE software. ERDAS IMAGINE is the USDA Forest Service corporate image-processing software available under the IBM contract. Generating the fly-through movies requires the virtual GIS module, also available under the IBM contract. Preparation of the imagery consisted of draping it over a DEM in ERDAS IMAGINE and then positioning the virtual camera to various locations above the terrain with settings established for the view angle, field of view, and path. The advantage of an .AVI file is that it will run on almost any personal computer (PC) and can be paused on a scene to discuss individual features. The disadvantage of the .AVI file is that the person who generates the video movie sets its view. It is not possible to stop the view and rotate to some other area of interest. For that type of flexibility, one approach is to use ERDAS IMAGINE and Virtual GIS together running an Open Graphic Language application. Then the operator can move the virtual camera to any position and view a three-dimensional scene as desired.

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