Google Watch - Google Products - Google Earth Helps Predict Natural Disasters

Google Earth Helps Predict Natural Disasters

Written By
Steve Bryant
Steve Bryant
Jan 22, 2007
1 minute read
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Researchers at the Alaskan Volcano Observatory are using Google Earth to monitor the risk of an eruption.

Project leaser John Bailey used Google’s KML (Keyhold Markup Language) to create a custom program that displays eruption risks within a specific area. According to Wired News, “The program analyzes the data, assesses a threat level and displays the result as a triangular icon. An orange triangle, for instance, indicates an elevated threat level, while a red triangle means a greater threat, namely a current or upcoming eruption or other activity.”

The U.S. Geological Survey office will be making a Google Maps version of Bailey’s application soon.

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