Virtual Reality Exploration of Earth's Cryosphere
Abstract
Teams from the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center are conducting research around the world. Through their travels, team members have opportunities to capture their research and the surrounding landscapes on camera. Using readily-available, low-cost, and rugged tools, the Center's Education and Outreach staff has trained members to collect footage without disrupting their scientific work and has been experimenting with virtual reality in order to allow the public to explore Earth's cryosphere. Since most polar and alpine regions are inaccessible to the general population, a virtual experience would allow them to understand the significance of the region while also learning about the scientific work being done by researchers. If designed correctly, products developed for VR may also be shared on tablets and desktops, meaning that a headset is not a prerequisite for audience engagement. This session will share considerations for collecting, processing, storing, and sharing footage and also discuss efforts to render landscapes from satellite imagery, expanding the range of locations that can be explored. Put on a headset to walk on the Quelccaya Ice Cap in Peru, stand with researchers while overlooking Disko Bay in Greenland, fly over the Jakobshavn Glacier where it meets the ocean, and explore various sites along the Kennicott Glacier in Alaska.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMED11B0872H
- Keywords:
-
- 0805 Elementary and secondary education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0850 Geoscience education research;
- EDUCATION