WASHINGTON, D.C.--Images derived from classified materials are now available to the public through the US Geological Survey's website to support environmental analysis of global climate-related science, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today.
The collection features more than 700 Arctic images including those from the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas that document changes in the extent of Arctic sea ice over a decade. The images are drawn from the USGS long-term library for environmental assessment and analysis in support of climate-related science.
"We need the best data from all places if we are to meet the challenges that rising carbon emissions are creating,” said Secretary Salazar. “This information will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, and the public as we tackle climate change and the risks it poses in the Arctic and around the world."
The collection is available at http://gfl.usgs.gov/. It reportedly is the largest release of information derived from classified material since the declassification of "corona" satellite images during the Clinton Administration.
The Global Fiducials Library maintains collections of images for select environmentally sensitive sites to support current and future researchers and policy makers in identifying and understanding long-term environmental trends and processes.
http://gfl.usgs.gov/
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