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INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Remote Sensing Information Gateway (RSIG3D)

Advanced High Computing Application Enables Easy Access to Atmospheric Databases and
Provides 3D Visualization Capabilities

What is RSIG3D?

The Remote Sensing Information Gateway-3D
(RSIG3D) is a free and downloadable application
that provides easy and secure access to
petabytes (millions of gigabytes) of atmospheric
data that can be used to study complex air
quality issues. RSIG3D enables users to easily
access data from multiple sources in minutes
and explore the data by geographic location and
time using sophisticated 3D visualization
capabilities. Since inception in 2005, RSIG has
been used by over 100 institutions worldwide
and its development continues to evolve with
new data and capabilities added every year.

What are the benefits of using RSIG3D?
Atmospheric scientists require access to air
quality data from ground stations, aircraft and
satellites to assist them with model evaluation
and analysis, including exceptional air quality
events such as large-scale wildfires. RSIG3D
provides unparalleled high performing data
retrieval and use for improved modeling
capabilities. Key features include:

•	One access point to many data sources. The

RSIG3D provides a single website that serves
as a selective access point to many kinds of
data.

•	Streams only the needed data. The RSIG3D
accesses large numbers of files from diverse
sources and streams the user-selected
subset of data. The data goes directly to the
client computer's memory and is discarded
unless the user saves it to a file.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development

" I " I 6 i i £	i i Hi i i I i Hi ( " »"e ' ' - • "

A screenshotfrom RSIG3D that shows several data sets

within the new graphical user interface.

•	Aggregates separate data files into a single
stream. RSIG3D aggregates the multiple files
of a given data type into a single stream,
reducing the download burden and
simplifying data analysis.

•	Built-in visualization. RSIG3D can
immediately integrate multiple selected
datasets into a single MPEG animation. For
example, EPA AirNow data can be layered
over NASA's MODIS satellite data, or a user
can compare CMAQ model predicted
outputs and actual ground sensor data. The
user can also save the animation or
individual images to their computer.

•	Saves data to standard formats. RSIG3D
integrates incoming proprietary dataset
formats into standard formats. Users can
save the data or visualization-or both-to
their local computer in such standard
formats as portable binary, ASCII, NetCDF
IOAPI and COARDS, GeoTIFF, MPEG and
KMZ. The user can then export the selected
datasets from RSIG3D into other applications
such as GIS tools for further analysis.


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•	Fast. RSIG3D accomplishes all of this far
faster than a lone user could with currently
available means. For example, RSIG3D can
capture a week of MODIS AOD data in a few
minutes, compared to two months using
conventional web-form ordering/ftp
approaches.

How is RSIG3D used?

RSIG3D is used to support modeling and
exposure research by EPA and others. EPA
researchers use the application to assist in
model-to-measurement comparison with
satellite data available in RSIG3D. Others have
used RSIG3D to access satellite data, in
additional to access to CMAQ modeling results
to support exposure research

What data is available on RSIG3D?

RSIG3D maintains a dynamic inventory of
atmospheric data from multiple federal
agencies. Data currently available include:

NASA satellites measurements:

•	MODIS: Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Cloud
Optical Thickness (COT), ozone, pressure,
temperature

•	CALIPSO: Lib Backscatter and Depolarization
and L2 Aerosol and Cloud: Backscatter,
Extinction, Depolarization, Aerosol/Cloud
Layer Fraction and Column Optical Depth.

•	OMI: (Ozone Monitoring Instrument):

CONUS Berkeley High Resolution (BEHR) N02
retrieval.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration measurements:

•	GOES/GASP: Aerosol Smoke Product Aerosol
- Optical Depth

•	VIIRS: High-Resolution aerosol optical depth

•	NESDIS: Wildfire-related pollutants

Hazard Mapping System: satellite-detected
wildfires

EPA Monitoring Data:

•	AirNow Program: hourly ozone, PM2.5

•	Air Quality System: ozone, PM2.5

•	Ceilometer: aerosol, cloud mixing-layer
height, and backscatter profiles

•	NEUBRew Brewer spectrophotometers
measuring ozone.

EPA Modeling Dgtg:

•	WRF-CMAQ

•	Fused Air Quality Surfaces Using
Downscaling (FAQSD) - daily ozone (8-hr
max) and fine particulate air (24-hr average)
data

Aircrgft Dgtg:

•	Measurements of Ozone, etc. by Airbus
aircraft (MOZAIC) data: Ozone, CO, H20,
temperature, wind, etc.

The RSIG Team continues to add data sources to
meet user demands.

Getting Started

Download the application and get instructions,
tutorials and troubleshooting information at
www.epa.gov/rsig. A list of available datasets is
provided.

There are two user interfaces to RSIG. RSIG3D
is a standalone application (Windows or OSx),
which must first be downloaded to your
computer and unzipped. It provides a richly
immersive and interactive visualization
capability. RSIG2D, a legacy software, is a Java
applet that runs inside your web browser and is
not recommended.

CONTACT:

Jim Szykman, PhD, EPA's Office of Research and
Development, szykman.iim@epa.gov

Development Team: RSIG@EPA.GOV
October 2017

2

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Research and Development


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