Understanding Google Earth and GIS

Matthew Mullenax, GISP, CFM Parsons Brinckerhoff

Presentation Outline

Overview of Google Earth Functionality Google Earth and GIS Myrtle Beach Fire Example Importing/Exporting Data Additional Resources

verview of Google Earth

Released in June 2005. Free, downloadable desktop software. Displays imagery of the Earth’s surface. Uses Keyhole Markup Language (.kml) for data >400,000,000 Google Earth Users worldwide

(GIS Snobs take note!).

Google Earth Functionality

Navigation Searches Measurements Geocode and GPS import Image overlay Data creation Time slider

Google Earth Functionality (cont’d)

Street View Weather data Roads,

Administrative Boundaries, Cities, Terrain layers

When using GE, be mindful… Most elevation values based on NASA SRTM. Difficult to determine resolution, exact acquisition date and

source of imagery. Lack of consistent resolution. Imagery might not be most recent, publicly-available data. Cannot create attributes or metadata***. Documentation not overly detailed, user-support not

extensive. Uses Lat/Lon WGS84 only. Virtually no analytical or map customization functionality

(Decision-makers take note!).

CD player vs. Recording Studio

CD player vs. Recording Studio

Can play music. Low cost. Narrow range of

functionality. Allows anyone to

access/consume music.

Can play music. High cost. Wide range of

functionality. Allows highly technical to

create music.

CD player vs. Recording Studio

Bottom line: both were created for different yet related purposes.

Recording studio can create and produce music; CD player with reduced functionality allows for access to music and means of dissemination to a broad audience.

Google Earth and GIS

Can display geographic data.

Low cost. Content-delivery and

visualization environment. Easy to access and learn.

Can display geographic data.

High cost. Intelligent data structure

and analytical environment.

Technical and robust.

Google Earth and GIS

Bottom line: both were created for different yet related purposes.

GIS can author and serve information not easily accessible to the public who can interact with the data in Google Earth.

Also, Google Earth can author and serve information with minimal training that can be brought into a GIS for enhanced analysis and map production.

Myrtle Beach Fire Example

Late April 2009 Large fire in north suburban Myrtle Beach, SC Burned over 1,000 acres, destroyed 70 homes with

another 100 damaged In case placed on standby for a federal disaster

declaration…need information on amount and level of damage, accessibility, disaster location, etc.

Photo credit: Myrtle Beach Sun-Times

Myrtle Beach Fire (cont’d) Searched for GIS data, came across Google Earth data. Produced by Myrtle Beach Sun-Times staff who

collected and verified information. (public participatory GIS by non-GIS personnel)

Contained location of road closures, extent of fire, locations of shelters, geo-linked photos and videos, etc.

Able to import into GIS for proximity analysis and map creation AND forward Google Earth file to management for their quick review.

Importing/Exporting Data Out of the box:

Tools in ArcGIS can directly export map or data to .kml as an image.

Google Earth can directly import shapefiles (not .gdb). Excel workaround (Google Earth> .kml> Excel> .dbf>

ArcGIS> AddXY Event >.shp) Scripts and Tools:

Shapefile/geodatabase to .kml using: Export to Kml script (Kevin Martin-City of Portland OR).

.kml to shapefile using: Kml2Shp (Zonum Solutions) Convert KML to SHP (Jason Parent) Convert Google Earth Path (KML) to SHP (Denis

Beaulieu) XTools can import/export .kml in ArcGIS

(~$200 license; 30 day free trial available).

Additional Resources: Google Earth and ESRI ArcGIS Desktop User Guides Google Earth Pro – 7 day free trial available (

http://earth.google.com) Import GIS data in Google Earth (GE tutorial) Conroy, et al. 2008 “Google Earth, GIS, and the Great

Divide: A new and simple method for sharing paleontological data.” Journal of Human Evolution 55:4, pgs 751-755.

Vander Veen. 2009. “ESRI’s Jack Dangermond: GIS Brings Better Government Transparency.“ Government Technology 22:5, pgs 14-19.

Fun Additional Resources:

Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren’t Allowed to See on Google Earth

Strangest Sights in Google Street Views

Questions?