One of the features advertised in the new Google Earth 5.0 is their new underwater bathemetry data. But where is this data coming from?
The unclassified bathymetric data sets and sea surface temperatures from the NAVOCEANO were incorporated in the newest version of Google Earth, launched Feb. 2.
As part of the research and development agreement, the Navy has received Google Earth Enterprise licenses which provide for technical support that will enable the Navy to better search, view and prepare products from their extensive oceanographic data holdings.
So the US Navy is providing both Bathetry models and sea surface temperature to Google in exchange for enterprise licenses for Google Earth, which will supplement/replace their existing model analysis tools.
Not a bad trade, if you ask me.
The Picayune Item – Naval Oceanography, Google Work Together to Visualize the World’s Oceans.
