My Research Story
Julio E. Ceniceros, M.S.
About Me
Introduction & Background
Research Questions
Methods
I will be answering these questions by using a new online platform called Google Earth Engine (GEE). GEE is a public online website that has a huge database of satellite images for scientists to analyze directly online using Google’s high performing computers. The great advantage about using GEE is that I can analyze images without having to download them first to my computer and using my own computing power.
I plan on using multiple satellites (i.e. Landsat and MODIS, etc.) to obtain as many images as I can over my region of interest, which again are coastal lagoons of Alaska’s northern coast. I will use the information from these data images to obtain three important water quality parameters: Surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and turbidity. These calculated variables will then be plotted as both graphs and maps that illustrate how the water quality has changed in the past 40 years.
The following steps will be taken to obtain water quality variables and understand their significance:
1) Obtain satellite images from 1980 to the present of the northern coast of Alaska.
2) Analyze the pixels of coastal lagoons to derive the three water quality parameters mentioned above.
3) Create a long-term, high-quality record for the three variables and use to analyze spatio-temporal changes or trends.
4) Discuss ecosystem, social, and economic impacts deriving from these changes.
5) Communicate findings to scientific community and also directly to the native villages in a way that is easy to understand and disseminate throughout the community.