Science On a Sphere

Science On a Sphere (SOS) is a spherical projection system created by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It presents high-resolution video on a suspended globe rather than a flat screen, with the aim of better representing global phenomena.[1] Animated images of atmospheric storms, climate change, and ocean temperature can be shown on the sphere to explain these complex environmental processes. SOS systems are most frequently installed in Science museums, universities, zoos, and research institutions.

ESRL SOS
SOS in the Planet Theater at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado
The Canyon World in the Science On a Sphere Theater at Grand Canyon Visitor Center

History

SOS was invented by Alexander E. MacDonald, the former director of the Earth System Research Laboratory.[2] MacDonald devised the original idea for SOS in 1995. A team of NOAA staff wrote the SOS software and developed the SOS hardware and system architecture. A patent was awarded to NOAA for Science On a Sphere in August 2005.[2][3]

Configuration

SOS uses many off-the-shelf hardware and software components.[4] A spherical screen covered in ordinary latex paint hangs suspended in the center of projection space. The screen is inert; it neither moves nor has any electronic parts. Surrounding the screen are four video projectors, with each projector responsible for one quadrant of screen space. One CPU is used to control the system. The SOS software runs on Linux.[5]

The sphere

The carbon fiber sphere is 68 inches (1.7 m) in diameter. Other sphere sizes are possible. The 68" sphere with a single seam at the equator weighs under 50 pounds (23 kg).[6] The sphere is attached to the ceiling or suspension structure with a three-point suspension system to hold the sphere in place and reduce lateral movement and blurring.[7]

Projectors

The system requires high quality, bright, long-duty cycle projectors, rather than smaller portable and consumer models to endure the requirements of 8–10 hours per day, 7 days per week of most public displays.[8]

Computer hardware

The newest configuration uses one Ubuntu Linux computer with NVIDIA Quadro graphics cards, and an iPad app to control the system.[8]

SOS data details
An equirectangular projection of the Earth; the standard parallel is the equator.

The majority of SOS assets are so-called "datasets". Originally conceived as a video system for showing space-based collections of Earth data, SOS has grown in its utility. The majority of data that traditionally appears on the SOS screens concerns the Earth, either from near-real-time data acquisition systems, or from processed remote sensing platforms, but recent interest and growth in different kinds of media have started to broaden that library.[9] There are currently over 500 datasets that can be shown on the sphere, including real-time infrared satellite images, Mars, real-time Earthquakes, an ocean acidification model, and others, including a number of movies.[10][11]

The data format for SOS datasets is the equirectangular projection, as shown by the map to the right.[12]

SOS User's Collaborative Network

A collaborative network has been established by institutions with access to SOS, as well as partners who are developing educational programming and content for these systems. The SOS Users Collaborative Network is backed by the NOAA Office of Education (OEd) and the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL).[13]

Locations

Science On a Sphere is installed in science museums, zoos and aquariums, and visitor centers around the world.[14]

See also

References
  1. "SOS: Documentation". April 13, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-13.
  2. "SOS: What is SOS?". September 29, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-09-29.
  3. "Science On a Sphere Geometry" (PDF). Sos.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  4. "Setup and Installation Details". Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  5. "Archived copy". sos.noaa.gov. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Site Requirements". September 29, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-09-29.
  7. "SOS: Pictures and Movies". January 20, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-01-20.
  8. "SOS: Documentation". September 29, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-09-29.
  9. "Dataset Catalog". Archived from the original on 2005-09-05.
  10. "NASA – 'Footprints' and Science On a Sphere". Nasa.gov. 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  11. "Best Inventions of 2006". TIME. Archived from the original on December 11, 2006. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  12. "Content Creation | Science On a Sphere". Sos.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  13. "Science On a Sphere Users Collaborative Network". Oesd.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  14. "NOAA Science On a Sphere News". September 29, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-09-29.
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