[Googleearth] GIS User Group meeting - Using Python and KML to Access Scientific Datasets and Models

[Jennifer Boehnert]

Our next GIS User Group meeting will be on Tuesday Sept. 28th at 1:30PM 
in FL1-2133.

http://www.gis.ucar.edu/UGUG%5Cindex.jsp

Using Python and KML to Access Scientific Datasets and Models
by Tyler Erickson

Google Earth has emerged as a useful tool for presenting scientific data 
to both scientific and non-scientific audiences alike, due to its 
easy-to-use interface and wide installation base.  Google Earth can 
present external user generated data that is formatted in KML, an Open 
Geospatial Consortium standard language for expressing geospatial 
information and annotations.  Many software packages offer the ability 
to export data as basic KML, but fail to use many of the advanced 
features available in KML.  This talk will discuss the use of Python 
programming language for bridging the gap between large scientific 
datasets/models and Google Earth, while providing access to all of KML's 
features.  Techniques ranging from basic Python scripting to full 
Python-based dynamic websites will be discussed, as well has approaches 
for accessing data from static files, relational databases, real-time 
model outputs, and geospatial web services.