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April 30, 2008
Rumor-mill: Google Ocean in the Works
According to CNET, Google is working on a new product rumored to be called "Google Ocean". Apparently Google invited a bunch of oceanography experts last December to discuss creating a 3D oceanographic map. And now, rumors are flying on what might result.
Ever since Google Earth was released in 2005, many people have wondered why the ocean floors seen in relief color were not in 3D. According to posts by some of its developers, part of the reason had to do the 3D model of GE not allowing sub-surface rendering. There have been rumors for a long time Google was planning to add 3D to the oceans and allow sub-surface rendering for Google Earth. So, would this new ocean-viewing capibility mean another new version of Google Earth? Google Earth 4.3 was just released two weeks ago - it seems unlikely we'd see something else new right away. Or is the capability to render ocean floors already built in to 4.3 and they just need to turn on new servers to make the oceans 3D? Or, will we have to wait several months before Google Ocean is released?
There are three approaches to making Google Ocean. First, as suggested above: modifying Google Earth's base terrain model to support ocean floor 3D data. This would be the best approach in my opinion. Keep it all in one application. Second, Google Ocean could be a different dataset like Google Sky where you switch to a different mode - connecting to a different server - still using the Google Earth application. Or, third, Google Ocean could be a whole new application. Hmm....
Google Earth's capability to overlay images and placemark data has already enabled oceanographers and other scientists to add many useful layers of information about our world's oceans. Here are just a few examples of useful marine visualizations for Google Earth:
- Sea Surface Temperature
- Coral Reef Base - a database on the condition of the world's reefs
- Ocean Weather Data Gulf and Western Atlantic
- US Nautical Charts in Google Earth - EarthNC has a ton of Google Earth content for boaters
- Scientific Ocean Drilling Database
- California Marine Protected Areas
- Cruise Ship Positions and Web Cams
Posted by FrankTaylor at April 30, 2008 10:43 AM
Comments
Posted by: Giasen at April 30, 2008 02:00 PM
This is gonna be deep..
Posted by: Canoro at April 30, 2008 03:49 PM
Google Core? Like the movie "The Core"? That would suck.
Posted by: Joe at April 30, 2008 03:55 PM
Lol, more copying WorldWind, we have had -ve elevation for over a year and can view bathemtry data such as the mid atlantic trench.
Posted by: Bull at April 30, 2008 04:06 PM
That'd be awesome!!! We could built the Titanic in 3D under water.
Posted by: CessVass at April 30, 2008 04:07 PM
Great. Just what I didn't need: a reason to burn even *more* time playing with GE ;-)
Personally -- and less practically -- I'd like to see this cause the negative elevations to be shown in Death Valley.
Posted by: Kirk Kittell at April 30, 2008 04:26 PM
Only option 1 makes sense. A separate application or mode defeats the point of Google oceans. Land and the ocean bathymetry are completely related both geologically, hydrologically and economically.
Posted by: Kurt at May 2, 2008 04:30 PM
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I can imagine future versions will provide not only 3D ocean views but also enable the user to overlay or 'implant' subterranean sketchup models. ESRI's ArcScene & 3D analyst tools already make this possible but it is obviously a full fledged GIS product. Much of what is interesting on Earth is actually below the surface. How about Google Core or Google Liquid Hot Magma?