Ross Walter

Time Series Visualizations

Earth

I continue to work on a large collection of data visualizations showcasing decades of environmental change across the globe. Using Landsat and Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) data, I manage the end-to-end process of downloading, compositing, reprojecting, and animating satellite imagery.

I deeply enjoy putting these time series together, as they translate massive amounts of scientific data into compelling visual stories. These animations are utilized in a wide array of applications, serving as powerful tools to educate the public on our changing planet and the real-world benefits of the Landsat program.

My time series have been featured across NASA platforms, including Earth Observatory stories like the 40 years of Change in Louisiana's Coastline and the braided Yarlung Zangbo River.

Additionally, I produce compelling visuals for NASA's social media accounts such as videos of Harmful Algal Blooms in Pyramid Lake and The Retreating Mendenhall Glacier

As well as features for our own site, including Landsat Reveals Reservoir Changes and Bathymetry and Deforestation in Paraguay's Gran Chaco.

A full collection of these animations and visualizations can be accessed at the Landsat Time Series Gallery.

Landsat 3D Animations & Mission Graphics

I create a variety of 3D animations for our mission graphics libraries. These include satellite flyovers and technical animations that show exactly how the spacecraft operate in orbit. I handle all of the animation work myself using modern 3D software, taking care of the entire process from texturing and animating the models to rendering out the final assets.

These animations have been used in a myriad of videos and webpages. They are designed to showcase the technical beauty of the Landsat satellites and help explain how they work to the public in an easy to understand way. It is always really rewarding to see these 3D assets get used by my colleagues and other video producers to tell the story of the Landsat mission.

Your Name in Landsat

An interactive allowing users to generate their name spelled out in Earth features acquired by Landsat satellites. I was the lead developer on this project, building the web experience from scratch. I worked with my colleagues to identify and process Landsat imagery we found that resembled letters of the alphabet.

Spectral Band Comparison Tool

A web-based application that allows users to easily generate accurate spectral band comparison charts for various Earth observation instruments. As the sole creator and developer, I built the tool from scratch using JavaScript, HTML, CSS. This interactive replaces a previously laborious process of making static graphics, giving users full control to customize colors, labels, and layouts while comparing sensors across missions like Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS, and PACE.

Band Combination Interactive

A interactive experience allowing users to mix and match different Landsat bands for a specific scene to see how each combination alters the resulting image. As the developer, I built this project from scratch using the Unity engine and ported it to WebGL for in-browser play. The tool provides a simple, engaging way to educate users on how the different wavelengths of light captured by our satellites are combined to create a single image of the Earth.

Creative Technologist

SSAI - NASA, Goddard

January 2022 - Present