The future of Digital Earth

The concept of Digital Earth as a digital replica of the planet has its roots in science fiction, in the writings of environmental visionaries, and in a speech prepared for delivery by Vice President Gore in 1998. Five use cases are identified that together comprise the vision of Digital Earth: a geoportal, a visualization service, a platform for simulation and prediction, a source of unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, and a technology fully integrated into human activities. Progress to date is reviewed for each use case, along with the research that would be needed to achieve each aspect of the overall vision.