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GeoMaster

Comprehensive geospatial science skill covering remote sensing, GIS, spatial analysis, machine learning for earth observation, and 30+ scientific domains. Supports satellite imagery processing (Sentinel, Landsat, MODIS, SAR, hyperspectral), vector and raster data operations, spatial statistics, point cloud processing, network analysis, cloud-native workflows (STAC, COG, Planetary Computer), and 8 programming languages (Python, R, Julia, JavaScript, C++, Java, Go, Rust) with 500+ code examples. Use for remote sensing workflows, GIS analysis, spatial ML, Earth observation data processing, terrain analysis, hydrological modeling, marine spatial analysis, atmospheric science, and any geospatial computation task.

Data, AI & Research|v1|Updated 5/18/2026|GitHub source
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# GeoMaster

Comprehensive geospatial science skill covering GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and ML for Earth observation across 70+ topics with 500+ code examples in 8 programming languages.

## Installation

```bash
# Core Python stack (conda recommended)
conda install -c conda-forge gdal rasterio fiona shapely pyproj geopandas

# Remote sensing & ML
uv pip install rsgislib torchgeo earthengine-api
uv pip install scikit-learn xgboost torch-geometric

# Network & visualization
uv pip install osmnx networkx folium keplergl
uv pip install cartopy contextily mapclassify

# Big data & cloud
uv pip install xarray rioxarray dask-geopandas
uv pip install pystac-client planetary-computer

# Point clouds
uv pip install laspy pylas open3d pdal

# Databases
conda install -c conda-forge postgis spatialite
```

## Quick Start

### NDVI from Sentinel-2

```python
import rasterio
import numpy as np

with rasterio.open('sentinel2.tif') as src:
    red = src.read(4).astype(float)   # B04
    nir = src.read(8).astype(float)   # B08
    ndvi = (nir - red) / (nir + red + 1e-8)
    ndvi = np.nan_to_num(ndvi, nan=0)

    profile = src.profile
    profile.update(count=1, dtype=rasterio.float32)

    with rasterio.open('ndvi.tif', 'w', **profile) as dst:
        dst.write(ndvi.astype(rasterio.float32), 1)
```

### Spatial Analysis with GeoPandas

```python
import geopandas as gpd

# Load and ensure same CRS
zones = gpd.read_file('zones.geojson')
points = gpd.read_file('points.geojson')

if zones.crs != points.crs:
    points = points.to_crs(zones.crs)

# Spatial join and statistics
joined = gpd.sjoin(points, zones, how='inner', predicate='within')
stats = joined.groupby('zone_id').agg({
    'value': ['count', 'mean', 'std', 'min', 'max']
}).round(2)
```

### Google Earth Engine Time Series

```python
import ee
import pandas as pd

ee.Initialize(project='your-project')
roi = ee.Geometry.Point([-122.4, 37.7]).buffer(10000)

s2 = (ee.ImageCollection('COPERNICUS/S2_SR_HARMONIZED')
      .filterBounds(roi)
      .filterDate('2020-01-01', '2023-12-31')
      .filter(ee.Filter.lt('CLOUDY_PIXEL_PERCENTAGE', 20)))

def add_ndvi(img):
    return img.addBands(img.normalizedDifference(['B8', 'B4']).rename('NDVI'))

s2_ndvi = s2.map(add_ndvi)

def extract_series(image):
    stats = image.reduceRegion(ee.Reducer.mean(), roi.centroid(), scale=10, maxPixels=1e9)
    return ee.Feature(None, {'date': image.date().format('YYYY-MM-dd'), 'ndvi': stats.get('NDVI')})

series = s2_ndvi.map(extract_series).getInfo()
df = pd.DataFrame([f['properties'] for f in series['features']])
df['date'] = pd.to_datetime(df['date'])
```

## Core Concepts

### Data Types

| Type | Examples | Libraries |
|------|----------|-----------|
| Vector | Shapefile, GeoJSON, GeoPackage | GeoPandas, Fiona, GDAL |
| Raster | GeoTIFF, NetCDF, COG | Rasterio, Xarray, GDAL |
| Point Cloud | LAS, LAZ | Laspy, PDAL, Open3D |

### Coordinate Systems

- **EPSG:4326** (WGS 84) - Geographic, lat/lon, use for storage
- **EPSG:3857** (Web Mercator) - Web maps only (don't use for area/distance!)
- **EPSG:326xx/327xx** (UTM) - Metric calculations, <1% distortion per zone
- Use `gdf.estimate_utm_crs()` for automatic UTM detection

```python
# Always check CRS before operations
assert gdf1.crs == gdf2.crs, "CRS mismatch!"

# For area/distance calculations, use projected CRS
gdf_metric = gdf.to_crs(gdf.estimate_utm_crs())
area_sqm = gdf_metric.geometry.area
```

### OGC Standards

- **WMS**: Web Map Service - raster maps
- **WFS**: Web Feature Service - vector data
- **WCS**: Web Coverage Service - raster coverage
- **STAC**: Spatiotemporal Asset Catalog - modern metadata

## Common Operations

### Spectral Indices

```python
def calculate_indices(image_path):
    """NDVI, EVI, SAVI, NDWI from Sentinel-2."""
    with rasterio.open(image_path) as src:
        B02, B03, B04, B08, B11 = [src.read(i).astype(float) for i in [1,2,3,4,5]]

    ndvi = (B08 - B04) / (B08 + B04 + 1e-8)
    evi = 2.5 * (B08 - B04) / (B08 + 6*B04 - 7.5*B02 + 1)
    savi = ((B08 - B04) / (B08 + B04 + 0.5)) * 1.5
    ndwi = (B03 - B08) / (B03 + B08 + 1e-8)

    return {'NDVI': ndvi, 'EVI': evi, 'SAVI': savi, 'NDWI': ndwi}
```

### Vector Operations

```python
# Buffer (use projected CRS!)
gdf_proj = gdf.to_crs(gdf.estimate_utm_crs())
gdf['buffer_1km'] = gdf_proj.geometry.buffer(1000)

# Spatial relationships
intersects = gdf[gdf.geometry.intersects(other_geometry)]
contains = gdf[gdf.geometry.contains(point_geometry)]

# Geometric operations
gdf['centroid'] = gdf.geometry.centroid
gdf['simplified'] = gdf.geometry.simplify(tolerance=0.001)

# Overlay operations
intersection = gpd.overlay(gdf1, gdf2, how='intersection')
union = gpd.overlay(gdf1, gdf2, how='union')
```

### Terrain Analysis

```python
def terrain_metrics(dem_path):
    """Calculate slope, aspect, hillshade from DEM."""
    with rasterio.open(dem_path) as src:
        dem = src.read(1)

    dy, dx = np.gradient(dem)
    slope = np.arctan(np.sqrt(dx**2 + dy**2)) * 180 / np.pi
    aspect = (90 - np.arctan2(-dy, dx) * 180 / np.pi) % 360

    # Hillshade
    az_rad, alt_rad = np.radians(315), np.radians(45)
    hillshade = (np.sin(alt_rad) * np.sin(np.radians(slope)) +
                 np.cos(alt_rad) * np.cos(np.radians(slope)) *
                 np.cos(np.radians(aspect) - az_rad))

    return slope, aspect, hillshade
```

### Network Analysis

```python
import osmnx as ox
import networkx as nx

# Download and analyze street network
G = ox.graph_from_place('San Francisco, CA', network_type='drive')
G = ox.add_edge_speeds(G).add_edge_travel_times(G)

# Shortest path
orig = ox.distance.nearest_nodes(G, -122.4, 37.7)
dest = ox.distance.nearest_nodes(G, -122.3, 37.8)
route = nx.shortest_path(G, orig, dest, weight='travel_time')
```

## Image Classification

```python
from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier
import rasterio
from rasterio.features import rasterize

def classify_imagery(raster_path, training_gdf, output_path):
    """Train RF and classify imagery."""
    with rasterio.open(raster_path) as src:
        image = src.read()
        profile = src.profile
        transform = src.transform

    # Extract training data
    X_train, y_train = [], []
    for _, row in training_gdf.iterrows():
        mask = rasterize([(row.geometry, 1)],
                        out_shape=(profile['height'], profile['width']),
                        transform=transform, fill=0, dtype=np.uint8)
        pixels = image[:, mask > 0].T
        X_train.extend(pixels)
        y_train.extend([row['class_id']] * len(pixels))

    # Train and predict
    rf = RandomForestClassifier(n_estimators=100, max_depth=20, n_jobs=-1)
    rf.fit(X_train, y_train)

    prediction = rf.predict(image.reshape(image.shape[0], -1).T)
    prediction = prediction.reshape(profile['height'], profile['width'])

    profile.update(dtype=rasterio.uint8, count=1)
    with rasterio.open(output_path, 'w', **profile) as dst:
        dst.write(prediction.astype(rasterio.uint8), 1)

    return rf
```

## Modern Cloud-Native Workflows

### STAC + Planetary Computer

```python
import pystac_client
import planetary_computer
import odc.stac

# Search Sentinel-2 via STAC
catalog = pystac_client.Client.open(
    "https://planetarycomputer.microsoft.com/api/stac/v1",
    modifier=planetary_computer.sign_inplace,
)

search = catalog.search(
    collections=["sentinel-2-l2a"],
    bbox=[-122.5, 37.7, -122.3, 37.9],
    datetime="2023-01-01/2023-12-31",
    query={"eo:cloud_cover": {"lt": 20}},
)

# Load as xarray (cloud-native!)
data = odc.stac.load(
    list(search.get_items())[:5],
    bands=["B02", "B03", "B04", "B08"],
    crs="EPSG:32610",
    resolution=10,
)

# Calculate NDVI on xarray
ndvi = (data.B08 - data.B04) / (data.B08 + data.B04)
```

### Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)

```python
import rasterio
from rasterio.session import AWSSession

# Read COG directly from cloud (partial reads)
session = AWSSession(aws_access_key_id=..., aws_secret_access_key=...)
with rasterio.open('s3://bucket/path.tif', session=session) as src:
    # Read only window of interest
    window = ((1000, 2000), (1000, 2000))
    subset = src.read(1, window=window)

# Write COG
with rasterio.open('output.tif', 'w', **profile,
                   tiled=True, blockxsize=256, blockysize=256,
                   compress='DEFLATE', predictor=2) as dst:
    dst.write(data)

# Validate COG
from rio_cogeo.cogeo import cog_validate
cog_validate('output.tif')
```

## Performance Tips

```python
# 1. Spatial indexing (10-100x faster queries)
gdf.sindex  # Auto-created by GeoPandas

# 2. Chunk large rasters
with rasterio.open('large.tif') as src:
    for i, window in src.block_windows(1):
        block = src.read(1, window=window)

# 3. Dask for big data
import dask.array as da
dask_array = da.from_rasterio('large.tif', chunks=(1, 1024, 1024))

# 4. Use Arrow for I/O
gdf.to_file('output.gpkg', use_arrow=True)

# 5. GDAL caching
from osgeo import gdal
gdal.SetCacheMax(2**30)  # 1GB cache

# 6. Parallel processing
rf = RandomForestClassifier(n_jobs=-1)  # All cores
```

## Best Practices

1. **Always check CRS** before spatial operations
2. **Use projected CRS** for area/distance calculations
3. **Validate geometries**: `gdf = gdf[gdf.is_valid]`
4. **Handle missing data**: `gdf['geometry'] = gdf['geometry'].fillna(None)`
5. **Use efficient formats**: GeoPackage > Shapefile, Parquet for large data
6. **Apply cloud masking** to optical imagery
7. **Preserve lineage** for reproducible research
8. **Use appropriate resolution** for your analysis scale

## Detailed Documentation

- **[Coordinate Systems](references/coordinate-systems.md)** - CRS fundamentals, UTM, transformations
- **[Core Libraries](references/core-libraries.md)** - GDAL, Rasterio, GeoPandas, Shapely
- **[Remote Sensing](references/remote-sensing.md)** - Satellite missions, spectral indices, SAR
- **[Machine Learning](references/machine-learning.md)** - Deep learning, CNNs, GNNs for RS
- **[GIS Software](references/gis-software.md)** - QGIS, ArcGIS, GRASS integration
- **[Scientific Domains](references/scientific-domains.md)** - Marine, hydrology, agriculture, forestry
- **[Advanced GIS](references/advanced-gis.md)** - 3D GIS, spatiotemporal, topology
- **[Big Data](references/big-data.md)** - Distributed processing, GPU acceleration
- **[Industry Applications](references/industry-applications.md)** - Urban planning, disaster management
- **[Programming Languages](references/programming-languages.md)** - Python, R, Julia, JS, C++, Java, Go, Rust
- **[Data Sources](references/data-sources.md)** - Satellite catalogs, APIs
- **[Troubleshooting](references/troubleshooting.md)** - Common issues, debugging, error reference
- **[Code Examples](references/code-examples.md)** - 500+ examples

---

**GeoMaster covers everything from basic GIS operations to advanced remote sensing and machine learning.**
#github#broad-capability#external#license-mit#k-dense-ai-scientific-agent-skills#science#math#biology#chemistry#medicine#research#geometricpythonpip

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