Object-oriented classification of drumlins from digital elevation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Kakoli

Drumlins are common elements of glaciated landscapes which are easily identified by their distinct morphometric characteristics including shape, length/width ratio, elongation ratio, and uniform direction. To date, most researchers have mapped drumlins by tracing contours on maps, or through on-screen digitization directly on top of hillshaded digital elevation models (DEMs). This paper seeks to utilize the unique morphometric characteristics of drumlins and investigates automated extraction of the landforms as objects from DEMs by Definiens Developer software (V.7), using the 30 m United States Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset DEM as input. The Chautauqua drumlin field in Pennsylvania and upstate New York, USA was chosen as a study area. As the study area is huge (approximately covers 2500 sq.km. of area), small test areas were selected for initial testing of the method. Individual polygons representing the drumlins were extracted from the elevation data set by automated recognition, using Definiens' Multiresolution Segmentation tool, followed by rule-based classification. Subsequently parameters such as length, width and length-width ratio, perimeter and area were measured automatically. To test the accuracy of the method, a second base map was produced by manual on-screen digitization of drumlins from topographic maps and the same morphometric parameters were extracted from the mapped landforms using Definiens Developer. Statistical comparison showed a high agreement between the two methods confirming that object-oriented classification for extraction of drumlins can be used for mapping these landforms. The proposed method represents an attempt to solve the problem by providing a generalized rule-set for mass extraction of drumlins. To check that the automated extraction process was next applied to a larger area. Results showed that the proposed method is as successful for the bigger area as it was for the smaller test areas.

Airborne laser swath mapping of the Denton Hills, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica: Applications for structural and glacial geomorphic mapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Terry; Csathó, Beata

2007-01-01

High-resolution digital elevation data acquired by airborne laser scanning (ALS) for the Denton Hills, along the coastal foothills of the Royal Society Range, Transantarctic Mountains, are examined for applications to bedrock and glacial geomorphic mapping. Digital elevation models (DEMs), displayed as shaded-relief images and slope maps, portray geomorphic landscape features in unprecedented detail across the region. Structures of both ductile and brittle origin, ranging in age from the Paleozoic to the Quaternary, can be mapped from the DEMs. Glacial features, providing a record of the limits of grounded ice, of lake paleoshorelines, and of proglacial lake-ice conveyor deposits, are also prominent on the DEMs. The ALS-derived topographic data have great potential for a range of mapping applications in regions of ice-free terrain in Antarctica

Computer Programs to Display and Modify Data in Geographic Coordinates and Methods to Transfer Positions to and from Maps, with Applications to Gravity Data Processing, Global Positioning Systems, and 30-Meter Digital Elevation Models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plouff, Donald

1998-01-01

Computer programs were written in the Fortran language to process and display gravity data with locations expressed in geographic coordinates. The programs and associated processes have been tested for gravity data in an area of about 125,000 square kilometers in northwest Nevada, southeast Oregon, and northeast California. This report discusses the geographic aspects of data processing. Utilization of the programs begins with application of a template (printed in PostScript format) to transfer locations obtained with Global Positioning Systems to and from field maps and includes a 5-digit geographic-based map naming convention for field maps. Computer programs, with source codes that can be copied, are used to display data values (printed in PostScript format) and data coverage, insert data into files, extract data from files, shift locations, test for redundancy, and organize data by map quadrangles. It is suggested that 30-meter Digital Elevation Models needed for gravity terrain corrections and other applications should be accessed in a file search by using the USGS 7.5-minute map name as a file name, for example, file '40117_B8.DEM' contains elevation data for the map with a southeast corner at lat 40? 07' 30' N. and lon 117? 52' 30' W.

Converting Topographic Maps into Digital Form to Aid in Archeological Research in the Peten, Guatemala

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldrich, Serena R.

1999-01-01

The purpose of my project was to convert a topographical map into digital form so that the data can be manipulated and easily accessed in the field. With the data in this particular format, Dr. Sever and his colleagues can highlight the specific features of the landscape that they require for their research of the ancient Mayan civilization. Digital elevation models (DEMs) can also be created from the digitized contour features adding another dimension to their research.

Flood-inundation maps and updated components for a flood-warning system or the City of Marietta, Ohio and selected communities along the Lower Muskingum River and Ohio River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitehead, Matthew T.; Ostheimer, Chad J.

2014-01-01

Flood profiles for selected reaches were prepared by calibrating steady-state step-backwater models to selected streamgage rating curves. The step-backwater models were used to determine water-surface-elevation profiles for up to 12 flood stages at a streamgage with corresponding stream-flows ranging from approximately the 10- to 0.2-percent chance annual-exceedance probabilities for each of the 3 streamgages that correspond to the flood-inundation maps. Additional hydraulic modeling was used to account for the effects of backwater from the Ohio River on water levels in the Muskingum River. The computed longitudinal profiles of flood levels were used with a Geographic Information System digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging) to delineate flood-inundation areas. Digital maps showing flood-inundation areas overlain on digital orthophotographs were prepared for the selected floods.

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission: A Global DEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farr, Tom G.; Kobrick, Mike

2000-01-01

Digital topographic data are critical for a variety of civilian, commercial, and military applications. Scientists use Digital Elevation Models (DEM) to map drainage patterns and ecosystems, and to monitor land surface changes over time. The mountain-building effects of tectonics and the climatic effects of erosion can also be modeled with DEW The data's military applications include mission planning and rehearsal, modeling and simulation. Commercial applications include determining locations for cellular phone towers, enhanced ground proximity warning systems for aircraft, and improved maps for backpackers. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) (Fig. 1), is a cooperative project between NASA and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. The mission is designed to use a single-pass radar interferometer to produce a digital elevation model of the Earth's land surface between about 60 degrees north and south latitude. The DEM will have 30 m pixel spacing and about 15 m vertical errors.

Methods of Real Time Image Enhancement of Flash LIDAR Data and Navigating a Vehicle Using Flash LIDAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanek, Michael D. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A method for creating a digital elevation map ("DEM") from frames of flash LIDAR data includes generating a first distance R(sub i) from a first detector i to a first point on a surface S(sub i). After defining a map with a mesh THETA having cells k, a first array S(k), a second array M(k), and a third array D(k) are initialized. The first array corresponds to the surface, the second array corresponds to the elevation map, and the third array D(k) receives an output for the DEM. The surface is projected onto the mesh THETA, so that a second distance R(sub k) from a second point on the mesh THETA to the detector can be found. From this, a height may be calculated, which permits the generation of a digital elevation map. Also, using sequential frames of flash LIDAR data, vehicle control is possible using an offset between successive frames.

Updating flood maps efficiently using existing hydraulic models, very-high-accuracy elevation data, and a geographic information system; a pilot study on the Nisqually River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Haluska, Tana L.; Kresch, David L.

2001-01-01

A method of updating flood inundation maps at a fraction of the expense of using traditional methods was piloted in Washington State as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Urban Geologic and Hydrologic Hazards Initiative. Large savings in expense may be achieved by building upon previous Flood Insurance Studies and automating the process of flood delineation with a Geographic Information System (GIS); increases in accuracy and detail result from the use of very-high-accuracy elevation data and automated delineation; and the resulting digital data sets contain valuable ancillary information such as flood depth, as well as greatly facilitating map storage and utility. The method consists of creating stage-discharge relations from the archived output of the existing hydraulic model, using these relations to create updated flood stages for recalculated flood discharges, and using a GIS to automate the map generation process. Many of the effective flood maps were created in the late 1970?s and early 1980?s, and suffer from a number of well recognized deficiencies such as out-of-date or inaccurate estimates of discharges for selected recurrence intervals, changes in basin characteristics, and relatively low quality elevation data used for flood delineation. FEMA estimates that 45 percent of effective maps are over 10 years old (FEMA, 1997). Consequently, Congress has mandated the updating and periodic review of existing maps, which have cost the Nation almost 3 billion (1997) dollars. The need to update maps and the cost of doing so were the primary motivations for piloting a more cost-effective and efficient updating method. New technologies such as Geographic Information Systems and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) elevation mapping are key to improving the efficiency of flood map updating, but they also improve the accuracy, detail, and usefulness of the resulting digital flood maps. GISs produce digital maps without manual estimation of inundated areas between cross sections, and can generate working maps across a broad range of scales, for any selected area, and overlayed with easily updated cultural features. Local governments are aggressively collecting very-high-accuracy elevation data for numerous reasons; this not only lowers the cost and increases accuracy of flood maps, but also inherently boosts the level of community involvement in the mapping process. These elevation data are also ideal for hydraulic modeling, should an existing model be judged inadequate.

Quantitative fractography by digital image processing: NIH Image macro tools for stereo pair analysis and 3-D reconstruction.

PubMed

Hein, L R

2001-10-01

A set of NIH Image macro programs was developed to make qualitative and quantitative analyses from digital stereo pictures produced by scanning electron microscopes. These tools were designed for image alignment, anaglyph representation, animation, reconstruction of true elevation surfaces, reconstruction of elevation profiles, true-scale elevation mapping and, for the quantitative approach, surface area and roughness calculations. Limitations on time processing, scanning techniques and programming concepts are also discussed.

Cartographic services contract...for everything geographic

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2003-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Cartographic Services Contract (CSC) is used to award work for photogrammetric and mapping services under the umbrella of Architect-Engineer (A&E) contracting. The A&E contract is broad in scope and can accommodate any activity related to standard, nonstandard, graphic, and digital cartographic products. Services provided may include, but are not limited to, photogrammetric mapping and aerotriangulation; orthophotography; thematic mapping (for example, land characterization); analog and digital imagery applications; geographic information systems development; surveying and control acquisition, including ground-based and airborne Global Positioning System; analog and digital image manipulation, analysis, and interpretation; raster and vector map digitizing; data manipulations (for example, transformations, conversions, generalization, integration, and conflation); primary and ancillary data acquisition (for example, aerial photography, satellite imagery, multispectral, multitemporal, and hyperspectral data); image scanning and processing; metadata production, revision, and creation; and production or revision of standard USGS products defined by formal and informal specification and standards, such as those for digital line graphs, digital elevation models, digital orthophoto quadrangles, and digital raster graphics.

Producing Alaska interim land cover maps from Landsat digital and ancillary data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick-Lins, Katherine; Doughty, Eileen Flanagan; Shasby, Mark; Loveland, Thomas R.; Benjamin, Susan

1987-01-01

In 1985, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a research program to produce 1:250,000-scale land cover maps of Alaska using digital Landsat multispectral scanner data and ancillary data and to evaluate the potential of establishing a statewide land cover mapping program using this approach. The geometrically corrected and resampled Landsat pixel data are registered to a Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection, along with arc-second digital elevation model data used as an aid in the final computer classification. Areas summaries of the land cover classes are extracted by merging the Landsat digital classification files with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Public Land Survey digital file. Registration of the digital land cover data is verified and control points are identified so that a laser plotter can products screened film separate for printing the classification data at map scale directly from the digital file. The final land cover classification is retained both as a color map at 1:250,000 scale registered to the U.S. Geological Survey base map, with area summaries by township and range on the reverse, and as a digital file where it may be used as a category in a geographic information system.

Geologic map of Kundelan ore deposits and prospects, Zabul Province, Afghanistan; modified from the 1971 original map compilations of K.I. Litvinenko and others

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tucker, Robert D.; Peters, Stephen G.; Stettner, Will R.; Masonic, Linda M.; Moran, Thomas W.

2015-10-26

Elevations on the cross sections are derived from the original Soviet topography and may not match the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) topography used on the redrafted map of this report. Most hydrography derived from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) has not been included on our redrafted version of the map because of a poor fit with alluvial deposits from the unmodified original Soviet map (graphical supplement no. 18; Litvinenko and others, 1971).

Topogrid Derived 10 Meter Resolution Digital Elevation Model of Charleston, and Parts of Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester and Georgetown Counties, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.

2005-01-01

EXPLANATION The purpose of developing a new 10m resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the Charleston Region was to more accurately depict geologic structure, surfical geology, and landforms of the Charleston County Region. Previously, many areas northeast and southwest of Charleston were originally mapped with a 20 foot contour interval. As a result, large areas within the National Elevation Dataset (NED) depict flat terraced topography where there was a lack of higher resolution elevation data. To overcome these data voids, the new DEM is supplemented with additional elevation data and break-lines derived from aerial photography and topographic maps. The resultant DEM is stored as a raster grid at uniform 10m horizontal resolution. The elevation model contained in this publication was prodcued utilizing the ANUDEM algorthim. ANUDEM allows for the inclusion of contours, streams, rivers, lake and water body polygons as well as spot height data to control the development of the elevation model. A preliminary statistical analysis using over 788 vertical elevation check points, primarily located in the northeastern part of the study area, derived from USGS 7.5 Minute Topographic maps reveals that the final DEM, has a vertical accuracy of ?3.27 meters. A table listing the elevation comparison between the elevation check points and the final DEM is provided.

Program Merges SAR Data on Terrain and Vegetation Heights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siqueira, Paul; Hensley, Scott; Rodriguez, Ernesto; Simard, Marc

2007-01-01

X/P Merge is a computer program that estimates ground-surface elevations and vegetation heights from multiple sets of data acquired by the GeoSAR instrument [a terrain-mapping synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system that operates in the X and bands]. X/P Merge software combines data from X- and P-band digital elevation models, SAR backscatter magnitudes, and interferometric correlation magnitudes into a simplified set of output topographical maps of ground-surface elevation and tree height.

Current trends in geomorphological mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seijmonsbergen, A. C.

2012-04-01

Geomorphological mapping is a world currently in motion, driven by technological advances and the availability of new high resolution data. As a consequence, classic (paper) geomorphological maps which were the standard for more than 50 years are rapidly being replaced by digital geomorphological information layers. This is witnessed by the following developments: 1. the conversion of classic paper maps into digital information layers, mainly performed in a digital mapping environment such as a Geographical Information System, 2. updating the location precision and the content of the converted maps, by adding more geomorphological details, taken from high resolution elevation data and/or high resolution image data, 3. (semi) automated extraction and classification of geomorphological features from digital elevation models, broadly separated into unsupervised and supervised classification techniques and 4. New digital visualization / cartographic techniques and reading interfaces. Newly digital geomorphological information layers can be based on manual digitization of polygons using DEMs and/or aerial photographs, or prepared through (semi) automated extraction and delineation of geomorphological features. DEMs are often used as basis to derive Land Surface Parameter information which is used as input for (un) supervised classification techniques. Especially when using high-res data, object-based classification is used as an alternative to traditional pixel-based classifications, to cluster grid cells into homogeneous objects, which can be classified as geomorphological features. Classic map content can also be used as training material for the supervised classification of geomorphological features. In the classification process, rule-based protocols, including expert-knowledge input, are used to map specific geomorphological features or entire landscapes. Current (semi) automated classification techniques are increasingly able to extract morphometric, hydrological, and in the near future also morphogenetic information. As a result, these new opportunities have changed the workflows for geomorphological mapmaking, and their focus have shifted from field-based techniques to using more computer-based techniques: for example, traditional pre-field air-photo based maps are now replaced by maps prepared in a digital mapping environment, and designated field visits using mobile GIS / digital mapping devices now focus on gathering location information and attribute inventories and are strongly time efficient. The resulting 'modern geomorphological maps' are digital collections of geomorphological information layers consisting of georeferenced vector, raster and tabular data which are stored in a digital environment such as a GIS geodatabase, and are easily visualized as e.g. 'birds' eye' views, as animated 3D displays, on virtual globes, or stored as GeoPDF maps in which georeferenced attribute information can be easily exchanged over the internet. Digital geomorphological information layers are increasingly accessed via web-based services distributed through remote servers. Information can be consulted - or even build using remote geoprocessing servers - by the end user. Therefore, it will not only be the geomorphologist anymore, but also the professional end user that dictates the applied use of digital geomorphological information layers.

Proposed U.S. Geological Survey standard for digital orthophotos

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hooper, David; Caruso, Vincent

1991-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has added the new category of digital orthophotos to the National Digital Cartographic Data Base. This differentially rectified digital image product enables users to take advantage of the properties of current photoimagery as a source of geographic information. The product and accompanying standard were implemented in spring 1991. The digital orthophotos will be quadrangle based and cast on the Universal Transverse Mercator projection and will extend beyond the 3.75-minute or 7.5-minute quadrangle area at least 300 meters to form a rectangle. The overedge may be used for mosaicking with adjacent digital orthophotos. To provide maximum information content and utility to the user, metadata (header) records exist at the beginning of the digital orthophoto file. Header information includes the photographic source type, date, instrumentation used to create the digital orthophoto, and information relating to the DEM that was used in the rectification process. Additional header information is included on transformation constants from the 1927 and 1983 North American Datums to the orthophoto internal file coordinates to enable the user to register overlays on either datum. The quadrangle corners in both datums are also imprinted on the image. Flexibility has been built into the digital orthophoto format for future enhancements, such as the provision to include the corresponding digital elevation model elevations used to rectify the orthophoto. The digital orthophoto conforms to National Map Accuracy Standards and provides valuable mapping data that can be used as a tool for timely revision of standard map products, for land use and land cover studies, and as a digital layer in a geographic information system.

Flood-hazard mapping in Honduras in response to Hurricane Mitch

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastin, M.C.

2002-01-01

The devastation in Honduras due to flooding from Hurricane Mitch in 1998 prompted the U.S. Agency for International Development, through the U.S. Geological Survey, to develop a country-wide systematic approach of flood-hazard mapping and a demonstration of the method at selected sites as part of a reconstruction effort. The design discharge chosen for flood-hazard mapping was the flood with an average return interval of 50 years, and this selection was based on discussions with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Honduran Public Works and Transportation Ministry. A regression equation for estimating the 50-year flood discharge using drainage area and annual precipitation as the explanatory variables was developed, based on data from 34 long-term gaging sites. This equation, which has a standard error of prediction of 71.3 percent, was used in a geographic information system to estimate the 50-year flood discharge at any location for any river in the country. The flood-hazard mapping method was demonstrated at 15 selected municipalities. High-resolution digital-elevation models of the floodplain were obtained using an airborne laser-terrain mapping system. Field verification of the digital elevation models showed that the digital-elevation models had mean absolute errors ranging from -0.57 to 0.14 meter in the vertical dimension. From these models, water-surface elevation cross sections were obtained and used in a numerical, one-dimensional, steady-flow stepbackwater model to estimate water-surface profiles corresponding to the 50-year flood discharge. From these water-surface profiles, maps of area and depth of inundation were created at the 13 of the 15 selected municipalities. At La Lima only, the area and depth of inundation of the channel capacity in the city was mapped. At Santa Rose de Aguan, no numerical model was created. The 50-year flood and the maps of area and depth of inundation are based on the estimated 50-year storm tide.

DEVELOPMENT OF LAND COVER AND TERRAIN DATA BASES FOR THE INNOKO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ALASKA, USING LANDSAT AND DIGITAL TERRAIN DATA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markon, Carl J.; Talbot, Stephen

1986-01-01

Landsat-derived land cover maps and associated elevation, slope, and aspect class maps were produced for the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge (3,850,000 acres; 1,555,095 hectares) in northwestern Alaska. These maps and associated digital data products are being used by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for wildlife management, research, and comprehensive conservation planning. Portions of two Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) scenes and digital terrain data were used to produce 1:250,000 scale land cover and terrain maps. Prints of summer and winter Landsat MSS scenes were used to manually interpret broad physiographic strata. These strata were transferred to U. S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale topographic maps and digitized. Seven major land cover classes and 23 subclasses were identified. The major land cover classes include: forest, scrub, dwarf scrub and related types, herbaceous, scarcely vegetated areas, water, and shadow.

Method for the visualization of landform by mapping using low altitude UAV application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharan Kumar, N.; Ashraf Mohamad Ismail, Mohd; Sukor, Nur Sabahiah Abdul; Cheang, William

2018-05-01

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Digital Photogrammetry are evolving drastically in mapping technology. The significance and necessity for digital landform mapping are developing with years. In this study, a mapping workflow is applied to obtain two different input data sets which are the orthophoto and DSM. A fine flying technology is used to capture Low Altitude Aerial Photography (LAAP). Low altitude UAV (Drone) with the fixed advanced camera was utilized for imagery while computerized photogrammetry handling using Photo Scan was applied for cartographic information accumulation. The data processing through photogrammetry and orthomosaic processes is the main applications. High imagery quality is essential for the effectiveness and nature of normal mapping output such as 3D model, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Ortho Images. The exactitude of Ground Control Points (GCP), flight altitude and the resolution of the camera are essential for good quality DEM and Orthophoto.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, G.P.; Runkle, Donna; Rea, Alan; Cederstrand, J.R.

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries, maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma. Ground water in 1,305 square miles of Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits along the the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie is an important source of water for irrigation, industrial, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. Alluvial and terrace deposits are composed of interfingering lenses of clay, sandy clay, and cross-bedded poorly sorted sand and gravel. The aquifer is composed of hydraulically connected alluvial and terrace deposits that unconformably overlie the Permian-age Formations. The aquifer boundaries are from a ground-water modeling report on the alluvial and terrace aquifer along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma and published digital surficial geology data sets. The aquifer boundary data set was created from digital geologic data sets from maps published at a scale of 1:250,000. The hydraulic conductivity values, recharge rates, and ground-water level elevation contours are from the ground-water modeling report. Water-level elevation contours were digitized from a map at a scale of 1:250,000. The maps were published at a scale of 1:900,000. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Determining the Suitability of Different Digital Elevation Models and Satellite Images for Fancy Maps. An Example of Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drachal, J.; Kawel, A. K.

2016-06-01

The article describes the possibility of developing an overall map of the selected area on the basis of publicly available data. Such a map would take the form designed by the author with the colors that meets his expectations and a content, which he considers to be appropriate. Among the data available it was considered the use of satellite images of the terrain in real colors and, in the form of shaded relief, digital terrain models with different resolutions of the terrain mesh. Specifically the considered data were: MODIS, Landsat 8, GTOPO-30, SRTM-30, SRTM-1, SRTM-3, ASTER. For the test area the island of Cyprus was chosen because of the importance in tourism, a relatively small area and a clearly defined boundary. In the paper there are shown and discussed various options of the Cyprus terrain image obtained synthetically from variants of Modis, Landsat and digital elevation models of different resolutions.

Mapping debris-flow hazard in Honolulu using a DEM

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellen, Stephen D.; Mark, Robert K.; ,

1993-01-01

A method for mapping hazard posed by debris flows has been developed and applied to an area near Honolulu, Hawaii. The method uses studies of past debris flows to characterize sites of initiation, volume at initiation, and volume-change behavior during flow. Digital simulations of debris flows based on these characteristics are then routed through a digital elevation model (DEM) to estimate degree of hazard over the area.

The Design and Product of National 1:1000000 Cartographic Data of Topographic Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guizhi

2016-06-01

National administration of surveying, mapping and geoinformation started to launch the project of national fundamental geographic information database dynamic update in 2012. Among them, the 1:50000 database was updated once a year, furthermore the 1:250000 database was downsized and linkage-updated on the basis. In 2014, using the latest achievements of 1:250000 database, comprehensively update the 1:1000000 digital line graph database. At the same time, generate cartographic data of topographic map and digital elevation model data. This article mainly introduce national 1:1000000 cartographic data of topographic map, include feature content, database structure, Database-driven Mapping technology, workflow and so on.

State of Texas - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kosovich, John J.

2008-01-01

In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts a color shaded relief representation of Texas and a grayscale relief of the surrounding areas. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED data were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. The NED source data for this map consists of a mixture of 30-meter- and 10-meter-resolution DEMs. State and county boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. The NED data were downloaded in 2002. Shaded relief over Mexico was obtained from the USGS National Atlas.

Earth Explorer

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Explorer Web site provides access to millions of land-related products, including the following: Satellite images from Landsat, advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR), and Corona data sets. Aerial photographs from the National Aerial Photography Program, NASA, and USGS data sets.  Digital cartographic data from digital elevation models, digital line graphs, digital raster graphics, and digital orthophoto quadrangles. USGS paper maps Digital, film, and paper products are available, and many products can be previewed before ordering.

Calculation and Error Analysis of a Digital Elevation Model of Hofsjokull, Iceland from SAR Interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, Jonathan S.; Hall, Dorothy K.; Sigurosson, Oddur; Williams, Richard S., Jr.; Smith, Laurence C.; Garvin, James B.

1999-01-01

Two ascending European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Resources Satellites (ERS)-1/-2 tandem-mode, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pairs are used to calculate the surface elevation of Hofsjokull, an ice cap in central Iceland. The motion component of the interferometric phase is calculated using the 30 arc-second resolution USGS GTOPO30 global digital elevation product and one of the ERS tandem pairs. The topography is then derived by subtracting the motion component from the other tandem pair. In order to assess the accuracy of the resultant digital elevation model (DEM), a geodetic airborne laser-altimetry swath is compared with the elevations derived from the interferometry. The DEM is also compared with elevations derived from a digitized topographic map of the ice cap from the University of Iceland Science Institute. Results show that low temporal correlation is a significant problem for the application of interferometry to small, low-elevation ice caps, even over a one-day repeat interval, and especially at the higher elevations. Results also show that an uncompensated error in the phase, ramping from northwest to southeast, present after tying the DEM to ground-control points, has resulted in a systematic error across the DEM.

Calculation and error analysis of a digital elevation model of Hofsjokull, Iceland, from SAR interferometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Jonathan S.; Hall, Dorothy K.; Sigurðsson, Oddur; Williams, Richard S.; Smith, Laurence C.; Garvin, James B.; Taylor, Susan; Hardy, Janet

1999-01-01

Two ascending European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Resources Satellites (ERS)-1/-2 tandem-mode, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pairs are used to calculate the surface elevation of Hofsjokull, an ice cap in central Iceland. The motion component of the interferometric phase is calculated using the 30 arc-second resolution USGS GTOPO30 global digital elevation product and one of the ERS tandem pairs. The topography is then derived by subtracting the motion component from the other tandem pair. In order to assess the accuracy of the resultant digital elevation model (DEM), a geodetic airborne laser-altimetry swath is compared with the elevations derived from the interferometry. The DEM is also compared with elevations derived from a digitized topographic map of the ice cap from the University of Iceland Science Institute. Results show that low temporal correlation is a significant problem for the application of interferometry to small, low-elevation ice caps, even over a one-day repeat interval, and especially at the higher elevations. Results also show that an uncompensated error in the phase, ramping from northwest to southeast, present after tying the DEM to ground-control points, has resulted in a systematic error across the DEM.

Map of Nasca Geoglyphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanzalová, K.; Pavelka, K.

2013-07-01

The Czech Technical University in Prague in the cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences in Dresden (Germany) work on the Nasca Project. The cooperation started in 2004 and much work has been done since then. All work is connected with Nasca lines in southern Peru. The Nasca project started in 1995 and its main target is documentation and conservation of the Nasca lines. Most of the project results are presented as WebGIS application via Internet. In the face of the impending destruction of the soil drawings, it is possible to preserve this world cultural heritage for the posterity at least in a digital form. Creating of Nasca lines map is very useful. The map is in a digital form and it is also available as a paper map. The map contains planimetric component of the map, map lettering and altimetry. Thematic folder in this map is a vector layer of the geoglyphs in Nasca/Peru. Basis for planimetry are georeferenced satellite images, altimetry is created from digital elevation model. This map was created in ArcGis software.

A Digital Tectonic Activity Map of the Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowman, Paul; Masuoka, Penny; Montgomery, Brian; OLeary, Jay; Salisbury, Demetra; Yates, Jacob

1999-01-01

The subject of neotectonics, covering the structures and structural activity of the last 5 million years (i.e., post-Miocene) is a well-recognized field, including "active tectonics," focussed on the last 500,000 years in a 1986 National Research Council report of that title. However, there is a cartographic gap between tectonic maps, generally showing all features regardless of age, and maps of current seismic or volcanic activity. We have compiled a map intended to bridge this gap, using modern data bases and computer-aided cartographic techniques. The maps presented here are conceptually descended from an earlier map showing tectonic and volcanic activity of the last one million years. Drawn by hand with the National Geographic Society's 1975 "The Physical World" map as a base, the 1981 map in various revisions has been widely reproduced in textbooks and various technical publications. However, two decades of progress call for a completely new map that can take advantage of new knowledge and cartographic techniques. The digital tectonic activity map (DTM), presented in shaded relief (Fig. 1) and schematic (Fig. 2) versions, is the result. The DTM is intended to show tectonism and volcanism of the last one million years, a period long enough to be representative of global activity, but short enough that features such as fault scarps and volcanos are still geomorphically recognizable. Data Sources and Cartographic Methods The DTM is based on a wide range of sources, summarized in Table 1. The most important is the digital elevation model, used to construct a shaded relief map. The bathymetry is largely from satellite altimetry, specifically the marine gravity compilations by Smith and Sandwell (1996). The shaded relief map was designed to match the new National Geographic Society world physical map (1992), although drawn independently, from the digital elevation model. The Robinson Projection is used instead of the earlier Van der Grinten one. Although neither conformal nor equal-area, the Robinson Projection provides a reasonable compromise and retains useful detail at high latitudes.

New Geologic Map of the Scandia Region of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.; Rodriquez, J. A. P.; Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Hayward, R. K.; Fortezzo, C.; Edmundson, K.; Rosiek, M.

2009-01-01

We have begun work on a sophisti-cated digital geologic map of the Scandia region (Fig. 1) at 1:3,000,000 scale based on post-Viking image and to-pographic datasets. Through application of GIS tools, we will produce a map product that will consist of (1) a printed photogeologic map displaying geologic units and relevant modificational landforms produced by tectonism, erosion, and collapse/mass wasting; (2) a landform geoda-tabase including sublayers of key landform types, attributed with direct measurements of their planform and to-pography using Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) altimetry data and High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) digital elevation models (DEMs) and various image datasets; and (3) a series of digital, reconstructed paleostratigraphic and paleotopographic maps showing the inferred distribution and topographic form of materi-als and features during past ages

Overcoming the momentum of anachronism: American geologic mapping in a twenty-first-century world

USGS Publications Warehouse

House, P. Kyle; Clark, Ryan; Kopera, Joe

2013-01-01

The practice of geologic mapping is undergoing conceptual and methodological transformation. Profound changes in digital technology in the past 10 yr have potential to impact all aspects of geologic mapping. The future of geologic mapping as a relevant scientific enterprise depends on widespread adoption of new technology and ideas about the collection, meaning, and utility of geologic map data. It is critical that the geologic community redefine the primary elements of the traditional paper geologic map and improve the integration of the practice of making maps in the field and office with the new ways to record, manage, share, and visualize their underlying data. A modern digital geologic mapping model will enhance scientific discovery, meet elevated expectations of modern geologic map users, and accommodate inevitable future changes in technology.

Digital shaded-relief map of Venezuela

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrity, Christopher P.; Hackley, Paul C.; Urbani, Franco

2004-01-01

The Digital Shaded-Relief Map of Venezuela is a composite of more than 20 tiles of 90 meter (3 arc second) pixel resolution elevation data, captured during the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in February 2000. The SRTM, a joint project between the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), provides the most accurate and comprehensive international digital elevation dataset ever assembled. The 10-day flight mission aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour obtained elevation data for about 80% of the world's landmass at 3-5 meter pixel resolution through the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. SAR is desirable because it acquires data along continuous swaths, maintaining data consistency across large areas, independent of cloud cover. Swaths were captured at an altitude of 230 km, and are approximately 225 km wide with varying lengths. Rendering of the shaded-relief image required editing of the raw elevation data to remove numerous holes and anomalously high and low values inherent in the dataset. Customized ArcInfo Arc Macro Language (AML) scripts were written to interpolate areas of null values and generalize irregular elevation spikes and wells. Coastlines and major water bodies used as a clipping mask were extracted from 1:500,000-scale geologic maps of Venezuela (Bellizzia and others, 1976). The shaded-relief image was rendered with an illumination azimuth of 315? and an altitude of 65?. A vertical exaggeration of 2X was applied to the image to enhance land-surface features. Image post-processing techniques were accomplished using conventional desktop imaging software.

Generation of topographic terrain models utilizing synthetic aperture radar and surface level data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imhoff, Marc L. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

Topographical terrain models are generated by digitally delineating the boundary of the region under investigation from the data obtained from an airborne synthetic aperture radar image and surface elevation data concurrently acquired either from an airborne instrument or at ground level. A set of coregistered boundary maps thus generated are then digitally combined in three dimensional space with the acquired surface elevation data by means of image processing software stored in a digital computer. The method is particularly applicable for generating terrain models of flooded regions covered entirely or in part by foliage.

Geological mapping of the Schuppen belt of north-east India using geospatial technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Tanaya; Basu, Surajit; Hazra, Sugata

2014-01-01

A revised geologic map of the Schuppen belt of northeast India has been prepared based on interpretation of digitally enhanced satellite images. The satellite image interpretation is supported by limited field work and existing geologic maps. Available geological maps of this fold thrust belt are discontinuous and multi-scaled. The authors are of multiple opinions regarding the trajectory of formation boundaries and fault contacts. Digital image processing of satellite images and limited field surveys have been used to reinterpret and modify the existing geological maps of this fold thrust belt. Optical data of Landsat Thematic Mapper, Enhanced Thematic Mapper and elevation data of ASTER have been used to prepare this revised geological map. The study area extends from Hajadisa in south to Digboi oilfield in north, bounded by Naga thrust in the west and Disang thrust in the east. PCA, Image fusion, Linear Contrast stretch, Histogram Equalization and Painted relief algorithms have been used for the delineation of major geological lineaments like lithological boundary, thrust and strike slip faults. Digital elevation maps have enabled in the discrimination between thrust contacts and lithological boundaries, with the former being located mostly in the valleys. Textural enhancements of PCA, colour composites and Painted relief algorithm have been used to discriminate between different rock types. Few geological concepts about the terrain have been revisited and modified. It is assumed that this revised map should be of practical use as this terrain promises unexploited hydrocarbon reserves.

Mars digital terrain model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Sherman S. C.; Howington, Annie-Elpis

1987-01-01

The Mars Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is the result of a new project to: (1) digitize the series of 1:2,000,000-scale topographic maps of Mars, which are being derived photogrammetically under a separate project, and (2) reformat the digital contour information into rasters of elevation that can be readily registered with the Digital Image Model (DIM) of Mars. Derivation of DTM's involves interpolation of elevation values into 1/64-degree resolution and transformation of them to a sinusoidal equal-area projection. Digital data are produced in blocks corresponding with the coordinates of the original 1:2,000,000-scale maps, i.e., the dimensions of each block in the equatorial belt are 22.5 deg of longitude and 15 deg of latitude. This DTM is not only compatible with the DIM, but it can also be registered with other data such as geologic units or gravity. It will be the most comprehensive record of topographic information yet compiled for the Martian surface. Once the DTM's are established, any enhancement of Mars topographic information made with updated data, such as data from the planned Mars Observer Mission, will be by mathematical transformation of the DTM's, eliminating the need for recompilation.

Analysis of accuracy of digital elevation models created from captured data by digital photogrammetry method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudec, P.

2011-12-01

A digital elevation model (DEM) is an important part of many geoinformatic applications. For the creation of DEM, spatial data collected by geodetic measurements in the field, photogrammetric processing of aerial survey photographs, laser scanning and secondary sources (analogue maps) are used. It is very important from a user's point of view to know the vertical accuracy of a DEM. The article describes the verification of the vertical accuracy of a DEM for the region of Medzibodrožie, which was created using digital photogrammetry for the purposes of water resources management and modeling and resolving flood cases based on geodetic measurements in the field.

A guide for the use of digital elevation model data for making soil surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klingebiel, A.A.; Horvath, Emil H.; Reybold, William U.; Moore, D.G.; Fosnight, E.A.; Loveland, Thomas R.

1988-01-01

The intent of this publication is twofold: (1) to serve as a user guide for soil scientists and others interested in learning about the value and use of digital elevation model (DEM) data in making soil surveys and (2) to provide documentation of the Soil Landscape Analysis Project (SLAP). This publication provides a step-by-step guide on how digital slope-class maps are adjusted to topographic maps and orthophotoquads to obtain accurate slope-class maps, and how these derivative maps can be used as a base for soil survey premaps. In addition, guidance is given on the use of aspect-class maps and other resource data in making pre-maps. The value and use of tabular summaries are discussed. Examples of the use of DEM products by the authors and by selected field soil scientists are also given. Additional information on SLAP procedures may be obtained from USDA, Soil Conservation Service, Soil Survey Division, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013, and from references (Horvath and others, 1987; Horvath and others, 1983; Klingebiel and others, 1987; and Young, 1987) listed in this publication. The slope and aspect products and the procedures for using these products have evolved during 5 years of cooperative research with the USDA, Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service, and the USDI, Bureau of Land Management.

Comparison of different digital elevation models and satellite imagery for lineament analysis: Implications for identification and spatial arrangement of fault zones in crystalline basement rocks of the southern Black Forest (Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meixner, J.; Grimmer, J. C.; Becker, A.; Schill, E.; Kohl, T.

2018-03-01

GIS-based remote sensing techniques and lineament mapping provide additional information on the spatial arrangement of faults and fractures in large areas with variable outcrop conditions. Due to inherent censoring and truncation bias mapping of lineaments is still a challenging task. In this study we show how statistical evaluations help to improve the reliability of lineament mappings by comparing two digital elevation models (ASTER, LIDAR) and satellite imagery data sets in the seismically active southern Black Forest. A statistical assessment of the orientation, average length, and the total length of mapped lineaments reveals an impact of the different resolutions of the data sets that allow to define maximum (censoring bias) and minimum (truncation bias) observable lineament length for each data set. The increase of the spatial resolution of the digital elevation model from 30 m × 30 m to 5 m × 5 m results in a decrease of total lineament length by about 40% whereby the average lineament lengths decrease by about 60%. Lineament length distributions of both data sets follow a power law distribution as documented elsewhere for fault and fracture systems. Predominant NE-, N-, NNW-, and NW-directions of the lineaments are observed in all data sets and correlate with well-known, mappable large-scale structures in the southern Black Forest. Therefore, mapped lineaments can be correlated with faults and hence display geological significance. Lineament density in the granite-dominated areas is apparently higher than in the gneiss-dominated areas. Application of a slip- and dilation tendency analysis on the fault pattern reveals largest reactivation potentials for WNW-ESE and N-S striking faults as strike-slip faults whereas normal faulting may occur along NW-striking faults within the ambient stress field. Remote sensing techniques in combination with highly resolved digital elevation models and a slip- and dilation tendency analysis thus can be used to quickly get first order results of the spatial arrangement of critically stressed faults in crystalline basement rocks.

Using a spatial and tabular database to generate statistics from terrain and spectral data for soil surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horvath , E.A.; Fosnight, E.A.; Klingebiel, A.A.; Moore, D.G.; Stone, J.E.; Reybold, W.U.; Petersen, G.W.

1987-01-01

A methodology has been developed to create a spatial database by referencing digital elevation, Landsat multispectral scanner data, and digitized soil premap delineations of a number of adjacent 7.5-min quadrangle areas to a 30-m Universal Transverse Mercator projection. Slope and aspect transformations are calculated from elevation data and grouped according to field office specifications. An unsupervised classification is performed on a brightness and greenness transformation of the spectral data. The resulting spectral, slope, and aspect maps of each of the 7.5-min quadrangle areas are then plotted and submitted to the field office to be incorporated into the soil premapping stages of a soil survey. A tabular database is created from spatial data by generating descriptive statistics for each data layer within each soil premap delineation. The tabular data base is then entered into a data base management system to be accessed by the field office personnel during the soil survey and to be used for subsequent resource management decisions.Large amounts of data are collected and archived during resource inventories for public land management. Often these data are stored as stacks of maps or folders in a file system in someone's office, with the maps in a variety of formats, scales, and with various standards of accuracy depending on their purpose. This system of information storage and retrieval is cumbersome at best when several categories of information are needed simultaneously for analysis or as input to resource management models. Computers now provide the resource scientist with the opportunity to design increasingly complex models that require even more categories of resource-related information, thus compounding the problem.Recently there has been much emphasis on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) as an alternative method for map data archives and as a resource management tool. Considerable effort has been devoted to the generation of tabular databases, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's SCS/S015 (Soil Survey Staff, 1983), to archive the large amounts of information that are collected in conjunction with mapping of natural resources in an easily retrievable manner.During the past 4 years the U.S. Geological Survey's EROS Data Center, in a cooperative effort with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), developed a procedure that uses spatial and tabular databases to generate elevation, slope, aspect, and spectral map products that can be used during soil premapping. The procedure results in tabular data, residing in a database management system, that are indexed to the final soil delineations and help quantify soil map unit composition.The procedure was developed and tested on soil surveys on over 600 000 ha in Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho. A transfer of technology from the EROS Data Center to the BLM will enable the Denver BLM Service Center to use this procedure in soil survey operations on BLM lands. Also underway is a cooperative effort between the EROS Data Center and SCS to define and evaluate maps that can be produced as derivatives of digital elevation data for 7.5-min quadrangle areas, such as those used during the premapping stage of the soil surveys mentioned above, the idea being to make such products routinely available.The procedure emphasizes the applications of digital elevation and spectral data to order-three soil surveys on rangelands, and will:Incorporate digital terrain and spectral data into a spatial database for soil surveys.Provide hardcopy products (that can be generated from digital elevation model and spectral data) that are useful during the soil pre-mapping process.Incorporate soil premaps into a spatial database that can be accessed during the soil survey process along with terrain and spectral data.Summarize useful quantitative information for soil mapping and for making interpretations for resource management.

Gulf of Mexico region - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kosovich, John J.

2008-01-01

In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts a color shaded relief representation of the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED data were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s data) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. Approximately one-half of the area shown on this map has DEM source data at a 30-meter resolution, with the remaining half consisting of 10-meter contour-derived DEM data or higher-resolution LIDAR data. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. State and county boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. The NED data were downloaded in 2005.

Digital Maps, Matrices and Computer Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, D. G.

2005-01-01

The way in which computer algebra systems, such as Maple, have made the study of complex problems accessible to undergraduate mathematicians with modest computational skills is illustrated by some large matrix calculations, which arise from representing the Earth's surface by digital elevation models. Such problems are often considered to lie in…

Characteristics of Forests in Western Sayani Mountains, Siberia from SAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranson, K. Jon; Sun, Guoqing; Kharuk, V. I.; Kovacs, Katalin

1998-01-01

This paper investigated the possibility of using spaceborne radar data to map forest types and logging in the mountainous Western Sayani area in Siberia. L and C band HH, HV, and VV polarized images from the Shuttle Imaging Radar-C instrument were used in the study. Techniques to reduce topographic effects in the radar images were investigated. These included radiometric correction using illumination angle inferred from a digital elevation model, and reducing apparent effects of topography through band ratios. Forest classification was performed after terrain correction utilizing typical supervised techniques and principal component analyses. An ancillary data set of local elevations was also used to improve the forest classification. Map accuracy for each technique was estimated for training sites based on Russian forestry maps, satellite imagery and field measurements. The results indicate that it is necessary to correct for topography when attempting to classify forests in mountainous terrain. Radiometric correction based on a DEM (Digital Elevation Model) improved classification results but required reducing the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) resolution to match the DEM. Using ratios of SAR channels that include cross-polarization improved classification and

Ecological effects of the Hayman Fire - Part 3: Soil properties, erosion, and implications for rehabilitation and aquatic ecosystems

Treesearch

Jan E. Cipra; Eugene F. Kelly; Lee MacDonald; John Norman

2003-01-01

This team was asked to address three questions regarding soil properties, erosion and sedimentation, and how aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems have responded or could respond to various land management options. We have used soil survey maps, burn severity maps, and digital elevation model (DEM) maps as primary map data. We used our own field measurements and...

Processing of 3-Dimensional Flash Lidar Terrain Images Generated From an Airborne Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bulyshev, Alexander; Pierrottet, Diego; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Busch, George; Vanek, Michael; Reisse, Robert

2009-01-01

Data from the first Flight Test of the NASA Langley Flash Lidar system have been processed. Results of the analyses are presented and discussed. A digital elevation map of the test site is derived from the data, and is compared with the actual topography. The set of algorithms employed, starting from the initial data sorting, and continuing through to the final digital map classification is described. The accuracy, precision, and the spatial and angular resolution of the method are discussed.

Measuring historic water levels of Lake Balaton and tributary wetlands using georeferenced maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlinszky, A.

2009-04-01

Lake Balaton is a large and relatively shallow lake located in western Hungary. The lake is joined by small wetlands on the north shore and larger water-filled valleys on the south separated by and elevated sand bar. These wetlands are assumed to have been connected with Lake Balaton before the water level was artificially lowered in 1893. No regular measurements of the water level of the lake or these wetlands were carried out before the draining of the lake. Most of the wetlands were completely isolated from the water system of the lake after the water level change as roads, railway and holiday homes were built. The low valleys of the southern shore still hold many fishponds, swamps and wet meadows, which are important sanctuaries for rare wetland species, and are often less disturbed than the lake, which is a popular holiday resort. Hydrologic restoration of these wetlands is only possible if accurate information exists on the original, natural state. The 1776 Krieger-map and the first military survey (1782-1785) are the most accurate known maps of the original state of the Lake Balaton area. These maps were surveyed using triangulation and leveling, and are accurate enough to be compared with the present-day situation. Some of the depicted buildings and landmarks still survive and can be used as control points for georeferencing and correcting these maps. Since the bathymetry of the lake and the topography of the surrounding countryside have hardly changed, existing digital elevation models of the present-day relief could be compared to these georeferenced maps. The elevation profile of the lake shore and wetland borders can be calculated by tracing these lines on a Digital Elevation Model. The shore area of Lake Balaton has been filled in and changed, so present-day land topography can not be used to estimate the water level from the elevation profile of the shore line. However, the Krieger-map also shows bathymetric contours, and previous studies have shown that the topography of the lake floor has not changed measurably in the last hundred years. The bathymetric contours of Lake Balaton depicted on the georeferenced Krieger-map were digitized and overlain on the present-day DEM of the lake floor. The elevation profile of these lines was used to calculate the original elevation of the water level of the lake with the accuracy of one meter. The height of the water table around the lake depends closely on the water level of the lake, but wetlands can retain water and thus sustain a higher water table in the tributary valleys than in the lake itself. In order to measure the elevation of the water table around the lake, the borders of the water-logged areas on the southern shore of the lake were also digitized from the sheets of the First Military Survey and traced on a DEM of the hills on the southern side of the lake. The elevation of the water level in these wetlands was calculated based on these profiles. The water level in some valleys adjoining the lake is significantly higher than the water level of the lake itself, which shows that the water balance of these wetlands was mostly independent of the fluctuation of the lake. Some other large wetlands have borders that are in the same elevation as the shores of the lake itself, which shows that these wetlands are in close connection with the lake. The mapping of these historic wetland properties provides a valuable guide for future habitat restoration efforts.

Catalog of US GeoData

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1990-01-01

The development of geographic information systems (GIS) is a rapidly growing industry that supports natural resources, studies, land management, environmental analysis, and urban and transporation planning. The increasing use of computers for storing and analyzing earth science information has greatly expanded the demand for digital cartographic and geographic data. Digital cartography involves the collection, storage, processing, analysis, and display of map data with the aid of computers. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Nation's largest earth science research agency, through its National Mapping Program, has expanded digital cartography operations to include the collection of elevation, planimetric, land use and land cover, and geographic names information in digital form. This digital information is available on 9-track magnetic tapes and, in the case of 1:2,000,000-scale planimetric digital line graph data, in Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) format. Digital information can be used with all types of geographic and land information systems.

State of Florida 1:24,000- and 1:100,000-scale quadrangle index map - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kosovich, John J.

2008-01-01

In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts 1:24,000- and 1:100,000-scale quadrangle footprints over a color shaded relief representation of the State of Florida. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED source data for this map consists of a mixture of 30-meter- and 10-meter-resolution DEMs. The NED data were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. Figure 1 shows a similar representation for the entire U.S. Gulf Coast, using coarsened 30-meter NED data. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. State and county boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. Quadrangle names, dated April, 2006, were obtained from the Federal Geographic Names Information System. The NED data were downloaded in 2004.

VISUAL and SLOPE: perspective and quantitative representation of digital terrain models.

Treesearch

R.J. McGaughey; R.H. Twito

1988-01-01

Two computer programs to help timber-harvest planners evaluate terrain for logging operations are presented. The first program, VISUAL, produces three-dimensional perspectives of a digital terrain model. The second, SLOPE, produces map-scaled overlays delineating areas of equal slope, aspect, or elevation. Both programs help planners familiarize themselves with new...

Mapping Arid Vegetation Species Distributions in the White Mountains, Eastern California, Using AVIRIS, Topography, and Geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VandeVen, C.; Weiss, S. B.

2001-01-01

Our challenge is to model plant species distributions in complex montane environments using disparate sources of data, including topography, geology, and hyperspectral data. From an ecologist's point of view, species distributions are determined by local environment and disturbance history, while spectral data are 'ancillary.' However, a remote sensor's perspective says that spectral data provide picture of what vegetation is there, topographic and geologic data are ancillary. In order to bridge the gap, all available data should be used to get the best possible prediction of species distributions using complex multivariate techniques implemented on a GIS. Vegetation reflects local climatic and nutrient conditions, both of which can be modeled, allowing predictive mapping of vegetation distributions. Geologic substrate strongly affects chemical, thermal, and physical properties of soils, while climatic conditions are determined by local topography. As elevation increases, precipitation increases and temperature decreases. Aspect, slope, and surrounding topography determine potential insolation, so that south-facing slopes are warmer and north-facing slopes cooler at a given elevation. Topographic position (ridge, slope, canyon, or meadow) and slope angle affect sediment accumulation and soil depth. These factors combine as complex environmental gradients, and underlie many features of plant distributions. Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data, digital elevation models, digitized geologic maps, and 378 ground control points were used to predictively map species distributions in the central and southern White Mountains, along the western boundary of the Basin and Range province. Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) bands were calculated from the visible and near-infrared AVIRIS bands, and combined with digitized geologic maps and topographic variables using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). CCA allows for modeling species 'envelopes' in multidimensional environmental space, which can then be projected across entire landscapes.

American Society of Photogrammetry and American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Fall Technical Meeting, ASP Technical Papers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-01-01

Various topics in the field of photogrammetry are addressed. Among the subjects discussed are: remote sensing of Gulf Stream dynamics using VHRR satellite imagery an interactive rectification system for remote sensing imagery use of a single photo and digital terrain matrix for point positioning crop type analysis using Landsat digital data use of a fisheye lens in solar energy assessment remote sensing inventory of Rocky Mountain elk habitat Washington state's large scale ortho program educational image processing. Also discussed are: operational advantages of on-line photogrammetric triangulation analysis of fracturation field photogrammetry as a tool for measuring glacier movement double modelmore » orthophotos used for forest inventory mapping map revisioning module for the Kern PG2 stereoplotter assessing accuracy of digital land-use and terrain data accuracy of earthwork calculations from digital elevation data.« less

Image Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

A new spinoff product was derived from Geospectra Corporation's expertise in processing LANDSAT data in a software package. Called ATOM (for Automatic Topographic Mapping), it's capable of digitally extracting elevation information from stereo photos taken by spaceborne cameras. ATOM offers a new dimension of realism in applications involving terrain simulations, producing extremely precise maps of an area's elevations at a lower cost than traditional methods. ATOM has a number of applications involving defense training simulations and offers utility in architecture, urban planning, forestry, petroleum and mineral exploration.

Eastern Denali Fault surface trace map, eastern Alaska and Yukon, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, Adrian M.; Haeussler, Peter J.

2017-05-04

We map the 385-kilometer (km) long surface trace of the right-lateral, strike-slip Denali Fault between the Totschunda-Denali Fault intersection in Alaska, United States and the village of Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada. In Alaska, digital elevation models based on light detection and ranging and interferometric synthetic aperture radar data enabled our fault mapping at scales of 1:2,000 and 1:10,000, respectively. Lacking such resources in Yukon, we developed new structure-from-motion digital photogrammetry products from legacy aerial photos to map the fault surface trace at a scale of 1:10,000 east of the international border. The section of the fault that we map, referred to as the Eastern Denali Fault, did not rupture during the 2002 Denali Fault earthquake (moment magnitude 7.9). Seismologic, geodetic, and geomorphic evidence, along with a paleoseismic record of past ground-rupturing earthquakes, demonstrate Holocene and contemporary activity on the fault, however. This map of the Eastern Denali Fault surface trace complements other data sets by providing an openly accessible digital interpretation of the location, length, and continuity of the fault’s surface trace based on the accompanying digital topography dataset. Additionally, the digitized fault trace may provide geometric constraints useful for modeling earthquake scenarios and related seismic hazard.

Development of flood profiles and flood-inundation maps for the Village of Killbuck, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ostheimer, Chad J.

2013-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for a reach of Killbuck Creek near the Village of Killbuck, Ohio, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Holmes County, Ohio. The inundation maps depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage Killbuck Creek near Killbuck (03139000) and were completed as part of an update to Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood-Insurance Study. The maps were provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into a Web-based flood-warning system that can be used in conjunction with NWS flood-forecast data to show areas of predicted flood inundation associated with forecasted flood-peak stages. The digital maps also have been submitted for inclusion in the data libraries of the USGS interactive Flood Inundation Mapper. Data from the streamgage can be used by emergency-management personnel, in conjunction with the flood-inundation maps, to help determine a course of action when flooding is imminent. Flood profiles for selected reaches were prepared by calibrating a steady-state step-backwater model to an established streamgage rating curve. The step-backwater model then was used to determine water-surface-elevation profiles for 10 flood stages at the streamgage with corresponding streamflows ranging from approximately the 50- to 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities. The computed flood profiles were used in combination with digital elevation data to delineate flood-inundation areas.

State of Louisiana - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kosovich, John J.

2008-01-01

In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts a color shaded relief representation highlighting the State of Louisiana and depicts the surrounding areas using muted elevation colors. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED data are a mixture of data and were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. Approximately one-half of the area shown on this map has DEM source data at a 30-meter resolution, with the remaining half consisting of mostly 10-meter contour-derived DEM data and some small areas of higher-resolution LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) data along parts of the coastline. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. State and parish boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. The NED data were downloaded in 2007.

Digital soil map of the Ussuri River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugaets, A. N.; Pschenichnikova, N. F.; Tereshkina, A. A.; Krasnopeev, S. M.; Gartsman, B. I.; Golodnaya, O. M.; Oznobikhin, V. I.

2017-08-01

On the basis of digital soil, topographic, and geological maps; raster topography model; forestry materials; and literature data, the digital soil map of the Ussuri River basin (24400 km2) was created on a scale of 1: 100000. To digitize the initial paper-based maps and analyze the results, an ESRI ArcGIS Desktop (ArcEditor) v.10.1 (http://www.esri.com) and an open-code SAGA GIS v.2.3 (System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses, http://www.saga-gis.org) were used. The spatial distribution of soil areas on the obtained digital soil map is in agreement with modern cartographic data and the SRTM digital elevation model (SRTM DEM). The regional soil classification developed by G.I. Ivanov was used in the legend to the soil map. The names of soil units were also correlated with the names suggested in the modern Russian soil classification system. The major soil units on the map are at the soil subtypes that reflect the entire vertical spectrum of soils in the south of the Far East of Russia (Primorye region). These are mountainous tundra soils, podzolic soils, brown taiga soils, mountainous brown forest soils, bleached brown soils, meadow-brown soils, meadow gley soils, and floodplain soils). With the help of the spatial analysis function of GIS, the comparison of the particular characteristics of the soil cover with numerical characteristics of the topography, geological composition of catchments, and vegetation cover was performed.

Geostatistical Methods For Determination of Roughness, Topography, And Changes of Antarctic Ice Streams From SAR And Radar Altimeter Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herzfeld, Ute C.

2002-01-01

The central objective of this project has been the development of geostatistical methods fro mapping elevation and ice surface characteristics from satellite radar altimeter (RA) and Syntheitc Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The main results are an Atlas of elevation maps of Antarctica, from GEOSAT RA data and an Atlas from ERS-1 RA data, including a total of about 200 maps with 3 km grid resolution. Maps and digital terrain models are applied to monitor and study changes in Antarctic ice streams and glaciers, including Lambert Glacier/Amery Ice Shelf, Mertz and Ninnis Glaciers, Jutulstraumen Glacier, Fimbul Ice Shelf, Slessor Glacier, Williamson Glacier and others.

Registering Thematic Mapper imagery to digital elevation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frew, J.

1984-01-01

The problems encountered when attempting to register Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data to U.S. geological survey digital elevation models (DEMs) are examined. It is shown that TM and DEM data are not available in the same map projection, necessitating geometric transformation of one of the data type, that the TM data are not accurately located in their nominal projection, and that TM data have higher resolution than most DEM data, but oversampling the DEM data to TM resolution introduces systematic noise. Further work needed in this area is discussed.

South San Francisco Bay, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dartnell, Peter; Gibbons, Helen

2007-01-01

View eastward. Elevations in mapped area color coded: purple (approx 15 m below sea level) to red-orange (approx 90 m above sea level). South San Francisco Bay is very shallow, with a mean water depth of 2.7 m (8.9 ft). Trapezoidal depression near San Mateo Bridge is where sediment has been extracted for use in cement production and as bay fill. Land from USGS digital orthophotographs (DOQs) overlaid on USGS digital elevation models (DEMs). Distance across bottom of image approx 11 km (7 mi); vertical exaggeration 1.5X.

Geologic map of the Maumee quadrangle, Searcy and Marion Counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turner, Kenzie J.; Hudson, Mark R.

2010-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the Maumee 7.5-minute quadrangle in northern Arkansas. The map area is in the Ozark plateaus region on the southern flank of the Ozark dome. The Springfield Plateau, composed of Mississippian cherty limestone, overlies the Salem Plateau, composed of Ordovician carbonate and clastic rocks, with areas of Silurian rocks in between. Erosion related to the Buffalo River and its tributaries, Tomahawk, Water, and Dry Creeks, has exposed a 1,200-ft-thick section of Mississippian, Silurian, and Ordovician rocks mildly deformed by faults and folds. An approximately 130-mile-long corridor along the Buffalo River forms the Buffalo National River that is administered by the National Park Service. McKnight (1935) mapped the geology of the Maumee quadrangle as part of a larger 1:125,000-scale map focused on understanding the lead and zinc deposits common in the area. Detailed new mapping for this study was compiled using a Geographic Information System (GIS) at 1:24,000 scale. Site location and elevation were obtained by using a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver in conjunction with a U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic map and barometric altimeter. U.S. Geological Survey 10-m digital elevation model data were used to derive a hill-shade-relief map used along with digital orthophotographs to map ledge-forming units between field sites. Bedding attitudes were measured in drainage bottoms and on well-exposed ledges. Bedding measured at less than 2 degree dip is indicated as horizontal. Structure contours constructed for the base of the Boone Formation are constrained by field-determined elevations on both upper and lower formation contacts.

Towards the Crowdsourcing of Massive Smartphone Assisted-GPS Sensor Ground Observations for the Production of Digital Terrain Models

PubMed Central

Massad, Ido

2018-01-01

Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) used for the representation of the bare earth are produced from elevation data obtained using high-end mapping platforms and technologies. These require the handling of complex post-processing performed by authoritative and commercial mapping agencies. In this research, we aim to exploit user-generated data to produce DTMs by handling massive volumes of position and elevation data collected using ubiquitous smartphone devices equipped with Assisted-GPS sensors. As massive position and elevation data are collected passively and straightforwardly by pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, it can be transformed into valuable topographic information. Specifically, in dense and concealed built and vegetated areas, where other technologies fail, handheld devices have an advantage. Still, Assisted-GPS measurements are not as accurate as high-end technologies, requiring pre- and post-processing of observations. We propose the development and implementation of a 2D Kalman filter and smoothing on the acquired crowdsourced observations for topographic representation production. When compared to an authoritative DTM, results obtained are very promising in producing good elevation values. Today, open-source mapping infrastructures, such as OpenStreetMap, rely primarily on the global authoritative SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission), which shows similar accuracy but inferior resolution when compared to the results obtained in this research. Accordingly, our crowdsourced methodology has the capacity for reliable topographic representation production that is based on ubiquitous volunteered user-generated data. PMID:29562627

Geolibraries, the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure and Digital Earth: A Time for Map Librarians To Reflect upon the Moonshot.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boxall, James

This paper discusses the concept of geolibraries and reviews related literature. Highlights include: the opportunity of geolibraries to elevate the work of both GI (Geographical Information) scientists and librarians; geolibraries' focus on digital information and metadata, as well as the distributed nature of the libraries and collections; the…

Assessing Accuracy in Varying LIDAR Data Point Densities in Digital Elevation Maps

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

23 1. MOLA ...pentagon for a circular field-of-view that is centered on nadir (Dubayah 5)........................................23 Figure 13. Using MOLA data...through June of 2000, the MOLA Science Team has produced very high resolution topographic shade maps of Mars. This figure is from 0 to 360 degrees E

Topography and Landforms of Ecuador

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.; Warner, Michael B.

2005-01-01

EXPLANATION The digital elevation model of Ecuador represented in this data set was produced from over 40 individual tiles of elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Each tile was downloaded, converted from its native Height file format (.hgt), and imported into a geographic information system (GIS) for additional processing. Processing of the data included data gap filling, mosaicking, and re-projection of the tiles to form one single seamless digital elevation model. For 11 days in February of 2000, NASA, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) flew X-band and C-band radar interferometry onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor. The mission covered the Earth between 60?N and 57?S and will provide interferometric digital elevation models (DEMs) of approximately 80% of the Earth's land mass when processing is complete. The radar-pointing angle was approximately 55? at scene center. Ascending and descending orbital passes generated multiple interferometric data scenes for nearly all areas. Up to eight passes of data were merged to form the final processed SRTM DEMs. The effect of merging scenes averages elevation values recorded in coincident scenes and reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the amount of area with layover and terrain shadow effects. The most significant form of data processing for the Ecuador DEM was gap-filling areas where the SRTM data contained a data void. These void areas are a result of radar shadow, layover, standing water, and other effects of terrain, as well as technical radar interferometry phase unwrapping issues. To fill these gaps, topographic contours were digitized from 1:50,000 - scale topographic maps which date from the mid-late 1980's (Souris, 2001). Digital contours were gridded to form elevation models for void areas and subsequently were merged with the SRTM data through GIS and remote sensing image-processing techniques. The data contained in this publication includes a gap filled, countrywide SRTM DEM of Ecuador projected in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 17 North projection, Provisional South American, 1956, Ecuador datum and a non gap filled SRTM DEM of the Galapagos Islands projected in UTM Zone 15 North projection. Both the Ecuador and Galapagos Islands DEMs are available as an ESRI Grid, stored as ArcInfo Export files (.e00), and in Erdas Imagine (IMG) file formats with a 90 meter pixel resolution. Also included in this publication are high and low resolution Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files of topography and landforms maps in Ecuador. The high resolution map should be used for printing and display, while the lower resolution map can be used for quick viewing and reference purposes.

Description, instructions, and verification for Basinsoft, a computer program to quantify drainage- basin characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Craig A.; Eash, David A.

1996-01-01

Statistical comparison tests indicate Basinsoft quantifications are not significantly different from manual topographic-map measurements for 9 of 10 basin characteristics tested. The results also indicate that elevation contours generated by ARC/INFO from l:250,000-scale digital elevation model (DEM) data are over-generalized when compared to elevation contours shown on l:250,000-scale topographic maps, and that quantification of basin-slope thus is underestimated using DEM data. A qualitative comparison test indicated that the Basinsoft module used to quantify basin slope is valid and that differences in the quantification of basin slope are due to sourcedata differences.

Introduction: Special issue on advances in topobathymetric mapping, models, and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gesch, Dean B.; Brock, John C.; Parrish, Christopher E.; Rogers, Jeffrey N.; Wright, C. Wayne

2016-01-01

Detailed knowledge of near-shore topography and bathymetry is required for many geospatial data applications in the coastal environment. New data sources and processing methods are facilitating development of seamless, regional-scale topobathymetric digital elevation models. These elevation models integrate disparate multi-sensor, multi-temporal topographic and bathymetric datasets to provide a coherent base layer for coastal science applications such as wetlands mapping and monitoring, sea-level rise assessment, benthic habitat mapping, erosion monitoring, and storm impact assessment. The focus of this special issue is on recent advances in the source data, data processing and integration methods, and applications of topobathymetric datasets.

Global energy and water cycle experiment (GEWEX) continental-scale international project (GCIP); reference data sets CD-ROM

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, Alan; Cederstrand, Joel R.

1994-01-01

The data sets on this compact disc are a compilation of several geographic reference data sets of interest to the global-change research community. The data sets were chosen with input from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) Data Committee and the GCIP Hydrometeorology and Atmospheric Subpanels. The data sets include: locations and periods of record for stream gages, reservoir gages, and meteorological stations; a 500-meter-resolution digital elevation model; grid-node locations for the Eta numerical weather-prediction model; and digital map data sets of geology, land use, streams, large reservoirs, average annual runoff, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, average annual heating and cooling degree days, hydrologic units, and state and county boundaries. Also included are digital index maps for LANDSAT scenes, and for the U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000, 1:100,000, and 1:24,000-scale map series. Most of the data sets cover the conterminous United States; the digital elevation model also includes part of southern Canada. The stream and reservoir gage and meteorological station files cover all states having area within the Mississippi River Basin plus that part of the Mississippi River Basin lying within Canada. Several data-base retrievals were processed by state, therefore many sites outside the Mississippi River Basin are included.

Topography- and nightlight-based national flood risk assessment in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshorbagy, Amin; Bharath, Raja; Lakhanpal, Anchit; Ceola, Serena; Montanari, Alberto; Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich

2017-04-01

In Canada, flood analysis and water resource management, in general, are tasks conducted at the provincial level; therefore, unified national-scale approaches to water-related problems are uncommon. In this study, a national-scale flood risk assessment approach is proposed and developed. The study focuses on using global and national datasets available with various resolutions to create flood risk maps. First, a flood hazard map of Canada is developed using topography-based parameters derived from digital elevation models, namely, elevation above nearest drainage (EAND) and distance from nearest drainage (DFND). This flood hazard mapping method is tested on a smaller area around the city of Calgary, Alberta, against a flood inundation map produced by the city using hydraulic modelling. Second, a flood exposure map of Canada is developed using a land-use map and the satellite-based nightlight luminosity data as two exposure parameters. Third, an economic flood risk map is produced, and subsequently overlaid with population density information to produce a socioeconomic flood risk map for Canada. All three maps of hazard, exposure, and risk are classified into five classes, ranging from very low to severe. A simple way to include flood protection measures in hazard estimation is also demonstrated using the example of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This could be done for the entire country if information on flood protection across Canada were available. The evaluation of the flood hazard map shows that the topography-based method adopted in this study is both practical and reliable for large-scale analysis. Sensitivity analysis regarding the resolution of the digital elevation model is needed to identify the resolution that is fine enough for reliable hazard mapping, but coarse enough for computational tractability. The nightlight data are found to be useful for exposure and risk mapping in Canada; however, uncertainty analysis should be conducted to investigate the effect of the overglow phenomenon on flood risk mapping.

Satellite Maps Deliver More Realistic Gaming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

When Redwood City, California-based Electronic Arts (EA) decided to make SSX, its latest snowboarding video game, it faced challenges in creating realistic-looking mountains. The solution was NASA's ASTER Global Digital Elevation Map, made available by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which EA used to create 28 real-life mountains from 9 different ranges for its award-winning game.

Comparison of elevation derived from insar data with dem from topography map in Son Dong, Bac Giang, Viet Nam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Duy

2012-07-01

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are used in many applications in the context of earth sciences such as in topographic mapping, environmental modeling, rainfall-runoff studies, landslide hazard zonation, seismic source modeling, etc. During the last years multitude of scientific applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) techniques have evolved. It has been shown that InSAR is an established technique of generating high quality DEMs from space borne and airborne data, and that it has advantages over other methods for the generation of large area DEM. However, the processing of InSAR data is still a challenging task. This paper describes InSAR operational steps and processing chain for DEM generation from Single Look Complex (SLC) SAR data and compare a satellite SAR estimate of surface elevation with a digital elevation model (DEM) from Topography map. The operational steps are performed in three major stages: Data Search, Data Processing, and product Validation. The Data processing stage is further divided into five steps of Data Pre-Processing, Co-registration, Interferogram generation, Phase unwrapping, and Geocoding. The Data processing steps have been tested with ERS 1/2 data using Delft Object-oriented Interferometric (DORIS) InSAR processing software. Results of the outcome of the application of the described processing steps to real data set are presented.

Analysis of floods, including the tropical storm Irene inundation, of the Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Bridgewater, and Killington and of Reservoir Brook in Bridgewater and Plymouth, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.

2014-01-01

In addition to the two digital flood inundation maps, flood profiles were created that depict the study reach flood elevation of tropical storm Irene of August 2011 and the 10-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent AEP floods, also known as the 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods, respectively. The 10-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent AEP flood discharges were determined using annual peak flow data from the USGS Ottauquechee River near West Bridgewater, Vt. streamgage (station 01150900). Flood profiles were computed for the Ottauquechee River and Reservoir Brook by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using documented high-water marks of the peak of the tropical storm Irene flood of August 2011 as well as stage discharge data as determined for USGS Ottauquechee River near West Bridgewater, Vt. streamgage (station 01150900). The simulated water-surface profiles were combined with a digital elevation model within a geographic information system to delineate the areas flooded during tropical storm Irene and for the 1-percent AEP water-surface profile. The digital elevation model data were derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) data obtained for a 3,281-foot (1,000-meter) corridor along the Ottauquechee River study reach and were augmented with 33-foot (10- meter) contour interval data in the modeled flood-inundation areas outside the lidar corridor. The 33-foot (10-meter) contour interval USGS 15-minute quadrangle topographic digital raster graphics map used to augment lidar data was produced at a scale of 1:24,000. The digital flood inundation maps and flood profiles along with information regarding current stage from USGS streamgages on the Internet provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

Ohio River backwater flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers in southern Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.; Soong, David T.

2012-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers referenced to elevations on the Ohio River in southern Illinois were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The inundation maps, accessible through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights) at the USGS streamgage at Ohio River at Old Shawneetown, Illinois-Kentucky (station number 03381700). Current gage height and flow conditions at this USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?03381700. In addition, this streamgage is incorporated into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/) by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. That NWS forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the Ohio River at Old Shawneetown inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, eight water-surface elevations were mapped at 5-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from just above the NWS Action Stage (31 ft) to above the maximum historical gage height (66 ft). The elevations of the water surfaces were compared to a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage heights from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

Earthquakes and faults in the San Francisco Bay area (1970-2003)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Calzia, James P.; Walter, Stephen R.; Wong, Florence L.; Saucedo, George J.

2004-01-01

The map depicts both active and inactive faults and earthquakes magnitude 1.5 to 7.0 in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Twenty-two earthquakes magnitude 5.0 and greater are indicated on the map and listed chronologically in an accompanying table. The data are compiled from records from 1970-2003. The bathymetry was generated from a digital version of NOAA maps and hydrogeographic data for San Francisco Bay. Elevation data are from the USGS National Elevation Database. Landsat satellite image is from seven Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus scenes. Fault data are reproduced with permission from the California Geological Survey. The earthquake data are from the Northern California Earthquake Catalog.

Digital elevation model and orthophotographs of Greenland based on aerial photographs from 1978-1987.

PubMed

Korsgaard, Niels J; Nuth, Christopher; Khan, Shfaqat A; Kjeldsen, Kristian K; Bjørk, Anders A; Schomacker, Anders; Kjær, Kurt H

2016-05-10

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) play a prominent role in glaciological studies for the mass balance of glaciers and ice sheets. By providing a time snapshot of glacier geometry, DEMs are crucial for most glacier evolution modelling studies, but are also important for cryospheric modelling in general. We present a historical medium-resolution DEM and orthophotographs that consistently cover the entire surroundings and margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet 1978-1987. About 3,500 aerial photographs of Greenland are combined with field surveyed geodetic ground control to produce a 25 m gridded DEM and a 2 m black-and-white digital orthophotograph. Supporting data consist of a reliability mask and a photo footprint coverage with recording dates. Through one internal and two external validation tests, this DEM shows an accuracy better than 10 m horizontally and 6 m vertically while the precision is better than 4 m. This dataset proved successful for topographical mapping and geodetic mass balance. Other uses include control and calibration of remotely sensed data such as imagery or InSAR velocity maps.

Digital elevation model and orthophotographs of Greenland based on aerial photographs from 1978-1987

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korsgaard, Niels J.; Nuth, Christopher; Khan, Shfaqat A.; Kjeldsen, Kristian K.; Bjørk, Anders A.; Schomacker, Anders; Kjær, Kurt H.

2016-05-01

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) play a prominent role in glaciological studies for the mass balance of glaciers and ice sheets. By providing a time snapshot of glacier geometry, DEMs are crucial for most glacier evolution modelling studies, but are also important for cryospheric modelling in general. We present a historical medium-resolution DEM and orthophotographs that consistently cover the entire surroundings and margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet 1978-1987. About 3,500 aerial photographs of Greenland are combined with field surveyed geodetic ground control to produce a 25 m gridded DEM and a 2 m black-and-white digital orthophotograph. Supporting data consist of a reliability mask and a photo footprint coverage with recording dates. Through one internal and two external validation tests, this DEM shows an accuracy better than 10 m horizontally and 6 m vertically while the precision is better than 4 m. This dataset proved successful for topographical mapping and geodetic mass balance. Other uses include control and calibration of remotely sensed data such as imagery or InSAR velocity maps.

Natural Resource Assessments in Afghanistan Through High Resolution Digital Elevation Modeling and Multi-spectral Image Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chirico, Peter G.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides USGS/USAID natural resource assessments in Afghanistan through the mapping of coal, oil and natural gas, minerals, hydrologic resources and earthquake and flood hazards.

Space Radar Image of Mammoth, California in 3-D

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-27

This is a three-dimensional perspective of Mammoth Mountain, California. This view was constructed by overlaying a NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C SIR-C radar image on a U.S. Geological Survey digital elevation map.

Calibration Software for Use with Jurassicprok

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapin, Elaine; Hensley, Scott; Siqueira, Paul

2004-01-01

The Jurassicprok Interferometric Calibration Software (also called "Calibration Processor" or simply "CP") estimates the calibration parameters of an airborne synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) system, the raw measurement data of which are processed by the Jurassicprok software described in the preceding article. Calibration parameters estimated by CP include time delays, baseline offsets, phase screens, and radiometric offsets. CP examines raw radar-pulse data, single-look complex image data, and digital elevation map data. For each type of data, CP compares the actual values with values expected on the basis of ground-truth data. CP then converts the differences between the actual and expected values into updates for the calibration parameters in an interferometric calibration file (ICF) and a radiometric calibration file (RCF) for the particular SAR system. The updated ICF and RCF are used as inputs to both Jurassicprok and to the companion Motion Measurement Processor software (described in the following article) for use in generating calibrated digital elevation maps.

Bedrock and structural geologic maps of eastern Candor Sulci, western Ceti Mensa, and southeastern Ceti Mensa, Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris region of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Okubo, Chris H.; Gaither, Tenielle A.

2017-05-12

This map product contains a set of three 1:18,000-scale maps showing the geology and structure of study areas in the western Candor Chasma region of Valles Marineris, Mars. These maps are part of an informal series of large-scale maps and map-based topical studies aimed at refining current understanding of the geologic history of western Candor Chasma. The map bases consist of digital elevation models and orthorectified images derived from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) data. These maps are accompanied by geologic cross sections, colorized elevation maps, and cutouts of HiRISE images showing key superposition relations. Also included in this product is a Correlation of Map Units that integrates units across all three map areas, as well as an integrated Description of Map Units and an integrated Explanation of Map Symbols. The maps were assembled using ArcGIS software produced by Environmental Systems Research Institute (http://www.esri.com). The ArcGIS projects and databases associated with each map are included online as supplemental data.

A digital map of the high center (HC) and low center (LC) polygon boundaries delineated from high resolution LiDAR data for Barrow, Alaska

DOE Data Explorer

Gangodagamage, Chandana; Wullschleger, Stan

2014-07-03

This dataset represent a map of the high center (HC) and low center (LC) polygon boundaries delineated from high resolution LiDAR data for the arctic coastal plain at Barrow, Alaska. The polygon troughs are considered as the surface expression of the ice-wedges. The troughs are in lower elevations than the interior polygon. The trough widths were initially identified from LiDAR data, and the boundary between two polygons assumed to be located along the lowest elevations on trough widths between them.

Lidar-revised geologic map of the Wildcat Lake 7.5' quadrangle, Kitsap and Mason Counties, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tabor, Rowland W.; Haugerud, Ralph A.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Clark, Kenneth P.

2011-01-01

This map is an interpretation of a 6-ft-resolution (2-m-resolution) lidar (light detection and ranging) digital elevation model combined with the geology depicted on the Geologic Map of the Wildcat Lake 7.5' quadrangle, Kitsap and Mason Counties, Washington (Haeussler and Clark, 2000). Haeussler and Clark described, interpreted, and located the geology on the 1:24,000-scale topographic map of the Wildcat Lake 7.5' quadrangle. This map, derived from 1951 aerial photographs, has 20-ft contours, nominal horizontal resolution of approximately 40 ft (12 m), and nominal mean vertical accuracy of approximately 10 ft (3 m). Similar to many geologic maps, much of the geology in the Haeussler and Clark (2000) map-especially the distribution of surficial deposits-was interpreted from landforms portrayed on the topographic map. In 2001, the Puget Sound lidar Consortium obtained a lidar-derived digital elevation model (DEM) for Kitsap Peninsula including all of the Wildcat Lake 7.5' quadrangle. This new DEM has a horizontal resolution of 6 ft (2 m) and a mean vertical accuracy of about 1 ft (0.3 m). The greater resolution and accuracy of the lidar DEM compared to topography constructed from air photo stereo models have much improved the interpretation of geology in this heavily vegetated landscape, especially the distribution and relative age of some surficial deposits. Many contacts of surficial deposits are adapted unmodified or slightly modified from Haugerud (2009).

Lidar-revised geologic map of the Des Moines 7.5' quadrangle, King County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tabor, Rowland W.; Booth, Derek B.

2017-11-06

This map is an interpretation of a modern lidar digital elevation model combined with the geology depicted on the Geologic Map of the Des Moines 7.5' Quadrangle, King County, Washington (Booth and Waldron, 2004). Booth and Waldron described, interpreted, and located the geology on the 1:24,000-scale topographic map of the Des Moines 7.5' quadrangle. The base map that they used was originally compiled in 1943 and revised using 1990 aerial photographs; it has 25-ft contours, nominal horizontal resolution of about 40 ft (12 m), and nominal mean vertical accuracy of about 10 ft (3 m). Similar to many geologic maps, much of the geology in the Booth and Waldron (2004) map was interpreted from landforms portrayed on the topographic map. In 2001, the Puget Sound Lidar Consortium obtained a lidar-derived digital elevation model (DEM) for much of the Puget Sound area, including the entire Des Moines 7.5' quadrangle. This new DEM has a horizontal resolution of about 6 ft (2 m) and a mean vertical accuracy of about 1 ft (0.3 m). The greater resolution and accuracy of the lidar DEM compared to topography constructed from air-photo stereo models have much improved the interpretation of geology, even in this heavily developed area, especially the distribution and relative age of some surficial deposits. For a brief description of the light detection and ranging (lidar) remote sensing method and this data acquisition program, see Haugerud and others (2003). 

Using digital photogrammetry to constrain the segmentation of Paleocene volcanic marker horizons within the Nuussuaq basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vest Sørensen, Erik; Pedersen, Asger Ken

2017-04-01

Digital photogrammetry is used to map important volcanic marker horizons within the Nuussuaq Basin, West Greenland. We use a combination of oblique stereo images acquired from helicopter using handheld cameras and traditional aerial photographs. The oblique imagery consists of scanned stereo photographs acquired with analogue cameras in the 90´ties and newer digital images acquired with high resolution digital consumer cameras. Photogrammetric software packages SOCET SET and 3D Stereo Blend are used for controlling the seamless movement between stereo-models at different scales and viewing angles and the mapping is done stereoscopically using 3d monitors and the human stereopsis. The approach allows us to map in three dimensions three characteristic marker horizons (Tunoqqu, Kûgánguaq and Qordlortorssuaq Members) within the picritic Vaigat Formation. They formed toward the end of the same volcanic episode and are believed to be closely related in time. They formed an approximately coherent sub-horizontal surface, the Tunoqqu Surface that at the time of formation covered more than 3100 km2 on Disko and Nuussuaq. Our mapping shows that the Tunoqqu Surface is now segmented into areas of different elevation and structural trend as a result of later tectonic deformation. This is most notable on Nuussuaq where the western part is elevated and in parts highly faulted. In western Nuussuaq the surface has been uplifted and faulted so that it now forms an asymmetric anticline. The flanks of the anticline are coincident with two N-S oriented pre-Tunoqqu extensional faults. The deformation of the Tunoqqu surface could be explained by inversion of older extensional faults due to an overall E-W directed compressive regime in the late Paleocene.

Software For Tie-Point Registration Of SAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rignot, Eric; Dubois, Pascale; Okonek, Sharon; Van Zyl, Jacob; Burnette, Fred; Borgeaud, Maurice

1995-01-01

SAR-REG software package registers synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) image data to common reference frame based on manual tie-pointing. Image data can be in binary, integer, floating-point, or AIRSAR compressed format. For example, with map of soil characteristics, vegetation map, digital elevation map, or SPOT multispectral image, as long as user can generate binary image to be used by tie-pointing routine and data are available in one of the previously mentioned formats. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Information analysis of a spatial database for ecological land classification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Frank W.; Dozier, Jeff

1990-01-01

An ecological land classification was developed for a complex region in southern California using geographic information system techniques of map overlay and contingency table analysis. Land classes were identified by mutual information analysis of vegetation pattern in relation to other mapped environmental variables. The analysis was weakened by map errors, especially errors in the digital elevation data. Nevertheless, the resulting land classification was ecologically reasonable and performed well when tested with higher quality data from the region.

Mapping soil texture classes and optimization of the result by accuracy assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laborczi, Annamária; Takács, Katalin; Bakacsi, Zsófia; Szabó, József; Pásztor, László

2014-05-01

There are increasing demands nowadays on spatial soil information in order to support environmental related and land use management decisions. The GlobalSoilMap.net (GSM) project aims to make a new digital soil map of the world using state-of-the-art and emerging technologies for soil mapping and predicting soil properties at fine resolution. Sand, silt and clay are among the mandatory GSM soil properties. Furthermore, soil texture class information is input data of significant agro-meteorological and hydrological models. Our present work aims to compare and evaluate different digital soil mapping methods and variables for producing the most accurate spatial prediction of texture classes in Hungary. In addition to the Hungarian Soil Information and Monitoring System as our basic data, digital elevation model and its derived components, geological database, and physical property maps of the Digital Kreybig Soil Information System have been applied as auxiliary elements. Two approaches have been applied for the mapping process. At first the sand, silt and clay rasters have been computed independently using regression kriging (RK). From these rasters, according to the USDA categories, we have compiled the texture class map. Different combinations of reference and training soil data and auxiliary covariables have resulted several different maps. However, these results consequentially include the uncertainty factor of the three kriged rasters. Therefore we have suited data mining methods as the other approach of digital soil mapping. By working out of classification trees and random forests we have got directly the texture class maps. In this way the various results can be compared to the RK maps. The performance of the different methods and data has been examined by testing the accuracy of the geostatistically computed and the directly classified results. We have used the GSM methodology to assess the most predictive and accurate way for getting the best among the several result maps. Acknowledgement: Our work was supported by the Hungarian National Scientific Research Foundation (OTKA, Grant No. K105167).

Lunar Pole Illumination and Communications Maps Computed from GSSR Elevation Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Scott

2009-01-01

A Digital Elevation Model of the lunar south pole was produced using Goldstone Solar System RADAR (GSSR) data obtained in 2006.12 This model has 40-meter horizontal resolution and about 5-meter relative vertical accuracy. This Digital Elevation Model was used to compute average solar illumination and Earth visibility with 100 kilometers of the lunar south pole. The elevation data were converted into local terrain horizon masks, then converted into lunar-centric latitude and longitude coordinates. The horizon masks were compared to latitude, longitude regions bounding the maximum Sun and Earth motions relative to the moon. Estimates of Earth visibility were computed by integrating the area of the region bounding the Earth's motion that was below the horizon mask. Solar illumination and other metrics were computed similarly. Proposed lunar south pole base sites were examined in detail, with the best site showing yearly solar power availability of 92 percent and Direct-To-Earth (DTE) communication availability of about 50 percent. Similar analysis of the lunar south pole used an older GSSR Digital Elevation Model with 600-meter horizontal resolution. The paper also explores using a heliostat to reduce the photovoltaic power system mass and complexity.

Dam-breach analysis and flood-inundation mapping for selected dams in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and near Atoka, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shivers, Molly J.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Grout, Trevor S.; Lewis, Jason M.

2015-01-01

Digital-elevation models, field survey measurements, hydraulic data, and hydrologic data (U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations North Canadian River below Lake Overholser near Oklahoma City, Okla. [07241000], and North Canadian River at Britton Road at Oklahoma City, Okla. [07241520]), were used as inputs for the one-dimensional dynamic (unsteady-flow) models using Hydrologic Engineering Centers River Analysis System (HEC–RAS) software. The modeled flood elevations were exported to a geographic information system to produce flood-inundation maps. Water-surface profiles were developed for a 75-percent probable maximum flood dam-breach scenario and a sunny-day dam-breach scenario, as well as for maximum flood-inundation elevations and flood-wave arrival times at selected bridge crossings. Points of interest such as community-services offices, recreational areas, water-treatment plants, and wastewater-treatment plants were identified on the flood-inundation maps.

High-resolution precipitation mapping in a mountainous watershed: ground truth for evaluating uncertainty in a national precipitation dataset

Treesearch

Christopher Daly; Melissa E. Slater; Joshua A. Roberti; Stephanie H. Laseter; Lloyd W. Swift

2017-01-01

A 69-station, densely spaced rain gauge network was maintained over the period 1951–1958 in the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, located in the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina, USA. This unique dataset was used to develop the first digital seasonal and annual precipitation maps for the Coweeta basin, using elevation regression functions and...

Terrace Layout Using a Computer Assisted System

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Development of a web-based terrace design tool based on the MOTERR program is presented, along with representative layouts for conventional and parallel terrace systems. Using digital elevation maps and geographic information systems (GIS), this tool utilizes personal computers to rapidly construct ...

Topographic Map of Pathfinder Landing Site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Topographic map of the landing site, to a distance of 60 meters from the lander in the LSC coordinate system. The lander is shown schematically in the center; 2.5 meter radius circle (black) centered on the camera was not mapped. Gentle relief [root mean square (rms) elevation variation 0.5 m; rms a directional slope 4O] and organization of topography into northwest and northeast-trending ridges about 20 meters apart are apparent. Roughly 30% of the illustrated area is hidden from the camera behind these ridges. Contours (0.2 m interval) and color coding of elevations were generated from a digital terrain model, which was interpolated by kriging from approximately 700 measured points. Angular and parallax point coordinates were measured manually on a large (5 m length) anaglyphic uncontrolled mosaic and used to calculate Cartesian (LSC) coordinates. Errors in azimuth on the order of 10 are therefore likely; elevation errors were minimized by referencing elevations to the local horizon. The uncertainty in range measurements increases quadratically with range. Given a measurement error of 1/2 pixel, the expected precision in range is 0.3 meter at 10 meter range, and 10 meters at 60 meter range. Repeated measurements were made, compared, and edited for consistency to improve the range precision. Systematic errors undoubtedly remain and will be corrected in future maps compiled digitally from geometrically controlled images. Cartographic processing by U.S. Geological Survey.

NOTE: original caption as published in Science Magazine

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

An integrated approach for automated cover-type mapping of large inaccessible areas in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fleming, Michael D.

1988-01-01

The lack of any detailed cover type maps in the state necessitated that a rapid and accurate approach to be employed to develop maps for 329 million acres of Alaska within a seven-year period. This goal has been addressed by using an integrated approach to computer-aided analysis which combines efficient use of field data with the only consistent statewide spatial data sets available: Landsat multispectral scanner data, digital elevation data derived from 1:250 000-scale maps, and 1:60 000-scale color-infrared aerial photographs.

Void-Filled SRTM Digital Elevation Model of Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.; Barrios, Boris

2005-01-01

EXPLANATION The purpose of this data set is to provide a single consistent elevation model to be used for national scale mapping, GIS, remote sensing applications, and natural resource assessments for Afghanistan's reconstruction. For 11 days in February of 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ian Space Agency (ASI) flew X-band and C-band radar interferometry onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor. The mission covered the Earth between 60?N and 57?S and will provide interferometric digital elevation models (DEMs) of approximately 80% of the Earth's land mass when processing is complete. The radar-pointing angle was approximately 55? at scene center. Ascending and descending orbital passes generated multiple interferometric data scenes for nearly all areas. Up to eight passes of data were merged to form the final processed Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEMs. The effect of merging scenes averages elevation values recorded in coincident scenes and reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the amount of area with layover and terrain shadow effects. The most significant form of data processing for the Afghanistan DEM was gap-filling areas where the SRTM data contained a data void. These void areas are as a result of radar shadow, layover, standing water, and other effects of terrain as well as technical radar interferometry phase unwrapping issues. To fill these gaps, topographic contours were digitized from 1:200,000 - scale Soviet General Staff Topographic Maps which date from the middle to late 1980's. Digital contours were gridded to form elevation models for void areas and subsequently were merged with the SRTM data through GIS and image processing techniques. The data contained in this publication includes SRTM DEM quadrangles projected and clipped in geographic coordinates for the entire country. An index of all available SRTM DEM quadrangles is displayed here: Index_Geo_DD.pdf. Also included are quadrangles projected into their appropriate Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection. The country of Afghanistan spans three UTM Zones: Zone 41, Zone 42, and Zone 43. Maps are stored in their respective UTM Zone projection. Indexes of all available SRTM DEM quadrangles in their respective UTM zone are displayed here: Index_UTM_Z41.pdf, Index_UTM_Z42.pdf, Index_UTM_Z43.pdf.

Mapping mine wastes and analyzing areas affected by selenium-rich water runoff in southeast Idaho using AVIRIS imagery and digital elevation data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, J.C.; Crowley, J.K.

2003-01-01

Remotely sensed hyperspectral and digital elevation data from southeastern Idaho are combined in a new method to assess mine waste contamination. Waste rock from phosphorite mining in the area contains selenium, cadmium, vanadium, and other metals. Toxic concentrations of selenium have been found in plants and soils near some mine waste dumps. Eighteen mine waste dumps and five vegetation cover types in the southeast Idaho phosphate district were mapped by using Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) imagery and field data. The interaction of surface water runoff with mine waste was assessed by registering the AVIRIS results to digital elevation data, enabling determinations of (1) mine dump morphologies, (2) catchment watershed areas above each mine dump, (3) flow directions from the dumps, (4) stream gradients, and (5) the extent of downstream wetlands available for selenium absorption. Watersheds with the most severe selenium contamination, such as the South Maybe Canyon watershed, are associated with mine dumps that have large catchment watershed areas, high stream gradients, a paucity of downstream wetlands, and dump forms that tend to obstruct stream flow. Watersheds associated with low concentrations of dissolved selenium, such as Angus Creek, have mine dumps with small catchment watershed areas, low stream gradients, abundant wetlands vegetation, and less obstructing dump morphologies. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the High Plains Aquifer in western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, C.J.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the High Plains aquifer in western Oklahoma. This area encompasses the panhandle counties of Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver, and the western counties of Harper, Ellis, Woodward, Dewey, and Roger Mills. The High Plains aquifer underlies approximately 7,000 square miles of Oklahoma and is used extensively for irrigation. The High Plains aquifer is a water-table aquifer and consists predominately of the Tertiary-age Ogallala Formation and overlying Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits. In some areas the aquifer is absent and the underlying Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous-age rocks are exposed at the surface. These rocks are hydraulically connected with the aquifer in some areas. The High Plains aquifer is composed of interbedded sand, siltstone, clay, gravel, thin limestones, and caliche. The proportion of various lithological materials changes rapidly from place to place, but poorly sorted sand and gravel predominate. The rocks are poorly to moderately well cemented by calcium carbonate. The aquifer boundaries, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were created by extracting geologic contact lines from published digital surficial geology maps based on a scale of 1:125,000 for the panhandle counties and 1:250,000 for the western counties. The water-level elevation contours and some boundary lines were digitized from maps in a published water-level elevation map for 1980 based on a scale of 1:250,000. The hydraulic conductivity and recharge values in this report were used as input to the ground-water flow model on the High Plains aquifer. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Using Selective Drainage Methods to Extract Continuous Surface Flow from 1-Meter Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poppenga, Sandra K.; Worstell, Bruce B.; Stoker, Jason M.; Greenlee, Susan K.

2010-01-01

Digital elevation data commonly are used to extract surface flow features. One source for high-resolution elevation data is light detection and ranging (lidar). Lidar can capture a vast amount of topographic detail because of its fine-scale ability to digitally capture the surface of the earth. Because elevation is a key factor in extracting surface flow features, high-resolution lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) provide the detail needed to consistently integrate hydrography with elevation, land cover, structures, and other geospatial features. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed selective drainage methods to extract continuous surface flow from high-resolution lidar-derived digital elevation data. The lidar-derived continuous surface flow network contains valuable information for water resource management involving flood hazard mapping, flood inundation, and coastal erosion. DEMs used in hydrologic applications typically are processed to remove depressions by filling them. High-resolution DEMs derived from lidar can capture much more detail of the land surface than courser elevation data. Therefore, high-resolution DEMs contain more depressions because of obstructions such as roads, railroads, and other elevated structures. The filling of these depressions can significantly affect the DEM-derived surface flow routing and terrain characteristics in an adverse way. In this report, selective draining methods that modify the elevation surface to drain a depression through an obstruction are presented. If such obstructions are not removed from the elevation data, the filling of depressions to create continuous surface flow can cause the flow to spill over an obstruction in the wrong location. Using this modified elevation surface improves the quality of derived surface flow and retains more of the true surface characteristics by correcting large filled depressions. A reliable flow surface is necessary for deriving a consistently connected drainage network, which is important in understanding surface water movement and developing applications for surface water runoff, flood inundation, and erosion. Improved methods are needed to extract continuous surface flow features from high-resolution elevation data based on lidar.

Digital data set that describe aquifer characteristics of the Antlers aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Marvin M.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format file This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Antlers aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma. The Early Cretaceous-age Antlers Sandstone is an important source of water in an area that underlies about 4,400-square miles of all or part of Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, and Pushmataha Counties. The Antlers aquifer consists of sand, clay, conglomerate, and limestone in the outcrop area. The upper part of the Antlers aquifer consists of beds of sand, poorly cemented sandstone, sandy shale, silt, and clay. The Antlers aquifer is unconfined where it outcrops in about an 1,800-square-mile area. The recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and aquifer boundaries data sets include the outcrop area of the Antlers Sandstone in Oklahoma and areas where the Antlers is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits and a few small thin outcrops of the Goodland Limestone. Most of the lines in these data sets were extracted from published digital geology data sets. Some of the lines were interpolated in areas where the Antlers aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits near streams and rivers. The interpolated lines are very similar to the aquifer boundaries published in a ground-water modeling report for the Antlers aquifer. The maps from which this data set was derived were scanned or digitized from maps published at a scale of 1:250,000. The water-level elevation contours were digitized from a map at a scale of 1:250,000 that was used to prepare the final map published in a ground-water flow model report. Hydraulic conductivity and recharge values also are published in the ground-water model report for the Antlers aquifer. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Introducing students to digital geological mapping: A workflow based on cheap hardware and free software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrabec, Marko; Dolžan, Erazem

2016-04-01

The undergraduate field course in Geological Mapping at the University of Ljubljana involves 20-40 students per year, which precludes the use of specialized rugged digital field equipment as the costs would be way beyond the capabilities of the Department. A different mapping area is selected each year with the aim to provide typical conditions that a professional geologist might encounter when doing fieldwork in Slovenia, which includes rugged relief, dense tree cover, and moderately-well- to poorly-exposed bedrock due to vegetation and urbanization. It is therefore mandatory that the digital tools and workflows are combined with classical methods of fieldwork, since, for example, full-time precise GNSS positioning is not viable under such circumstances. Additionally, due to the prevailing combination of complex geological structure with generally poor exposure, students cannot be expected to produce line (vector) maps of geological contacts on the go, so there is no need for such functionality in hardware and software that we use in the field. Our workflow therefore still relies on paper base maps, but is strongly complemented with digital tools to provide robust positioning, track recording, and acquisition of various point-based data. Primary field hardware are students' Android-based smartphones and optionally tablets. For our purposes, the built-in GNSS chips provide adequate positioning precision most of the time, particularly if they are GLONASS-capable. We use Oruxmaps, a powerful free offline map viewer for the Android platform, which facilitates the use of custom-made geopositioned maps. For digital base maps, which we prepare in free Windows QGIS software, we use scanned topographic maps provided by the National Geodetic Authority, but also other maps such as aerial imagery, processed Digital Elevation Models, scans of existing geological maps, etc. Point data, like important outcrop locations or structural measurements, are entered into Oruxmaps as waypoints. Students are also encouraged to directly measure structural data with specialized Android apps such as the MVE FieldMove Clino. Digital field data is exported from Oruxmaps to Windows computers primarily in the ubiquitous GPX data format and then integrated in the QGIS environment. Recorded GPX tracks are also used with the free Geosetter Windows software to geoposition and tag any digital photographs taken in the field. With minimal expenses, our workflow provides the students with basic familiarity and experience in using digital field tools and methods. The workflow is also practical enough for the prevailing field conditions of Slovenia that the faculty staff is using it in geological mapping for scientific research and consultancy work.

Slope maps of the San Francisco Bay region, California a digital database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Scott E.; Pike, Richard J.

1998-01-01

PREFACE: Topography, the configuration of the land surface, plays a major role in various natural processes that have helped shape the ten-county San Francisco Bay region and continue to affect its development. Such processes include a dangerous type of landslide, the debris flow (Ellen and others, 1997) as well as other modes of slope failure that damage property but rarely threaten life directly?slumping, translational sliding, and earthflow (Wentworth and others, 1997). Different types of topographic information at both local and regional scales are helpful in assessing the likelihood of slope failure and the mapping the extent of its past activity, as well as addressing other issues in hazard mitigation and land-use policy. The most useful information is quantitative. This report provides detailed digital data and plottable map files that depict in detail the most important single measure of ground-surface form for the Bay region, slope angle. We computed slope data for the entire region and each of its constituent counties from a new set of 35,000,000 digital elevations assembled from 200 local contour maps.

Ecological Niche Modelling using satellite data for assessing distribution of threatened species Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, S.; Kulloli, R. N.; Tewari, J. C.; Singh, J. P.; Singh, A.

2014-11-01

Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. is a narrow endemic, tuberous twiner of Asclepiadaceae family. It is medicinally important: tubers are nutritive and edible, leaves are digestive and a cure for dysentery and diarrhea. Exploitation for its tubers and poor regeneration of this species has shrunk its distribution. In order to know its present status, we report here the results of its appraisal in Rajasthan, using remote sensing and ground truthing in the past five years (2009-14). A base map of C. bulbosa was prepared using Geographical Information System (GIS), open source software Quantum GIS, SAGA. The Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) +Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) Satellite Data were used in this study. ASTER and GDEM Data was clipped with district boundary and provided color range to get elevation information. A digital elevation model of Rajasthan physiography was developed from ASTER GDEM of 30-m resolution. GIS layers of Area of occurrences for C. bulbosa plant and elevation were created. This map along with topographic sheets of 1:50000 were used for field traversing and ground truthing as per GPS location inferred from map. Its geographic distribution was assessed using MaxEnt distribution modelling algorithm that employed 12 presence locality data, 19 bioclimatic variables, and elevation data. Results of this modelling predicted occurrence of C. bulbosa in the districts of Sirohi, Jalore, Barmer, Pali, Ajmer, Jhalawar, Dungarpur, Banswara, Baran, Kota, Bundi and Chittorgarh. Ground validation in these districts revealed its presence only at four places in three districts confirming its rarity. Analysis of dominance at their sites of occurrence revealed their poor populations and sub dominant status (RIV = 20-32) and very low density (2-12 plants per tenth ha).

Dam-breach analysis and flood-inundation mapping for Lakes Ellsworth and Lawtonka near Lawton, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rendon, Samuel H.; Ashworth, Chad E.; Smith, S. Jerrod

2012-01-01

Dams provide beneficial functions such as flood control, recreation, and reliable water supplies, but they also entail risk: dam breaches and resultant floods can cause substantial property damage and loss of life. The State of Oklahoma requires each owner of a high-hazard dam, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency defines as dams for which failure or misoperation probably will cause loss of human life, to develop an emergency action plan specific to that dam. Components of an emergency action plan are to simulate a flood resulting from a possible dam breach and map the resulting downstream flood-inundation areas. The resulting flood-inundation maps can provide valuable information to city officials, emergency managers, and local residents for planning the emergency response if a dam breach occurs. Accurate topographic data are vital for developing flood-inundation maps. This report presents results of a cooperative study by the city of Lawton, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to model dam-breach scenarios at Lakes Ellsworth and Lawtonka near Lawton and to map the potential flood-inundation areas of such dam breaches. To assist the city of Lawton with completion of the emergency action plans for Lakes Ellsworth and Lawtonka Dams, the USGS collected light detection and ranging (lidar) data that were used to develop a high-resolution digital elevation model and a 1-foot contour elevation map for the flood plains downstream from Lakes Ellsworth and Lawtonka. This digital elevation model and field measurements, streamflow-gaging station data (USGS streamflow-gaging station 07311000, East Cache Creek near Walters, Okla.), and hydraulic values were used as inputs for the dynamic (unsteady-flow) model, Hydrologic Engineering Center's River Analysis System (HEC-RAS). The modeled flood elevations were exported to a geographic information system to produce flood-inundation maps. Water-surface profiles were developed for a 75-percent probable maximum flood scenario and a sunny-day dam-breach scenario, as well as for maximum flood-inundation elevations and flood-wave arrival times for selected bridge crossings. Some areas of concern near the city of Lawton, if a dam breach occurs at Lakes Ellsworth or Lawtonka, include water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, recreational areas, and community-services offices.

The National Map - Elevation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gesch, Dean; Evans, Gayla; Mauck, James; Hutchinson, John; Carswell, William J.

2009-01-01

The National Elevation Dataset (NED) is the primary elevation data product produced and distributed by the USGS. The NED provides seamless raster elevation data of the conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the island territories. The NED is derived from diverse source data sets that are processed to a specification with a consistent resolution, coordinate system, elevation units, and horizontal and vertical datums. The NED is the logical result of the maturation of the long-standing USGS elevation program, which for many years concentrated on production of topographic map quadrangle-based digital elevation models. The NED serves as the elevation layer of The National Map, and provides basic elevation information for earth science studies and mapping applications in the United States. The NED is a multi-resolution dataset that is updated bimonthly to integrate newly available, improved elevation source data. NED data are available nationally at grid spacings of 1 arc-second (approximately 30 meters) for the conterminous United States, and at 1/3 and 1/9 arc-seconds (approximately 10 and 3 meters, respectively) for parts of the United States. Most of the NED for Alaska is available at 2-arc-second (about 60 meters) grid spacing, where only lower resolution source data exist. Part of Alaska is available at the 1/3-arc-second resolution, and plans are in development for a significant upgrade in elevation data coverage of the State over the next 5 years. Specifications for the NED include the following: *Coordinate system: Geographic (decimal degrees of latitude and longitude), *Horizontal datum: North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83), *Vertical datum: North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) over the conterminous United States and varies in other areas, and *Elevation units: Decimal meters.

Radiometry simulation within the end-to-end simulation tool SENSOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiest, Lorenz; Boerner, Anko

2001-02-01

12 An end-to-end simulation is a valuable tool for sensor system design, development, optimization, testing, and calibration. This contribution describes the radiometry module of the end-to-end simulation tool SENSOR. It features MODTRAN 4.0-based look up tables in conjunction with a cache-based multilinear interpolation algorithm to speed up radiometry calculations. It employs a linear reflectance parameterization to reduce look up table size, considers effects due to the topology of a digital elevation model (surface slope, sky view factor) and uses a reflectance class feature map to assign Lambertian and BRDF reflectance properties to the digital elevation model. The overall consistency of the radiometry part is demonstrated by good agreement between ATCOR 4-retrieved reflectance spectra of a simulated digital image cube and the original reflectance spectra used to simulate this image data cube.

Towards large-scale mapping of urban three-dimensional structure using Landsat imagery and global elevation datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, P.; Huang, C.

2017-12-01

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of buildings and infrastructures is fundamental to understanding and modelling of the impacts and challenges of urbanization in terms of energy use, carbon emissions, and earthquake vulnerabilities. However, spatially detailed maps of urban 3D structure have been scarce, particularly in fast-changing developing countries. We present here a novel methodology to map the volume of buildings and infrastructures at 30 meter resolution using a synergy of Landsat imagery and openly available global digital surface models (DSMs), including the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), ASTER Global Digital Elevation Map (GDEM), ALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30), and the recently released global DSM from the TanDEM-X mission. Our method builds on the concept of object-based height profile to extract height metrics from the DSMs and use a machine learning algorithm to predict height and volume from the height metrics. We have tested this algorithm in the entire England and assessed our result using Lidar measurements in 25 England cities. Our initial assessments achieved a RMSE of 1.4 m (R2 = 0.72) for building height and a RMSE of 1208.7 m3 (R2 = 0.69) for building volume, demonstrating the potential of large-scale applications and fully automated mapping of urban structure.

Mapping of hazard from rainfall-triggered landslides in developing countries: Examples from Honduras and Micronesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harp, E.L.; Reid, M.E.; McKenna, J.P.; Michael, J.A.

2009-01-01

Loss of life and property caused by landslides triggered by extreme rainfall events demonstrates the need for landslide-hazard assessment in developing countries where recovery from such events often exceeds the country's resources. Mapping landslide hazards in developing countries where the need for landslide-hazard mitigation is great but the resources are few is a challenging, but not intractable problem. The minimum requirements for constructing a physically based landslide-hazard map from a landslide-triggering storm, using the simple methods we discuss, are: (1) an accurate mapped landslide inventory, (2) a slope map derived from a digital elevation model (DEM) or topographic map, and (3) material strength properties of the slopes involved. Provided that the landslide distribution from a triggering event can be documented and mapped, it is often possible to glean enough topographic and geologic information from existing databases to produce a reliable map that depicts landslide hazards from an extreme event. Most areas of the world have enough topographic information to provide digital elevation models from which to construct slope maps. In the likely event that engineering properties of slope materials are not available, reasonable estimates can be made with detailed field examination by engineering geologists or geotechnical engineers. Resulting landslide hazard maps can be used as tools to guide relocation and redevelopment, or, more likely, temporary relocation efforts during severe storm events such as hurricanes/typhoons to minimize loss of life and property. We illustrate these methods in two case studies of lethal landslides in developing countries: Tegucigalpa, Honduras (during Hurricane Mitch in 1998) and the Chuuk Islands, Micronesia (during Typhoon Chata'an in 2002).

U.S. Geological Survey spatial data access

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faundeen, John L.; Kanengieter, Ronald L.; Buswell, Michael D.

2002-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has done a progress review on improving access to its spatial data holdings over the Web. The USGS EROS Data Center has created three major Web-based interfaces to deliver spatial data to the general public; they are Earth Explorer, the Seamless Data Distribution System (SDDS), and the USGS Web Mapping Portal. Lessons were learned in developing these systems, and various resources were needed for their implementation. The USGS serves as a fact-finding agency in the U.S. Government that collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific information about natural resource conditions and issues. To carry out its mission, the USGS has created and managed spatial data since its inception. Originally relying on paper maps, the USGS now uses advanced technology to produce digital representations of the Earth’s features. The spatial products of the USGS include both source and derivative data. Derivative datasets include Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (DOQ), Digital Elevation Models, Digital Line Graphs, land-cover Digital Raster Graphics, and the seamless National Elevation Dataset. These products, created with automated processes, use aerial photographs, satellite images, or other cartographic information such as scanned paper maps as source data. With Earth Explorer, users can search multiple inventories through metadata queries and can browse satellite and DOQ imagery. They can place orders and make payment through secure credit card transactions. Some USGS spatial data can be accessed with SDDS. The SDDS uses an ArcIMS map service interface to identify the user’s areas of interest and determine the output format; it allows the user to either download the actual spatial data directly for small areas or place orders for larger areas to be delivered on media. The USGS Web Mapping Portal provides views of national and international datasets through an ArcIMS map service interface. In addition, the map portal posts news about new map services available from the USGS, many simultaneously published on the Environmental Systems Research Institute Geography Network. These three information systems use new software tools and expanded hardware to meet the requirements of the users. The systems are designed to handle the required workload and are relatively easy to enhance and maintain. The software tools give users a high level of functionality and help the system conform to industry standards. The hardware and software architecture is designed to handle the large amounts of spatial data and Internet traffic required by the information systems. Last, customer support was needed to answer questions, monitor e-mail, and report customer problems.

Martian particle size based on thermal inertia corrected for elevation-dependent atmospheric properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, N. T.

1993-01-01

Thermal inertia is commonly used to derive physical properties of the Martian surface. If the surface is composed of loosely consolidated grains, then the thermal conductivity derived from the inertia can theoretically be used to compute the particle size. However, one persistent difficulty associated with the interpretation of thermal inertia and the derivation of particle size from it has been the degree to which atmospheric properties affect both the radiation balance at the surface and the gas conductivity. These factors vary with atmospheric pressure so that derived thermal inertias and particle sizes are a function of elevation. By utilizing currently available thermal models and laboratory information, a fine component thermal inertia map was convolved with digital topography to produce particle size maps of the Martian surface corrected for these elevation-dependent effects. Such an approach is especially applicable for the highest elevations on Mars, where atmospheric back radiation and gas conductivity are low.

Registratiom of TM data to digital elevation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Several problems arise when attempting to register LANDSAT thematic mapper data to U.S. B Geological Survey digital elevation models (DEMs). The TM data are currently available only in a rotated variant of the Space Oblique Mercator (SOM) map projection. Geometric transforms are thus; required to access TM data in the geodetic coordinates used by the DEMs. Due to positional errors in the TM data, these transforms require some sort of external control. The spatial resolution of TM data exceeds that of the most commonly DEM data. Oversampling DEM data to TM resolution introduces systematic noise. Common terrain processing algorithms (e.g., close computation) compound this problem by acting as high-pass filters.

A method for producing digital probabilistic seismic landslide hazard maps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jibson, R.W.; Harp, E.L.; Michael, J.A.

2000-01-01

The 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake is the first earthquake for which we have all of the data sets needed to conduct a rigorous regional analysis of seismic slope instability. These data sets include: (1) a comprehensive inventory of triggered landslides, (2) about 200 strong-motion records of the mainshock, (3) 1:24 000-scale geologic mapping of the region, (4) extensive data on engineering properties of geologic units, and (5) high-resolution digital elevation models of the topography. All of these data sets have been digitized and rasterized at 10 m grid spacing using ARC/INFO GIS software on a UNIX computer. Combining these data sets in a dynamic model based on Newmark's permanent-deformation (sliding-block) analysis yields estimates of coseismic landslide displacement in each grid cell from the Northridge earthquake. The modeled displacements are then compared with the digital inventory of landslides triggered by the Northridge earthquake to construct a probability curve relating predicted displacement to probability of failure. This probability function can be applied to predict and map the spatial variability in failure probability in any ground-shaking conditions of interest. We anticipate that this mapping procedure will be used to construct seismic landslide hazard maps that will assist in emergency preparedness planning and in making rational decisions regarding development and construction in areas susceptible to seismic slope failure. ?? 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A method for producing digital probabilistic seismic landslide hazard maps; an example from the Los Angeles, California, area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jibson, Randall W.; Harp, Edwin L.; Michael, John A.

1998-01-01

The 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake is the first earthquake for which we have all of the data sets needed to conduct a rigorous regional analysis of seismic slope instability. These data sets include (1) a comprehensive inventory of triggered landslides, (2) about 200 strong-motion records of the mainshock, (3) 1:24,000-scale geologic mapping of the region, (4) extensive data on engineering properties of geologic units, and (5) high-resolution digital elevation models of the topography. All of these data sets have been digitized and rasterized at 10-m grid spacing in the ARC/INFO GIS platform. Combining these data sets in a dynamic model based on Newmark's permanent-deformation (sliding-block) analysis yields estimates of coseismic landslide displacement in each grid cell from the Northridge earthquake. The modeled displacements are then compared with the digital inventory of landslides triggered by the Northridge earthquake to construct a probability curve relating predicted displacement to probability of failure. This probability function can be applied to predict and map the spatial variability in failure probability in any ground-shaking conditions of interest. We anticipate that this mapping procedure will be used to construct seismic landslide hazard maps that will assist in emergency preparedness planning and in making rational decisions regarding development and construction in areas susceptible to seismic slope failure.

EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL RESOLUTION AND SCALE ON SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT YIELDS

EPA Science Inventory

Currently, watershed delineation and extraction of stream networks are accomplished with GIS databases of digital elevation maps (DEMs). The most common method for extracting channel networks requires the a-priori specification of a critical source area that is required for chann...

MAPPING WATERSHED BOUNDARIES USING DIGITAL ELEVATION DATA: SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR AQUATIC ASSESSMENT. (R828684C003)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Land cover mapping of the upper Kuskokwim Resource Managment Area using LANDSAT and a digital data base approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markon, Carl J.

1988-01-01

Digital land cover and terrain data for the Upper Kuskokwim Resource Hanagement Area (UKRMA) were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation Systems Field Office, Anchorage, Alaska for the Bureau of Land Management. These and other environmental data, were incorporated into a digital data base to assist in the management and planning of the UKRMA. The digital data base includes land cover classifications, elevation, slope, and aspect data centering on the UKRMA boundaries. The data are stored on computer compatible tapes at a 50-m pixel size. Additional digital data in the data base include: (a) summer and winter Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) data registered to a 50-m Universal Transverse Mercator grid; (b) elevation, slope, aspect, and solar illumination data; (c) soils and surficial geology; and (e) study area boundary. The classification of Landsat MSS data resulted in seven major classes and 24 subclasses. Major classes include: forest, shrubland, dwarf scrub, herbaceous, barren, water, and other. The final data base will be used by resource personnel for management and planning within the UKRMA.

Development of a hydraulic model and flood-inundation maps for the Wabash River near the Interstate 64 Bridge near Grayville, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boldt, Justin A.

2018-01-16

A two-dimensional hydraulic model and digital flood‑inundation maps were developed for a 30-mile reach of the Wabash River near the Interstate 64 Bridge near Grayville, Illinois. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Flood Inundation Mapping Science web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on the Wabash River at Mount Carmel, Ill (USGS station number 03377500). Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained on the internet from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at this site (NWS AHPS site MCRI2). The NWS AHPS forecasts peak stage information that may be used with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.Flood elevations were computed for the Wabash River reach by means of a two-dimensional, finite-volume numerical modeling application for river hydraulics. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using global positioning system measurements of water-surface elevation and the current stage-discharge relation at both USGS streamgage 03377500, Wabash River at Mount Carmel, Ill., and USGS streamgage 03378500, Wabash River at New Harmony, Indiana. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to compute 27 water-surface elevations for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from less than the action stage (9 ft) to the highest stage (35 ft) of the current stage-discharge rating curve. The simulated water‑surface elevations were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model, derived from light detection and ranging data, to delineate the area flooded at each water level.The availability of these maps, along with information on the internet regarding current stage from the USGS streamgage at Mount Carmel, Ill., and forecasted stream stages from the NWS AHPS, provides emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood-response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for postflood recovery efforts.

Groundwater sensitivity mapping in Kentucky using GIS and digitally vectorized geologic quadrangles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croskrey, Andrea; Groves, Chris

2008-05-01

Groundwater sensitivity (Ray and O’dell in Environ Geol 22:345 352, 1993a) refers to the inherent ease with which groundwater can be contaminated based on hydrogeologic characteristics. We have developed digital methods for identifying areas of varying groundwater sensitivity for a ten county area of south central Kentucky at a scale of 1:100,000. The study area includes extensive limestone karst sinkhole plains, with groundwater extremely sensitive to contamination. Digitally vectorized geologic quadrangles (DVGQs) were combined with elevation data to identify both hydrogeologic groundwater sensitivity regions and zones of “high risk runoff” where contaminants could be transported in runoff from less sensitive to higher sensitivity (particularly karst) areas. While future work will fine-tune these maps with additional layers of data (soils for example) as digital data have become available, using DVGQs allows a relatively rapid assessment of groundwater sensitivity for Kentucky at a more useful scale than previously available assessment methods, such as DRASTIC and DIVERSITY.

Pose and motion recovery from feature correspondences and a digital terrain map.

PubMed

Lerner, Ronen; Rivlin, Ehud; Rotstein, Héctor P

2006-09-01

A novel algorithm for pose and motion estimation using corresponding features and a Digital Terrain Map is proposed. Using a Digital Terrain (or Digital Elevation) Map (DTM/DEM) as a global reference enables the elimination of the ambiguity present in vision-based algorithms for motion recovery. As a consequence, the absolute position and orientation of a camera can be recovered with respect to the external reference frame. In order to do this, the DTM is used to formulate a constraint between corresponding features in two consecutive frames. Explicit reconstruction of the 3D world is not required. When considering a number of feature points, the resulting constraints can be solved using nonlinear optimization in terms of position, orientation, and motion. Such a procedure requires an initial guess of these parameters, which can be obtained from dead-reckoning or any other source. The feasibility of the algorithm is established through extensive experimentation. Performance is compared with a state-of-the-art alternative algorithm, which intermediately reconstructs the 3D structure and then registers it to the DTM. A clear advantage for the novel algorithm is demonstrated in variety of scenarios.

Using historical aerial photography and softcopy photogrammetry for waste unit mapping in L Lake.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christel, L.M.

1997-10-01

L Lake was developed as a cooling water reservoir for the L Reactor at the Savannah River Site. The construction of the lake, which began in the fall of 1984, altered the structure and function of Steel Creek. Completed in the fall of 1985, L Lake has a capacity of 31 million cubic meters and a normal pool of 58 meters. When L Reactor operations ceased in 1988, the water level in the lake still had to be maintained. Site managers are currently trying to determine the feasibility of draining or drawing down the lake in order to save taxmore » dollars. In order to understand the full repercussions of such an undertaking, it was necessary to compile a comprehensive inventory of what the lake bottom looked like prior to filling. Aerial photographs, acquired nine days before the filling of the lake began, were scanned and used for softcopy photogrammetry processing. A one-meter digital elevation model was generated and a digital orthophoto mosaic was created as the base map for the project. Seven categories of features, including the large waste units used to contain the contaminated soil removed from the dam site, were screen digitized and used to generate accurate maps. Other map features include vegetation waste piles, where contaminated vegetation from the flood plain was contained, and ash piles, which are sites where vegetation debris was burned and then covered with clean soil. For all seven categories, the area of disturbance totaled just over 63 hectares. When the screen digitizing was completed, the elevation at the centroid of each disturbance was determined. When the information is used in the Savannah River Site Geographical Information System, it can be used to visualize the various L Lake draw-down scenarios suggested by site managers and hopefully, to support evaluations of the cost effectiveness for each proposed activity.« less

Development of Global 30m Resolution Water Body Map with Permanent/Temporal Water Body Separation Using Satellite Acquired Images of Landsat GLS Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeshima, D.; Yamazaki, D.; Yoshikawa, S.; Kanae, S.

2015-12-01

The specification of worldwide water body distribution is important for discovering hydrological cycle. Global 3-second Water Body Map (G3WBM) is a global scale map, which indicates the distribution of water body in 90m resolutions (http://hydro.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~yamadai/G3WBM/index.html). This dataset was mainly built to identify the width of river channels, which is one of major uncertainties of continental-scale river hydrodynamics models. To survey the true width of the river channel, this water body map distinguish Permanent Water Body from Temporary Water Body, which means separating river channel and flood plain. However, rivers with narrower width, which is a major case in usual river, could not be observed in this map. To overcome this problem, updating the algorithm of G3WBM and enhancing the resolutions to 30m is the goal of this research. Although this 30m-resolution water body map uses similar algorithm as G3WBM, there are many technical issues attributed to relatively high resolutions. Those are such as lack of same high-resolution digital elevation map, or contamination problem of sub-pixel scale object on satellite acquired image, or invisibility of well-vegetated water body such as swamp. To manage those issues, this research used more than 30,000 satellite images of Landsat Global Land Survey (GLS), and lately distributed topography data of Shuttle Rader Topography Mission (SRTM) 1 arc-second (30m) digital elevation map. Also the effect of aerosol, which would scatter the sun reflectance and disturb the acquired result image, was considered. Due to these revises, the global water body distribution was established in more precise resolution.

Image mosaic and topographic map of the moon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hare, Trent M.; Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Blue, Jennifer S.; Archinal, Brent A.

2015-01-01

Sheet 2: This map is based on data from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA; Smith and others, 2010), an instrument on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (Tooley and others, 2010). The image used for the base of this map represents more than 6.5 billion measurements gathered between July 2009 and July 2013, adjusted for consistency in the coordinate system described below, and then converted to lunar radii (Mazarico and others, 2012). For the Mercator portion, these measurements were converted into a digital elevation model (DEM) with a resolution of 0.015625 degrees per pixel, or 64 pixels per degree. In projection, the pixels are 473.8 m in size at the equator. For the polar portion, the LOLA elevation points were used to create a DEM at 240 meters per pixel. A shaded relief map was generated from each DEM with a sun angle of 45° from horizontal, and a sun azimuth of 270°, as measured clockwise from north with no vertical exaggeration. The DEM values were then mapped to a global color look-up table, with each color representing a range of 1 km of elevation. For this map sheet, only larger feature names are shown. For references listed above, please open the full PDF.

The IST-05 Reference Model in Evaluation and Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

bits and bytes in a computer memory. To avoid the need for telepathy in manipulating and understanding the data, the IST-05 Reference Model... synthetic views from digital elevation maps and from photographic imagery, but today’s technology makes this possible. Example 2: Instructions for the arrival

A novel algorithm for delineating wetland depressions and mapping surface hydrologic flow pathways using LiDAR data

EPA Science Inventory

In traditional watershed delineation and topographic modeling, surface depressions are generally treated as spurious features and simply removed from a digital elevation model (DEM) to enforce flow continuity of water across the topographic surface to the watershed outlets. In re...

Countrywide digital elevation models for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania—SRTM and ASTER (phase V, deliverable 65): Chapter F in Second projet de renforcement institutionnel du secteur minier de la République Islamique de Mauritanie (PRISM-II)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Gregory K.

2015-01-01

A digital elevation model (DEM) of the entire country of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania was produced using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data as required for deliverable 65 of the contract. In addition, because of significant recent advancements of availability, seamlessness, and validity of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) global elevation data, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) extended its efforts to include a higher resolution countrywide ASTER DEM as value added to the required Deliverable 63, which was limited to five areas within the country. Both SRTM and ASTER countrywide DEMs have been provided in ERDAS Imagine (.img) format that is also directly compatible with ESRI ArcMap, ArcGIS Explorer, and other GIS applications.

Digital mono- and 3D stereo-photogrammetry for geological and geomorphological mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scapozza, Cristian; Schenker, Filippo Luca; Castelletti, Claudio; Bozzini, Claudio; Ambrosi, Christian

2016-04-01

The generalization of application of digital tools for managing, mapping and updating geological data have become widely accepted in the last decennia. Despite the increasing quality and availability of digital topographical maps, orthorectified aerial photographs (orthophotos) and high resolution (5 up to 0.5 m) Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), a correct recognition of the kind, the nature and the boundaries of geological formations and geomophological landforms, unconsolidated sedimentary deposits or slope instabilities is often very difficult on conventional two-dimensional (2D) products, in particular in steep zones (rock walls and talus slopes), under the forest cover, for a very complex topography and in deeply urbanised zones. In many cases, photo-interpretative maps drawn only by 2D data sets must be improved by field verifications or, at least, by field oblique photographs. This is logical, because our natural perception of the real world is three-dimensional (3D), which is partially disabled by the application of 2D visualization techniques. Here we present some examples of application of digital mapping based on a 3D visualization (for aerial and satellite images photo-interpretation) or on a terrestrial perception by digital mono-photogrammetry (for oblique photographs). The 3D digital mapping was performed thanks to an extension of the software ESRI® ArcGIS™ called ArcGDS™. This methodology was also applied on historical aerial photographs (normally analysed by optical stereo-photogrammetry), which were digitized by scanning and then oriented and aero-triangulated thanks to the ArcGDS™ software, allowing the 3D visualisation and the mapping in a GIS environment (Ambrosi and Scapozza, 2015). The mono-photogrammetry (or monoplotting) is the technique of photogrammetrical georeferentiation of single oblique unrectified photographs, which are related to a DEM. In other words, the monoplotting allows relating each pixel of the photograph to the corresponding real world pixel on the DEM, and then extract georeferenced vector data and orthorectified raster data from terrestrial photographs (Bozzini et al., 2012; Scapozza et al., 2014). Through some case studies, we show (1) how 3D digital stereo-photogrammetry makes it possible the production of Quaternary geological and geomorphological maps, (2) how digital mono-photogrammetry is a powerful tool for supporting geological mapping in very steep zones and (3) how the combination of these two digital tools permits diachronical mapping of phenomena evolution (such as landslides or rockglaciers) during the entire twentieth century. Ambrosi C. and Scapozza C. 2015. Improvements in 3-D digital mapping for geomorphological and Quaternary geological cartography. Geographica Helvetica 70: 121-133. doi: 10.5194/gh-70-121-2015 Bozzini C., Conedera M. and Krebs P. 2012. A new monoplotting tool to extract georeferenced vector data and orthorectified raster data from oblique non-metric photographs. International Journal of Heritage in the Digital Era 1: 499-518. doi: 10.1260/2047-4970.1.3.499 Scapozza C., Lambiel C., Bozzini C., Mari S. and Conedera M. 2014. Assessing the rock glacier kinematics on three different timescales: a case study from the southern Swiss Alps. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 39: 2056-2069. doi: 10.1002/esp.3599

Creating Orthographically Rectified Satellite Multi-Spectral Imagery with High Resolution Digital Elevation Model from LiDAR: A Tutorial

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-15

challenges. ERDC develops innovative solutions in civil and military engineering, geospatial sciences, water resources, and environmental sciences for...GRL TR-14-1 iv Abstract Orthoimages are used to produce image- map products for navigation and planning, and serve as source data for advanced...resulting mosaic covers a wider area and contains less visible seams, which makes the map easier to understand. RPC replace the actual sensor model while

Analyzing the Potential for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Photogrammetry in Estimating Surface Deformations at a Geothermal Fiel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, H.; Burnett, J.; Sladek, C.; Wing, M.; Feigl, K. L.; Selker, J. S.; Tyler, S.; Team, P.

2016-12-01

UAS systems equipped with a variety of spectral imaging devices are increasingly incorporated in spatial environmental assessments of continental surfaces (e.g., digital elevation maps, vegetative coverage classifications, surface temperatures). This presented work performed by the UAS team at the Center for Transformative Environmental Monitoring Programs (AirCTEMPS) examines the potential to measure small (sub-cm) deformation from a geothermal injection experiment at Brady's geothermal field in western Nevada (USA). Areal mapping of the 700 x 270 m area of interest was conducted with a nadir pointing Sony A5100 digital camera onboard an autopiloted quadcopter. A total of 16 ground control points were installed using a TopCon GR3 GPS receiver. Two such mapping campaigns were conducted with one before and one after an anticipated surface deformation event. A digital elevation map (DEM) for each time period was created from over 1500 images having 80% overlap/sidelap by using structure from motion (SfM) via Agisoft Photoscan software. The resulting DEM resolution was 8 mm/pixel with residual aerial triangulation errors was < 5 mm. We present preliminary results from an optimized workflow which achieved errors and average differential DEM heights between campaigns at the cm-scale which is broader than the maximum expected deformation. Despite the disconnect between error and deformation severity, this study presents a unique application of sub-cm UAS-based DEMs and further distinguishes itself by comparing results to concurrent Interferometric Synthetic Radar (InSAR). The intent of our study and presentation of results is to streamline, cross-validate, and share methods to encourage further adoption of UAS imagery into the standard toolkit for environmental surface sensing across spatial scales.

Drone based structural mapping at Holuhraun indicates fault reactivation and complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Daniel; Walter, Thomas R.; Steinke, Bastian; Witt, Tanja; Schoepa, Anne; Duerig, Tobi; Gudmundsson, Magnus T.

2016-04-01

Accompanied by an intense seismic swarm in August 2014, a dike laterally formed, starting under Icelands Vatnajökull glacier, propagating over a distance of more than 45 km within only two weeks, leading to the largest eruption by volume since the 1783-84 Laki eruption. Along its propagation path, the dike caused intense surface displacements up to meters. Based on seismicity, GPS and InSAR, the propagation has already been analysed and described as segmented lateral dike growth. We now focus on few smaller regions of the dike. We consider the Terrasar-X tandem digital elevation map and aerial photos and find localized zones where structural fissures formed and curved. At these localized, regions we performed a field campaign in summer 2015, applying the close range remote sensing techniques Structure from Motion (SfM) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS). Over 4 TLS scan were collected, along with over 5,000 aerial images. Point clouds from SfM and TLS are merged and compared, and local structural lineaments analysed. As a result, we obtained an unprecedentedly high-resolution digital elevation map. With this map, we analyse the structural expression of the fissure eruption at the surface and improve understanding on the conditions that influenced the magma propagation path. We elaborate scenarios that lead to complexities of the surface structures and the link to the underlying dike intrusion.

Potential and limitations of webcam images for snow cover monitoring in the Swiss Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dizerens, Céline; Hüsler, Fabia; Wunderle, Stefan

2017-04-01

In Switzerland, several thousands of outdoor webcams are currently connected to the Internet. They deliver freely available images that can be used to analyze snow cover variability on a high spatio-temporal resolution. To make use of this big data source, we have implemented a webcam-based snow cover mapping procedure, which allows to almost automatically derive snow cover maps from such webcam images. As there is mostly no information about the webcams and its parameters available, our registration approach automatically resolves these parameters (camera orientation, principal point, field of view) by using an estimate of the webcams position, the mountain silhouette, and a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). Combined with an automatic snow classification and an image alignment using SIFT features, our procedure can be applied to arbitrary images to generate snow cover maps with a minimum of effort. Resulting snow cover maps have the same resolution as the digital elevation model and indicate whether each grid cell is snow-covered, snow-free, or hidden from webcams' positions. Up to now, we processed images of about 290 webcams from our archive, and evaluated images of 20 webcams using manually selected ground control points (GCPs) to evaluate the mapping accuracy of our procedure. We present methodological limitations and ongoing improvements, show some applications of our snow cover maps, and demonstrate that webcams not only offer a great opportunity to complement satellite-derived snow retrieval under cloudy conditions, but also serve as a reference for improved validation of satellite-based approaches.

Mapping coastal morphodynamics with geospatial techniques, Cape Henry, Virginia, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Thomas R.; Oertel, George F.; Gares, Paul A.

2012-01-01

The advent and proliferation of digital terrain technologies have spawned concomitant advances in coastal geomorphology. Airborne topographic Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has stimulated a renaissance in coastal mapping, and field-based mapping techniques have benefitted from improvements in real-time kinematic (RTK) Global Positioning System (GPS). Varied methodologies for mapping suggest a need to match geospatial products to geomorphic forms and processes, a task that should consider product and process ontologies from each perspective. Towards such synthesis, coastal morphodynamics on a cuspate foreland are reconstructed using spatial analysis. Sequential beach ridge and swale topography are mapped using photogrammetric spot heights and airborne LiDAR data and integrated with digital bathymetry and large-scale vector shoreline data. Isobaths from bathymetric charts were digitized to determine slope and toe depth of the modern shoreface and a reconstructed three-dimensional antecedent shoreface. Triangulated irregular networks were created for the subaerial cape and subaqueous shoreface models of the cape beach ridges and sets for volumetric analyses. Results provide estimates of relative age and progradation rate and corroborate other paleogeologic sea-level rise data from the region. Swale height elevations and other measurements quantifiable in these data provide several parameters suitable for studying coastal geomorphic evolution. Mapped paleoshorelines and volumes suggest the Virginia Beach coastal compartment is related to embryonic spit development from a late Holocene shoreline located some 5 km east of the current beach.

Lunar Terrain and Albedo Reconstruction from Apollo Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nefian, Ara V.; Kim, Taemin; Broxton, Michael; Moratto, Zach

2010-01-01

Generating accurate three dimensional planetary models and albedo maps is becoming increasingly more important as NASA plans more robotics missions to the Moon in the coming years. This paper describes a novel approach for separation of topography and albedo maps from orbital Lunar images. Our method uses an optimal Bayesian correlator to refine the stereo disparity map and generate a set of accurate digital elevation models (DEM). The albedo maps are obtained using a multi-image formation model that relies on the derived DEMs and the Lunar- Lambert reflectance model. The method is demonstrated on a set of high resolution scanned images from the Apollo era missions.

Discussion on the 3D visualizing of 1:200 000 geological map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaopeng

2018-01-01

Using United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) terrain data as digital elevation model (DEM), overlap scanned 1:200 000 scale geological map, program using Direct 3D of Microsoft with C# computer language, the author realized the three-dimensional visualization of the standard division geological map. User can inspect the regional geology content with arbitrary angle, rotating, roaming, and can examining the strata synthetical histogram, map section and legend at any moment. This will provide an intuitionistic analyzing tool for the geological practitioner to do structural analysis with the assistant of landform, dispose field exploration route etc.

International Digital Elevation Model Service (IDEMS): A Revived IAG Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, K. M.; Hirt, C., , Dr; Kuhn, M.; Barzaghi, R.

2017-12-01

A newly developed International Digital Elevation Model Service (IDEMS) is now available under the umbrella of the International Gravity Field Service of the International Association of Geodesy. Hosted and operated by Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) (http://www.esri.com/), the new IDEMS website is available at: https://idems.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html. IDEMS provides a focus for distribution of data and information about various digital elevation models, including spherical-harmonic models of Earth's global topography and lunar and planetary DEM. Related datasets, such as representation of inland water within DEMs, and relevant software which are available in the public domain are also provided. Currently, IDEMS serves as repository of links to providers of global terrain and bathymetry, terrain related Earth models and datasets such as digital elevation data services managed and maintained by Esri (Terrain and TopoBathy), Bedmap2-Ice thickness and subglacial topographic model of Antarctica and Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation ICESat/GLAS Data, as well as planetary terrain data provided by PDS Geosciences Node at Washington University, St. Louis. These services provide online access to a collection of multi-resolution and multi-source elevation and bathymetry data, including metadata and source information. In addition to IDEMS current holdings of terrestrial and planetary DEMs, some topography related products IDEMS may include in future are: dynamic ocean topography, 3D crustal density models, Earth's dynamic topography, etc. IDEMS may also consider terrain related products such as quality assessments, global terrain corrections, global height anomaly-to-geoid height corrections and other geodesy-relevant studies and products. IDEMS encourages contributions to the site from the geodetic community in any of the product types listed above. Please contact the authors if you would like to contribute or recommend content you think appropriate for IDEMS.

Vegetation mapping of Nowitna National Wildlife Reguge, Alaska using Landsat MSS digital data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Talbot, S. S.; Markon, Carl J.

1986-01-01

A Landsat-derived vegetation map was prepared for Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge lies within the middle boreal subzone of north central Alaska. Seven major vegetation classes and sixteen subclasses were recognized: forest (closed needleleaf, open needleleaf, needleleaf woodland, mixed, and broadleaf); broadleaf scrub (lowland, alluvial, subalpine); dwarf scrub (prostrate dwarf shrub tundra, dwarf shrub-graminoid tussock peatland); herbaceous (graminoid bog, marsh and meadow); scarcely vegetated areas (scarcely vegetated scree and floodplain); water (clear, turbid); and other areas (mountain shadow). The methodology employed a cluster-block technique. Sample areas were described based on a combination of helicopter-ground survey, aerial photointerpretation, and digital Landsat data. Major steps in the Landsat analysis involved preprocessing (geometric correction), derivation of statistical parameters for spectral classes, spectral class labeling of sample areas, preliminary classification of the entire study area using a maximum-likelihood algorithm, and final classification utilizing ancillary information such as digital elevation data. The final product is a 1:250,000-scale vegetation map representative of distinctive regional patterns and suitable for use in comprehensive conservation planning.

Space Radar Image of Long Valley, California - 3-D view

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-01

This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Long Valley, California by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar on board the space shuttle Endeavour. This view was constructed by overlaying a color composite SIR-C image on a digital elevation map. The digital elevation map was produced using radar interferometry, a process by which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle and, which then, are compared to obtain elevation information. The data were acquired on April 13, 1994 and on October 3, 1994, during the first and second flights of the SIR-C/X-SAR radar instrument. The color composite radar image was produced by assigning red to the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received) polarization; green to the C-band (vertically transmitted and received) polarization; and blue to the ratio of the two data sets. Blue areas in the image are smooth and yellow areas are rock outcrops with varying amounts of snow and vegetation. The view is looking north along the northeastern edge of the Long Valley caldera, a volcanic collapse feature created 750,000 years ago and the site of continued subsurface activity. Crowley Lake is off the image to the left. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01757

Seismic hazard assessment of Syria using seismicity, DEM, slope, active tectonic and GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Raed; Adris, Ahmad; Singh, Ramesh

2016-07-01

In the present work, we discuss the use of an integrated remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques for evaluation of seismic hazard areas in Syria. The present study is the first time effort to create seismic hazard map with the help of GIS. In the proposed approach, we have used Aster satellite data, digital elevation data (30 m resolution), earthquake data, and active tectonic maps. Many important factors for evaluation of seismic hazard were identified and corresponding thematic data layers (past earthquake epicenters, active faults, digital elevation model, and slope) were generated. A numerical rating scheme has been developed for spatial data analysis using GIS to identify ranking of parameters to be included in the evaluation of seismic hazard. The resulting earthquake potential map delineates the area into different relative susceptibility classes: high, moderate, low and very low. The potential earthquake map was validated by correlating the obtained different classes with the local probability that produced using conventional analysis of observed earthquakes. Using earthquake data of Syria and the peak ground acceleration (PGA) data is introduced to the model to develop final seismic hazard map based on Gutenberg-Richter (a and b values) parameters and using the concepts of local probability and recurrence time. The application of the proposed technique in Syrian region indicates that this method provides good estimate of seismic hazard map compared to those developed from traditional techniques (Deterministic (DSHA) and probabilistic seismic hazard (PSHA). For the first time we have used numerous parameters using remote sensing and GIS in preparation of seismic hazard map which is found to be very realistic.

Digital surfaces and hydrogeologic data for the Mesozoic through early Tertiary rocks in the Southeastern Coastal Plain in parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, Debra M.; Bellino, Jason C.; Williams, Lester J.

2012-01-01

A digital dataset of hydrogeologic data for Mesozoic through early Tertiary rocks in the Southeastern Coastal Plain was developed using data from five U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports published between 1951 and 1996. These reports contain maps and data depicting the extent and elevation of the Southeast Coastal Plain stratigraphic and hydrogeologic units in Florida and parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The reports are: Professional Paper 1410-B (Renken, 1996), Professional Paper 1088 (Brown and others, 1979), Professional Paper 524-G (Applin and Applin, 1967), Professional Paper 447 (Applin and Applin, 1965), and Circular 91 (Applin, 1951). The digital dataset provides hydrogeologic data for the USGS Energy Resources Program assessment of potential reservoirs for carbon sequestration and for the USGS Groundwater Resource Program assessment of saline aquifers in the southeastern United States. A Geographic Information System (ArcGIS 9.3.1) was used to construct 33 digital (raster) surfaces representing the top or base of key stratigraphic and hydrogeologic units. In addition, the Geographic Information System was used to generate 102 geo-referenced scanned maps from the five reports and a geo-database containing structural and thickness contours, faults, extent polygons, and common features. The dataset also includes point data of well construction and stratigraphic elevations and scanned images of two geologic cross sections and a nomenclature chart.

Topographical Hill Shading Map Production Based Tianditu (map World)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.; Zha, Z.; Tang, D.; Yang, J.

2018-04-01

TIANDITU (Map World) is the public version of National Platform for Common Geospatial Information Service, and the terrain service is an important channel for users on the platform. With the development of TIANDITU, topographical hill shading map production for providing and updating global terrain map on line becomes necessary for the characters of strong intuition, three-dimensional sense and aesthetic effect. As such, the terrain service of TIANDITU focuses on displaying the different scales of topographical data globally. And this paper mainly aims to research the method of topographical hill shading map production globally using DEM (Digital Elevation Model) data between the displaying scales about 1 : 140,000,000 to 1 : 4,000,000, corresponded the display level from 2 to 7 on TIANDITU website.

The illuminating role of laser scanning digital elevation models in precision agriculture experimental designs - an agro-ecology perspective

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laser scanning data streams, when linked with multi-spectral, hyperspectral, apparent soil electro-conductivity (ECa), or other kinds of geo-referenced data streams, aid in the creation of maps that allow useful applications in agricultural systems. These combinations of georeferenced information p...

Global Ocean Forecast System (GOFS) Version 2.6. User’s Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-31

odimens.D, which takes the rivers.dat flow levels, inputs an SST and sea surface salinity (SSS) climatology from GDEM , and outputs the orivs_1.D...Center for Medium-range Weather Forecast GB GigaByte GDEM Global Digital Elevation Map GOFS Global Ocean Forecast System HPCMP High Performance

Space Radar Image of Saline Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Saline Valley, about 30 km (19 miles) east of the town of Independence, California created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry. Visualizations like this one are helpful to scientists because they clarify the relationships of the different types of surfaces detected by the radar and the shapes of the topographic features such as mountains and valleys. The view is looking southwest across Saline Valley. The high peaks in the background are the Inyo Mountains, which rise more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above the valley floor. The dark blue patch near the center of the image is an area of sand dunes. The brighter patches to the left of the dunes are the dry, salty lake beds of Saline Valley. The brown and orange areas are deposits of boulders, gravel and sand known as alluvial fans. The image was constructed by overlaying a color composite radar image on top of a digital elevation map. The radar image was taken by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-bandSynthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on board the space shuttleEndeavour in October 1994. The digital elevation map was producedusing radar interferometry, a process in which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle. The two data passes are compared to obtain elevation information. The elevation data were derived from a 1,500-km-long (930-mile) digital topographic map processed at JPL. Radar image data are draped over the topography to provide the color with the following assignments: red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is C-band vertically transmitted, vetically received; and blue is the ratio of C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received to L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. This image is centered near 36.8 degrees north latitude and 117.7 degrees west longitude. No vertical exaggeration factor has been applied to the data. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Enwright, Nicholas M.; Wang, Lei; Borchert, Sinéad M.; Day, Richard H.; Feher, Laura C.; Osland, Michael J.

2018-01-01

While airborne lidar data have revolutionized the spatial resolution that elevations can be realized, data limitations are often magnified in coastal settings. Researchers have found that airborne lidar can have a vertical error as high as 60 cm in densely vegetated intertidal areas. The uncertainty of digital elevation models is often left unaddressed; however, in low-relief environments, such as barrier islands, centimeter differences in elevation can affect exposure to physically demanding abiotic conditions, which greatly influence ecosystem structure and function. In this study, we used airborne lidar elevation data, in situ elevation observations, lidar metadata, and tide gauge information to delineate low-lying lands and the intertidal wetlands on Dauphin Island, a barrier island along the coast of Alabama, USA. We compared three different elevation error treatments, which included leaving error untreated and treatments that used Monte Carlo simulations to incorporate elevation vertical uncertainty using general information from lidar metadata and site-specific Real-Time Kinematic Global Position System data, respectively. To aid researchers in instances where limited information is available for error propagation, we conducted a sensitivity test to assess the effect of minor changes to error and bias. Treatment of error with site-specific observations produced the fewest omission errors, although the treatment using the lidar metadata had the most well-balanced results. The percent coverage of intertidal wetlands was increased by up to 80% when treating the vertical error of the digital elevation models. Based on the results from the sensitivity analysis, it could be reasonable to use error and positive bias values from literature for similar environments, conditions, and lidar acquisition characteristics in the event that collection of site-specific data is not feasible and information in the lidar metadata is insufficient. The methodology presented in this study should increase efficiency and enhance results for habitat mapping and analyses in dynamic, low-relief coastal environments.

The Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal: Capabilities and Lunar Data Products to support Return to the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, E.; Bui, B.; Chang, G.; Goodale, C. E.; Kim, R.; Malhotra, S.; Ramirez, P.; Rodriguez, L.; Sadaqathulla, S.; Nall, M.; Muery, K.

2012-12-01

The Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP), is a multi-center project led by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The LMMP is a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable lunar scientists, engineers, and mission planners to access mapped lunar data products from past and current lunar missions, e.g., Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Apollo, Lunar Orbiter, Lunar Prospector, and Clementine. The Portal allows users to search, view and download a vast number of the most recent lunar digital products including image mosaics, digital elevation models, and in situ lunar resource maps such as iron and hydrogen abundance. The Portal also provides a number of visualization and analysis tools that perform lighting analysis and local hazard assessments, such as, slope, surface roughness and crater/boulder distribution. In this talk, we will give a brief overview of the project. After that, we will highlight various key features and Lunar data products. We will further demonstrate image viewing and layering of lunar map images via our web portal as well as mobile devices.

The elevation and its distribution in geomorphological regions of the European Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharchenko, S. V.; Ermolaev, O. P.; Mukharamova, S. S.

2018-01-01

Spatial differences of elevation were analysed by side of view of geomorphological boundaries on the European Russia territory. Geomorphological pattern of the studied territory was taken from Geomorphological Map of the USSR at scale of 1: 2 500 000. There 2401 fragments for combinations of 58 types of structural landforms and 22 types of sculptural landforms were allocated. The elevation values computed by digital elevation model (cell size - 200 m, number of cells - 322M) based on SRTM (south of 60 nl.) and GDEM 2010 (north of 60 nl.) resampled data. It was founded that some types of structural (16 types) and sculptural (6 types) landforms located in the relatively thin intervals of elevation. Using of elevation above sea level is needed for effective automatic recognizing these landform regions.

Development of a flood-warning network and flood-inundation mapping for the Blanchard River in Ottawa, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitehead, Matthew T.

2011-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps of the Blanchard River in Ottawa, Ohio, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Village of Ottawa, Ohio. The maps, which correspond to water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Ottawa (USGS streamgage site number 04189260), were provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into a Web-based flood-warning Network that can be used in conjunction with NWS flood-forecast data to show areas of predicted flood inundation associated with forecasted flood-peak stages. Flood profiles were computed by means of a step-backwater model calibrated to recent field measurements of streamflow. The step-backwater model was then used to determine water-surface-elevation profiles for 12 flood stages with corresponding streamflows ranging from less than the 2-year and up to nearly the 500-year recurrence-interval flood. The computed flood profiles were used in combination with digital elevation data to delineate flood-inundation areas. Maps of the Village of Ottawa showing flood-inundation areas overlain on digital orthophotographs are presented for the selected floods. As part of this flood-warning network, the USGS upgraded one streamgage and added two new streamgages, one on the Blanchard River and one on Riley Creek, which is tributary to the Blanchard River. The streamgage sites were equipped with both satellite and telephone telemetry. The telephone telemetry provides dual functionality, allowing village officials and the public to monitor current stage conditions and enabling the streamgage to call village officials with automated warnings regarding flood stage and/or predetermined rates of stage increase. Data from the streamgages serve as a flood warning that emergency management personnel can use in conjunction with the flood-inundation maps by to determine a course of action when flooding is imminent.

Improving salt marsh digital elevation model accuracy with full-waveform lidar and nonparametric predictive modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Jeffrey N.; Parrish, Christopher E.; Ward, Larry G.; Burdick, David M.

2018-03-01

Salt marsh vegetation tends to increase vertical uncertainty in light detection and ranging (lidar) derived elevation data, often causing the data to become ineffective for analysis of topographic features governing tidal inundation or vegetation zonation. Previous attempts at improving lidar data collected in salt marsh environments range from simply computing and subtracting the global elevation bias to more complex methods such as computing vegetation-specific, constant correction factors. The vegetation specific corrections can be used along with an existing habitat map to apply separate corrections to different areas within a study site. It is hypothesized here that correcting salt marsh lidar data by applying location-specific, point-by-point corrections, which are computed from lidar waveform-derived features, tidal-datum based elevation, distance from shoreline and other lidar digital elevation model based variables, using nonparametric regression will produce better results. The methods were developed and tested using full-waveform lidar and ground truth for three marshes in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Five different model algorithms for nonparametric regression were evaluated, with TreeNet's stochastic gradient boosting algorithm consistently producing better regression and classification results. Additionally, models were constructed to predict the vegetative zone (high marsh and low marsh). The predictive modeling methods used in this study estimated ground elevation with a mean bias of 0.00 m and a standard deviation of 0.07 m (0.07 m root mean square error). These methods appear very promising for correction of salt marsh lidar data and, importantly, do not require an existing habitat map, biomass measurements, or image based remote sensing data such as multi/hyperspectral imagery.

A Voronoi interior adjacency-based approach for generating a contour tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jun; Qiao, Chaofei; Zhao, Renliang

2004-05-01

A contour tree is a good graphical tool for representing the spatial relations of contour lines and has found many applications in map generalization, map annotation, terrain analysis, etc. A new approach for generating contour trees by introducing a Voronoi-based interior adjacency set concept is proposed in this paper. The immediate interior adjacency set is employed to identify all of the children contours of each contour without contour elevations. It has advantages over existing methods such as the point-in-polygon method and the region growing-based method. This new approach can be used for spatial data mining and knowledge discovering, such as the automatic extraction of terrain features and construction of multi-resolution digital elevation model.

Time-series studies of drainage pattern and morphological features along the Leitha river (Eastern Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zámolyi, A.; Draganits, E.; Doneus, M.; Fera, M.; Griebl, M.

2009-04-01

Geomorphologic mapping and drainage network analysis was conducted in the Southern Vienna Basin on the Leitha and Fischa rivers. The study area belongs to an active pull-apart basin between the Eastern Alps and the Carpathians that started to subside in Karpatian times (~ 17 Ma), but with still active faults, proven by fault scarps and earth quakes. The investigated rivers are important tributaries to the Danube river and run through a region that has been subject to settlement since Neoltihic times. Thus, interaction between land use, settlement pattern and river dynamics can be studied. Several datasets are integrated to perform a comprehensive overview of geomorphological, as well as river dynamic changes in the landscape. During an earlier stage of this investigation a map of paleochannel distribution including the location and shape of the paleochannels was extracted from color-infrared and RGB digital orthophotos. Based on this map the location, character and shape of palaeomeanders is studied on different georeferenced historic maps (Timár et al., 2006; Biszak et al., 2007) in order to derive a time-series study. The paleochannels extracted from the digital orthophotos show a good coincidence with the depicted rivers on the historic maps. This partly allows quite well constrained age estimates of the paleochannel sections. The investigated maps are the Walter maps, the First, Second and Third Military Survey of the Habsburg/Austro-Hungarian Empire. Mapping of the Walter maps was conducted 1754-56 (Ulbrich, 1952), the First, Second and Third Military Surveys were mapped in this area in the time-span of 1782-1785, 1819-1869, and 1872-1873, respectively (Kretschmer et al., 2004). This sequence of georeferenced historical maps allows to study only a very short time-span (1755 - 1873) compared to the geological time scale. However, the characteristics of river dynamics special for the study area can be derived and, considering certain assumptions, extrapolated to a wider time range. Within the observable time period the Leitha river preserved its meandering characteristics. Small shifts of the mean channel towards E or W can be detected. A disadvantage of the maps previous to the Third Military Survey is the lack of contour lines. On these maps, variation in terrain elevation was mapped „a la vue" and rather depicted as changes in slope of the terrain by applying hatchures showing a density increase with higher slope. This method provided a very plastic overview of changes in the terrain, but the reading of absolute or relative elevations is not possible. According to this, geomorphologic observations from these maps are constricted to the comparison of the horizontal position of elevated areas and the change of their outline. This study shows that historical maps provide an essential tool to investigate younger river dynamics and sensitively show the impact of anthropological modifications as well as active tectonics. Biszak, S., Timár, G., Molnár, G., Jankó, A. (2007): Digitized maps of the Habsburg Empire - The third military survey, Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie, 1869-1887, 1:75000. DVD-issue, Arcanum, Budapest. ISBN 978-963-73-7451-7 Kretschmer, I., Dörflinger, J., Wawrick, F. (2004): Österreichische Kartographie. Wiener Schiften zur Geographie und Kartographie - Band 15. Institut für Geographie und Regionalforschung der Universität Wien, Wien. Timár, G., Molnár, G., Székely, B., Biszak, S., Varga, J., Jankó, A. (2006): Digitized maps of the Habsburg Empire - The map sheets of the second military survey and their georeferenced version. Arcanum, Budapest, 59 p. ISBN 963-7374-33-7 Ulbrich K. (1952): Die Grenzkarte Ungarn-Niederösterreich von C. J. Walter (1754 - 56). Burgenländische Heimatblätter, 14, 108-121

Low Altitude AVIRIS Data for Mapping Landform Types on West Ship Island, Mississippi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph; Otvos, Ervin; Giardino, Marco

2002-01-01

A chain of barrier islands provides protection against hurricanes and severe storms along the south and southeastern shores of the United States. Barrier island landform types can be spectrally similar and as small as a few meters across, making highly detailed maps difficult to produce. To determine whether high-resolution airborne hyperspectral imagery could provide detailed maps of barrier island landform types, we used low-altitude hyperspectral and multispectral imagery to map surface environments of West Ship Island, Mississippi. We employed 3.4-meter AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery acquired in July 1999 and 0.5-meter ADAR multispectral data acquired in November 1997. The data were co-registered to digital ortho aerial imagery, and the AVIRIS data was scaled to ground reflectance using ATREM software. Unsupervised classification of AVIRIS and ADAR data proceeded using ISODATA clustering techniques. The resulting landform maps were field-checked and compared to aerial photography and digital elevation maps. Preliminary analyses indicated that the AVIRIS classification mapped more landform types, while the ADAR-based map enabled smaller patches to be identified. Used together, these maps provided a means to assess landform distributions of West Ship Island before and after Hurricane Gorges. Classification accuracy is being addressed through photo-interpretation and field surveys of sample areas selected with stratified random sampling.

Low Altitude AVIRIS Data for Mapping Landform Types on West Ship Island, Mississippi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph; Otvos, Ervin; Giardino, Marco

2003-01-01

A chain of barrier islands provides protection against hurricanes and severe storms along the southern and southeastern shores of the Unites States. Barrier island landform types can be spectrally similar and as small as a few meters across, making highly detailed maps difficult to produce. To determine whether high-resolution airborne hyperspectral imagery could provide detailed maps of barrier island landform types, we used low-altitude hyperspectral and multispectral imagery to map surface environments of West Ship Island, Mississippi. We employed 3.4 meter AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery acquired in July 1999 and 0.5 meter ADAR multispectral data acquired in November 1997. The data were co-registered to digital ortho aerial imagery, and the AVIRIS data was scaled to ground reflectance using ATREM software. Unsupervised classification of AVIRIS and ADAR data proceeded using ISODATA clustering techniques. The resulting landform maps were field-checked and compared to aerial photography and digital elevation maps. Preliminary analyses indicated that the AVIRIS classification mapped more landform types, while the ADAR-based map enabled smaller patches to be identified. Used together, these maps provided a means to assess landform distributions of West Ship Island before and after Hurricane Georges. Classification accuracy is being assessed through photo-interpretation and field surveys of sample areas selected with stratified random sampling.

MOLA-Based Landing Site Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duxbury, T. C.; Ivanov, A. B.

2001-01-01

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data provide the basis for site characterization and selection never before possible. The basic MOLA information includes absolute radii, elevation and 1 micrometer albedo with derived datasets including digital image models (DIM's illuminated elevation data), slopes maps and slope statistics and small scale surface roughness maps and statistics. These quantities are useful in downsizing potential sites from descent engineering constraints and landing/roving hazard and mobility assessments. Slope baselines at the few hundred meter level and surface roughness at the 10 meter level are possible. Additionally, the MOLA-derived Mars surface offers the possibility to precisely register and map project other instrument datasets (images, ultraviolet, infrared, radar, etc.) taken at different resolution, viewing and lighting geometry, building multiple layers of an information cube for site characterization and selection. Examples of direct MOLA data, data derived from MOLA and other instruments data registered to MOLA arc given for the Hematite area.

Improved mapping of National Atmospheric Deposition Program wet-deposition in complex terrain using PRISM-gridded data sets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Latysh, Natalie E.; Wetherbee, Gregory Alan

2012-01-01

High-elevation regions in the United States lack detailed atmospheric wet-deposition data. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) measures and reports precipitation amounts and chemical constituent concentration and deposition data for the United States on annual isopleth maps using inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation methods. This interpolation for unsampled areas does not account for topographic influences. Therefore, NADP/NTN isopleth maps lack detail and potentially underestimate wet deposition in high-elevation regions. The NADP/NTN wet-deposition maps may be improved using precipitation grids generated by other networks. The Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) produces digital grids of precipitation estimates from many precipitation-monitoring networks and incorporates influences of topographical and geographical features. Because NADP/NTN ion concentrations do not vary with elevation as much as precipitation depths, PRISM is used with unadjusted NADP/NTN data in this paper to calculate ion wet deposition in complex terrain to yield more accurate and detailed isopleth deposition maps in complex terrain. PRISM precipitation estimates generally exceed NADP/NTN precipitation estimates for coastal and mountainous regions in the western United States. NADP/NTN precipitation estimates generally exceed PRISM precipitation estimates for leeward mountainous regions in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, where abrupt changes in precipitation depths induced by topography are not depicted by IDW interpolation. PRISM-based deposition estimates for nitrate can exceed NADP/NTN estimates by more than 100% for mountainous regions in the western United States.

Improved mapping of National Atmospheric Deposition Program wet-deposition in complex terrain using PRISM-gridded data sets.

PubMed

Latysh, Natalie E; Wetherbee, Gregory Alan

2012-01-01

High-elevation regions in the United States lack detailed atmospheric wet-deposition data. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) measures and reports precipitation amounts and chemical constituent concentration and deposition data for the United States on annual isopleth maps using inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation methods. This interpolation for unsampled areas does not account for topographic influences. Therefore, NADP/NTN isopleth maps lack detail and potentially underestimate wet deposition in high-elevation regions. The NADP/NTN wet-deposition maps may be improved using precipitation grids generated by other networks. The Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) produces digital grids of precipitation estimates from many precipitation-monitoring networks and incorporates influences of topographical and geographical features. Because NADP/NTN ion concentrations do not vary with elevation as much as precipitation depths, PRISM is used with unadjusted NADP/NTN data in this paper to calculate ion wet deposition in complex terrain to yield more accurate and detailed isopleth deposition maps in complex terrain. PRISM precipitation estimates generally exceed NADP/NTN precipitation estimates for coastal and mountainous regions in the western United States. NADP/NTN precipitation estimates generally exceed PRISM precipitation estimates for leeward mountainous regions in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, where abrupt changes in precipitation depths induced by topography are not depicted by IDW interpolation. PRISM-based deposition estimates for nitrate can exceed NADP/NTN estimates by more than 100% for mountainous regions in the western United States.

Spatial analysis of fluvial terraces in GRASS GIS accessing R functionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Józsa, Edina

2017-04-01

Terrace research along the Danube is a major topic of Hungarian traditional geomorphology because of the socio-economic role of terrace surfaces and their importance in paleo-environmental reconstructions. Semi-automated mapping of fluvial landforms from a coherent digital elevation dataset allow objective analysis of hydrogeomorphic characteristics with low time and cost requirements. New results obtained with unified GIS-based algorithms can be integrated with previous findings regarding landscape evolution. The complementary functionality of GRASS GIS and R provides the possibility to develop a flexible terrain analysing tool for the delineation and quantifiable analysis of terrace remnants. Using R as an intermediate analytical environment and visualisation tool gives great added value to the algorithm, while GRASS GIS is capable of handling the large digital elevation datasets and perform the demanding computations to prepare necessary raster derivatives (Bivand, R.S. et al. 2008). The proposed terrace mapping algorithm is based on the work of Demoulin, A. et al. (2007), but it is further improved in the form of GRASS GIS script tool accessing R functionality. In the first step the hydrogeomorphic signatures of the given study site are explored and the area is divided along clearly recognizable structural-morphological boundaries.The algorithm then cuts up the subregions into parallel sections in the flow direction and determines cells potentially belonging to terrace surfaces based on local slope characteristics and a minimum area size threshold. As a result an output report is created that contains a histogram of altitudes, a swath-profile of the landscape, scatter plots to represent the relation of the relative elevations and slope values in the analysed sections and a final plot showing the longitudinal profile of the river with the determined height ranges of terrace levels. The algorithm also produces a raster map of extracted terrace remnants. From this dataset it is possible to interpolate a new digital elevation model approximating the former terraced valley surface using the Ordinary Kriging method (Troiani, F. and Della Seta, M. 2011). The applicability of the algorithm was tested on the northern foreland of Gerecse Mountains, an antecedent valley section of the Danube, with terrace remnants expected in 6 to 8 altitude ranges. Methodological issues arising from determining the optimal threshold values were explored using an artificial hillslope model, while the terrace profiles and terrace-top surfaces raster generated from the digital elevation model were validated with the previous findings of traditional geomorphological surveys. This research was supported by the Human Capacities Grant Management Office and the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities in the framework of the NTP-NFTÖ-16 project. References: Bivand, R.S. et al. (2008). Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R. New York: Springer. 378 p. Demoulin, A. et al. (2007). An automated method to extract fluvial terraces from digital elevation models: The Vesdre valley, a case study in eastern Belgium. - Geomorphology 91 (1-2): 51-64. Troiani, E. and Della Seta, M. (2011). Geomorphological response of fluvial and coastal terraces to Quaternary tectonics and climate as revealed by geostatistical topographic analysis. - Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 36: 1193-1208.

space Radar Image of Long Valley, California

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-01

An area near Long Valley, California, was mapped by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavor on April 13, 1994, during the first flight of the radar instrument, and on October 4, 1994, during the second flight of the radar instrument. The orbital configurations of the two data sets were ideal for interferometric combination -- that is overlaying the data from one image onto a second image of the same area to create an elevation map and obtain estimates of topography. Once the topography is known, any radar-induced distortions can be removed and the radar data can be geometrically projected directly onto a standard map grid for use in a geographical information system. The 50 kilometer by 50 kilometer (31 miles by 31 miles) map shown here is entirely derived from SIR-C L-band radar (horizontally transmitted and received) results. The color shown in this image is produced from the interferometrically determined elevations, while the brightness is determined by the radar backscatter. The map is in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. Elevation contour lines are shown every 50 meters (164 feet). Crowley Lake is the dark feature near the south edge of the map. The Adobe Valley in the north and the Long Valley in the south are separated by the Glass Mountain Ridge, which runs through the center of the image. The height accuracy of the interferometrically derived digital elevation model is estimated to be 20 meters (66 feet) in this image. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01749

Mineral and Vegetation Maps of the Bodie Hills, Sweetwater Mountains, and Wassuk Range, California/Nevada, Generated from ASTER Satellite Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rockwell, Barnaby W.

2010-01-01

Multispectral remote sensing data acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) were analyzed to identify and map minerals, vegetation groups, and volatiles (water and snow) in support of geologic studies of the Bodie Hills, Sweetwater Mountains, and Wassuk Range, California/Nevada. Digital mineral and vegetation mapping results are presented in both portable document format (PDF) and ERDAS Imagine format (.img). The ERDAS-format files are suitable for integration with other geospatial data in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) such as ArcGIS. The ERDAS files showing occurrence of 1) iron-bearing minerals, vegetation, and water, and 2) clay, sulfate, mica, carbonate, Mg-OH, and hydrous quartz minerals have been attributed according to identified material, so that the material detected in a pixel can be queried with the interactive attribute identification tools of GIS and image processing software packages (for example, the Identify Tool of ArcMap and the Inquire Cursor Tool of ERDAS Imagine). All raster data have been orthorectified to the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection using a projective transform with ground-control points selected from orthorectified Landsat Thematic Mapper data and a digital elevation model from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Elevation Dataset (1/3 arc second, 10 m resolution). Metadata compliant with Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standards for all ERDAS-format files have been included, and contain important information regarding geographic coordinate systems, attributes, and cross-references. Documentation regarding spectral analysis methodologies employed to make the maps is included in these cross-references.

Software for Generating Troposphere Corrections for InSAR Using GPS and Weather Model Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Angelyn W.; Webb, Frank H.; Fishbein, Evan F.; Fielding, Eric J.; Owen, Susan E.; Granger, Stephanie L.; Bjoerndahl, Fredrik; Loefgren, Johan; Fang, Peng; Means, James D.;

National aerial photography program as a geographic information system resource

USGS Publications Warehouse

Light, Donald L.

1991-01-01

The National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP) is jointly funded by Federal agencies and States that choose to participate in a 50-50 cost sharing cooperative arrangement. The NAPP is designed to acquire black-and-white (B&W) or color infrared (CIR) photography at a scale of 1:40,000. The status of NAPP flying, now going into the first year of its second 5-year cycle, is reviewed to inform the user community of NAPP's coverage. The resolution, geometric quality and flight parameters are used to estimate the system's cartographic potential to produce orthophotoquads, digital elevation models, topographic maps and digital information to meet national map accuracy standards at 1:12,000 and 1:24,000-scale and serve as a geographic information system resource. Also, a technique is presented to compute the optimum scanning spot size (15 ??m) and storage required for converting the B&W or CIR photography to digital, machine-readable pixel form. The resulting digital NAPP data are suitable for a wide variety of new applications, including use in geographic information systems.

Integrating disparate lidar datasets for a regional storm tide inundation analysis of Hurricane Katrina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoker, Jason M.; Tyler, Dean J.; Turnipseed, D. Phil; Van Wilson, K.; Oimoen, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Hurricane Katrina was one of the largest natural disasters in U.S. history. Due to the sheer size of the affected areas, an unprecedented regional analysis at very high resolution and accuracy was needed to properly quantify and understand the effects of the hurricane and the storm tide. Many disparate sources of lidar data were acquired and processed for varying environmental reasons by pre- and post-Katrina projects. The datasets were in several formats and projections and were processed to varying phases of completion, and as a result the task of producing a seamless digital elevation dataset required a high level of coordination, research, and revision. To create a seamless digital elevation dataset, many technical issues had to be resolved before producing the desired 1/9-arc-second (3meter) grid needed as the map base for projecting the Katrina peak storm tide throughout the affected coastal region. This report presents the methodology that was developed to construct seamless digital elevation datasets from multipurpose, multi-use, and disparate lidar datasets, and describes an easily accessible Web application for viewing the maximum storm tide caused by Hurricane Katrina in southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Holes in the ocean: Filling voids in bathymetric lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coleman, John B.; Yao, Xiaobai; Jordan, Thomas R.; Madden, Marguertie

2011-04-01

The mapping of coral reefs may be efficiently accomplished by the use of airborne laser bathymetry. However, there are often data holes within the bathymetry data which must be filled in order to produce a complete representation of the coral habitat. This study presents a method to fill these data holes through data merging and interpolation. The method first merges ancillary digital sounding data with airborne laser bathymetry data in order to populate data points in all areas but particularly those of data holes. What follows is to generate an elevation surface by spatial interpolation based on the merged data points obtained in the first step. We conduct a case study of the Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida and produced an enhanced digital elevation model in the ocean with this method. Four interpolation techniques, including Kriging, natural neighbor, spline, and inverse distance weighted, are implemented and evaluated on their ability to accurately and realistically represent the shallow-water bathymetry of the study area. The natural neighbor technique is found to be the most effective. Finally, this enhanced digital elevation model is used in conjunction with Ikonos imagery to produce a complete, three-dimensional visualization of the study area.

Hydrography change detection: the usefulness of surface channels derived From LiDAR DEMs for updating mapped hydrography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poppenga, Sandra K.; Gesch, Dean B.; Worstell, Bruce B.

2013-01-01

The 1:24,000-scale high-resolution National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) mapped hydrography flow lines require regular updating because land surface conditions that affect surface channel drainage change over time. Historically, NHD flow lines were created by digitizing surface water information from aerial photography and paper maps. Using these same methods to update nationwide NHD flow lines is costly and inefficient; furthermore, these methods result in hydrography that lacks the horizontal and vertical accuracy needed for fully integrated datasets useful for mapping and scientific investigations. Effective methods for improving mapped hydrography employ change detection analysis of surface channels derived from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation models (DEMs) and NHD flow lines. In this article, we describe the usefulness of surface channels derived from LiDAR DEMs for hydrography change detection to derive spatially accurate and time-relevant mapped hydrography. The methods employ analyses of horizontal and vertical differences between LiDAR-derived surface channels and NHD flow lines to define candidate locations of hydrography change. These methods alleviate the need to analyze and update the nationwide NHD for time relevant hydrography, and provide an avenue for updating the dataset where change has occurred.

Initial Everglades Depth Estimation Network (EDEN) Digital Elevation Model Research and Development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, John W.; Price, Susan D.

2007-01-01

Introduction The Everglades Depth Estimation Network (EDEN) offers a consistent and documented dataset that can be used to guide large-scale field operations, to integrate hydrologic and ecological responses, and to support biological and ecological assessments that measure ecosystem responses to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (Telis, 2006). To produce historic and near-real time maps of water depths, the EDEN requires a system-wide digital elevation model (DEM) of the ground surface. Accurate Everglades wetland ground surface elevation data were non-existent before the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) undertook the collection of highly accurate surface elevations at the regional scale. These form the foundation for EDEN DEM development. This development process is iterative as additional high accuracy elevation data (HAED) are collected, water surfacing algorithms improve, and additional ground-based ancillary data become available. Models are tested using withheld HAED and independently measured water depth data, and by using DEM data in EDEN adaptive management applications. Here the collection of HAED is briefly described before the approach to DEM development and the current EDEN DEM are detailed. Finally future research directions for continued model development, testing, and refinement are provided.

Conflation and integration of archived geologic maps and associated uncertainties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shoberg, Thomas G.

2016-01-01

Old, archived geologic maps are often available with little or no associated metadata. This creates special problems in terms of extracting their data to use with a modern database. This research focuses on some problems and uncertainties associated with conflating older geologic maps in regions where modern geologic maps are, as yet, non-existent as well as vertically integrating the conflated maps with layers of modern GIS data (in this case, The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey). Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri was chosen as the test area. It is covered by six archived geologic maps constructed in the years between 1928 and 1994. Conflating these maps results in a map that is internally consistent with these six maps, is digitally integrated with hydrography, elevation and orthoimagery data, and has a 95% confidence interval useful for further data set integration.

Microtopographic characterization of ice-wedge polygon landscape in Barrow, Alaska: a digital map of troughs, rims, centers derived from high resolution (0.25 m) LiDAR data

DOE Data Explorer

Gangodagamage, Chandana; Wullschleger, Stan

2014-07-03

The dataset represents microtopographic characterization of the ice-wedge polygon landscape in Barrow, Alaska. Three microtopographic features are delineated using 0.25 m high resolution digital elevation dataset derived from LiDAR. The troughs, rims, and centers are the three categories in this classification scheme. The polygon troughs are the surface expression of the ice-wedges that are in lower elevations than the interior polygon. The elevated shoulders of the polygon interior immediately adjacent to the polygon troughs are the polygon rims for the low center polygons. In case of high center polygons, these features are the topographic highs. In this classification scheme, both topographic highs and rims are considered as polygon rims. The next version of the dataset will include more refined classification scheme including separate classes for rims ad topographic highs. The interior part of the polygon just adjacent to the polygon rims are the polygon centers.

Automating the implementation of an equilibrium profile model for glacier reconstruction in a GIS environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frew, Craig R.; Pellitero, Ramón; Rea, Brice R.; Spagnolo, Matteo; Bakke, Jostein; Hughes, Philip D.; Ivy-Ochs, Susan; Lukas, Sven; Renssen, Hans; Ribolini, Adriano

2014-05-01

Reconstruction of glacier equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) associated with advance stages of former ice masses is widely used as a tool for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. This requires an accurate reconstruction of palaeo-glacier surface hypsometry, based on mapping of available ice-marginal landform evidence. Classically, the approach used to define ice-surface elevations, using such evidence, follows the 'cartographic method', whereby contours are estimated based on an 'understanding' of the typical surface form of contemporary ice masses. This method introduces inherent uncertainties in the palaeoclimatic interpretation of reconstructed ELAs, especially where the upper limits of glaciation are less well constrained and/or the age of such features in relation to terminal moraine sequences is unknown. An alternative approach is to use equilibrium profile models to define ice surface elevations. Such models are tuned, generally using basal shear stress, in order to generate an ice surface that reaches 'target elevations' defined by geomorphology. In areas where there are no geomorphological constraints for the former ice surface, the reconstruction is undertaken using glaciologiaclly representative values for basal shear stress. Numerical reconstructions have been shown to produce glaciologically "realistic" ice surface geometries, allowing for more objective and robust comparative studies at local to regional scales. User-friendly tools for the calculation of equilibrium profiles are presently available in the literature. Despite this, their use is not yet widespread, perhaps owing to the difficult and time consuming nature of acquiring the necessary inputs from contour maps or digital elevation models. Here we describe a tool for automatically reconstructing palaeo-glacier surface geometry using an equilibrium profile equation implemented in ArcGIS. The only necessary inputs for this tool are 1) a suitable digital elevation model and 2) mapped outlines of the former glacier terminus position (usually a frontal moraine system) and any relevant geomorphological constraints on ice surface elevation (e.g. lateral moraines, trimlines etc.). This provides a standardised method for glacier reconstruction that can be applied rapidly and systematically to large geomorphological datasets.

A multi-directional and multi-scale roughness filter to detect lineament segments on digital elevation models - analyzing spatial objects in R

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Sebastian; Robl, Jörg; Wendt, Lorenz; Willingshofer, Ernst; Hilberg, Sylke

2016-04-01

Automated lineament analysis on remotely sensed data requires two general process steps: The identification of neighboring pixels showing high contrast and the conversion of these domains into lines. The target output is the lineaments' position, extent and orientation. We developed a lineament extraction tool programmed in R using digital elevation models as input data to generate morphological lineaments defined as follows: A morphological lineament represents a zone of high relief roughness, whose length significantly exceeds the width. As relief roughness any deviation from a flat plane, defined by a roughness threshold, is considered. In our novel approach a multi-directional and multi-scale roughness filter uses moving windows of different neighborhood sizes to identify threshold limited rough domains on digital elevation models. Surface roughness is calculated as the vertical elevation difference between the center cell and the different orientated straight lines connecting two edge cells of a neighborhood, divided by the horizontal distance of the edge cells. Thus multiple roughness values depending on the neighborhood sizes and orientations of the edge connecting lines are generated for each cell and their maximum and minimum values are extracted. Thereby negative signs of the roughness parameter represent concave relief structures as valleys, positive signs convex relief structures as ridges. A threshold defines domains of high relief roughness. These domains are thinned to a representative point pattern by a 3x3 neighborhood filter, highlighting maximum and minimum roughness peaks, and representing the center points of lineament segments. The orientation and extent of the lineament segments are calculated within the roughness domains, generating a straight line segment in the direction of least roughness differences. We tested our algorithm on digital elevation models of multiple sources and scales and compared the results visually with shaded relief map of these digital elevation models. The lineament segments trace the relief structure to a great extent and the calculated roughness parameter represents the physical geometry of the digital elevation model. Modifying the threshold for the surface roughness value highlights different distinct relief structures. Also the neighborhood size at which lineament segments are detected correspond with the width of the surface structure and may be a useful additional parameter for further analysis. The discrimination of concave and convex relief structures perfectly matches with valleys and ridges of the surface.

Collapse susceptibility mapping in karstified gypsum terrain (Sivas basin - Turkey) by conditional probability, logistic regression, artificial neural network models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Isik; Keskin, Inan; Marschalko, Marian; Bednarik, Martin

2010-05-01

This study compares the GIS based collapse susceptibility mapping methods such as; conditional probability (CP), logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) applied in gypsum rock masses in Sivas basin (Turkey). Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was first constructed using GIS software. Collapse-related factors, directly or indirectly related to the causes of collapse occurrence, such as distance from faults, slope angle and aspect, topographical elevation, distance from drainage, topographic wetness index- TWI, stream power index- SPI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) by means of vegetation cover, distance from roads and settlements were used in the collapse susceptibility analyses. In the last stage of the analyses, collapse susceptibility maps were produced from CP, LR and ANN models, and they were then compared by means of their validations. Area Under Curve (AUC) values obtained from all three methodologies showed that the map obtained from ANN model looks like more accurate than the other models, and the results also showed that the artificial neural networks is a usefull tool in preparation of collapse susceptibility map and highly compatible with GIS operating features. Key words: Collapse; doline; susceptibility map; gypsum; GIS; conditional probability; logistic regression; artificial neural networks.

Intermediate-scale vegetation mapping of Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska using Landsat MSS digital data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Talbot, Stephen S.; Markon, Carl J.

1988-01-01

A Landsat-derived vegetation map was prepared for lnnoko National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge lies within the northern boreal subzone of northwestern central Alaska. Six major vegetation classes and 21 subclasses were recognized: forest (closed needleleaf, open needleleaf, needleleaf woodland, mixed, and broadleaf); broadleaf scrub (lowland, upland burn regeneration, subalpine); dwarf scrub (prostrate dwarf shrub tundra, erect dwarf shrub heath, dwarf shrub-graminoid peatland, dwarf shrub-graminoid tussock peatland, dwarf shrub raised bog with scattered trees, dwarf shrub-graminoid marsh); herbaceous (graminoid bog, graminoid marsh, graminoid tussock-dwarf shrub peatland); scarcely vegetated areas (scarcely vegetated scree and floodplain); and water (clear, sedimented). The methodology employed a cluster-block technique. Sample areas were described based on a combination of helicopter-ground survey, aerial photo-interpretation, and digital Landsat data. Major steps in the Landsat analysis involved preprocessing (geometric correction), derivation of statistical parameters for spectral classes, spectral class labeling of sample areas, preliminary classification of the entire study area using a maximum-likelihood algorithm, and final classification utilizing ancillary information such as digital elevation data. The final product is 1:250,000-scale vegetation map representative of distinctive regional patterns and suitable for use in comprehensive conservation planning.

Quantitative analysis of terrain units mapped in the northern quarter of Venus from Venera 15/16 data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaber, G. G.

1991-01-01

The contacts between 34 geological/geomorphic terrain units in the northern quarter of Venus mapped from Venera 15/16 data were digitized and converted to a Sinusoidal Equal-Area projection. The result was then registered with a merged Pioneer Venus/Venera 15/16 altimetric database, root mean square (rms) slope values, and radar reflectivity values derived from Pioneer Venus. The resulting information includes comparisons among individual terrain units and terrain groups to which they are assigned in regard to percentage of map area covered, elevation, rms slopes, distribution of suspected craters greater than 10 km in diameter.

Space Radar Image of Long Valley, California in 3-D

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-01

This three-dimensional perspective view of Long Valley, California was created from data taken by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar on board the space shuttle Endeavour. This image was constructed by overlaying a color composite SIR-C radar image on a digital elevation map. The digital elevation map was produced using radar interferometry, a process by which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle. The two data passes are compared to obtain elevation information. The interferometry data were acquired on April 13,1994 and on October 3, 1994, during the first and second flights of the SIR-C/X-SAR instrument. The color composite radar image was taken in October and was produced by assigning red to the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received) polarization; green to the C-band (vertically transmitted and received) polarization; and blue to the ratio of the two data sets. Blue areas in the image are smooth and yellow areas are rock outcrops with varying amounts of snow and vegetation. The view is looking north along the northeastern edge of the Long Valley caldera, a volcanic collapse feature created 750,000 years ago and the site of continued subsurface activity. Crowley Lake is the large dark feature in the foreground. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01769

Improved Digitization of Lunar Mare Ridges with LROC Derived Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowell, J. M.; Robinson, M. S.; Watters, T. R.; Bowman-Cisneros, E.; Enns, A. C.; Lawrence, S.

2011-12-01

Lunar wrinkle ridges (mare ridges) are positive-relief structures formed from compressional stress in basin-filling flood basalt deposits [1]. Previous workers have measured wrinkle ridge orientations and lengths to investigate their spatial distribution and infer basin-localized stress fields [2,3]. Although these plots include the most prominent mare ridges and their general trends, they may not have fully captured all of the ridges, particularly the smaller-scale ridges. Using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Wide Angle Camera (WAC) global mosaics and derived topography (100m pixel scale) [4], we systematically remapped wrinkle ridges in Mare Serenitatis. By comparing two WAC mosaics with different lighting geometry, and shaded relief maps made from a WAC digital elevation model (DEM) [5], we observed that some ridge segments and some smaller ridges are not visible in previous structure maps [2,3]. In the past, mapping efforts were limited by a fixed Sun direction [6,7]. For systematic mapping we created three shaded relief maps from the WAC DEM with solar azimuth angles of 0°, 45°, and 90°, and a fourth map was created by combining the three shaded reliefs into one, using a simple averaging scheme. Along with the original WAC mosaic and the WAC DEM, these four datasets were imported into ArcGIS, and the mare ridges of Imbrium, Serenitatis, and Tranquillitatis were digitized from each of the six maps. Since the mare ridges are often divided into many ridge segments [8], each major component was digitized separately, as opposed to the ridge as a whole. This strategy enhanced our ability to analyze the lengths, orientations, and abundances of these ridges. After the initial mapping was completed, the six products were viewed together to identify and resolve discrepancies in order to produce a final wrinkle ridge map. Comparing this new mare ridge map with past lunar tectonic maps, we found that many mare ridges were not recorded in the previous works. It was noted in some cases, the lengths and orientations of previously digitized ridges were different than those of the ridges digitized in this study. This method of multi-map digitizing allows for a greater accuracy in spatial characterization of mare ridges than previous methods. We intend to map mare ridges on a global scale, creating a more comprehensive ridge map due to higher resolution. References Cited: [1] Schultz P.H. (1976) Moon Morphology, 308. [2] Wilhelms D.E. (1987) USGS Prof. Paper 1348, 5A-B. [3] Carr, M.H. (1966) USGS Geologic Atlas of the Moon, I-498. [4] Robinson M.S. (2010) Space Sci. Rev., 150:82. [5] Scholten F. et al. (2011) LPSC XLII, 2046. [6] Fielder G. and Kiang T. (1962) The Observatory: No. 926, 8. [7] Watters T.R. and Konopliv A.S. (2001) Planetary and Space Sci. 49. 743-748. [8] Aubele J.C. (1988) LPSC XIX, 19.

Detailed geomorphological mapping from high resolution DEM data (LiDAR, TanDEM-X): two case studies from Germany and SE Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loibl, D.

2012-04-01

Two major obstacles are hampering the production of high resolution geomorphological maps: the complexity of the subject that should be depicted and the enormous efforts necessary to obtain data by field work. The first factor prevented the establishment of a generally accepted map legend; the second hampered efforts to collect comprehensive sets of geomorphological data. This left geomorphologists to produce applied maps, focusing on very few layers of information and often not sticking to any of the numerous standards proposed in the second half of the 20th century. Technological progress of the recent years, especially in the fields of digital elevation models, GIS environments, and computational hardware, today offers promising opportunities to overcome the obstacles and to produce detailed geomorphological maps even for remote or inhospitable regions. The feasibility of detailed geomorphological mapping from two new sets of digital elevation data, the 1 m LiDAR DTM provided by Germany's State Surveying Authority and the upcoming TanDEM-X DEM, has been evaluated in two case studies from a low mountain range in Germany and a high mountain range in SE Tibet. The results indicate that most layers of information of classical geomorphological maps (e.g. the German GMK) can be extracted from this data at appropriate scales but that significant differences occur concerning the quality and the grades of certainty of key contents. Generally, an enhancement of the geomorphographical, especially the geomorphometrical, and a weakening of geomorphogenetical contents was observed. From these findings, theoretical, methodological, and cartographical remarks on detailed geomorphological mapping from DEM data in GIS environments were educed. As GIS environments decouple data and design and enable the geomorphologist to choose information layer combinations freely to fit research topics, a general purpose legend becomes obsolete. Yet, a unified data structure is demanded to ensure that data collected by different scientists or in different studies can be exchanged and reused.

Assessing land leveling needs and performance with unmanned aerial system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enciso, Juan; Jung, Jinha; Chang, Anjin; Chavez, Jose Carlos; Yeom, Junho; Landivar, Juan; Cavazos, Gabriel

2018-01-01

Land leveling is the initial step for increasing irrigation efficiencies in surface irrigation systems. The objective of this paper was to evaluate potential utilization of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) equipped with a digital camera to map ground elevations of a grower's field and compare them with field measurements. A secondary objective was to use UAS data to obtain a digital terrain model before and after land leveling. UAS data were used to generate orthomosaic images and three-dimensional (3-D) point cloud data by applying the structure for motion algorithm to the images. Ground control points (GCPs) were established around the study area, and they were surveyed using a survey grade dual-frequency GPS unit for accurate georeferencing of the geospatial data products. A digital surface model (DSM) was then generated from the 3-D point cloud data before and after laser leveling to determine the topography before and after the leveling. The UAS-derived DSM was compared with terrain elevation measurements acquired from land surveying equipment for validation. Although 0.3% error or root mean square error of 0.11 m was observed between UAS derived and ground measured ground elevation data, the results indicated that UAS could be an efficient method for determining terrain elevation with an acceptable accuracy when there are no plants on the ground, and it can be used to assess the performance of a land leveling project.

Can Satellite Remote Sensing be Applied in Geological Mapping in Tropics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magiera, Janusz

2018-03-01

Remote sensing (RS) techniques are based on spectral data registered by RS scanners as energy reflected from the Earth's surface or emitted by it. In "geological" RS the reflectance (or emittence) should come from rock or sediment. The problem in tropical and subtropical areas is a dense vegetation. Spectral response from the rocks and sediments is gathered only from the gaps among the trees and shrubs. Images of high resolution are appreciated here, therefore. New generation of satellites and scanners (Digital Globe WV2, WV3 and WV4) yield imagery of spatial resolution of 2 m and up to 16 spectral bands (WV3). Images acquired by Landsat (TM, ETM+, OLI) and Sentinel 2 have good spectral resolution too (6-12 bands in visible and infrared) and, despite lower spatial resolution (10-60 m of pixel size) are useful in extracting lithological information too. Lithological RS map may reveal good precision (down to a single rock or outcrop of a meter size). Supplemented with the analysis of Digital Elevation Model and high resolution ortophotomaps (Google Maps, Bing etc.) allows for quick and cheap mapping of unsurveyed areas.

Development of an Integrated Hydrologic Modeling System for Rainfall-Runoff Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, B.; Piasecki, M.

2008-12-01

This paper aims to present the development of an integrated hydrological model which involves functionalities of digital watershed processing, online data retrieval, hydrologic simulation and post-event analysis. The proposed system is intended to work as a back end to the CUAHSI HIS cyberinfrastructure developments. As a first step into developing this system, a physics-based distributed hydrologic model PIHM (Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Model) is wrapped into OpenMI(Open Modeling Interface and Environment ) environment so as to seamlessly interact with OpenMI compliant meteorological models. The graphical user interface is being developed from the openGIS application called MapWindows which permits functionality expansion through the addition of plug-ins. . Modules required to set up through the GUI workboard include those for retrieving meteorological data from existing database or meteorological prediction models, obtaining geospatial data from the output of digital watershed processing, and importing initial condition and boundary condition. They are connected to the OpenMI compliant PIHM to simulate rainfall-runoff processes and includes a module for automatically displaying output after the simulation. Online databases are accessed through the WaterOneFlow web services, and the retrieved data are either stored in an observation database(OD) following the schema of Observation Data Model(ODM) in case for time series support, or a grid based storage facility which may be a format like netCDF or a grid-based-data database schema . Specific development steps include the creation of a bridge to overcome interoperability issue between PIHM and the ODM, as well as the embedding of TauDEM (Terrain Analysis Using Digital Elevation Models) into the model. This module is responsible for developing watershed and stream network using digital elevation models. Visualizing and editing geospatial data is achieved by the usage of MapWinGIS, an ActiveX control developed by MapWindow team. After applying to the practical watershed, the performance of the model can be tested by the post-event analysis module.

Extraction and Validation of Geomorphological Features from EU-DEM in The Vicinity of the Mygdonia Basin, Northern Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouratidis, Antonios; Karadimou, Georgia; Ampatzidis, Dimitrios

2017-12-01

The European Union Digital Elevation Model (EU-DEM) is a relatively new, hybrid elevation product, principally based on SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM data, but also on publically available Russian topographic maps for regions north of 60° N. More specifically, EU-DEM is a Digital Surface Model (DSM) over Europe from the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Reference Data Access (RDA) project - a realisation of the Copernicus (former GMES) programme, managed by the European Commission/DG Enterprise and Industry. Even if EU-DEM is indeed more reliable in terms of elevation accuracy than its constituents, it ought to be noted that it is not representative of the original elevation measurements, but is rather a secondary (mathematical) product. Therefore, for specific applications, such as those of geomorphological interest, artefacts may be induced. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the performance of EU-DEM for geomorphological applications and compare it against other available datasets, i.e. topographic maps and (almost) global DEMs such as SRTM, ASTER-GDEM and WorldDEM™. This initial investigation is carried out in Central Macedonia, Northern Greece, in the vicinity of the Mygdonia basin, which corresponds to an area of particular interest for several geoscience applications. This area has also been serving as a test site for the systematic validation of DEMs for more than a decade. Consequently, extensive elevation datasets and experience have been accumulated over the years, rendering the evaluation of new elevation products a coherent and useful exercise on a local to regional scale. In this context, relief classification, drainage basin delineation, slope and slope aspect, as well as extraction and classification of drainage network are performed and validated among the aforementioned elevation sources. The achieved results focus on qualitative and quantitative aspects of automatic geomorphological feature extraction from EU-DEM at a water basin level, with the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

Analysis of elevation changes detected from multi-temporal LiDAR surveys in forested landslide terrain in western Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, W.J.; Coe, J.A.; Kaya, B.S.; Ma, Liwang

2010-01-01

We examined elevation changes detected from two successive sets of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data in the northern Coast Range of Oregon. The first set of LiDAR data was acquired during leafon conditions and the second set during leaf-off conditions. We were able to successfully identify and map active landslides using a differential digital elevation model (DEM) created from the two LiDAR data sets, but this required the use of thresholds (0.50 and 0.75 m) to remove noise from the differential elevation data, visual pattern recognition of landslideinduced elevation changes, and supplemental QuickBird satellite imagery. After mapping, we field-verified 88 percent of the landslides that we had mapped with high confidence, but we could not detect active landslides with elevation changes of less than 0.50 m. Volumetric calculations showed that a total of about 18,100 m3 of material was missing from landslide areas, probably as a result of systematic negative elevation errors in the differential DEM and as a result of removal of material by erosion and transport. We also examined the accuracies of 285 leaf-off LiDAR elevations at four landslide sites using Global Positioning System and total station surveys. A comparison of LiDAR and survey data indicated an overall root mean square error of 0.50 m, a maximum error of 2.21 m, and a systematic error of 0.09 m. LiDAR ground-point densities were lowest in areas with young conifer forests and deciduous vegetation, which resulted in extensive interpolations of elevations in the leaf-on, bare-earth DEM. For optimal use of multi-temporal LiDAR data in forested areas, we recommend that all data sets be flown during leaf-off seasons.

Modelling of Singapore's topographic transformation based on DEMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Belle, Iris; Hassler, Uta

2015-02-01

Singapore's topography has been heavily transformed by industrialization and urbanization processes. To investigate topographic changes and evaluate soil mass flows, historical topographic maps of 1924 and 2012 were employed, and basic topographic features were vectorized. Digital elevation models (DEMs) for the two years were reconstructed based on vector features. Corresponding slope maps, a surface difference map and a scatter plot of elevation changes were generated and used to quantify and categorize the nature of the topographic transformation. The surface difference map is aggregated into five main categories of changes: (1) areas without significant height changes, (2) lowered-down areas where hill ranges were cut down, (3) raised-up areas where valleys and swamps were filled in, (4) reclaimed areas from the sea, and (5) new water-covered areas. Considering spatial proximity and configurations of different types of changes, topographic transformation can be differentiated as either creating inland flat areas or reclaiming new land from the sea. Typical topographic changes are discussed in the context of Singapore's urbanization processes. The two slope maps and elevation histograms show that generally, the topographic surface of Singapore has become flatter and lower since 1924. More than 89% of height changes have happened within a range of 20 m and 95% have been below 40 m. Because of differences in land surveying and map drawing methods, uncertainties and inaccuracies inherent in the 1924 topographic maps are discussed in detail. In this work, a modified version of a traditional scatter plot is used to present height transformation patterns intuitively. This method of deriving categorical maps of topographical changes from a surface difference map can be used in similar studies to qualitatively interpret transformation. Slope maps and histograms were also used jointly to reveal additional patterns of topographic change.

St. Louis Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project - December 2008-June 2009 Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, R.A.; Bauer, R.A.; Boyd, O.S.; Chung, J.; Cramer, C.H.; Gaunt, D.A.; Hempen, G.L.; Hoffman, D.; McCallister, N.S.; Prewett, J.L.; Rogers, J.D.; Steckel, P.J.; Watkins, C.M.

2009-01-01

This report summarizes the mission, the project background, the participants, and the progress of the St. Louis Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project (SLAEHMP) for the period from December 2008 through June 2009. During this period, the SLAEHMP held five conference calls and two face-to-face meetings in St. Louis, participated in several earthquake awareness public meetings, held one outreach field trip for the business and government community, collected and compiled new borehole and digital elevation data from partners, and published a project summary.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems For CryoSat-2 Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crocker, Roger Ian; Maslanik, James A.

2011-02-01

A suite of sensors has been assembled to map surface elevation with fine-resolution from small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The sensor package consists of a light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) instrument, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a GPS module, and digital still and video cameras. It has been utilized to map ice sheet topography in Greenland and to measure sea ice freeboard and roughness in Fram Strait. Data collected during these campaigns illustrate its potential to compliment ongoing CryoSat-2 (CS-2) calibration and validation efforts.

A method to generate surface UV radiation maps over Europe using GOME, Meteosat, and ancillary geophysical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdebout, Jean

2000-02-01

This paper presents a method for generating surface ultraviolet (UV) radiation maps over Europe, with a spatial resolution of 0.05°, and potentially on a half-hour basis. The UV irradiance is obtained by interpolation in a look-up table (LUT), the entries of which are solar zenith angle, total column ozone amount, cloud liquid water thickness, near-surface horizontal visibility, surface elevation, and UV albedo. Both satellite (Meteosat, GOME) and nonsatellite (synoptic observations, meteorological model results, digital elevation model) data are exploited to assign values to the influencing factors. With the help of another LUT simulating the visible signal, Meteosat data are processed to retrieve the cloud liquid water thickness. The radiative transfer calculations are performed with the UVspec code. A preliminary step consists in generating an effective surface Meteosat albedo map from a series of 10 consecutive days. In this process the well-known difficulty of distinguishing clouds from snow-covered surfaces is encountered. An attempt is made to partially resolve the ambiguity by using the Meteosat infrared channel and modeled snow cover data. After additional empirical cloud filtering, the effective albedo map is used as a baseline to estimate the cloud liquid water thickness. The UV surface albedo is assigned uniform values for land and sea/ocean, except in the presence of snow. In this case it is given a value proportional to the Meteosat effective albedo. The total column ozone is extracted from the level 3 GOME products. The aerosol optical thickness is mapped by gridding the daily measurements performed by ˜1000 ground stations. The digital elevation model is the GTOPO30 data set from the U.S. Geological Survey. European wide UV dose rate maps are presented for one day in April 1997, and the influence of the various factors is illustrated. A daily integrated dose map was also generated using 27 Meteosat acquisitions at half-hour intervals on the same day. The dose map produced in this way takes into account the evolution of the cloud field and is thought to be more accurate than if it were estimated from one data take, in particular at the relatively high spatial resolution of the product. Finally, a preliminary comparison of modeled dose rate and daily dose with measurements performed with a ground instrument is discussed.

Vertical Accuracy Assessment of ZY-3 Digital Surface Model Using Icesat/glas Laser Altimeter Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, G.; Tang, X.; Yuan, X.; Zhou, P.; Hu, F.

2017-05-01

The Ziyuan-3 (ZY-3) satellite, as the first civilian high resolution surveying and mapping satellite in China, has a very important role in national 1 : 50,000 stereo mapping project. High accuracy digital surface Model (DSMs) can be generated from the three line-array images of ZY-3, and ZY-3 DSMs of China can be produced without using any ground control points (GCPs) by selecting SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) and ICESat/GLAS (Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite, Geo-science Laser Altimeter System) as the datum reference in the Satellite Surveying and Mapping Application Center, which is the key institute that manages and distributes ZY-3 products. To conduct the vertical accuracy evaluation of ZY-3 DSMs of China, three representative regions were chosen and the results were compared to ICESat/GLAS data. The experimental results demonstrated that the root mean square error (RMSE) elevation accuracy of the ZY-3 DSMs was better than 5.0 m, and it even reached to less than 2.5 m in the second region of eastern China. While this work presents preliminary results, it is an important reference for expanding the application of ZY-3 satellite imagery to widespread regions. And the satellite laser altimetry data can be used as referenced data for wide-area DSM evaluation.

Identifying opportune landing sites in degraded visual environments with terrain and cultural databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, Marc; Fisher, Robert; Little, J. Kristin

2014-06-01

Boeing has developed a degraded visual environment navigational aid that is flying on the Boeing AH-6 light attack helicopter. The navigational aid is a two dimensional software digital map underlay generated by the Boeing™ Geospatial Embedded Mapping Software (GEMS) and fully integrated with the operational flight program. The page format on the aircraft's multi function displays (MFD) is termed the Approach page. The existing work utilizes Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics capabilities to compute the pertinent graphics underlay entirely on the graphics processor unit (GPU) within the AH-6 mission computer. The next release will incorporate cultural databases containing Digital Vertical Obstructions (DVO) to warn the crew of towers, buildings, and power lines when choosing an opportune landing site. Future IRAD will include Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) point cloud generating sensors to provide 2D and 3D synthetic vision on the final approach to the landing zone. Collision detection with respect to terrain, cultural, and point cloud datasets may be used to further augment the crew warning system. The techniques for creating the digital map underlay leverage the GPU almost entirely, making this solution viable on most embedded mission computing systems with an OpenGL ES 2.0 capable GPU. This paper focuses on the AH-6 crew interface process for determining a landing zone and flying the aircraft to it.

Improving fieldwork by using GIS for quantitative exploration, data management and digital mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, Wouter; Alberti, Koko; van de Grint, Liesbeth; Karssenberg, Derek

2016-04-01

Fieldwork is an essential part of teaching geosciences. The essence of a fieldwork is to study natural phenomena in its proper context. Fieldworks dominantly utilize a learning-by-experiencing learning style and are often light on abstract thinking skills. We introduce more of the latter skills to a first-year fieldwork of several weeks by using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). We use simple techniques as the involved students had no prior experience with GIS. In our project, we introduced new tutorials prior to the fieldwork where students explored their research area using aerial photos, satellite images, an elevation model and slope-map using Google Earth and QGIS. The goal of these tutorials was to get acquainted with the area, plan the first steps of the fieldwork, and formulate hypotheses in form of a preliminary map based on quantitative data. During the actual fieldwork, half of the students processed and managed their field data using GIS, used elevation data as additional data source, and made digital geomorphological maps. This was in contrast to the other half of the students that used classic techniques with paper maps. We evaluated the learning benefits by two questionnaires (one before and one after the fieldwork), and a group interview with students that used GIS in the field. Students liked the use of Google Earth and GIS, and many indicate the added value of using quantitative maps. The hypotheses and fieldwork plans of the students were quickly superseded by insights during the fieldwork itself, but making these plans and hypotheses in advance improved the student's ability to perform empirical research. Students were very positive towards the use of GIS for their fieldwork, mainly because they experienced it as a modern and relevant technique for research and the labour market. Tech-savvy students were extra motivated and explored additional methods. There were some minor technical difficulties with using GIS during the fieldwork, but these can be solved by focussing the preparatory tutorials on what to expect during the fieldwork. We did not observe a significant difference in the quality of the products created by students between both groups since both digital and classic maps show a large range of aesthetic and scientific quality. To conclude, we had a positive experience with our first attempt to add GIS components to a classic fieldwork. The main benefit is that students use quantitative data which provides a different view on the fieldwork area and triggers abstract thinking. Future plans include using the student's field data in a web-gis app to allow easy remote supervision and using digital maps in the field.

Progress in the Scandia Region Geologic Map of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.; Rodriguez, J. A. P.

2010-01-01

We are in the second year of a four year project to produce a geologic map of the Scandia region of Mars at 1:3,000,000 scale for publication in the USGS Scientific Investigations Map series. The primary objective of the map is to analyze and reconstruct the resurfacing history of this region in much greater detail than achieved by the previous northern plainswide mapping effort. This region includes (1) a broad swath of the Vastitas Borealis plains that includes various Scandia landforms and the Phoenix lander site; (2) part of the margin of the north polar plateau, Planum Boreum; and (3) the northern margin of the immense Alba Mons volcanic shield. We rely mostly on Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) digital elevation models, Thermal Emission Imaging Spectrometer infrared and visual range, and Context Camera images for mapping and topographic analysis.

SRTM Data Release for Eurasia, Index Map and Colored Height

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-22

inal Caption Released with Image: The colored regions of this map show the extent of digital elevation data recently released by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This release includes data for most of Europe and Asia plus numerous islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. SRTM flew on board the Space Shuttle Endeavour in February 2000 and used an interferometric radar system to map the topography of Earth's landmass between latitudes 56 degrees south and 60 degrees north. The data were processed into geographic "tiles," each of which represents one by one degree of latitude and longitude. A degree of latitude measures 111 kilometers (69 miles) north-south, and a degree of longitude measures 111 kilometers or less east-west, decreasing away from the equator. The data are being released to the public on a continent-by-continent basis. This Eurasia segment includes 5,940 tiles, more than a third of the total data set. Previous releases covered North America and South America. Forthcoming releases will include Africa-Arabia and Australia plus an "Islands" release for those islands not included in the continental releases. Together these data releases constitute the world's first high-resolution, near-global elevation model. The resolution of the publicly released data is three arcseconds (1/1,200 of a degree of latitude and longitude), which is about 90 meters (295 feet). European coverage in the current data release stretches eastward from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west, across the Alps and Carpathian Mountains, as well as the Northern European Plain, to the Ural and Caucasus Mountains bordering Asia. The Asian coverage includes a great diversity of landforms, including the Tibetan Plateau, Tarin Basin, Mongolian Plateau, and the mountains surrounding Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake. Mt. Everest in the Himalayas, at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) is the world's highest mountain. From India's Deccan Plateau, to Southeast Asia, coastal China, and Korea, various landforms place constraints upon land use planning for a great population. Volcanoes in the East Indies, the Philippines, Japan, and the Kamchatka Peninsula form the western part of the "Ring of Fire" around the Pacific Ocean. Many of these regions were previously very poorly mapped due to persistent cloud cover or the inaccessibility of the terrain. Digital elevation data, such as provided by SRTM, are particularly in high demand by scientists studying earthquakes, volcanism, and erosion patterns for use in mapping and modeling hazards to human habitation. But the shape of Earth's surface affects nearly every natural process and human endeavor that occurs there, so elevation data are used in a wide range of applications. In this index map color-coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. The large, very dark green feature in western Asia is the Caspian Sea, which is below sea level. Blue areas on the map represent water within the mapped tiles, each of which includes shorelines or islands. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03398

Topography changes monitoring of small islands using camera drone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bang, E.

2017-12-01

Drone aerial photogrammetry was conducted for monitoring topography changes of small islands in the east sea of Korea. Severe weather and sea wave is eroding the islands and sometimes cause landslide and falling rock. Due to rugged cliffs in all direction and bad accessibility, ground based survey methods are less efficient in monitoring topography changes of the whole area. Camera drones can provide digital images and movie in every corner of the islands, and drone aerial photogrammetry is powerful to get precise digital surface model (DSM) for a limited area. We have got a set of digital images to construct a textured 3D model of the project area every year since 2014. Flight height is in less than 100m from the top of those islands to get enough ground sampling distance (GSD). Most images were vertically captured with automatic flights, but we also flied drones around the islands with about 30°-45° camera angle for constructing 3D model better. Every digital image has geo-reference, but we set several ground control points (GCPs) on the islands and their coordinates were measured with RTK surveying methods to increase the absolute accuracy of the project. We constructed 3D textured model using photogrammetry tool, which generates 3D spatial information from digital images. From the polygonal model, we could get DSM with contour lines. Thematic maps such as hill shade relief map, aspect map and slope map were also processed. Those maps make us understand topography condition of the project area better. The purpose of this project is monitoring topography change of these small islands. Elevation difference map between DSMs of each year is constructed. There are two regions showing big negative difference value. By comparing constructed textured models and captured digital images around these regions, it is checked that a region have experienced real topography change. It is due to huge rock fall near the center of the east island. The size of fallen rock can be measured on the digital model exactly, which is about 13m*6m*2m (height*width*thickness). We believe that drone aerial photogrammetry can be an efficient topography changes detection method for a complicated terrain area.

Integration of orthophotographic and sidescan sonar imagery: an example from Lake Garda, Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gentili, Giuseppe; Twichell, David C.; Schwab, Bill

1996-01-01

Digital orthophotos of Lake Garda basin area are available at the scale of up to 1:10,000 from a 1994 high altitude (average scale of 1:75,000) air photo coverage of Italy collected with an RC30 camera and Panatomic film. In October 1994 the lake bed was surveyed by USGS and CISIG personnel using a SIS 1000 Sea-Floor Mapping System. Subsystems of the SIS-1000 include high resolution sidescan sonar and sub-bottom profiler. The sidescan imagery was collected in ranges up to 1500m, while preserving a 50cm pixel resolution. The system was navigated using differential GPS. The extended operational range of the sidescan sonar permitted surveying the 370km lake area in 11 days. Data were compiled into a digital image with a pixel resolution of about 2m and stored as 12 gigabytes in exabyte 8mm tape and converted from WGS84 coordinate system to the European Datum (ED50) and integrated with bathymetric data digitized from maps.The digital bathymetric model was generated by interpolation using commercial software and was merged with the land elevation model to obtain a digital elevation model of the Lake Garda basin.The sidescan image data was also projected in the same coordinate system and seamed with the digital orthophoto of the land to produce a continuous image of the basin as if the water were removed. Some perspective scenes were generated by combining elevation and bathymetric data with basin and lake floor images. In deep water the lake's thermal structure created problems with the imagery indicating that winter or spring is best survey period. In shallow waters, ≤ 10 m, where data are missing, the bottom data gap can be filled with available images from the first few channels of the Daedalus built MIVIS, a 102 channel hyperspectral scanner with 20 channel bands of 0.020 μm width, operating in the visible part of the spectrum. By integrating orthophotos with sidescan imagery we can see how the basin morphology extends across the lake, the paths taken by the lake inlet along the lake bed and the areal distribution of sediments. An extensive exposure of debris aprons were noted on the western side of the lake. Various anthropogenic objects were recognized: pipelines, sites of waste disposal on the lake's bed, and relicts of Venitian and Austrian(?) boats.

Reconstruction of time-varying tidal flat topography using optical remote sensing imageries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Kuo-Hsin; Kuo, Chung-Yen; Lin, Tang-Huang; Huang, Zhi-Cheng; Lin, Yu-Ching; Liao, Wen-Hung; Chen, Chi-Farn

2017-09-01

Tidal flats (TFs) occupy approximately 7% of the total coastal shelf areas worldwide. However, TFs are unavailable in most global digital elevation models (DEMs) due to water-impermeable nature of existing remote sensing approaches (e.g., radar used for WorldDEM™ and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM and optical stereo-pairs used for ASTER Global Digital Elevation Map Version 2). However, this problem can be circumvented using remote sensing imageries to observe land exposure at different tidal heights during each revisit. This work exploits Landsat-4/-5/-7/-8 Thematic Mapper (TM)/Enhanced TM Plus/Operational Land Imager imageries to reconstruct topography of a TF, namely, Hsiang-Shan Wetland in Taiwan, to unveil its formation and temporal changes since the 1980s. We first classify water areas by applying modified normalized difference water index to each Landsat image and normalize chances of water exposure to create an inundation probability map. This map is then scaled by tidal amplitudes extracted from DTU10 tide model to convert the probabilities into actual elevations. After building DEM at intertidal zone, a water level-area curve is established, and accuracy of DEM is validated by sea level (SL) at the timing of each Landsat snapshot. A 22-year (1992-2013) dataset composed of 227 Landsat scenes are analyzed and compared with tide gauge data. Root-mean-square differences of SL reaches 48 cm with a correlation coefficient of 0.93, indicating that the present technique is useful for constructing accurate coastal DEMs, and that products can be utilized for estimating instant SL. This study shows the possibility of exploring evolution of intertidal zones using an archive of optical remote sensing imageries. The technique developed in the present study potentially helps in quantifying SL from the start of optical remote sensing era.

Digital Shaded-Relief Image of Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riehle, J.R.; Fleming, Michael D.; Molnia, B.F.; Dover, J.H.; Kelley, J.S.; Miller, M.L.; Nokleberg, W.J.; Plafker, George; Till, A.B.

1997-01-01

Introduction One of the most spectacular physiographic images of the conterminous United States, and the first to have been produced digitally, is that by Thelin and Pike (USGS I-2206, 1991). The image is remarkable for its crispness of detail and for the natural appearance of the artificial land surface. Our goal has been to produce a shaded-relief image of Alaska that has the same look and feel as the Thelin and Pike image. The Alaskan image could have been produced at the same scale as its lower 48 counterpart (1:3,500,000). But by insetting the Aleutian Islands into the Gulf of Alaska, we were able to print the Alaska map at a larger scale (1:2,500,000) and about the same physical size as the Thelin and Pike image. Benefits of the 1:2,500,000 scale are (1) greater resolution of topographic features and (2) ease of reference to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (1987) Alaska Map E and the statewide geologic map (Beikman, 1980), which are both 1:2,500,000 scale. Manually drawn, shaded-relief images of Alaska's land surface have long been available (for example, Department of the Interior, 1909; Raisz, 1948). The topography depicted on these early maps is mainly schematic. Maps showing topographic contours were first available for the entire State in 1953 (USGS, 1:250,000) (J.H. Wittmann, USGS, written commun., 1996). The Alaska Map E was initially released in 1954 in both planimetric (revised in 1973 and 1987) and shaded-relief versions (revised in 1973, 1987, and 1996); topography depicted on the shaded-relief version is based on the 1:250,000-scale USGS topographic maps. Alaska Map E was later modified to include hypsometric tinting by Raven Maps and Images (1989, revised 1993) as copyrighted versions. Other shaded-relief images were produced for The National Geographic Magazine (LaGorce, 1956; 1:3,000,000) or drawn by Harrison (1970; 1:7,500,000) for The National Atlas of the United States. Recently, the State of Alaska digitally produced a shaded-relief image of Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale (Alaska Department of Natural Resources, 1994), using the 1,000-m digital elevation data set referred to below. An important difference between our image and these previous ones is the method of reproduction: like the Thelin and Pike (1991) image, our image is a composite of halftone images that yields sharp resolution and preserves contrast. Indeed, the first impression of many viewers is that the Alaskan image and the Thelin and Pike image are composites of satellite-generated photographs rather than an artificial rendering of a digital elevation model. A shaded-relief image represents landforms in a natural fashion; that is, a viewer perceives the image as a rendering of reality. Thus a shaded-relief image is intrinsically appealing, especially in areas of spectacular relief. In addition, even subtle physiographic features that reflect geologic structures or the type of bedrock are visible. To our knowledge, some of these Alaskan features have not been depicted before and so the image should provide earth scientists with a new 'look' at fundamental geologic features of Alaska.

Space Radar Image of Owens Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Owens Valley, near the town of Bishop, California that was created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry. Visualizations like this one are helpful to scientists because they clarify the relationships of the different types of surfaces detected by the radar and the shapes of the topographic features such as mountains and valleys. The view is looking southeast along the eastern edge of Owens Valley. The White Mountains are in the center of the image, and the Inyo Mountains loom in the background. The high peaks of the White Mountains rise more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above the valley floor. The runways of the Bishop airport are visible at the right edge of the image. The meandering course of the Owens River and its tributaries appear light blue on the valley floor. Blue areas in the image are smooth, yellow areas are rock outcrops, and brown areas near the mountains are deposits of boulders, gravel and sand known as alluvial fans. The image was constructed by overlaying a color composite radar image on top of a digital elevation map. The radar data were taken by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on board the space shuttle Endeavour in October 1994. The digital elevation map was produced using radar interferometry, a process in which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle. The two data passes are compared to obtain elevation information. The elevation data were derived from a 1,500-km-long (930-mile) digital topographic map processed at JPL. Radar image data are draped over the topography to provide the color with the following assignments: red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; and blue is the ratio of C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received to L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. This image is centered near 37.4 degrees north latitude and 118.3 degrees west longitude. No vertical exaggeration factor has been applied to the data. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

Topographic soil wetness index derived from combined Alaska-British Columbia datasets for the Gulf of Alaska region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amore, D. V.; Biles, F. E.

2016-12-01

The flow of water is often highlighted as a priority in land management planning and assessments related to climate change. Improved measurement and modeling of soil moisture is required to develop predictive estimates for plant distributions, soil moisture, and snowpack, which all play important roles in ecosystem planning in the face of climate change. Drainage indexes are commonly derived from GIS tools with digital elevation models. Soil moisture classes derived from these tools are useful digital proxies for ecosystem functions associated with the concentration of water on the landscape. We developed a spatially explicit topographically derived soil wetness index (TWI) across the perhumid coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) of Alaska and British Columbia. Developing applicable drainage indexes in complex terrain and across broad areas required careful application of the appropriate DEM, caution with artifacts in GIS covers and mapping realistic zones of wetlands with the indicator. The large spatial extent of the model has facilitated the mapping of forest habitat and the development of water table depth mapping in the region. A key element of the TWI is the merging of elevation datasets across the US-Canada border where major rivers transect the international boundary. The unified TWI allows for seemless mapping across the international border and unified ecological applications. A python program combined with the unified DEM allows end users to quickly apply the TWI to all areas of the PCTR. This common platform can facilitate model comparison and improvements to local soil moisture conditions, generation of streamflow, and ecological site conditions. In this presentation we highlight the application of the TWI for mapping risk factors related to forest decline and the development of a regional water table depth map. Improved soil moisture maps are critical for deriving spatial models of changes in soil moisture for both plant growth and streamflow across future climate conditions.

Flood-plain areas of the Mississippi River, mile 866.8 to mile 888.0, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, George H.; Gue, Lowell C.

1980-01-01

Profiles of the regional flood, 500-year flood, and flood-protection elevation have been developed for a 21-mile reach of the Mississippi River. Areas flooded by the regional flood and by the 500-year flood were delineated by photogrammetric mapping techniques and are shown on seven large-scale map sheets. Over 1,300 acres of flood plain are included in the cities of Anoka, Champlin, Coon Rapids, Dayton, Ramsey and Elk River, and in unincorporated areas of Wright County. The flood-outline maps and flood profiles comprise data needed by local units of government to adopt, enforce, and administer flood-plain management regulations along the Mississippi River throughout the study reach. Streamflow data from two gaging stations provided the basis for definition of the regional and 500-year floods. Cross-section data obtained at 83 locations were used to develop a digital computer model of the river. Flood elevation and discharge data from the 1965 flood provided a basis for adjusting the computer model. Information relating the history of floods, formation of ice jams, and duration of flood elevations at Anoka and at Elk River are included.

The integrated analyses of digital field mapping techniques and traditional field methods: implications from the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone, SW Turkey as a case-study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elitez, İrem; Yaltırak, Cenk; Zabcı, Cengiz; Şahin, Murat

2015-04-01

The precise geological mapping is one of the most important issues in geological studies. Documenting the spatial distribution of geological bodies and their contacts play a crucial role on interpreting the tectonic evolution of any region. Although the traditional field techniques are still accepted to be the most fundamental tools in construction of geological maps, we suggest that the integration of digital technologies to the classical methods significantly increases the resolution and the quality of such products. We simply follow the following steps in integration of the digital data with the traditional field observations. First, we create the digital elevation model (DEM) of the region of interest by interpolating the digital contours of 1:25000 scale topographic maps to 10 m of ground pixel resolution. The non-commercial Google Earth satellite imagery and geological maps of previous studies are draped over the interpolated DEMs in the second stage. The integration of all spatial data is done by using the market leading GIS software, ESRI ArcGIS. We make the preliminary interpretation of major structures as tectonic lineaments and stratigraphic contacts. These preliminary maps are controlled and precisely coordinated during the field studies by using mobile tablets and/or phablets with GPS receivers. The same devices are also used in measuring and recording the geologic structures of the study region. Finally, all digitally collected measurements and observations are added to the GIS database and we finalise our geological map with all available information. We applied this integrated method to map the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone (BFSZ) in the southwest Turkey. The BFSZ is an active sinistral 60-to-90 km-wide shear zone, which prolongs about 300 km-long between Suhut-Cay in the northeast and Köyceğiz Lake-Kalkan in the southwest on land. The numerous studies suggest contradictory models not only about the evolution but also about the fault geometry of this wide deformation zone. In our study, we have mapped this complicated region since 2008 by using the data and the steps, which are described briefly above. After our joint-analyses, we show that there is no continuous single and narrow fault, the Burdur-Fethiye Fault, as it was previously suggested by many researches. Instead, the whole region is deformed under the oblique-sinistral shearing with considerable amount of extension, which causes a counterclockwise rotation within the zone.

The geometric signature: Quantifying landslide-terrain types from digital elevation models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pike, R.J.

1988-01-01

Topography of various types and scales can be fingerprinted by computer analysis of altitude matrices (digital elevation models, or DEMs). The critical analytic tool is the geometric signature, a set of measures that describes topographic form well enough to distinguish among geomorphically disparate landscapes. Different surficial processes create topography with diagnostic forms that are recognizable in the field. The geometric signature abstracts those forms from contour maps or their DEMs and expresses them numerically. This multivariate characterization enables once-in-tractable problems to be addressed. The measures that constitute a geometric signature express different but complementary attributes of topographic form. Most parameters used here are statistical estimates of central tendency and dispersion for five major categories of terrain geometry; altitude, altitude variance spectrum, slope between slope reversals, and slope and its curvature at fixed slope lengths. As an experimental application of geometric signatures, two mapped terrain types associated with different processes of shallow landsliding in Marin County, California, were distinguished consistently by a 17-variable description of topography from 21??21 DEMs (30-m grid spacing). The small matrix is a statistical window that can be used to scan large DEMs by computer, thus potentially automating the mapping of contrasting terrain types. The two types in Marin County host either (1) slow slides: earth flows and slump-earth flows, or (2) rapid flows: debris avalanches and debris flows. The signature approach should adapt to terrain taxonomy and mapping in other areas, where conditions differ from those in Central California. ?? 1988 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

Method for Enhancing a Three Dimensional Image from a Plurality of Frames of Flash LIDAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bulyshev, Alexander (Inventor); Vanek, Michael D. (Inventor); Amzajerdian, Farzin (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A method for enhancing a three dimensional image from frames of flash LIDAR data includes generating a first distance R(sub i) from a first detector i to a first point on a surface S(sub i). After defining a map with a mesh theta having cells k, a first array S(k), a second array M(k), and a third array D(k) are initialized. The first array corresponds to the surface, the second array corresponds to the elevation map, and the third array D(k) receives an output for the DEM. The surface is projected onto the mesh theta, so that a second distance R(sub k) from a second point on the mesh theta to the detector can be found. From this, a height may be calculated, which permits the generation of a digital elevation map. Also, using sequential frames of flash LIDAR data, vehicle control is possible using an offset between successive frames.

Real Time Monitoring of Flooding from Microwave Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galantowicz, John F.; Frey, Herb (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We have developed a new method for making high-resolution flood extent maps (e.g., at the 30-100 m scale of digital elevation models) in real-time from low-resolution (20-70 km) passive microwave observations. The method builds a "flood-potential" database from elevations and historic flood imagery and uses it to create a flood-extent map consistent with the observed open water fraction. Microwave radiometric measurements are useful for flood monitoring because they sense surface water in clear-or-cloudy conditions and can provide more timely data (e.g., compared to radars) from relatively wide swath widths and an increasing number of available platforms (DMSP, ADEOS-II, Terra, NPOESS, GPM). The chief disadvantages for flood mapping are the radiometers' low resolution and the need for local calibration of the relationship between radiances and open-water fraction. We present our method for transforming microwave sensor-scale open water fraction estimates into high-resolution flood extent maps and describe 30-day flood map sequences generated during a retrospective study of the 1993 Great Midwest Flood. We discuss the method's potential improvement through as yet unimplemented algorithm enhancements and expected advancements in microwave radiometry (e.g., improved resolution and atmospheric correction).

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3568, Polekhomri (503) and Charikar (504) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3468, Chak Wardak Syahgerd (509) and Kabul (510) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3464, Shahrak (411) and Kasi (412) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3570, Tagab-E-Munjan (505) and Asmar-Kamdesh (506) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3564, Chahriaq (Joand) (405) and Gurziwan (406) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3364, Pasa-Band (417) and Kejran (418) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3366, Gizab (513) and Nawer (514) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3462, Herat (409) and Chesht-Sharif (410) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3262, Farah (421) and Hokumat-E-Pur-Chaman (422) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3362, Shin-Dand (415) and Tulak (416) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3670, Jam-Kashem (223) and Zebak (224) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3466, Lal-Sarjangal (507) and Bamyan (508) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3566, Sang-Charak (501) and Sayghan-O-Kamard (502) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3164, Lashkargah (605) and Kandahar (606) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3162, Chakhansur (603) and Kotalak (604) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3166, Jaldak (701) and Maruf-Nawa (702) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3266, Ourzgan (519) and Moqur (520) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3264, Nawzad-Musa-Qala (423) and Dehrawat (424) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Surface elevation change on ice caps in the Qaanaaq region, northwestern Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Jun; Sugiyama, Shin; Tsutaki, Shun; Sawagaki, Takanobu

2016-09-01

A large number of glaciers and ice caps (GICs) are distributed along the Greenland coast, physically separated from the ice sheet. The total area of these GICs accounts for 5% of Greenland's ice cover. Melt water input from the GICs to the ocean substantially contributed to sea-level rise over the last century. Here, we report surface elevation changes of six ice caps near Qaanaaq (77°28‧N, 69°13‧W) in northwestern Greenland based on photogrammetric analysis of stereo pair satellite images. We processed the images with a digital map plotting instrument to generate digital elevation models (DEMs) in 2006 and 2010 with a grid resolution of 500 m. Generated DEMs were compared to measure surface elevation changes between 2006 and 2010. Over the study area of the six ice caps, covering 1215 km2, the mean rate of elevation change was -1.1 ± 0.1 m a-1. This rate is significantly greater than that previously reported for the 2003-2008 period (-0.6 ± 0.1 m a-1) for GICs all of northwestern Greenland. This increased mass loss is consistent with the rise in summer temperatures in this region at a rate of 0.12 °C a-1 for the 1997-2013 period.

Scientific visualization of glacier changes for public communication: the example of Findelengletscher, Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastner, Philipp; Jörg, Philipp Claudio; Huss, Matthias; Zemp, Michael

2013-04-01

The melting of glaciers and ice caps has been recognized as one of the best natural indicators for global climate change. In Switzerland, the early onset of both glacier research and detailed mapping of the country resulted in a wealth of historical material documenting glacier changes over the past 160 years. Fife years ago, the Universities of Zurich and Fribourg, along with the Swiss energy utility Axpo, launched the Glacier Laserscanning Experiment Obervallis (GLAXPO). In this project three laserscanning flights were performed on Findelengletscher in order to create high resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM). These DEM provide a precise mapping of the glacier surface topography and serve as reference surface for the co-registration of past DEMs computed from digitized historical maps. In addition to that distributed numerical glacier models were run with ensembles of climate change scenarios in order to calculate glacier changes over the 21st century. The present work makes use of this great data pool for a scientifically correct visualization of 3-dimensional changes of Findelengletscher from AD 1850 to 2100 for public communication. We therefore collected ten different historical maps with the earliest dating from 1862 (plane survey sheet of the Dufour map). The pre-processing included georeferencing and digitalization of contour lines for the creation of different historical DEMs. Afterwards all historical DEMs were co-registered to one of the latest high resolution laserscanning DEM (from 2005). In between years with available DEMs, surface changes were interpolated linearly to create a sequence for the computer animation. For future developments, modeled glacier elevation changes where added/subtracted from the latest DEM (from 2010). Finally, two animations, showing glacier changes from 1850-2010 and 2010-2100, were composed and rendered in the animation program Visual Nature Studio 3. In cooperation with professional booth and model builders, these animations were set up as a glacier exhibit including an interactive touchscreen, a large panoramic view of the Findelen Valley, and an additional interactive monitor providing related background information in French and German. Beginning of 2013, the glacier exhibit was launched as permanent part of the Axporama visitor center and ready for more than 10,000 public visitors a year.

New generation of integrated geological-geomorphological reconstruction maps in the Rhine-Meuse delta, The Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierik, Harm Jan; Cohen, Kim; Stouthamer, Esther

2016-04-01

Geological-geomorphological reconstructions are important for integrating diverse types of data and improving understanding of landscape formation processes. This works especially well in densely populated Holocene landscapes, where large quantities of raw data are produced by geotechnical, archaeological, soil science and hydrological communities as well as in academic research. The Rhine-Meuse delta, The Netherlands, has a long tradition of integrated digital reconstruction maps and databases. This contributed to improve understanding of delta evolution, especially regarding the channel belt network evolution. In this contribution, we present a new generation of digital map products for the Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta. Our reconstructions expand existing channel belt network maps, with new map layers containing natural levee extent and relative elevation. The maps we present have been based on hundreds of thousands of lithological borehole descriptions, >1000 radiocarbon dates, and further integrate LIDAR data, soil maps and archaeological information. For selected time slices through the Late Holocene, the map products describe the patterns of levee distribution. Additionally, we mapped the palaeo-topography of the levees through the delta, aiming to resolve what parts of the overbank river landscape were the relatively low and high positioned areas in the past landscape. The resulting palaeogeographical maps are integrative products created for a very data-rich research area. They will allow for delta-wide analysis in studying changes in the Late Holocene landscape and the interaction with past habitation.

Generation of 2D Land Cover Maps for Urban Areas Using Decision Tree Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höhle, J.

2014-09-01

A 2D land cover map can automatically and efficiently be generated from high-resolution multispectral aerial images. First, a digital surface model is produced and each cell of the elevation model is then supplemented with attributes. A decision tree classification is applied to extract map objects like buildings, roads, grassland, trees, hedges, and walls from such an "intelligent" point cloud. The decision tree is derived from training areas which borders are digitized on top of a false-colour orthoimage. The produced 2D land cover map with six classes is then subsequently refined by using image analysis techniques. The proposed methodology is described step by step. The classification, assessment, and refinement is carried out by the open source software "R"; the generation of the dense and accurate digital surface model by the "Match-T DSM" program of the Trimble Company. A practical example of a 2D land cover map generation is carried out. Images of a multispectral medium-format aerial camera covering an urban area in Switzerland are used. The assessment of the produced land cover map is based on class-wise stratified sampling where reference values of samples are determined by means of stereo-observations of false-colour stereopairs. The stratified statistical assessment of the produced land cover map with six classes and based on 91 points per class reveals a high thematic accuracy for classes "building" (99 %, 95 % CI: 95 %-100 %) and "road and parking lot" (90 %, 95 % CI: 83 %-95 %). Some other accuracy measures (overall accuracy, kappa value) and their 95 % confidence intervals are derived as well. The proposed methodology has a high potential for automation and fast processing and may be applied to other scenes and sensors.

Earthquakes and faults in southern California (1970-2010)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Calzia, James P.; Walter, Stephen R.

2012-01-01

The map depicts both active and inactive faults and earthquakes magnitude 1.5 to 7.3 in southern California (1970–2010). The bathymetry was generated from digital files from the California Department of Fish And Game, Marine Region, Coastal Bathymetry Project. Elevation data are from the U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Database. Landsat satellite image is from fourteen Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper scenes collected between 2009 and 2010. Fault data are reproduced with permission from 2006 California Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey data. The earthquake data are from the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center.

An automated mapping satellite system ( Mapsat).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colvocoresses, A.P.

1982-01-01

The favorable environment of space permits a satellite to orbit the Earth with very high stability as long as no local perturbing forces are involved. Solid-state linear-array sensors have no moving parts and create no perturbing force on the satellite. Digital data from highly stabilized stereo linear arrays are amenable to simplified processing to produce both planimetric imagery and elevation data. A satellite imaging system, called Mapsat, including this concept has been proposed to produce data from which automated mapping in near real time can be accomplished. Image maps as large as 1:50 000 scale with contours as close as a 20-m interval may be produced from Mapsat data. -from Author

CD-ROM publication of the Mars digital cartographic data base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batson, R. M.; Eliason, E. M.; Soderblom, L. A.; Edwards, Kathleen; Wu, Sherman S. C.

1991-01-01

The recently completed Mars mosaicked digital image model (MDIM) and the soon-to-be-completed Mars digital terrain model (DTM) are being transcribed to optical disks to simplify distribution to planetary investigators. These models, completed in FY 1991, provide a cartographic base to which all existing Mars data can be registered. The digital image map of Mars is a cartographic extension of a set of compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) volumes containing individual Viking Orbiter images now being released. The data in these volumes are pristine in the sense that they were processed only to the extent required to view them as images. They contain the artifacts and the radiometric, geometric, and photometric characteristics of the raw data transmitted by the spacecraft. This new set of volumes, on the other hand, contains cartographic compilations made by processing the raw images to reduce radiometric and geometric distortions and to form geodetically controlled MDIM's. It also contains digitized versions of an airbrushed map of Mars as well as a listing of all feature names approved by the International Astronomical Union. In addition, special geodetic and photogrammetric processing has been performed to derive rasters of topographic data, or DTM's. The latter have a format similar to that of MDIM, except that elevation values are used in the array instead of image brightness values. The set consists of seven volumes: (1) Vastitas Borealis Region of Mars; (2) Xanthe Terra of Mars; (3) Amazonis Planitia Region of Mars; (4) Elysium Planitia Region of Mars; (5) Arabia Terra of Mars; (6) Planum Australe Region of Mars; and (7) a digital topographic map of Mars.

EarthExplorer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houska, Treva

2012-01-01

The EarthExplorer trifold provides basic information for on-line access to remotely-sensed data from the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center archive. The EarthExplorer (http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/) client/server interface allows users to search and download aerial photography, satellite data, elevation data, land-cover products, and digitized maps. Minimum computer system requirements and customer service contact information also are included in the brochure.

Flood-inundation maps for the Yellow River at Plymouth, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Menke, Chad D.; Bunch, Aubrey R.; Kim, Moon H.

2016-11-16

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 4.9-mile reach of the Yellow River at Plymouth, Indiana (Ind.), were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 05516500, Yellow River at Plymouth, Ind. Current conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv?site_no=05516500. In addition, information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS AHPS forecasts flood hydrographs at many sites that are often collocated with USGS streamgages, including the Yellow River at Plymouth, Ind. NWS AHPS-forecast peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood and forecasts of flood hydrographs at this site.For this study, flood profiles were computed for the Yellow River reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the current stage-discharge relations at the Yellow River streamgage, in combination with the flood-insurance study for Marshall County (issued in 2011). The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine eight water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to the highest stage of the current stage-discharge rating curve. The 1-percent annual exceedance probability flood profile elevation (flood elevation with recurrence intervals within 100 years) is within the calibrated water-surface elevations for comparison. The simulated water-surface profiles were then used with a geographic information system (GIS) digital elevation model (DEM, derived from Light Detection and Ranging [lidar]) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level.The availability of these maps, along with Internet information regarding current stage from the USGS streamgage 05516500, Yellow River at Plymouth, Ind., and forecast stream stages from the NWS AHPS, provides emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for postflood recovery efforts.

Field-based Digital Mapping of the November 3, 2002 Susitna Glacier Fault Rupture - Integrating remotely sensed data, GIS, and photo-linking technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staft, L. A.; Craw, P. A.

2003-12-01

In July 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) conducted field studies on the Susitna Glacier Fault (SGF), which ruptured on November 2002 during the M 7.9 Denali fault earthquake. The DGGS assumed responsibility for Geographic Information System (GIS) and data management, integrating remotely sensed imagery, GPS data, GIS, and photo-linking software to aid in planning and documentation of fieldwork. Pre-field preparation included acquisition of over 150, 1:6,000-scale true-color aerial photographs taken shortly after the SGF rupture, 1:63,360-scale color-infrared (CIR) 1980 aerial photographs, and digital geographic information including a 15-minute Digital Elevation Model (DEM), 1:63,360-scale Digital Raster Graphics (DRG), and LandSat 7 satellite imagery. Using Orthomapper software, we orthorectified and mosaiced seven CIRs, creating a georeferenced, digital photo base of the study area. We used this base to reference the 1:6,000-scale aerial photography, to view locations of field sites downloaded from GPS, and to locate linked digital photographs that were taken in the field. Photos were linked using GPS-Photo Link software which "links" digital photographs to GPS data by correlating time stamps from the GPS track log or waypoint file to those of the digital photos, using the correlated point data to create a photo location ESRI shape file. When this file is opened in ArcMap or ArcView with the GPS-Photo Link utility enabled, a thumbnail image of the linked photo appears when the cursor is over the photo location. Viewing photographed features and scarp-profile locations in GIS allowed us to evaluate data coverage of the rupture daily. Using remotely sensed imagery in the field with GIS gave us the versatility to display data on a variety of bases, including topographic maps, air photos, and satellite imagery, during fieldwork. In the field, we downloaded, processed, and reviewed data as it was collected, taking major steps toward final digital map production. Using the described techniques greatly enhanced our ability to analyze and interpret field data; the resulting digital data structure allows us to efficiently gather, disseminate, and archive critical field data.

1-Meter Digital Elevation Model specification

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arundel, Samantha T.; Archuleta, Christy-Ann M.; Phillips, Lori A.; Roche, Brittany L.; Constance, Eric W.

2015-10-21

In January 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center began producing the 1-Meter Digital Elevation Model data product. This new product was developed to provide high resolution bare-earth digital elevation models from light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data and other elevation data collected over the conterminous United States (lower 48 States), Hawaii, and potentially Alaska and the U.S. territories. The 1-Meter Digital Elevation Model consists of hydroflattened, topographic bare-earth raster digital elevation models, with a 1-meter x 1-meter cell size, and is available in 10,000-meter x 10,000-meter square blocks with a 6-meter overlap. This report details the specifications required for the production of the 1-Meter Digital Elevation Model.

Multispectral Remote Sensing of the Earth and Environment Using KHawk Unmanned Aircraft Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gowravaram, Saket

This thesis focuses on the development and testing of the KHawk multispectral remote sensing system for environmental and agricultural applications. KHawk Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), a small and low-cost remote sensing platform, is used as the test bed for aerial video acquisition. An efficient image geotagging and photogrammetric procedure for aerial map generation is described, followed by a comprehensive error analysis on the generated maps. The developed procedure is also used for generation of multispectral aerial maps including red, near infrared (NIR) and colored infrared (CIR) maps. A robust Normalized Difference Vegetation index (NDVI) calibration procedure is proposed and validated by ground tests and KHawk flight test. Finally, the generated aerial maps and their corresponding Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are used for typical application scenarios including prescribed fire monitoring, initial fire line estimation, and tree health monitoring.

The Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography Interferometer (GLISTIN): A Novel Ka-band Digitally Beamformed Interferometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moller, Delwyn K.; Heavey, Brandon; Hodges, Richard; Rengarajan, Sembiam; Rignot, Eric; Rogez, Francois; Sadowy, Gregory; Simard, Marc; Zawadzki, Mark

2006-01-01

The estimation of the mass balance of ice sheets and glaciers on Earth is a problem of considerable scientific and societal importance. A key measurement to understanding, monitoring and forecasting these changes is ice-surface topography, both for ice-sheet and glacial regions. As such NASA identified 'ice topographic mapping instruments capable of providing precise elevation and detailed imagery data for measurements on glacial scales for detailed monitoring of ice sheet, and glacier changes' as a science priority for the most recent Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) opportunities. Funded under this opportunity is the technological development for a Ka-Band (35GHz) single-pass digitally beamformed interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). Unique to this concept is the ability to map a significant swath impervious of cloud cover with measurement accuracies comparable to laser altimeters but with variable resolution as appropriate to the differing scales-of-interest over ice-sheets and glaciers.

Digital Topographic Mapping in Urban Obstructed Environment Based on Multi-GNSS Network RTK Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qiuying; Zhao, Tonglong; Zhang, Chao; Wu, Xuxiang

2017-10-01

Digital topographic mapping experiments were carried out based on network RTK technology using GPS/BEIDOU/GLONASS multi-constellation compatible GNSS receivers in urban obstructed environment. Operation scheme and technique flow were discussed. Experimental results show that the horizontal position and elevation of the points measured by RTK can reach 2cm and 3cm precision level respectively in open environment. RTK initialization time needs about 3-5s. While in obstructed environment, such as high building and tree shanding, the RTK initialization time needs about dozens of seconds or tens of seconds, and sometimes floating solutions or even differential solutions were obtained. The impact of dense and tall building on RTK measurement is more seriously. It is more likely to get RTK fixed solution in the south side of high building than the north side of the building.

Creation of digital contours that approach the characteristics of cartographic contours

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tyler, Dean J.; Greenlee, Susan K.

2012-01-01

The capability to easily create digital contours using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software has existed for decades. Out-of-the-box raw contours are suitable for many scientific applications without pre- or post-processing; however, cartographic applications typically require additional improvements. For example, raw contours generally require smoothing before placement on a map. Cartographic contours must also conform to certain spatial/logical rules; for example, contours may not cross waterbodies. The objective was to create contours that match as closely as possible the cartographic contours produced by manual methods on the 1:24,000-scale, 7.5-minute Topographic Map series. This report outlines the basic approach, describes a variety of problems that were encountered, and discusses solutions. Many of the challenges described herein were the result of imperfect input raster elevation data and the requirement to have the contours integrated with hydrographic features from the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD).

Wildland inventory and resource modeling for Douglas and Carson City Counties, Nevada, using LANDSAT and digital terrain data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brass, J. A.; Likens, W. C.; Thornhill, R. R.

1983-01-01

The potential of using LANDSAT satellite imagery to map and inventory pinyon-juniper desert forest types in Douglas and Carson City Counties, Nevada was demonstrated. Specific map and statistical products produced include land cover, mechanical operations capability, big game winter range habitat, fire hazard, and forest harvestability. The Nevada Division of Forestry determined that LANDSAT can produce a reliable and low-cost resource data. Added benefits become apparent when the data are linked to a geographical information system (GIS) containing existing ownership, planning, elevation, slope, and aspect information.

Geologic map of the Jasper Quadrangle, Newton and Boone counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, M.R.; Murray, K.E.; Pezzutti, Deborah

2001-01-01

This digital geologic map compilation presents new polygon (i.e., geologic map unit contacts), line (i.e., fault, fold axis, and structure contour), and point (i.e., structural attitude, contact elevations) vector data for the Jasper 7 1/2' quadrangle in northern Arkansas. The map database, which is at 1:24,000-scale resolution, provides geologic coverage of an area of current hydrogeologic, tectonic, and stratigraphic interest. The Jasper quadrangle is located in northern Newton and southern Boone Counties about 20 km south of the town of Harrison. The map area is underlain by sedimentary rocks of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age that were mildly deformed by a series of normal and strike-slip faults and folds. The area is representative of the stratigraphic and structural setting of the southern Ozark Dome. The Jasper quadrangle map provides new geologic information for better understanding groundwater flow paths in and adjacent to the Buffalo River watershed.

Geologic map of the Hasty Quadrangle, Boone and Newton Counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Murray, Kyle E.

2004-01-01

This digital geologic map compilation presents new polygon (for example, geologic map unit contacts), line (for example, fault, fold axis, and structure contour), and point (for example, structural attitude, contact elevations) vector data for the Hasty 7.5-minute quadrangle in northern Arkansas. The map database, which is at 1:24,000-scale resolution, provides geologic coverage of an area of current hydrogeologic, tectonic, and stratigraphic interest. The Hasty quadrangle is located in northern Newton and southern Boone Counties about 20 km south of the town of Harrison. The map area is underlain by sedimentary rocks of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age that were mildly deformed by a series of normal and strike-slip faults and folds. The area is representative of the stratigraphic and structural setting of the southern Ozark Dome. The Hasty quadrangle map provides new geologic information for better understanding groundwater flow paths in and adjacent to the Buffalo River watershed.

The methods of geomorphometry and digital soil mapping for assessing spatial variability in the properties of agrogray soils on a slope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopp, N. V.; Nechaeva, T. V.; Savenkov, O. A.; Smirnova, N. V.; Smirnov, V. V.

2017-01-01

The relationships between the morphometric parameters (MPs) of topography calculated on the basis of digital elevation model (ASTER GDEM, 30 m) and the properties of the plow layer of agrogray soils on a slope were analyzed. The contribution of MPs to the spatial variability of the soil moisture reached 42%; to the content of physical clay (<0.01 mm particles), 59%; to the humus content, 46%; to the total nitrogen content, 31%; to the content of nitrate nitrogen, 28%; to the content of mobile phosphorus, 40%; to the content of exchangeable potassium, 45%; to the content of exchangeable calcium, 67%; to the content of exchangeable magnesium, 40%; and to the soil pH, 42%. A comparative analysis of the plow layer within the eluvial and transitional parts of the slope was performed with the use of geomorphometric methods and digital soil mapping. The regression analysis showed statistically significant correlations between the properties of the plow layer and the MPs describing surface runoff, geometric forms of surface, and the soil temperature regime.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer in east-central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Marvin M.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

Nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer in east-central Oklahoma. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is an important source of water that underlies about 2,320-square miles of parts of Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Creek, Lincoln, Okfuskee, and Seminole Counties. Approximately 75 percent of the water withdrawn from the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is for municipal use. Rural domestic use and water for stock animals account for most of the remaining water withdrawn. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is defined in a ground-water report as consisting principally of the rocks of the Late Pennsylvanian-age Vamoosa Formation and overlying Ada Group. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer consists of a complex sequence of fine- to very fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, shale, and conglomerate interbedded with very thin limestones. The water-yielding capabilities of the aquifer are generally controlled by lateral and vertical distribution of the sandstone beds and their physical characteristics. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is unconfined where it outcrops in about an 1,700-square-mile area. Most of the lines in the aquifer boundary, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were extracted from published digital surficial geology data sets based on a scale of 1:250,000, and represent geologic contacts. Some of lines in the data sets were interpolated in areas where the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits near streams and rivers. These data sets include only the outcrop area of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer and where the aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits. The hydraulic conductivity value and recharge rate are from a ground-water report about the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer. The water-level elevation contours were digitized from a mylar map, at a scale of 1:250,000, used to publish a plate in a ground-water report about the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer. The water-level elevation contours in this data set extend west of the aquifer outcrop area to areas where Vanoss Group rocks overlie the Ada Group. The data set also includes a water-level elevation contour for a terrace deposit east of the aquifer outcrop near the North Canadian River.

Topographic correction realization based on the CBERS-02B image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Hui-ping; Yi, Wei-ning; Fang, Yong-hua

2011-08-01

The special topography of mountain terrain will induce the retrieval distortion in same species and surface spectral lines. In order to improve the research accuracy of topographic surface characteristic, many researchers have focused on topographic correction. Topographic correction methods can be statistical-empirical model or physical model, in which the methods based on the digital elevation model data are most popular. Restricted by spatial resolution, previous model mostly corrected topographic effect based on Landsat TM image, whose spatial resolution is 30 meter that can be easily achieved from internet or calculated from digital map. Some researchers have also done topographic correction based on high spatial resolution images, such as Quickbird and Ikonos, but there is little correlative research on the topographic correction of CBERS-02B image. In this study, liao-ning mountain terrain was taken as the objective. The digital elevation model data was interpolated to 2.36 meter by 15 meter original digital elevation model one meter by one meter. The C correction, SCS+C correction, Minnaert correction and Ekstrand-r were executed to correct the topographic effect. Then the corrected results were achieved and compared. The images corrected with C correction, SCS+C correction, Minnaert correction and Ekstrand-r were compared, and the scatter diagrams between image digital number and cosine of solar incidence angel with respect to surface normal were shown. The mean value, standard variance, slope of scatter diagram, and separation factor were statistically calculated. The analysed result shows that the shadow is weakened in corrected images than the original images, and the three-dimensional affect is removed. The absolute slope of fitting lines in scatter diagram is minished. Minnaert correction method has the most effective result. These demonstrate that the former correction methods can be successfully adapted to CBERS-02B images. The DEM data can be interpolated step by step to get the corresponding spatial resolution approximately for the condition that high spatial resolution elevation data is hard to get.

Object-based landslide mapping on satellite images from different sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hölbling, Daniel; Friedl, Barbara; Eisank, Clemens; Blaschke, Thomas

2015-04-01

Several studies have proven that object-based image analysis (OBIA) is a suitable approach for landslide mapping using remote sensing data. Mostly, optical satellite images are utilized in combination with digital elevation models (DEMs) for semi-automated mapping. The ability of considering spectral, spatial, morphometric and contextual features in OBIA constitutes a significant advantage over pixel-based methods, especially when analysing non-uniform natural phenomena such as landslides. However, many of the existing knowledge-based OBIA approaches for landslide mapping are rather complex and are tailored to specific data sets. These restraints lead to a lack of transferability of OBIA mapping routines. The objective of this study is to develop an object-based approach for landslide mapping that is robust against changing input data with different resolutions, i.e. optical satellite imagery from various sensors. Two study sites in Taiwan were selected for developing and testing the landslide mapping approach. One site is located around the Baolai village in the Huaguoshan catchment in the southern-central part of the island, the other one is a sub-area of the Taimali watershed in Taitung County near the south-eastern Pacific coast. Both areas are regularly affected by severe landslides and debris flows. A range of very high resolution (VHR) optical satellite images was used for the object-based mapping of landslides and for testing the transferability across different sensors and resolutions: (I) SPOT-5, (II) Formosat-2, (III) QuickBird, and (IV) WorldView-2. Additionally, a digital elevation model (DEM) with 5 m spatial resolution and its derived products (e.g. slope, plan curvature) were used for supporting the semi-automated mapping, particularly for differentiating source areas and accumulation areas according to their morphometric characteristics. A focus was put on the identification of comparatively stable parameters (e.g. relative indices), which could be transferred to the different satellite images. The presence of bare ground was assumed to be an evidence for the occurrence of landslides. For separating vegetated from non-vegetated areas the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was primarily used. Each image was divided into two respective parts based on an automatically calculated NDVI threshold value in eCognition (Trimble) software by combining the homogeneity criterion of multiresolution segmentation and histogram-based methods, so that heterogeneity is increased to a maximum. Expert knowledge models, which depict features and thresholds that are usually used by experts for digital landslide mapping, were considered for refining the classification. The results were compared to the respective results from visual image interpretation (i.e. manually digitized reference polygons for each image), which were produced by an independent local expert. By that, the spatial overlaps as well as under- and over-estimated areas were identified and the performance of the approach in relation to each sensor was evaluated. The presented method can complement traditional manual mapping efforts. Moreover, it contributes to current developments for increasing the transferability of semi-automated OBIA approaches and for improving the efficiency of change detection approaches across multi-sensor imagery.

Uncertainty Assessment and Weight Map Generation for Efficient Fusion of Tandem-X and CARTOSAT-1 Dems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagheri, H.; Schmitt, M.; Zhu, X. X.

2017-05-01

Recently, with InSAR data provided by the German TanDEM-X mission, a new global, high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) has been produced by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) with unprecedented height accuracy. However, due to SAR-inherent sensor specifics, its quality decreases over urban areas, making additional improvement necessary. On the other hand, DEMs derived from optical remote sensing imagery, such as Cartosat-1 data, have an apparently greater resolution in urban areas, making their fusion with TanDEM-X elevation data a promising perspective. The objective of this paper is two-fold: First, the height accuracies of TanDEM-X and Cartosat-1 elevation data over different land types are empirically evaluated in order to analyze the potential of TanDEM-XCartosat- 1 DEM data fusion. After the quality assessment, urban DEM fusion using weighted averaging is investigated. In this experiment, both weight maps derived from the height error maps delivered with the DEM data, as well as more sophisticated weight maps predicted by a procedure based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) are compared. The ANN framework employs several features that can describe the height residual performance to predict the weights used in the subsequent fusion step. The results demonstrate that especially the ANN-based framework is able to improve the quality of the final DEM through data fusion.

Comparison of Surface Flow Features from Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Models with Historical Elevation and Hydrography Data for Minnehaha County, South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poppenga, Sandra K.; Worstell, Bruce B.; Stoker, Jason M.; Greenlee, Susan K.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has taken the lead in the creation of a valuable remote sensing product by incorporating digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) into the National Elevation Dataset (NED), the elevation layer of 'The National Map'. High-resolution lidar-derived DEMs provide the accuracy needed to systematically quantify and fully integrate surface flow including flow direction, flow accumulation, sinks, slope, and a dense drainage network. In 2008, 1-meter resolution lidar data were acquired in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The acquisition was a collaborative effort between Minnehaha County, the city of Sioux Falls, and the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. With the newly acquired lidar data, USGS scientists generated high-resolution DEMs and surface flow features. This report compares lidar-derived surface flow features in Minnehaha County to 30- and 10-meter elevation data previously incorporated in the NED and ancillary hydrography datasets. Surface flow features generated from lidar-derived DEMs are consistently integrated with elevation and are important in understanding surface-water movement to better detect surface-water runoff, flood inundation, and erosion. Many topographic and hydrologic applications will benefit from the increased availability of accurate, high-quality, and high-resolution surface-water data. The remotely sensed data provide topographic information and data integration capabilities needed for meeting current and future human and environmental needs.

Bathymetry and digital elevation models of Coyote Creek and Alviso Slough, South San Francisco Bay, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foxgrover, Amy C.; Finlayson, David P.; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Fregoso, Theresa A.

2012-01-05

In 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center completed three cruises to map the bathymetry of the main channel and shallow intertidal mudflats in the southernmost part of south San Francisco Bay. The three surveys were merged to generate comprehensive maps of Coyote Creek (from Calaveras Point east to the railroad bridge) and Alviso Slough (from the bay to the town of Alviso) to establish baseline bathymetry prior to the breaching of levees adjacent to Alviso and Guadalupe Sloughs as part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (http://www.southbayrestoration.org). Since 2010 the USGS has conducted twelve additional surveys to monitor bathymetric change in this region as restoration progresses.The bathymetry surveys were conducted using the state-of-the-art research vessel R/V Parke Snavely outfitted with an interferometric sidescan sonar for swath mapping in extremely shallow water. This publication provides high-resolution bathymetric data collected by the USGS. For the 2010 baseline survey we have merged the bathymetry with aerial lidar data that were collected for the USGS during the same time period to create a seamless, high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area. The series of bathymetry datasets are provided at 1 m resolution and the 2010 bathymetric/topographic DEM at 2 m resolution. The data are formatted as both X, Y, Z text files and ESRI Arc ASCII files that are accompanied by Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant metadata.

Two models for evaluating landslide hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, J.C.; Chung, C.-J.; Ohlmacher, G.C.

2006-01-01

Two alternative procedures for estimating landslide hazards were evaluated using data on topographic digital elevation models (DEMs) and bedrock lithologies in an area adjacent to the Missouri River in Atchison County, Kansas, USA. The two procedures are based on the likelihood ratio model but utilize different assumptions. The empirical likelihood ratio model is based on non-parametric empirical univariate frequency distribution functions under an assumption of conditional independence while the multivariate logistic discriminant model assumes that likelihood ratios can be expressed in terms of logistic functions. The relative hazards of occurrence of landslides were estimated by an empirical likelihood ratio model and by multivariate logistic discriminant analysis. Predictor variables consisted of grids containing topographic elevations, slope angles, and slope aspects calculated from a 30-m DEM. An integer grid of coded bedrock lithologies taken from digitized geologic maps was also used as a predictor variable. Both statistical models yield relative estimates in the form of the proportion of total map area predicted to already contain or to be the site of future landslides. The stabilities of estimates were checked by cross-validation of results from random subsamples, using each of the two procedures. Cell-by-cell comparisons of hazard maps made by the two models show that the two sets of estimates are virtually identical. This suggests that the empirical likelihood ratio and the logistic discriminant analysis models are robust with respect to the conditional independent assumption and the logistic function assumption, respectively, and that either model can be used successfully to evaluate landslide hazards. ?? 2006.

The comparative evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery for resource inventory in land use planning. [Oregon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonson, G. H. (Principal Investigator); Paine, D. P.; Lawrence, R. D.; Pyott, W. T.; Herzog, J. H.; Murray, R. J.; Norgren, J. A.; Cornwell, J. A.; Rogers, R. A.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Multidiscipline team interpretation and mapping of resources for Crook County is nearly complete on 1:250,000 scale enlargements of ERTS-1 imagery. Maps of geology, landforms, soils and vegetation-land use are being interpreted to show limitations, suitabilities and geologic hazards for land use planning. Mapping of lineaments and structures from ERTS-1 imagery has shown a number of features not previously mapped in Oregon. A timber inventory of Ochoco National Forest has been made. Inventory of forest clear-cutting practices has been successfully demonstrated with ERTS-1 color composites. Soil tonal differences in fallow fields shown on ERTS-1 correspond with major soil boundaries in loess-mantled terrain. A digital classification system used for discriminating natural vegetation and geologic materials classes has been successful in separation of most major classes around Newberry Cauldera, Mt. Washington and Big Summit Prairie. Computer routines are available for correction of scanner data variations; and for matching scales and coordinates between digital and photographic imagery. Methods of Diazo film color printing of computer classifications and elevation-slope perspective plots with computer are being developed.

Landsat-faciliated vegetation classification of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent areas, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Talbot, S. S.; Shasby, M.B.; Bailey, T.N.

1985-01-01

A Landsat-based vegetation map was prepared for Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent lands, 2 million and 2.5 million acres respectively. The refuge lies within the middle boreal sub zone of south central Alaska. Seven major classes and sixteen subclasses were recognized: forest (closed needleleaf, needleleaf woodland, mixed); deciduous scrub (lowland and montane, subalpine); dwarf scrub (dwarf shrub tundra, lichen tundra, dwarf shrub and lichen tundra, dwarf shrub peatland, string bog/wetlands); herbaceous (graminoid meadows and marshes); scarcely vegetated areas ; water (clear, moderately turbid, highly turbid); and glaciers. The methodology employed a cluster-block technique. Sample areas were described based on a combination of helicopter-ground survey, aerial photo interpretation, and digital Landsat data. Major steps in the Landsat analysis involved: preprocessing (geometric connection), spectral class labeling of sample areas, derivation of statistical parameters for spectral classes, preliminary classification of the entree study area using a maximum-likelihood algorithm, and final classification through ancillary information such as digital elevation data. The vegetation map (scale 1:250,000) was a pioneering effort since there were no intermediate-sclae maps of the area. Representative of distinctive regional patterns, the map was suitable for use in comprehensive conservation planning and wildlife management.

Analysis of ArcticDEM orthorectification for polar navigational traverses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menio, E. C.; Deeb, E. J.; Weale, J.; Courville, Z.; Tracy, B.; Cloutier, M. D.; Cothren, J. D.; Liu, J.

2017-12-01

The availability and accessibility of high-resolution satellite imagery allows operational support teams to visually assess physical risks along traverse routes before and during the field season. In support of operations along the Greenland Inland Traverse (GrIT), DigitalGlobe's WorldView 0.5m resolution panchromatic imagery is analyzed to identify and digitize crevasse features along the route from Thule Air Force Base to Summit Station, Greenland. In the spring of 2016, field teams reported up to 150 meters of offset between the location of crevasse features on the ground and the location of the same feature on the imagery provided. Investigation into this issue identified the need to orthorectify imagery—use digital elevation models (DEMs) to correct viewing geometry distortions—to improve navigational accuracy in the field. It was previously thought that orthorectification was not necessary for applications in relatively flat terrain such as ice sheets. However, the surface elevations on the margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet vary enough to cause distortions in imagery, if taken obliquely. As is standard for requests, the Polar Geospatial Center (PGC) provides orthorectified imagery using the MEaSUREs Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) 30m digital elevation model. Current, higher-resolution elevation datasets, such as the ArcticDEM (2-5m resolution) and WorldView stereopair DEMs (2-3m resolution), are available for use in orthorectification. This study examines three heavily crevassed areas along the GrIT traverse, as identified in 2015 and 2016 imagery. We extracted elevation profiles along the GrIT route from each of the three DEMs: GIMP, ArcticDEM, and WorldView stereopair mosaic. Results show the courser GIMP data deviating significantly from the ArcticDEM and WorldView data, at points by up to 80m, which is seen as offset of features in plan view. In-situ Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys of crevasse crossings allow for evaluation of geopositional accuracy of each resulting orthorectified photo and a quantitative analysis of plan view offset.

Digital-map grids of mean-annual precipitation for 1961-90, and generalized skew coefficients of annual maximum streamflow for Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, A.H.; Tortorelli, R.L.

1997-01-01

This digital report contains two digital-map grids of data that were used to develop peak-flow regression equations in Tortorelli, 1997, 'Techniques for estimating peak-streamflow frequency for unregulated streams and streams regulated by small floodwater retarding structures in Oklahoma,' U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4202. One data set is a grid of mean annual precipitation, in inches, based on the period 1961-90, for Oklahoma. The data set was derived from the PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) mean annual precipitation grid for the United States, developed by Daly, Neilson, and Phillips (1994, 'A statistical-topographic model for mapping climatological precipitation over mountainous terrain:' Journal of Applied Meteorology, v. 33, no. 2, p. 140-158). The second data set is a grid of generalized skew coefficients of logarithms of annual maximum streamflow for Oklahoma streams less than or equal to 2,510 square miles in drainage area. This grid of skew coefficients is taken from figure 11 of Tortorelli and Bergman, 1985, 'Techniques for estimating flood peak discharges for unregulated streams and streams regulated by small floodwater retarding structures in Oklahoma,' U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4358. To save disk space, the skew coefficient values have been multiplied by 100 and rounded to integers with two significant digits. The data sets are provided in an ASCII grid format.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Enid isolated terrace aquifer in northwestern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, C.J.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files The data sets in this report include digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Enid isolated terrace aquifer in northwestern Oklahoma. The Enid isolated terrace aquifer covers approximately 82 square miles and supplies water for irrigation, domestic, municipal, and industrial use for the City of Enid and western Garfield County. The Quaternary-age Enid isolated terrace aquifer is composed of terrace deposits that consist of discontinuous layers of clay, sandy clay, sand, and gravel. The aquifer is unconfined and is bounded by the underlying Permian-age Hennessey Group on the east and the Cedar Hills Sandstone Formation of the Permian-age El Reno Group on the west. The Cedar Hills Sandstone Formation fills a channel beneath the thickest section of the Enid isolated terrace aquifer in the midwestern part of the aquifer. All of the data sets were digitized and created from information and maps in a ground-water modeling thesis and report of the Enid isolated terrace aquifer. The maps digitized were published at a scale of 1:62,500. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Basinsoft, a computer program to quantify drainage basin characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Craig A.; Eash, David A.

2001-01-01

In 1988, the USGS began developing a program called Basinsoft. The initial program quantified 16 selected drainage basin characteristics from three source-data layers that were manually digitized from topographic maps using the versions of ARC/INFO, Fortran programs, and prime system Command Programming Language (CPL) programs available in 1988 (Majure and Soenksen, 1991). By 1991, Basinsoft was enhanced to quantify 27 selected drainage-basin characteristics from three source-data layers automatically generated from digital elevation model (DEM) data using a set of Fortran programs (Majure and Eash, 1991: Jenson and Dominique, 1988). Due to edge-matching problems encountered in 1991 with the preprocessing

Application of Remote Sensing Data to Improve the Water and Soil Resource Management of Rwanda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csorba, Ádám; Bukombe, Benjamin; Naramabuye, Francois Xavier; Szegi, Tamás; Vekerdy, Zoltán; Michéli, Erika

2017-04-01

The Rwandan agriculture strongly relies in the dry seasons on the water stored in artificial reservoirs of various sizes for irrigation purposes. Furthermore, the success of irrigation depends on a wide range of soil properties which directly affect the moisture regime of the growing medium. By integrating remote sensing and auxiliary data the objectives of our study are to monitor the water level fluctuation in the reservoirs, estimate the volume of water available for irrigation and to combine this information with soil property maps to support the decision making for sustainable irrigation water management in a study area in Southern Rwanda. For water level and volume estimation a series of Sentinel-1 (product type: GRD, acquisition mode: IW, polarizations HH and VH) data were obtained covering the study area and spanning over a period of two years. To map the extent of water bodies the Radar-Based Water Body Mapping module of the Water Observation and Information System (WOIS) was used. High-resolution optical data (Sentinel-2) were used for validation in cloud-free periods. To estimate the volume changes in the reservoirs, we combined the information derived from the water body mapping procedure and digital elevation models. For sustainable irrigation water management, digital soil property maps were developed by the application of wide range of environmental covariates related to soil forming factors. To develop covariates which represent the land use a time series analysis of the 2 years of Sentinel-1 data was performed. As auxiliary soil data, the ISRIC-WISE harmonized soil profile database was used. The developed digital soil mapping approach is integrated into a new WOIS workflow.

Using Commercial Digital Cameras and Structure-for-Motion Software to Map Snow Cover Depth from Small Aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturm, M.; Nolan, M.; Larsen, C. F.

2014-12-01

A long-standing goal in snow hydrology has been to map snow cover in detail, either mapping snow depth or snow water equivalent (SWE) with sub-meter resolution. Airborne LiDAR and air photogrammetry have been used successfully for this purpose, but both require significant investments in equipment and substantial processing effort. Here we detail a relatively inexpensive and simple airborne photogrammetric technique that can be used to measure snow depth. The main airborne hardware consists of a consumer-grade digital camera attached to a survey-quality, dual-frequency GPS. Photogrammetric processing is done using commercially available Structure from Motion (SfM) software that does not require ground control points. Digital elevation models (DEMs) are made from snow-free acquisitions in the summer and snow-covered acquisitions in winter, and the maps are then differenced to arrive at snow thickness. We tested the accuracy and precision of snow depths measured using this system through 1) a comparison with airborne scanning LiDAR, 2) a comparison of results from two independent and slightly different photogrameteric systems, and 3) comparison to extensive on-the-ground measured snow depths. Vertical accuracy and precision are on the order of +/-30 cm and +/- 8 cm, respectively. The accuracy can be made to approach that of the precision if suitable snow-free ground control points exists and are used to co-register summer to winter DEM maps. Final snow depth accuracy from our series of tests was on the order of ±15 cm. This photogrammetric method substantially lowers the economic and expertise barriers to entry for mapping snow.

Map and map database of susceptibility to slope failure by sliding and earthflow in the Oakland area, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pike, R.J.; Graymer, R.W.; Roberts, Sebastian; Kalman, N.B.; Sobieszczyk, Steven

2001-01-01

Map data that predict the varying likelihood of landsliding can help public agencies make informed decisions on land use and zoning. This map, prepared in a geographic information system from a statistical model, estimates the relative likelihood of local slopes to fail by two processes common to an area of diverse geology, terrain, and land use centered on metropolitan Oakland. The model combines the following spatial data: (1) 120 bedrock and surficial geologic-map units, (2) ground slope calculated from a 30-m digital elevation model, (3) an inventory of 6,714 old landslide deposits (not distinguished by age or type of movement and excluding debris flows), and (4) the locations of 1,192 post-1970 landslides that damaged the built environment. The resulting index of likelihood, or susceptibility, plotted as a 1:50,000-scale map, is computed as a continuous variable over a large area (872 km2) at a comparatively fine (30 m) resolution. This new model complements landslide inventories by estimating susceptibility between existing landslide deposits, and improves upon prior susceptibility maps by quantifying the degree of susceptibility within those deposits. Susceptibility is defined for each geologic-map unit as the spatial frequency (areal percentage) of terrain occupied by old landslide deposits, adjusted locally by steepness of the topography. Susceptibility of terrain between the old landslide deposits is read directly from a slope histogram for each geologic-map unit, as the percentage (0.00 to 0.90) of 30-m cells in each one-degree slope interval that coincides with the deposits. Susceptibility within landslide deposits (0.00 to 1.33) is this same percentage raised by a multiplier (1.33) derived from the comparative frequency of recent failures within and outside the old deposits. Positive results from two evaluations of the model encourage its extension to the 10-county San Francisco Bay region and elsewhere. A similar map could be prepared for any area where the three basic constituents, a geologic map, a landslide inventory, and a slope map, are available in digital form. Added predictive power of the new susceptibility model may reside in attributes that remain to be explored?among them seismic shaking, distance to nearest road, and terrain elevation, aspect, relief, and curvature.

Airborne laser scanning for high-resolution mapping of Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csatho, Bea; Schenk, Toni; Krabill, William; Wilson, Terry; Lyons, William; McKenzie, Garry; Hallam, Cheryl; Manizade, Serdar; Paulsen, Timothy

In order to evaluate the potential of airborne laser scanning for topographic mapping in Antarctica and to establish calibration/validation sites for NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) altimeter mission, NASA, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) joined forces to collect high-resolution airborne laser scanning data.In a two-week campaign during the 2001-2002 austral summer, NASA's Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) system was used to collect data over several sites in the McMurdo Sound area of Antarctica (Figure 1a). From the recorded signals, NASA computed laser points and The Ohio State University (OSU) completed the elaborate computation/verification of high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in 2003. This article reports about the DEM generation and some exemplary results from scientists using the geomorphologic information from the DEMs during the 2003-2004 field season.

Method for estimating potential wetland extent by utilizing streamflow statistics and flood-inundation mapping techniques: Pilot study for land along the Wabash River near Terre Haute, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kim, Moon H.; Ritz, Christian T.; Arvin, Donald V.

2012-01-01

Potential wetland extents were estimated for a 14-mile reach of the Wabash River near Terre Haute, Indiana. This pilot study was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The study showed that potential wetland extents can be estimated by analyzing streamflow statistics with the available streamgage data, calculating the approximate water-surface elevation along the river, and generating maps by use of flood-inundation mapping techniques. Planning successful restorations for Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) easements requires a determination of areas that show evidence of being in a zone prone to sustained or frequent flooding. Zone determinations of this type are used by WRP planners to define the actively inundated area and make decisions on restoration-practice installation. According to WRP planning guidelines, a site needs to show evidence of being in an "inundation zone" that is prone to sustained or frequent flooding for a period of 7 consecutive days at least once every 2 years on average in order to meet the planning criteria for determining a wetland for a restoration in agricultural land. By calculating the annual highest 7-consecutive-day mean discharge with a 2-year recurrence interval (7MQ2) at a streamgage on the basis of available streamflow data, one can determine the water-surface elevation corresponding to the calculated flow that defines the estimated inundation zone along the river. By using the estimated water-surface elevation ("inundation elevation") along the river, an approximate extent of potential wetland for a restoration in agricultural land can be mapped. As part of the pilot study, a set of maps representing the estimated potential wetland extents was generated in a geographic information system (GIS) application by combining (1) a digital water-surface plane representing the surface of inundation elevation that sloped in the downstream direction of flow and (2) land-surface elevation data. These map products from the pilot study will aid the NRCS and its partners with the onsite inundation-zone verification in agricultural land for a potential restoration and will assist in determining at what elevation to plant hardwood trees for increased survivability on ground above frequently flooded terraces.

Computer Programs for Plotting Spot-Beam Coverages from an Earth-Synchronous Satellite and Earth-Station Antenna Elevation Angle Contours. Memorandum Number 72/4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stagl, Thomas W.; Singh, Jai P.

Computer programs prepared in connection with a project on Application of Communication Satellites to Educational Development (see EM 010 449) are described and listed in this memorandum. First, the data tape containing a digitized map of the world which was used for the programs is described. Then the first program, WORLDMAP, which plots the tape…

Improving the Useability of the Defense Mapping Agency Digital Feature Analysis Data for Training Simulator Applications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

would be merged and a corrected output tape could be generated to 21 I 47 be used as a replacement for the original tape. A diagram of the system designed...overview of all of the procedures involved In an error correction session. The process flow is depicted in the configuration diagram provided in Figure... Roundhouse . .. ....................... 224 Roads (General) ......................... 240 Elevated. .... ...................... 244 Causeways

Data layer integration for the national map of the united states

USGS Publications Warehouse

Usery, E.L.; Finn, M.P.; Starbuck, M.

2009-01-01

The integration of geographic data layers in multiple raster and vector formats, from many different organizations and at a variety of resolutions and scales, is a significant problem for The National Map of the United States being developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Our research has examined data integration from a layer-based approach for five of The National Map data layers: digital orthoimages, elevation, land cover, hydrography, and transportation. An empirical approach has included visual assessment by a set of respondents with statistical analysis to establish the meaning of various types of integration. A separate theoretical approach with established hypotheses tested against actual data sets has resulted in an automated procedure for integration of specific layers and is being tested. The empirical analysis has established resolution bounds on meanings of integration with raster datasets and distance bounds for vector data. The theoretical approach has used a combination of theories on cartographic transformation and generalization, such as T??pfer's radical law, and additional research concerning optimum viewing scales for digital images to establish a set of guiding principles for integrating data of different resolutions.

Digital soil mapping using remote sensing indices, terrain attributes, and vegetation features in the rangelands of northeastern Iran.

PubMed

Mahmoudabadi, Ebrahim; Karimi, Alireza; Haghnia, Gholam Hosain; Sepehr, Adel

2017-09-11

Digital soil mapping has been introduced as a viable alternative to the traditional mapping methods due to being fast and cost-effective. The objective of the present study was to investigate the capability of the vegetation features and spectral indices as auxiliary variables in digital soil mapping models to predict soil properties. A region with an area of 1225 ha located in Bajgiran rangelands, Khorasan Razavi province, northeastern Iran, was chosen. A total of 137 sampling sites, each containing 3-5 plots with 10-m interval distance along a transect established based on randomized-systematic method, were investigated. In each plot, plant species names and numbers as well as vegetation cover percentage (VCP) were recorded, and finally one composite soil sample was taken from each transect at each site (137 soil samples in total). Terrain attributes were derived from a digital elevation model, different bands and spectral indices were obtained from the Landsat7 ETM+ images, and vegetation features were calculated in the plots, all of which were used as auxiliary variables to predict soil properties using artificial neural network, gene expression programming, and multivariate linear regression models. According to R 2 RMSE and MBE values, artificial neutral network was obtained as the most accurate soil properties prediction function used in scorpan model. Vegetation features and indices were more effective than remotely sensed data and terrain attributes in predicting soil properties including calcium carbonate equivalent, clay, bulk density, total nitrogen, carbon, sand, silt, and saturated moisture capacity. It was also shown that vegetation indices including NDVI, SAVI, MSAVI, SARVI, RDVI, and DVI were more effective in estimating the majority of soil properties compared to separate bands and even some soil spectral indices.

Comparison of different landform classification methods for digital landform and soil mapping of the Iranian loess plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmeister, Dirk; Kramm, Tanja; Curdt, Constanze; Maleki, Sedigheh; Khormali, Farhad; Kehl, Martin

2016-04-01

The Iranian loess plateau is covered by loess deposits, up to 70 m thick. Tectonic uplift triggered deep erosion and valley incision into the loess and underlying marine deposits. Soil development strongly relates to the aspect of these incised slopes, because on northern slopes vegetation protects the soil surface against erosion and facilitates formation and preservation of a Cambisol, whereas on south-facing slopes soils were probably eroded and weakly developed Entisols formed. While the whole area is intensively stocked with sheep and goat, rain-fed cropping of winter wheat is practiced on the valley floors. Most time of the year, the soil surface is unprotected against rainfall, which is one of the factors promoting soil erosion and serious flooding. However, little information is available on soil distribution, plant cover and the geomorphological evolution of the plateau, as well as on potentials and problems in land use. Thus, digital landform and soil mapping is needed. As a requirement of digital landform and soil mapping, four different landform classification methods were compared and evaluated. These geomorphometric classifications were run on two different scales. On the whole area an ASTER GDEM and SRTM dataset (30 m pixel resolution) was used. Likewise, two high-resolution digital elevation models were derived from Pléiades satellite stereo-imagery (< 1m pixel resolution, 10 by 10 km). The high-resolution information of this dataset was aggregated to datasets of 5 and 10 m scale. The applied classification methods are the Geomorphons approach, an object-based image approach, the topographical position index and a mainly slope based approach. The accuracy of the classification was checked with a location related image dataset obtained in a field survey (n ~ 150) in September 2015. The accuracy of the DEMs was compared to measured DGPS trenches and map-based elevation data. The overall derived accuracy of the landform classification based on the high-resolution DEM with a resolution of 5 m is approximately 70% and on a 10 m resolution >58%. For the 30 m resolution datasets is the achieved accuracy approximately 40%, as several small scale features are not recognizable in this resolution. Thus, for an accurate differentiation between different important landform types, high-resolution datasets are necessary for this strongly shaped area. One major problem of this approach are the different classes derived by each method and the various class annotations. The result of this evaluation will be regarded for the derivation of landform and soil maps.

Evaluation of different digital elevation models for analyzing drainage morphometric parameters in a mountainous terrain: a case study of the Supin-Upper Tons Basin, Indian Himalayas.

PubMed

Das, Sayantan; Patel, Priyank Pravin; Sengupta, Somasis

2016-01-01

With myriad geospatial datasets now available for terrain information extraction and particularly streamline demarcation, there arises questions regarding the scale, accuracy and sensitivity of the initial dataset from which these aspects are derived, as they influence all other parameters computed subsequently. In this study, digital elevation models (DEM) derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER V2), Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM V4, C-Band, 3 arc-second), Cartosat -1 (CartoDEM 1.0) and topographical maps (R.F. 1:250,000 and 1:50,000), have been used to individually extract and analyze the relief, surface, size, shape and texture properties of a mountainous drainage basin. Nestled inside a mountainous setting, the basin is a semi-elongated one with high relief ratio (>90), steep slopes (25°-30°) and high drainage density (>3.5 km/sq km), as computed from the different DEMs. The basin terrain and stream network is extracted from each DEM, whose morphometric attributes are compared with the surveyed stream networks present in the topographical maps, with resampling of finer DEM datasets to coarser resolutions, to reduce scale-implications during the delineation process. Ground truth verifications for altitudinal accuracy have also been done by a GPS survey. DEMs derived from the 1:50,000 topographical map and ASTER GDEM V2 data are found to be more accurate and consistent in terms of absolute accuracy, than the other generated or available DEM data products, on basis of the morphometric parameters extracted from each. They also exhibit a certain degree of proximity to the surveyed topographical map.

Quality assessment of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in view of the Altiplano hydrological modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satgé, F.; Arsen, A.; Bonnet, M.; Timouk, F.; Calmant, S.; Pilco, R.; Molina, J.; Lavado, W.; Crétaux, J.; HASM

2013-05-01

Topography is crucial data input for hydrological modeling but in many regions of the world, the only way to characterize topography is the use of satellite-based Digital Elevation Models (DEM). In some regions, the quality of these DEMs remains poor and induces modeling errors that may or not be compensated by model parameters tuning. In such regions, the evaluation of these data uncertainties is an important step in the modeling procedure. In this study, which focuses on the Altiplano region, we present the evaluation of the two freely available DEM. The shuttle radar topographic mission (SRTM), a product of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Advanced Space Born Thermal Emission and Reflection Global Digital Elevation Map (ASTER GDEM), data provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (MESI) in collaboration with the NASA, are widely used. While the first represents a resolution of 3 arc seconds (90m) the latter is 1 arc second (30m). In order to select the most reliable DEM, we compared the DEM elevation with high qualities control points elevation. Because of its large spatial coverture (track spaced of 30 km with a measure of each 172 m) and its high vertical accuracy which is less than 15 cm in good weather conditions, the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on board on the Ice, Cloud and Land elevation Satellite of NASA (ICESat) represent the better solution to establish a high quality elevation database. After a quality check, more than 150 000 ICESat/GLAS measurements are suitable in terms of accuracy for the Altiplano watershed. This data base has been used to evaluate the vertical accuracy for each DEM. Regarding to the full spatial coverture; the comparison has been done for both, all kind of land coverture, range altitude and mean slope.

Block Adjustment and Image Matching of WORLDVIEW-3 Stereo Pairs and Accuracy Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, C.; Xiao, X.; Hou, Q.; Li, B.

2018-05-01

WorldView-3, as a high-resolution commercial earth observation satellite, which is launched by Digital Global, provides panchromatic imagery of 0.31 m resolution. The positioning accuracy is less than 3.5 meter CE90 without ground control, which can use for large scale topographic mapping. This paper presented the block adjustment for WorldView-3 based on RPC model and achieved the accuracy of 1 : 2000 scale topographic mapping with few control points. On the base of stereo orientation result, this paper applied two kinds of image matching algorithm for DSM extraction: LQM and SGM. Finally, this paper compared the accuracy of the point cloud generated by the two image matching methods with the reference data which was acquired by an airborne laser scanner. The results showed that the RPC adjustment model of WorldView-3 image with small number of GCPs could satisfy the requirement of Chinese Surveying and Mapping regulations for 1 : 2000 scale topographic maps. And the point cloud result obtained through WorldView-3 stereo image matching had higher elevation accuracy, the RMS error of elevation for bare ground area is 0.45 m, while for buildings the accuracy can almost reach 1 meter.

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs, drones) in plant ecology.

PubMed

Cruzan, Mitchell B; Weinstein, Ben G; Grasty, Monica R; Kohrn, Brendan F; Hendrickson, Elizabeth C; Arredondo, Tina M; Thompson, Pamela G

2016-09-01

Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro-unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation over small- to medium-sized regions. We provide an overview of methods and procedures for conducting surveys and illustrate some of these applications. Aerial images were obtained by flying a small drone along transects over the area of interest. Images were used to create a composite image (orthomosaic) and a digital surface model (DSM). Vegetation classification was conducted manually and using an automated routine. Coverage of an individual species was estimated from aerial images. We created a vegetation map for the entire region from the orthomosaic and DSM, and mapped the density of one species. Comparison of our manual and automated habitat classification confirmed that our mapping methods were accurate. A species with high contrast to the background matrix allowed adequate estimate of its coverage. The example surveys demonstrate that small aerial drones are capable of gathering large amounts of information on the distribution of vegetation and individual species with minimal impact to sensitive habitats. Low-elevation aerial surveys have potential for a wide range of applications in plant ecology.

An integrated remote sensing approach for identifying ecological range sites. [parker mountain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaynes, R. A.

1983-01-01

A model approach for identifying ecological range sites was applied to high elevation sagebrush-dominated rangelands on Parker Mountain, in south-central Utah. The approach utilizes map information derived from both high altitude color infrared photography and LANDSAT digital data, integrated with soils, geological, and precipitation maps. Identification of the ecological range site for a given area requires an evaluation of all relevant environmental factors which combine to give that site the potential to produce characteristic types and amounts of vegetation. A table is presented which allows the user to determine ecological range site based upon an integrated use of the maps which were prepared. The advantages of identifying ecological range sites through an integrated photo interpretation/LANDSAT analysis are discussed.

A Geospatial Database for Wind and Solar Energy Applications: The Kingdom of Bahrain Study Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Joburi, Khalil; Dahman, Nidal

2017-11-01

This research is aimed at designing, implementing, and testing a geospatial database for wind and solar energy applications in the Kingdom of Bahrain. All decision making needed to determine economic feasibility and establish site location for wind turbines or solar panels depends primarily on geospatial feature theme information and non-spatial (attribute) data for wind, solar, rainfall, temperature and weather characteristics of a particular region. Spatial data includes, but is not limited to, digital elevation, slopes, land use, zonings, parks, population density, road utility maps, and other related information. Digital elevations for over 450,000 spot at 50 m spatial horizontal resolution plus field surveying and GPS (at selected locations) was obtained from the Surveying and Land Registration Bureau (SLRB). Road, utilities, and population density are obtained from the Central Information Organization (CIO). Land use zoning, recreational parks, and other data are obtained from the Ministry of Municipalities and Agricultural Affairs. Wind, solar, humidity, rainfall, and temperature data are obtained from the Ministry of Transportation, Civil Aviation Section. LandSat Satellite and others images are obtained from NASA and online sources respectively. The collected geospatial data was geo-referenced to Ain el-Abd UTM Zone 39 North. 3D Digital Elevation Model (DEM)-50 m spatial resolutions was created using SLRB spot elevations. Slope and aspect maps were generate based on the DEM. Supervised image classification to identify open spaces was performed utilizing satellite images. Other geospatial data was converted to raster format with the same cell resolution. Non-spatial data are entered as an attribute to spatial features. To eliminate ambiguous solution, multi-criteria GIS model is developed based on, vector (discrete point, line, and polygon representations) as well as raster model (continuous representation). The model was tested at the Al-Areen proposed project, a relatively small area (15 km2). Optimum site spatial location for the location of wind turbines and solar panels was determined and initial results indicates that the combination of wind and solar energy would be sufficient for the project to meet the energy demand at the present per capita consummation rate..

Automatic identification of fault surfaces through Object Based Image Analysis of a Digital Elevation Model in the submarine area of the North Aegean Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argyropoulou, Evangelia

2015-04-01

The current study was focused on the seafloor morphology of the North Aegean Basin in Greece, through Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) using a Digital Elevation Model. The goal was the automatic extraction of morphologic and morphotectonic features, resulting into fault surface extraction. An Object Based Image Analysis approach was developed based on the bathymetric data and the extracted features, based on morphological criteria, were compared with the corresponding landforms derived through tectonic analysis. A digital elevation model of 150 meters spatial resolution was used. At first, slope, profile curvature, and percentile were extracted from this bathymetry grid. The OBIA approach was developed within the eCognition environment. Four segmentation levels were created having as a target "level 4". At level 4, the final classes of geomorphological features were classified: discontinuities, fault-like features and fault surfaces. On previous levels, additional landforms were also classified, such as continental platform and continental slope. The results of the developed approach were evaluated by two methods. At first, classification stability measures were computed within eCognition. Then, qualitative and quantitative comparison of the results took place with a reference tectonic map which has been created manually based on the analysis of seismic profiles. The results of this comparison were satisfactory, a fact which determines the correctness of the developed OBIA approach.

Bathymetric and underwater video survey of Lower Granite Reservoir and vicinity, Washington and Idaho, 2009-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Marshall L.; Fosness, Ryan L.; Weakland, Rhonda J.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a bathymetric survey of the Lower Granite Reservoir, Washington, using a multibeam echosounder, and an underwater video mapping survey during autumn 2009 and winter 2010. The surveys were conducted as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's study on sediment deposition and control in the reservoir. The multibeam echosounder survey was performed in 1-mile increments between river mile (RM) 130 and 142 on the Snake River, and between RM 0 and 2 on the Clearwater River. The result of the survey is a digital elevation dataset in ASCII coordinate positioning data (easting, northing, and elevation) useful in rendering a 3×3-foot point grid showing bed elevation and reservoir geomorphology. The underwater video mapping survey was conducted from RM 107.73 to 141.78 on the Snake River and RM 0 to 1.66 on the Clearwater River, along 61 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established cross sections, and dredge material deposit transects. More than 900 videos and 90 bank photographs were used to characterize the sediment facies and ground-truth the multibeam echosounder data. Combined, the surveys were used to create a surficial sediment facies map that displays type of substrate, level of embeddedness, and presence of silt.

Geologic map of the Murray Quadrangle, Newton County, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.

2016-07-06

This map summarizes the geology of the Murray quadrangle in the Ozark Plateaus region of northern Arkansas. Geologically, the area is on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, an uplift that has the oldest rocks exposed at its center, in Missouri. Physiographically, the Murray quadrangle is within the Boston Mountains, a high plateau region underlain by Pennsylvanian sandstones and shales. Valleys of the Buffalo River and Little Buffalo River and their tributaries expose an approximately 1,600-ft-thick (488-meter-thick) sequence of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly deformed by a series of faults and folds. The Buffalo National River, a park that encompasses the Buffalo River and adjacent land that is administered by the National Park Service is present at the northwestern edge of the quadrangle.Mapping for this study was carried out by field inspection of numerous sites and was compiled as a 1:24,000 geographic information system (GIS) database. Locations and elevation of sites were determined with the aid of a global positioning satellite receiver and a hand-held barometric altimeter that was frequently recalibrated at points of known elevation. Hill-shade relief and slope maps derived from a U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model as well as orthophotographs were used to help trace ledge-forming units between field traverses within the Upper Mississippian and Pennsylvanian part of the stratigraphic sequence. Strike and dip of beds were typically measured along stream drainages or at well-exposed ledges. Structure contours, constructed on the top of the Boone Formation and the base of a prominent sandstone unit within the Bloyd Formation, were drawn based on the elevations of field sites on these contacts well as other limiting information for their minimum elevations above hilltops or their maximum elevations below valley bottoms.

Generation of a precise DEM by interactive synthesis of multi-temporal elevation datasets: a case study of Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawak, Shridhar D.; Luis, Alvarinho J.

2016-05-01

Digital elevation model (DEM) is indispensable for analysis such as topographic feature extraction, ice sheet melting, slope stability analysis, landscape analysis and so on. Such analysis requires a highly accurate DEM. Available DEMs of Antarctic region compiled by using radar altimetry and the Antarctic digital database indicate elevation variations of up to hundreds of meters, which necessitates the generation of local improved DEM. An improved DEM of the Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica has been generated by synergistically fusing satellite-derived laser altimetry data from Geoscience Laser Altimetry System (GLAS), Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) elevation data and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) global elevation data (GDEM). This is a characteristic attempt to generate a DEM of any part of Antarctica by fusing multiple elevation datasets, which is essential to model the ice elevation change and address the ice mass balance. We analyzed a suite of interpolation techniques for constructing a DEM from GLAS, RAMP and ASTER DEM-based point elevation datasets, in order to determine the level of confidence with which the interpolation techniques can generate a better interpolated continuous surface, and eventually improve the elevation accuracy of DEM from synergistically fused RAMP, GLAS and ASTER point elevation datasets. The DEM presented in this work has a vertical accuracy (≈ 23 m) better than RAMP DEM (≈ 57 m) and ASTER DEM (≈ 64 m) individually. The RAMP DEM and ASTER DEM elevations were corrected using differential GPS elevations as ground reference data, and the accuracy obtained after fusing multitemporal datasets is found to be improved than that of existing DEMs constructed by using RAMP or ASTER alone. This is our second attempt of fusing multitemporal, multisensory and multisource elevation data to generate a DEM of Antarctica, in order to address the ice elevation change and address the ice mass balance. Our approach focuses on the strengths of each elevation data source to produce an accurate elevation model.

The National Map - Orthoimagery Layer

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2007-01-01

Many Federal, State, and local agencies use a common set of framework geographic information databases as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and homeland security applications rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continually maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, framework geographic information databases. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using data easily and consistently. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. The National Map includes digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information.

Characterization of the horizontal structure of the tropical forest canopy using object-based LiDAR and multispectral image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupuy, Stéphane; Lainé, Gérard; Tassin, Jacques; Sarrailh, Jean-Michel

2013-12-01

This article's goal is to explore the benefits of using Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Digital Terrain Model (DTM) derived from LiDAR acquisitions for characterizing the horizontal structure of different facies in forested areas (primary forests vs. secondary forests) within the framework of an object-oriented classification. The area under study is the island of Mayotte in the western Indian Ocean. The LiDAR data were the data originally acquired by an airborne small-footprint discrete-return LiDAR for the "Litto3D" coastline mapping project. They were used to create a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) at a spatial resolution of 1 m and a Digital Canopy Model (DCM) using median filtering. The use of two successive segmentations at different scales allowed us to adjust the segmentation parameters to the local structure of the landscape and of the cover. Working in object-oriented mode with LiDAR allowed us to discriminate six vegetation classes based on canopy height and horizontal heterogeneity. This heterogeneity was assessed using a texture index calculated from the height-transition co-occurrence matrix. Overall accuracy exceeds 90%. The resulting product is the first vegetation map of Mayotte which emphasizes the structure over the composition.

ArcticDEM; A Publically Available, High Resolution Elevation Model of the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morin, Paul; Porter, Claire; Cloutier, Michael; Howat, Ian; Noh, Myoung-Jong; Willis, Michael; Bates, Brian; Willamson, Cathleen; Peterman, Kennith

2016-04-01

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Arctic is needed for a large number of reasons, including: measuring and understanding rapid, ongoing changes to the Arctic landscape resulting from climate change and human use and mitigation and adaptation planning for Arctic communities. The topography of the Arctic is more poorly mapped than most other regions of Earth due to logistical costs and the limits of satellite missions with low-latitude inclinations. A convergence of civilian, high-quality sub-meter stereo imagery; petascale computing and open source photogrammetry software has made it possible to produce a complete, very high resolution (2 to 8-meter posting), elevation model of the Arctic. A partnership between the US National Geospatial-intelligence Agency and a team led by the US National Science Foundation funded Polar Geospatial Center is using stereo imagery from DigitalGlobe's Worldview-1, 2 and 3 satellites and the Ohio State University's Surface Extraction with TIN-based Search-space Minimization (SETSM) software running on the University of Illinois's Blue Water supercomputer to address this challenge. The final product will be a seemless, 2-m posting digital surface model mosaic of the entire Arctic above 60 North including all of Alaska, Greenland and Kamchatka. We will also make available the more than 300,000 individual time-stamped DSM strip pairs that were used to assemble the mosaic. The Arctic DEM will have a vertical precision of better than 0.5m and can be used to examine changes in land surfaces such as those caused by permafrost degradation or the evolution of arctic rivers and floodplains. The data set can also be used to highlight changing geomorphology due to Earth surface mass transport processes occurring in active volcanic and glacial environments. When complete the ArcticDEM will catapult the Arctic from the worst to among the best mapped regions on Earth.

Use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to Obtain High-Resolution Elevation Data for Sussex County, Delaware

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Roger A.; Nardi, Mark R.; Reyes, Betzaida

2008-01-01

Sussex County, Delaware, occupies a 938-square-mile area of low relief near sea level in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The county is bounded on the east by the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, including a barrier-island system, and inland bays that provide habitat for valuable living resources. Eastern Sussex County is an area of rapid population growth with a long-established beach-resort community, where land elevation is a key factor in determining areas that are appropriate for development. Of concern to State and local planners are evacuation routes inland to escape flooding from severe coastal storms, as most major transportation routes traverse areas of low elevation that are subject to inundation. The western half of the county is typically rural in character, and land use is largely agricultural with some scattered forest land cover. Western Sussex County has several low-relief river flood-prone areas, where accurate high-resolution elevation data are needed for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) studies. This fact sheet describes the methods and techniques used to collect and process LiDAR elevation data, the generation of the digital elevation model (DEM) and the 2-foot contours, and the quality-assurance procedures and results. It indicates where to view metadata on the data sets and where to acquire bare-earth mass points, DEM data, and contour data.

Application of a Terrestrial LIDAR System for Elevation Mapping in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica.

PubMed

Cho, Hyoungsig; Hong, Seunghwan; Kim, Sangmin; Park, Hyokeun; Park, Ilsuk; Sohn, Hong-Gyoo

2015-09-16

A terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system has high productivity and accuracy for topographic mapping, but the harsh conditions of Antarctica make LIDAR operation difficult. Low temperatures cause malfunctioning of the LIDAR system, and unpredictable strong winds can deteriorate data quality by irregularly shaking co-registration targets. For stable and efficient LIDAR operation in Antarctica, this study proposes and demonstrates the following practical solutions: (1) a lagging cover with a heating pack to maintain the temperature of the terrestrial LIDAR system; (2) co-registration using square planar targets and two-step point-merging methods based on extracted feature points and the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm; and (3) a georeferencing module consisting of an artificial target and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The solutions were used to produce a topographic map for construction of the Jang Bogo Research Station in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. Co-registration and georeferencing precision reached 5 and 45 mm, respectively, and the accuracy of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generated from the LIDAR scanning data was ±27.7 cm.

Earth elevation map production and high resolution sensing camera imaging analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiubin; Jin, Guang; Jiang, Li; Dai, Lu; Xu, Kai

2010-11-01

The Earth's digital elevation which impacts space camera imaging has prepared and imaging has analysed. Based on matching error that TDI CCD integral series request of the speed of image motion, statistical experimental methods-Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the distribution histogram of Earth's elevation in image motion compensated model which includes satellite attitude changes, orbital angular rate changes, latitude, longitude and the orbital inclination changes. And then, elevation information of the earth's surface from SRTM is read. Earth elevation map which produced for aerospace electronic cameras is compressed and spliced. It can get elevation data from flash according to the shooting point of latitude and longitude. If elevation data between two data, the ways of searching data uses linear interpolation. Linear interpolation can better meet the rugged mountains and hills changing requests. At last, the deviant framework and camera controller are used to test the character of deviant angle errors, TDI CCD camera simulation system with the material point corresponding to imaging point model is used to analyze the imaging's MTF and mutual correlation similarity measure, simulation system use adding cumulation which TDI CCD imaging exceeded the corresponding pixel horizontal and vertical offset to simulate camera imaging when stability of satellite attitude changes. This process is practicality. It can effectively control the camera memory space, and meet a very good precision TDI CCD camera in the request matches the speed of image motion and imaging.

Generating High-Resolution Lake Bathymetry over Lake Mead using the ICESat-2 Airborne Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Gao, H.; Jasinski, M. F.; Zhang, S.; Stoll, J.

2017-12-01

Precise lake bathymetry (i.e., elevation/contour) mapping is essential for optimal decision making in water resources management. Although the advancement of remote sensing has made it possible to monitor global reservoirs from space, most of the existing studies focus on estimating the elevation, area, and storage of reservoirs—and not on estimating the bathymetry. This limitation is attributed to the low spatial resolution of satellite altimeters. With the significant enhancement of ICESat-2—the Ice, Cloud & Land Elevation Satellite #2, which is scheduled to launch in 2018—producing satellite-based bathymetry becomes feasible. Here we present a pilot study for deriving the bathymetry of Lake Mead by combining Landsat area estimations with airborne elevation data using the prototype of ICESat-2—the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL). First, an ISODATA classifier was adopted to extract the lake area from Landsat images during the period from 1982 to 2017. Then the lake area classifications were paired with MABEL elevations to establish an Area-Elevation (AE) relationship, which in turn was applied to the classification contour map to obtain the bathymetry. Finally, the Lake Mead bathymetry image was embedded onto the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), to replace the existing constant values. Validation against sediment survey data indicates that the bathymetry derived from this study is reliable. This algorithm has the potential for generating global lake bathymetry when ICESat-2 data become available after next year's launch.

An update of Quaternary faults of central and eastern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weldon, Ray J.; Fletcher, D.K.; Weldon, E.M.; Scharer, K.M.; McCrory, P.A.

2002-01-01

This is the online version of a CD-ROM publication. We have updated the eastern portion of our previous active fault map of Oregon (Pezzopane, Nakata, and Weldon, 1992) as a contribution to the larger USGS effort to produce digital maps of active faults in the Pacific Northwest region. The 1992 fault map has seen wide distribution and has been reproduced in essentially all subsequent compilations of active faults of Oregon. The new map provides a substantial update of known active or suspected active faults east of the Cascades. Improvements in the new map include (1) many newly recognized active faults, (2) a linked ArcInfo map and reference database, (3) more precise locations for previously recognized faults on shaded relief quadrangles generated from USGS 30-m digital elevations models (DEM), (4) more uniform coverage resulting in more consistent grouping of the ages of active faults, and (5) a new category of 'possibly' active faults that share characteristics with known active faults, but have not been studied adequately to assess their activity. The distribution of active faults has not changed substantially from the original Pezzopane, Nakata and Weldon map. Most faults occur in the south-central Basin and Range tectonic province that is located in the backarc portion of the Cascadia subduction margin. These faults occur in zones consisting of numerous short faults with similar rates, ages, and styles of movement. Many active faults strongly correlate with the most active volcanic centers of Oregon, including Newberry Craters and Crater Lake.

LiDAR-Derived Flood-Inundation Maps for Real-Time Flood-Mapping Applications, Tar River Basin, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bales, Jerad D.; Wagner, Chad R.; Tighe, Kirsten C.; Terziotti, Silvia

2007-01-01

Flood-inundation maps were created for selected streamgage sites in the North Carolina Tar River basin. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data with a vertical accuracy of about 20 centimeters, provided by the Floodplain Mapping Information System of the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program, were processed to produce topographic data for the inundation maps. Bare-earth mass point LiDAR data were reprocessed into a digital elevation model with regularly spaced 1.5-meter by 1.5-meter cells. A tool was developed as part of this project to connect flow paths, or streams, that were inappropriately disconnected in the digital elevation model by such features as a bridge or road crossing. The Hydraulic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was used for hydraulic modeling at each of the study sites. Eleven individual hydraulic models were developed for the Tar River basin sites. Seven models were developed for reaches with a single gage, and four models were developed for reaches of the Tar River main stem that receive flow from major gaged tributaries, or reaches in which multiple gages were near one another. Combined, the Tar River hydraulic models included 272 kilometers of streams in the basin, including about 162 kilometers on the Tar River main stem. The hydraulic models were calibrated to the most current stage-discharge relations at 11 long-term streamgages where rating curves were available. Medium- to high-flow discharge measurements were made at some of the sites without rating curves, and high-water marks from Hurricanes Fran and Floyd were available for high-stage calibration. Simulated rating curves matched measured curves over the full range of flows. Differences between measured and simulated water levels for a specified flow were no more than 0.44 meter and typically were less. The calibrated models were used to generate a set of water-surface profiles for each of the 11 modeled reaches at 0.305-meter increments for water levels ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water level at the downstream-most gage in each modeled reach. Inundated areas were identified by subtracting the water-surface elevation in each 1.5-meter by 1.5-meter grid cell from the land-surface elevation in the cell through an automated routine that was developed to identify all inundated cells hydraulically connected to the cell at the downstream-most gage in the model domain. Inundation maps showing transportation networks and orthoimagery were prepared for display on the Internet. These maps also are linked to the U.S. Geological Survey North Carolina Water Science Center real-time streamflow website. Hence, a user can determine the near real-time stage and water-surface elevation at a U.S. Geological Survey streamgage site in the Tar River basin and link directly to the flood-inundation maps for a depiction of the estimated inundated area at the current water level. Although the flood-inundation maps represent distinct boundaries of inundated areas, some uncertainties are associated with these maps. These are uncertainties in the topographic data for the hydraulic model computational grid and inundation maps, effective friction values (Manning's n), model-validation data, and forecast hydrographs, if used. The Tar River flood-inundation maps were developed by using a steady-flow hydraulic model. This assumption clearly has less of an effect on inundation maps produced for low flows than for high flows when it typically takes more time to inundate areas. A flood in which water levels peak and fall slowly most likely will result in more inundation than a similar flood in which water levels peak and fall quickly. Limitations associated with the steady-flow assumption for hydraulic modeling vary from site to site. The one-dimensional modeling approach used in this study resulted in good agreement between measurements and simulations. T

Aeromagnetic maps of the Colorado River region including the Kingman, Needles, Salton Sea, and El Centro 1 degree by 2 degrees quadrangles, California, Arizona, and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mariano, John; Grauch, V.J.

1988-01-01

Aeromagnetic anomalies are produced by variations in the strength and direction of the magnetic field of rocks that include magnetic minerals, commonly magnetite. Patterns of anomalies on aeromagnetic maps can reveal structures - for example, faults which have juxtaposed magnetic rocks against non-magnetic rocks, or areas of alteration where magnetic minerals have been destroyed by hydrothermal activity. Tectonic features of regional extent may not become apparent until a number of aeromagnetic surveys have been compiled and plotted at the same scale. Commonly the compilation involves piecing together data from surveys that were flown at different times with widely disparate flight specifications and data reduction procedures. The data may be compiled into a composite map, where all the pieces are plotted onto one map without regard to the difference in flight elevation and datum, or they may be compiled into a merged map, where all survey data are analytically reduced to a common flight elevation and datum, and then digitally merged at the survey boundaries. The composite map retains the original resolution of all the survey data, but computer methods to enhance regional features crossing the survey boundaries may not be applied. On the other hand, computer methods can be applied to the merged data, but the accuracy of the data may be slightly diminished.

Digital atlas of Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, A.H.; Becker, C.J.

1997-01-01

This compact disc contains 25 digital map data sets covering the State of Oklahoma that may be of interest to the general public, private industry, schools, and government agencies. Fourteen data sets are statewide. These data sets include: administrative boundaries; 104th U.S. Congressional district boundaries; county boundaries; latitudinal lines; longitudinal lines; geographic names; indexes of U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000, and 1:250,000-scale topographic quadrangles; a shaded-relief image; Oklahoma State House of Representatives district boundaries; Oklahoma State Senate district boundaries; locations of U.S. Geological Survey stream gages; watershed boundaries and hydrologic cataloging unit numbers; and locations of weather stations. Eleven data sets are divided by county and are located in 77 county subdirectories. These data sets include: census block group boundaries with selected demographic data; city and major highways text; geographic names; land surface elevation contours; elevation points; an index of U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000-scale topographic quadrangles; roads, streets and address ranges; highway text; school district boundaries; streams, river and lakes; and the public land survey system. All data sets are provided in a readily accessible format. Most data sets are provided in Digital Line Graph (DLG) format. The attributes for many of the DLG files are stored in related dBASE(R)-format files and may be joined to the data set polygon attribute or arc attribute tables using dBASE(R)-compatible software. (Any use of trade names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.) Point attribute tables are provided in dBASE(R) format only, and include the X and Y map coordinates of each point. Annotation (text plotted in map coordinates) are provided in AutoCAD Drawing Exchange format (DXF) files. The shaded-relief image is provided in TIFF format. All data sets except the shaded-relief image also are provided in ARC/INFO export-file format.

The study of integration about measurable image and 4D production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunsen; Hu, Pingbo; Niu, Weiyun

2008-12-01

In this paper, we create the geospatial data of three-dimensional (3D) modeling by the combination of digital photogrammetry and digital close-range photogrammetry. For large-scale geographical background, we make the establishment of DEM and DOM combination of three-dimensional landscape model based on the digital photogrammetry which uses aerial image data to make "4D" (DOM: Digital Orthophoto Map, DEM: Digital Elevation Model, DLG: Digital Line Graphic and DRG: Digital Raster Graphic) production. For the range of building and other artificial features which the users are interested in, we realize that the real features of the three-dimensional reconstruction adopting the method of the digital close-range photogrammetry can come true on the basis of following steps : non-metric cameras for data collection, the camera calibration, feature extraction, image matching, and other steps. At last, we combine three-dimensional background and local measurements real images of these large geographic data and realize the integration of measurable real image and the 4D production.The article discussed the way of the whole flow and technology, achieved the three-dimensional reconstruction and the integration of the large-scale threedimensional landscape and the metric building.

System Integration Issues in Digital Photogrammetric Mapping

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

elevation models, and/or rectified imagery/ orthophotos . Imagery exported from the DSPW can be either in a tiled image format or standard raster format...data. In the near future, correlation using "window shaping" operations along with an iterative orthophoto refinements methodology (Norvelle, 1992) is...components of TIES. The IDS passes tiled image data and ASCII header data to the DSPW. The tiled image file contains only image data. The ASCII header

DeepMoon: Convolutional neural network trainer to identify moon craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silburt, Ari; Zhu, Chenchong; Ali-Dib, Mohamad; Menou, Kristen; Jackson, Alan

2018-05-01

DeepMoon trains a convolutional neural net using data derived from a global digital elevation map (DEM) and catalog of craters to recognize craters on the Moon. The TensorFlow-based pipeline code is divided into three parts. The first generates a set images of the Moon randomly cropped from the DEM, with corresponding crater positions and radii. The second trains a convnet using this data, and the third validates the convnet's predictions.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3768 and 3668, Imam-Saheb (215), Rustaq (216), Baghlan (221), and Taloqan (222) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file report (OFR) number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The OFR numbers range in sequence from 1092 to 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3368 and Part of Quadrangle 3370, Ghazni (515), Gardez (516), and Jaji-Maydan (517) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3666 and 3766, Balkh (219), Mazar-I-Sharif (220), Qarqin (213), and Hazara Toghai (214) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3560 and 3562, Sir-Band (402), Khawja-Jir (403), and Bala-Murghab (404) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3770 and 3870, Maymayk (211), Jamarj-I-Bala (212), Faydz-Abad (217), and Parkhaw (218) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3764 and 3664, Jalajin (117), Kham-Ab (118), Char Shangho (123), and Sheberghan (124) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3260 and 3160, Dasht-E-Chahe-Mazar (419), Anardara (420), Asparan (601), and Kang (602) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3470 and the Northern Edge of 3370, Jalal-Abad (511), Chaghasaray (512), and Northernmost Jaji-Maydan (517) Quadrangles, Afg

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3772, 3774, 3672, and 3674, Gaz-Khan (313), Sarhad (314), Kol-I-Chaqmaqtin (315), Khandud (319), Deh-Ghulaman (320), and Erftah (321) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3062 and 2962, Charburjak (609), Khanneshin (610), Gawdezereh (615), and Galachah (616) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3168 and 3268, Yahya-Wona (703), Wersek (704), Khayr-Kot (521), and Urgon (522) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 2964, 2966, 3064, and 3066, Shah-Esmail (617), Reg-Alaqadari (618), Samandkhan-Karez (713), Laki-Bander (611), Jahangir-Naweran (612), and Sreh-Chena (707) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3060 and 2960, Qala-I-Fath (608), Malek-Sayh-Koh (613), and Gozar-E-Sah (614) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Topographic Map of Quadrangles 3460 and 3360, Kol-I-Namaksar (407), Ghuryan (408), Kawir-I-Naizar (413), and Kohe-Mahmudo-Esmailjan (414) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.

Vulnerability of the Nigerian coast: An insight into sea level rise owing to climate change and anthropogenic activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danladi, Iliya Bauchi; Kore, Basiru Mohammed; Gül, Murat

2017-10-01

Coastal areas are important regions in the world as they host huge population, diverse ecosystems and natural resources. However, owing to their settings, elevations and proximities to the sea, climate change (global warming) and human activities are threatening issues. Herein, we report the coastline changes and possible future threats related to sea level rise owing to global warming and human activities in the coastal region of Nigeria. Google earth images, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and geological maps were used. Using google earth images, coastal changes for the past 43 years, 3 years prior to and after the construction of breakwaters along Goshen Beach Estate (Lekki) were examined. Additionally, coastline changes along Lekki Phase I from 2013 to 2016 were evaluated. The DEM map was used to delineate 0-2 m, 2-5 m and 5-10 m asl which correspond to undifferentiated sands and gravels to clays on the geological map. The results of the google earth images revealed remarkable erosion along both Lekki and Lekki Phase I, with the destruction of a lagoon in Lekki Phase I. Based on the result of the DEM map and geology, elevations of 0-2 m, 2-5 m and 5-10 m asl were interpreted as highly risky, moderately risky and risky respectively. Considering factors threatening coastal regions, the erosion and destruction of the lagoon along the Nigerian coast may be ascribed to sea level rise as a result of global warming and intense human activities respectively.

Global detection of large lunar craters based on the CE-1 digital elevation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Lei; Mu, Lingli; Wang, Xinyuan; Li, Chao; Ji, Wei; Zhao, Jinjin; Cai, Heng

2013-12-01

Craters, one of the most significant features of the lunar surface, have been widely researched because they offer us the relative age of the surface unit as well as crucial geological information. Research on crater detection algorithms (CDAs) of the Moon and other planetary bodies has concentrated on detecting them from imagery data, but the computational cost of detecting large craters using images makes these CDAs impractical. This paper presents a new approach to crater detection that utilizes a digital elevation model instead of images; this enables fully automatic global detection of large craters. Craters were delineated by terrain attributes, and then thresholding maps of terrain attributes were used to transform topographic data into a binary image, finally craters were detected by using the Hough Transform from the binary image. By using the proposed algorithm, we produced a catalog of all craters ⩾10 km in diameter on the lunar surface and analyzed their distribution and population characteristics.

Forest abovegroundbiomass mapping using spaceborne stereo imagery acquired by Chinese ZY-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, G.; Ni, W.; Zhang, Z.; Xiong, C.

2015-12-01

Besides LiDAR data, another valuable type of data which is also directly sensitive to forest vertical structures and more suitable for regional mapping of forest biomass is the stereo imagery or photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is the traditional technique for deriving terrain elevation. The elevation of the top of a tree canopy can be directly measured from stereo imagery but winter images are required to get the elevation of ground surface because stereo images are acquired by optical sensors which cannot penetrate dense forest canopies with leaf-on condition. Several spaceborne stereoscopic systems with higher spatial resolutions have been launched in the past several years. For example the Chinese satellite Zi Yuan 3 (ZY-3) specifically designed for the collection of stereo imagery with a resolution of 3.6 m for forward and backward views and 2.1 m for the nadir view was launched on January 9, 2012. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in summer has good performance on the description of forest structures. The ground surface elevation could be extracted from spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in winter. This study mainly focused on assessing the mapping of forest biomass through the combination of spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in summer and those in winter. The test sites of this study located at Daxing AnlingMountains areas as shown in Fig.1. The Daxing Anling site is on the south border of boreal forest belonging to frigid-temperate zone coniferous forest vegetation The dominant tree species is Dhurian larch (Larix gmelinii). 10 scenes of ZY-3 stereo images are used in this study. 5 scenes were acquired on March 14,2012 while the other 5 scenes were acquired on September 7, 2012. Their spatial coverage is shown in Fig.2-a. Fig.2-b is the mosaic of nadir images acquired on 09/07/2012 while Fig.2-c is thecorresponding digital surface model (DSM) derived from stereo images acquired on 09/07/2012. Fig.2-d is the difference between the DSM derived from stereo imagery acquired on 09/07/2012 and the digital elevation model (DEM) from stereo imagery acquired on 03/14/2012.The detailed analysis will be given in the final report.

Geologic Map of the Boxley Quadrangle, Newton and Madison Counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.

2007-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the Boxley 7.5-minute quadrangle in the Ozark Plateaus region of northern Arkansas. Geologically, the area lies on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, an uplift that exposes oldest rocks at its center in Missouri. Physiographically, the Boxley quadrangle lies within the Boston Mountains, a high plateau region underlain by Pennsylvanian sandstones and shales. Valleys of the Buffalo River and its tributaries expose an approximately 1,600-ft-(490-m-)thick sequence of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly deformed by a series of faults and folds. Part of Buffalo National River, a park encompassing the Buffalo River and adjacent land that is administered by the National Park Service, extends through the eastern part of the quadrangle. Mapping for this study was conducted by field inspection of numerous sites and was compiled as a 1:24,000-scale geographic information system (GIS) database. Locations and elevation sites were determined with the aid of a global positioning satellite receiver and a hand-held barometric altimeter. Hill-shade-relief and slope maps derived from a U.S. Geological Survey 10-m digital elevation model as well as orthophotos were used to help trace ledge-forming units between field traverses within the Upper Mississippian and Pennsylvanian part of the stratigraphic sequence. Strike and dip of beds were typically measured along stream drainages or at well-exposed ledges. Structure contours were constructed on the top of the Boone Formation and the base of a prominent sandstone unit within the Bloyd Formation based on elevations of control points as well as other limiting information on their maximum or minimum elevations.

Lidar-enhanced geologic mapping, examples from the Medford and Hood River areas, Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiley, T. J.; McClaughry, J. D.

2012-12-01

Lidar-based 3-foot digital elevation models (DEMs) and derivatives (slopeshade, hillshade, contours) were used to help map geology across 1700 km2 (650 mi2) near Hood River and Medford, Oregon. Techniques classically applied to interpret coarse DEMs and small-scale topographic maps were adapted to take advantage of lidar's high resolution. Penetration and discrimination of plant cover by the laser system allowed recognition of fine patterns and textures related to underlying geologic units and associated soils. Surficial geologic maps were improved by the ability to examine tiny variations in elevation and slope. Recognition of low-relief features of all sizes was enhanced where pixel elevation ranges of centimeters to meters, established by knowledge of the site or by trial, were displayed using thousands of sequential colors. Features can also be depicted relative to stream level by preparing a DEM that compensates for gradient. Near Medford, lidar-derived contour maps with 1- to 3-foot intervals revealed incised bajada with young, distal lobes defined by concentric contour lines. Bedrock geologic maps were improved by recognizing geologic features associated with surface textures and patterns or topographic anomalies. In sedimentary and volcanic terrain, structure was revealed by outcrops or horizons lying at one stratigraphic level. Creating a triangulated irregular network (TIN) facet from positions of three or more such points gives strike and dip. Each map area benefited from hundreds of these measurements. A more extensive DEM in the plane of the TIN facet can be subtracted from surface elevation (lidar DEM) to make a DEM with elevation zero where the stratigraphic horizon lies at the surface. The distribution of higher and lower stratigraphic horizons can be shown by highlighting areas similarly higher or lower on the same DEM. Poor fit of contacts or faults projected between field traverses suggest the nature and amount of intervening geologic structure. Intrusive bodies were locally delimited by linear mounds where contact metamorphism hardened soft, fractured country rock. Bedrock faults were revealed where fault traces formed topographic anomalies or where topography associated with stratigraphic horizons or bedding-parallel textural fabrics was offset. This was important for identification of young faults and associated earthquake hazards. Previously unknown Holocene faults southwest of Hood River appear as subtle lineaments redirecting modern drainages or offsetting glacial moraines or glaciated bedrock. West of Medford, the presence young faulting was confirmed by elevation data that showed bedrock in the channel of the Rogue River at higher elevations below Gold Ray dam than in boreholes upstream. Such obscure structural features would have gone unrecognized using traditional topographic analysis or field reconnaissance. Fieldwork verified that lidar techniques improved our early geologic models, resolution of geologic features, and mapping of surficial and bedrock geology between traverses.

Development of flood-inundation maps for the West Branch Susquehanna River near the Borough of Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roland, Mark A.; Hoffman, Scott A.

2011-01-01

Streamflow data, water-surface-elevation profiles derived from a Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System hydraulic model, and geographical information system digital elevation models were used to develop a set of 18 flood-inundation maps for an approximately 5-mile reach of the West Branch Susquehanna River near the Borough of Jersey Shore, Pa. The inundation maps were created by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and Lycoming County as part of an ongoing effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service to focus on continued improvements to the flood forecasting and warning abilities in the Susquehanna River Basin and to modernize flood-forecasting methodologies. The maps, ranging from 23.0 to 40.0 feet in 1-foot increments, correspond to river stage at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage 01549760 at Jersey Shore. The electronic files used to develop the maps were provided to the National Weather Service for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service website. The maps are displayed on this website, which serves as a web-based floodwarning system, and can be used to identify areas of predicted flood inundation associated with forecasted flood-peak stages. During times of flooding or predicted flooding, these maps can be used by emergency managers and the public to take proactive steps to protect life and reduce property damage caused by floods.

Geologic map of the Nepenthes Planum Region, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skinner, James A.; Tanaka, Kenneth L.

2018-03-26

This map product contains a map sheet at 1:1,506,000 scale that shows the geology of the Nepenthes Planum region of Mars, which is located between the cratered highlands that dominate the southern hemisphere and the less-cratered sedimentary plains that dominate the northern hemisphere.  The map region contains cone- and mound-shaped landforms as well as lobate materials that are morphologically similar to terrestrial igneous or mud vents and flows. This map is part of an informal series of small-scale (large-area) maps aimed at refining current understanding of the geologic units and structures that make up the highland-to-lowland transition zone. The map base consists of a controlled Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) daytime infrared image mosaic (100 meters per pixel resolution) supplemented by a Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) digital elevation model (463 meters per pixel resolution). The map includes a Description of Map Units and a Correlation of Map Units that describes and correlates units identified across the entire map region. The geologic map was assembled using ArcGIS software by Environmental Systems Research Institute (http://www.esri.com). The ArcGIS project, geodatabase, base map, and all map components are included online as supplemental data.

Phase unwrapping in digital holography based on non-subsampled contourlet transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Xiangchao; Xu, Min; Zhang, Hao; Jiang, Xiangqian

2018-01-01

In the digital holographic measurement of complex surfaces, phase unwrapping is a critical step for accurate reconstruction. The phases of the complex amplitudes calculated from interferometric holograms are disturbed by speckle noise, thus reliable unwrapping results are difficult to be obtained. Most of existing unwrapping algorithms implement denoising operations first to obtain noise-free phases and then conduct phase unwrapping pixel by pixel. This approach is sensitive to spikes and prone to unreliable results in practice. In this paper, a robust unwrapping algorithm based on the non-subsampled contourlet transform (NSCT) is developed. The multiscale and directional decomposition of NSCT enhances the boundary between adjacent phase levels and henceforth the influence of local noise can be eliminated in the transform domain. The wrapped phase map is segmented into several regions corresponding to different phase levels. Finally, an unwrapped phase map is obtained by elevating the phases of a whole segment instead of individual pixels to avoid unwrapping errors caused by local spikes. This algorithm is suitable for dealing with complex and noisy wavefronts. Its universality and superiority in the digital holographic interferometry have been demonstrated by both numerical analysis and practical experiments.

Geologic map of the Ponca quadrangle, Newton, Boone, and Carroll Counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Murray, Kyle E.

2003-01-01

This digital geologic map compilation presents new polygon (i.e., geologic map unit contacts), line (i.e., fault, fold axis, and structure contour), and point (i.e., structural attitude, contact elevations) vector data for the Ponca 7 1/2' quadrangle in northern Arkansas. The map database, which is at 1:24,000-scale resolution, provides geologic coverage of an area of current hydrogeologic, tectonic, and stratigraphic interest. The Ponca quadrangle is located in Newton, Boone, and Carroll Counties about 20 km southwest of the town of Harrison. The map area is underlain by sedimentary rocks of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age that were mildly deformed by a series of normal and strike-slip faults and folds. The area is representative of the stratigraphic and structural setting of the southern Ozark Dome. The Ponca quadrangle map provides new geologic information for better understanding groundwater flow paths and development of karst features in and adjacent to the Buffalo River watershed.

Digital release of the Alaska Quaternary fault and fold database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koehler, R. D.; Farrell, R.; Burns, P.; Combellick, R. A.; Weakland, J. R.

2011-12-01

The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) has designed a Quaternary fault and fold database for Alaska in conformance with standards defined by the U.S. Geological Survey for the National Quaternary fault and fold database. Alaska is the most seismically active region of the United States, however little information exists on the location, style of deformation, and slip rates of Quaternary faults. Thus, to provide an accurate, user-friendly, reference-based fault inventory to the public, we are producing a digital GIS shapefile of Quaternary fault traces and compiling summary information on each fault. Here, we present relevant information pertaining to the digital GIS shape file and online access and availability of the Alaska database. This database will be useful for engineering geologic studies, geologic, geodetic, and seismic research, and policy planning. The data will also contribute to the fault source database being constructed by the Global Earthquake Model (GEM), Faulted Earth project, which is developing tools to better assess earthquake risk. We derived the initial list of Quaternary active structures from The Neotectonic Map of Alaska (Plafker et al., 1994) and supplemented it with more recent data where available. Due to the limited level of knowledge on Quaternary faults in Alaska, pre-Quaternary fault traces from the Plafker map are shown as a layer in our digital database so users may view a more accurate distribution of mapped faults and to suggest the possibility that some older traces may be active yet un-studied. The database will be updated as new information is developed. We selected each fault by reviewing the literature and georegistered the faults from 1:250,000-scale paper maps contained in 1970's vintage and earlier bedrock maps. However, paper map scales range from 1:20,000 to 1:500,000. Fault parameters in our GIS fault attribute tables include fault name, age, slip rate, slip sense, dip direction, fault line type (i.e., well constrained, moderately constrained, or inferred), and mapped scale. Each fault is assigned a three-integer CODE, based upon age, slip rate, and how well the fault is located. This CODE dictates the line-type for the GIS files. To host the database, we are developing an interactive web-map application with ArcGIS for Server and the ArcGIS API for JavaScript from Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri). The web-map application will present the database through a visible scale range with each fault displayed at the resolution of the original map. Application functionality includes: search by name or location, identification of fault by manual selection, and choice of base map. Base map options include topographic, satellite imagery, and digital elevation maps available from ArcGIS on-line. We anticipate that the database will be publically accessible from a portal embedded on the DGGS website by the end of 2011.

Compiling Mercury relief map using several data sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharova, M.

2015-12-01

There are several data of Mercury topography obtained as the result of processing materials collected by two spacecraft - the Mariner-10 and the MESSENGER during their Mercury flybys.The history of the visual mapping of Mercury begins at the recent times as the first significant observations were made during the latter half of the 20th century, whereas today we have no data with 100% coverage of the entire surface of the Mercury except the global mosaic composed of the images acquired by MESSENGER. The main objective of this work is to provide the first Mercury relief map using all the existing elevation data. The workflow included collecting, combining and processing the existing data and afterwards merging them correctly for one single map compiling. The preference was given to topography data while the global mosaic was used to fill the gaps where there was insufficient topography.The Mercury relief map has been created with the help of four different types of data: - global mosaic with 100% coverage of Mercury's surface created from Messenger orbital images (36% of the final map);- Digital Terrain Models obtained by the treating stereo images made during the Mariner 10's flybys (15% of the map) (Cook and Robinson, 2000);- Digital Terrain Models obtained from images acquired during the Messenger flybys (24% of the map) (F. Preusker et al., 2011);- the data sets produced by the MESSENGER Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) (25 % of the map).The final map is created in the Lambert azimuthal Equal area projection and has the scale 1:18 000 000. It represents two hemispheres - western and eastern which are separated by the zero meridian. It mainly shows the hypsometric features of the planet and craters with a diameter more than 200 kilometers.

A Study on the Assessment of Multi-Factors Affecting Urban Floods Using Satellite Image: A Case Study in Nakdong Basin, S. Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwak, Youngjoo; Kondoh, Akihiko

2010-05-01

Floods are also related to the changes in social economic conditions and land use. Recently, floods increased due to rapid urbanization and human activity in the lowland. Therefore, integrated management of total basin system is necessary to get the secure society. Typhoon ‘Rusa’ swept through eastern and southern parts of South Korea in the 2002. This pity experience gave us valuable knowledge that could be used to mitigate the future flood hazards. The purpose of this study is to construct the digital maps of the multi-factors related to urban flood concerning geomorphologic characteristics, land cover, and surface wetness. Parameters particularly consider geomorphologic functional unit, geomorphologic parameters derived from DEM (digital elevation model), and land use. The research area is Nakdong River Basin in S. Korea. As a result of preliminary analysis for Pusan area, the vulnerability map and the flood-prone areas can be extracted by applying spatial analysis on GIS (geographic information system).

Geologic map of the St. Joe quadrangle, Searcy and Marion Counties, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.

2009-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the St. Joe 7.5-minute quadrangle in the Ozark Plateaus region of northern Arkansas. Geologically, the area lies on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, an uplift that exposes oldest rocks at its center in Missouri. Physiographically, the St. Joe quadrangle lies within the Springfield Plateau, a topographic surface generally held up by Mississippian cherty limestone. The quadrangle also contains isolated mountains (for example, Pilot Mountain) capped by Pennsylvanian rocks that are erosional outliers of the higher Boston Mountains plateau to the south. Tomahawk Creek, a tributary of the Buffalo River, flows through the eastern part of the map area, enhancing bedrock erosion. Exposed bedrock of this region comprises an approximately 1,300-ft-thick sequence of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly deformed by a series of faults and folds. The geology of the St. Joe quadrangle was mapped by McKnight (1935) as part of a larger area at 1:125,000 scale. The current map confirms many features of this previous study, but it also identifies new structures and uses a revised stratigraphy. Mapping for this study was conducted by field inspection of numerous sites and was compiled as a 1:24,000-scale geographic information system (GIS) database. Locations and elevations of sites were determined with the aid of a global positioning satellite receiver and a hand-held barometric altimeter that was frequently recalibrated at points of known elevation. Hill-shade-relief and slope maps derived from a U.S. Geological Survey 10-m digital elevation model as well as U.S. Geological Survey orthophotographs from 2000 were used to help trace ledge-forming units between field traverses within the Upper Mississippian and Pennsylvanian part of the stratigraphic sequence. Strikes and dips of beds were typically measured along stream drainages or at well-exposed ledges. Beds dipping less than 2 degrees are shown as horizontal. Structure contours constructed on the base of the Boone Formation were hand drawn based on elevations of control points on both lower and upper contacts of the Boone Formation as well as other limiting information on their maximum or minimum elevations.

Digital surfaces and hydrogeologic data for the Floridan aquifer system in Florida and in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bellino, Jason C.

2011-01-01

A digital dataset for the Floridan aquifer system in Florida and in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina was developed from selected reports published as part of the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the 1980s. These reports contain maps and data depicting the extent and elevation of both time-stratigraphic and hydrogeologic units of which the aquifer system is composed, as well as data on hydrology, meteorology, and aquifer properties. The three primary reports used for this dataset compilation were USGS Professional Paper 1403-B (Miller, 1986), Professional Paper 1403-C (Bush and Johnston, 1988), and USGS Open-File Report 88-86 (Miller, 1988). Paper maps from Professional Papers 1403-B and 1403-C were scanned and georeferenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27) using the Lambert Conformal Conic projection (standard parallels 33 and 45 degrees, central longitude -96 degrees, central latitude 39 degrees). Once georeferenced, tracing of pertinent line features contained in each image (for example, contours and faults) was facilitated by specialized software using algorithms that automated much of the process. Resulting digital line features were then processed using standard geographic information system (GIS) software to remove artifacts from the digitization process and to verify and update attribute tables. The digitization process for polygonal features (for example, outcrop areas and unit extents) was completed by hand using GIS software.

Geologic, geomorphic, and meteorological aspects of debris flows triggered by Hurricanes Frances and Ivan during September 2004 in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Macon County, North Carolina (southeastern USA)

Treesearch

R. M. Wooten; K. A. Gillon; A. C. Witt; R. S. Latham; T. J. Douglas; J. B. Bauer; S. J. Fuemmeler; L. G. Lee

2008-01-01

In September 2004, rain from the remnants of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan triggered at least 155 landslides in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. At least 33 debris flows occurred in Macon County, causing 5 deaths, destroying 16 homes, and damaging infrastructure. We mapped debris flows and debris deposits using a light-detecting and ranging digital elevation...

Probabilistic Surface Characterization for Safe Landing Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Andrew E. (Inventor); Ivanov, Tonislav I. (Inventor); Huertas, Andres (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Apparatuses, systems, computer programs and methods for performing hazard detection and avoidance for landing vehicles are provided. Hazard assessment takes into consideration the geometry of the lander. Safety probabilities are computed for a plurality of pixels in a digital elevation map. The safety probabilities are combined for pixels associated with one or more aim points and orientations. A worst case probability value is assigned to each of the one or more aim points and orientations.

Development of an information data base for watershed monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, A. Y.; Blackwell, R. J.

1980-01-01

Landsat multispectral scanner data, Defense Mapping Agency digital terrain data, conventional maps, and ground data were integrated to create a comprehensive information data base (the Image Based Information System), to monitor the water quality of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Landsat imagery was used as the planimetric base to which all other data were registered. A georeference image plane, which provided an interface between all data planes for the Lake Tahoe Basin data base, was created from the drainage basin map. The data base was used to extract each drainage basin for separate display. The Defense Mapping Agency-created elevation image was processed with VICAR software to produce a component representing slope magnitude, which was cross-tabulated with the drainage basin georeference table. Future applications of the data base include the development of precipitation modeling, surface runoff models, and classification of drainage basin cover types.

Mapping the Active Vents of Stromboli Volcano with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, N.; Houghton, B. F.; von der Lieth, J.; Hort, M. K.; Taddeucci, J.; Kueppers, U.; Ricci, T.; Gaudin, D.

2016-12-01

We present a new detailed map of the active vents of Stromboli volcano obtained from UAV flights in May 2016, when the active NE and SW craters were repeatedly mapped. Due to high levels of gas emissions and frequent explosions, fine-scale measurements of vent geometry from single flights were challenging. However, the compilation of data acquired over 12 flights used with Structure from Motion software allowed us to create a 10 cm Digital Elevation Model (DEM) offering a non-obstructed view into the active craters. Such direct observations permits us to constrain parameters such as vent geometry and depth with an unprecedented precision, thus potentially reducing the uncertainty of models depending on such inputs (e.g. conduit and acoustic models). Furthermore, the low-cost and safety of UAVs allows mapping changes at small temporal and spatial resolutions, making this technique complementary to monitoring efforts at active volcanoes.

Integrating depth functions and hyper-scale terrain analysis for 3D soil organic carbon modeling in agricultural fields at regional scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez-Lopez, L.; van Wesemael, B.; Stevens, A.; Doetterl, S.; Van Oost, K.; Behrens, T.; Schmidt, K.

2012-04-01

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) represents a key component in the global C cycle and has an important influence on the global CO2 fluxes between terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere. In the context of agricultural landscapes, SOC inventories are important since soil management practices have a strong influence on CO2 fluxes and SOC stocks. However, there is lack of accurate and cost-effective methods for producing high spatial resolution of SOC information. In this respect, our work is focused on the development of a three dimensional modeling approach for SOC monitoring in agricultural fields. The study area comprises ~420 km2 and includes 4 of the 5 agro-geological regions of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The soil dataset consist of 172 profiles (1033 samples) which were not sampled specifically for this study. This dataset is a combination of profile samples collected in previous soil surveys and soil profiles sampled for other research purposes. The proposed strategy comprises two main steps. In the first step the SOC distribution within each profile (vertical distribution) is modeled. Depth functions for are fitted in order to summarize the information content in the profile. By using these functions the SOC can be interpolated at any depth within the profiles. The second step involves the use of contextual terrain (ConMap) features (Behrens et al., 2010). These features are based on the differences in elevation between a given point location in the landscape and its circular neighbourhoods at a given set of different radius. One of the main advantages of this approach is that it allows the integration of several spatial scales (eg. local and regional) for soil spatial analysis. In this work the ConMap features are derived from a digital elevation model of the area and are used as predictors for spatial modeling of the parameters of the depth functions fitted in the previous step. In this poster we present some preliminary results in which we analyze: i. The use of different depth functions, ii. The use of different machine learning approaches for modeling the parameters of the fitted depth functions using the ConMap features and iii. The influence of different spatial scales on the SOC profile distribution variability. Keywords: 3D modeling, Digital soil mapping, Depth functions, Terrain analysis. Reference Behrens, T., K. Schmidt, K., Zhu, A.X. Scholten, T. 2010. The ConMap approach for terrain-based digital soil mapping. European Journal of Soil Science, v. 61, p.133-143.

An Attempt to Develop AN Environmental Information System of Ecological Infrastructure for Evaluating Functions of Ecosystem-Based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction Eco-Drr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doko, T.; Chen, W.; Sasaki, K.; Furutani, T.

2016-06-01

"Ecological Infrastructure (EI)" are defined as naturally functioning ecosystems that deliver valuable services to people, such as healthy mountain catchments, rivers, wetlands, coastal dunes, and nodes and corridors of natural habitat, which together form a network of interconnected structural elements in the landscape. On the other hand, natural disaster occur at the locations where habitat was reduced due to the changes of land use, in which the land was converted to the settlements and agricultural cropland. Hence, habitat loss and natural disaster are linked closely. Ecological infrastructure is the nature-based equivalent of built or hard infrastructure, and is as important for providing services and underpinning socio-economic development. Hence, ecological infrastructure is expected to contribute to functioning as ecological disaster reduction, which is termed Ecosystem-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR). Although ecological infrastructure already exists in the landscape, it might be degraded, needs to be maintained and managed, and in some cases restored. Maintenance and restoration of ecological infrastructure is important for security of human lives. Therefore, analytical tool and effective visualization tool in spatially explicit way for the past natural disaster and future prediction of natural disaster in relation to ecological infrastructure is considered helpful. Hence, Web-GIS based Ecological Infrastructure Environmental Information System (EI-EIS) has been developed. This paper aims to describe the procedure of development and future application of EI-EIS. The purpose of the EI-EIS is to evaluate functions of Eco-DRR. In order to analyse disaster data, collection of past disaster information, and disaster-prone area is effective. First, a number of digital maps and analogue maps in Japan and Europe were collected. In total, 18,572 maps over 100 years were collected. The Japanese data includes Future-Pop Data Series (1,736 maps), JMC dataset 50m grid (elevation) (13,071 maps), Old Edition Maps: Topographic Map (325 maps), Digital Base Map at a scale of 2500 for reconstruction planning (808 maps), Detailed Digital Land Use Information for Metropolitan Area (10 m land use) (2,436 maps), and Digital Information by GSI (national large scale map) (71 maps). Old Edition Maps: Topographic Map were analogue maps, and were scanned and georeferenced. These geographical area covered 1) Tohoku area, 2) Five Lakes of Mikata area (Fukui), 3) Ooshima Island (Tokyo), 4) Hiroshima area (Hiroshima), 5) Okushiri Island (Hokkaido), and 6) Toyooka City area (Hyogo). The European data includes topographic map in Germany (8 maps), old topographic map in Germany (31 maps), ancient map in Germany (23 maps), topographic map in Austria (9 maps), old topographic map in Austria (17 maps), and ancient map in Austria (37 maps). Second, focusing on Five Lakes of Mikata area as an example, these maps were integrated into the ArcGIS Online® (ESRI). These data can be overlaid, and time-series data can be visualized by a time slider function of ArcGIS Online.

A 125 year history of topographic mapping and GIS in the U.S. Geological Survey 1884-2009, part 2: 1980-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Usery, E. Lynn; Varanka, Dalia; Finn, Michael P.

2009-01-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) entered the mainstream of developments in computer-assisted technology for mapping during the 1970s. The introduction by USGS of digital line graphs (DLGs), digital elevation models (DEMs), and land use data analysis (LUDA) nationwide land-cover data provided a base for the rapid expansion of the use of GIS in the 1980s. Whereas USGS had developed the topologically structured DLG data and the Geographic Information Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) for land-cover data, the Map Overlay Statistical System (MOSS), a nontopologically structured GIS software package developed by Autometric, Inc., under contract to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, dominated the use of GIS by federal agencies in the 1970s. Thus, USGS data was used in MOSS, but the topological structure, which later became a requirement for GIS vector datasets, was not used in early GIS applications. The introduction of Esri's ARC/INFO in 1982 changed that, and by the end of the 1980s, topological structure for vector data was essential, and ARC/INFO was the dominant GIS software package used by federal agencies.

RIPGIS-NET: a GIS tool for riparian groundwater evapotranspiration in MODFLOW.

PubMed

Ajami, Hoori; Maddock, Thomas; Meixner, Thomas; Hogan, James F; Guertin, D Phillip

2012-01-01

RIPGIS-NET, an Environmental System Research Institute (ESRI's) ArcGIS 9.2/9.3 custom application, was developed to derive parameters and visualize results of spatially explicit riparian groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg), evapotranspiration from saturated zone, in groundwater flow models for ecohydrology, riparian ecosystem management, and stream restoration. Specifically RIPGIS-NET works with riparian evapotranspiration (RIP-ET), a modeling package that works with the MODFLOW groundwater flow model. RIP-ET improves ETg simulations by using a set of eco-physiologically based ETg curves for plant functional subgroups (PFSGs), and separates ground evaporation and plant transpiration processes from the water table. The RIPGIS-NET program was developed in Visual Basic 2005, .NET framework 2.0, and runs in ArcMap 9.2 and 9.3 applications. RIPGIS-NET, a pre- and post-processor for RIP-ET, incorporates spatial variability of riparian vegetation and land surface elevation into ETg estimation in MODFLOW groundwater models. RIPGIS-NET derives RIP-ET input parameters including PFSG evapotranspiration curve parameters, fractional coverage areas of each PFSG in a MODFLOW cell, and average surface elevation per riparian vegetation polygon using a digital elevation model. RIPGIS-NET also provides visualization tools for modelers to create head maps, depth to water table (DTWT) maps, and plot DTWT for a PFSG in a polygon in the Geographic Information System based on MODFLOW simulation results. © 2011, The Author(s). Ground Water © 2011, National Ground Water Association.

High-efficient Extraction of Drainage Networks from Digital Elevation Model Data Constrained by Enhanced Flow Enforcement from Known River Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, T.; Li, T.; Li, J.; Wang, G.

2017-12-01

Improved drainage network extraction can be achieved by flow enforcement whereby information of known river maps is imposed to the flow-path modeling process. However, the common elevation-based stream burning method can sometimes cause unintended topological errors and misinterpret the overall drainage pattern. We presented an enhanced flow enforcement method to facilitate accurate and efficient process of drainage network extraction. Both the topology of the mapped hydrography and the initial landscape of the DEM are well preserved and fully utilized in the proposed method. An improved stream rasterization is achieved here, yielding continuous, unambiguous and stream-collision-free raster equivalent of stream vectors for flow enforcement. By imposing priority-based enforcement with a complementary flow direction enhancement procedure, the drainage patterns of the mapped hydrography are fully represented in the derived results. The proposed method was tested over the Rogue River Basin, using DEMs with various resolutions. As indicated by the visual and statistical analyses, the proposed method has three major advantages: (1) it significantly reduces the occurrences of topological errors, yielding very accurate watershed partition and channel delineation, (2) it ensures scale-consistent performance at DEMs of various resolutions, and (3) the entire extraction process is well-designed to achieve great computational efficiency.

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs, drones) in plant ecology1

PubMed Central

Cruzan, Mitchell B.; Weinstein, Ben G.; Grasty, Monica R.; Kohrn, Brendan F.; Hendrickson, Elizabeth C.; Arredondo, Tina M.; Thompson, Pamela G.

2016-01-01

Premise of the study: Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro–unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation over small- to medium-sized regions. We provide an overview of methods and procedures for conducting surveys and illustrate some of these applications. Methods: Aerial images were obtained by flying a small drone along transects over the area of interest. Images were used to create a composite image (orthomosaic) and a digital surface model (DSM). Vegetation classification was conducted manually and using an automated routine. Coverage of an individual species was estimated from aerial images. Results: We created a vegetation map for the entire region from the orthomosaic and DSM, and mapped the density of one species. Comparison of our manual and automated habitat classification confirmed that our mapping methods were accurate. A species with high contrast to the background matrix allowed adequate estimate of its coverage. Discussion: The example surveys demonstrate that small aerial drones are capable of gathering large amounts of information on the distribution of vegetation and individual species with minimal impact to sensitive habitats. Low-elevation aerial surveys have potential for a wide range of applications in plant ecology. PMID:27672518

Volumetric evolution of Surtsey, Iceland, from topographic maps and scanning airborne laser altimetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garvin, J.B.; Williams, R.S.; Frawley, J.J.; Krabill, W.B.

2000-01-01

The volumetric evolution of Surtsey has been estimated on the basis of digital elevation models derived from NASA scanning airborne laser altimeter surveys (20 July 1998), as well as digitized 1:5,000-scale topographic maps produced by the National Land Survey of Iceland and by Norrman. Subaerial volumes have been computed from co-registered digital elevation models (DEM's) from 6 July 1968, 11 July 1975, 16 July 1993, and 20 July 1998 (scanning airborne laser altimetry), as well as true surface area (above mean sea level). Our analysis suggests that the subaerial volume of Surtsey has been reduced from nearly 0.100 km3 on 6 July 1968 to 0.075 km3 on 20 July 1998. Linear regression analysis of the temporal evolution of Surtsey's subaerial volume indicates that most of its subaerial surface will be at or below mean sea-level by approximately 2100. This assumes a conservative estimate of continuation of the current pace of marine erosion and mass-wasting on the island, including the indurated core of the conduits of the Surtur I and Surtur II eruptive vents. If the conduits are relatively resistant to marine erosion they will become sea stacks after the rest of the island has become a submarine shoal, and some portions of the island could survive for centuries. The 20 July 1998 scanning laser altimeter surveys further indicate rapid enlargement of erosional canyons in the northeastern portion of the partial tephra ring associated with Surtur I. Continued airborne and eventually spaceborne topographic surveys of Surtsey are planned to refine the inter-annual change of its subaerial volume.

Generation of kth-order random toposequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odgers, Nathan P.; McBratney, Alex. B.; Minasny, Budiman

2008-05-01

The model presented in this paper derives toposequences from a digital elevation model (DEM). It is written in ArcInfo Macro Language (AML). The toposequences are called kth-order random toposequences, because they take a random path uphill to the top of a hill and downhill to a stream or valley bottom from a randomly selected seed point, and they are located in a streamshed of order k according to a particular stream-ordering system. We define a kth-order streamshed as the area of land that drains directly to a stream segment of stream order k. The model attempts to optimise the spatial configuration of a set of derived toposequences iteratively by using simulated annealing to maximise the total sum of distances between each toposequence hilltop in the set. The user is able to select the order, k, of the derived toposequences. Toposequences are useful for determining soil sampling locations for use in collecting soil data for digital soil mapping applications. Sampling locations can be allocated according to equal elevation or equal-distance intervals along the length of the toposequence, for example. We demonstrate the use of this model for a study area in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. Of the 64 toposequences derived, 32 were first-order random toposequences according to Strahler's stream-ordering system, and 32 were second-order random toposequences. The model that we present in this paper is an efficient method for sampling soil along soil toposequences. The soils along a toposequence are related to each other by the topography they are found in, so soil data collected by this method is useful for establishing soil-landscape rules for the preparation of digital soil maps.

Creating a standardized watersheds database for the Lower Rio Grande/Río Bravo, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, J.R.; Ulery, Randy L.; Parcher, Jean W.

2000-01-01

This report describes the creation of a large-scale watershed database for the lower Rio Grande/Río Bravo Basin in Texas. The watershed database includes watersheds delineated to all 1:24,000-scale mapped stream confluences and other hydrologically significant points, selected watershed characteristics, and hydrologic derivative datasets.Computer technology allows generation of preliminary watershed boundaries in a fraction of the time needed for manual methods. This automated process reduces development time and results in quality improvements in watershed boundaries and characteristics. These data can then be compiled in a permanent database, eliminating the time-consuming step of data creation at the beginning of a project and providing a stable base dataset that can give users greater confidence when further subdividing watersheds.A standardized dataset of watershed characteristics is a valuable contribution to the understanding and management of natural resources. Vertical integration of the input datasets used to automatically generate watershed boundaries is crucial to the success of such an effort. The optimum situation would be to use the digital orthophoto quadrangles as the source of all the input datasets. While the hydrographic data from the digital line graphs can be revised to match the digital orthophoto quadrangles, hypsography data cannot be revised to match the digital orthophoto quadrangles. Revised hydrography from the digital orthophoto quadrangle should be used to create an updated digital elevation model that incorporates the stream channels as revised from the digital orthophoto quadrangle. Computer-generated, standardized watersheds that are vertically integrated with existing digital line graph hydrographic data will continue to be difficult to create until revisions can be made to existing source datasets. Until such time, manual editing will be necessary to make adjustments for man-made features and changes in the natural landscape that are not reflected in the digital elevation model data.

Creating a standardized watersheds database for the lower Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Julie R.; Ulery, Randy L.; Parcher, Jean W.

2000-01-01

This report describes the creation of a large-scale watershed database for the lower Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin in Texas. The watershed database includes watersheds delineated to all 1:24,000-scale mapped stream confluences and other hydrologically significant points, selected watershed characteristics, and hydrologic derivative datasets. Computer technology allows generation of preliminary watershed boundaries in a fraction of the time needed for manual methods. This automated process reduces development time and results in quality improvements in watershed boundaries and characteristics. These data can then be compiled in a permanent database, eliminating the time-consuming step of data creation at the beginning of a project and providing a stable base dataset that can give users greater confidence when further subdividing watersheds. A standardized dataset of watershed characteristics is a valuable contribution to the understanding and management of natural resources. Vertical integration of the input datasets used to automatically generate watershed boundaries is crucial to the success of such an effort. The optimum situation would be to use the digital orthophoto quadrangles as the source of all the input datasets. While the hydrographic data from the digital line graphs can be revised to match the digital orthophoto quadrangles, hypsography data cannot be revised to match the digital orthophoto quadrangles. Revised hydrography from the digital orthophoto quadrangle should be used to create an updated digital elevation model that incorporates the stream channels as revised from the digital orthophoto quadrangle. Computer-generated, standardized watersheds that are vertically integrated with existing digital line graph hydrographic data will continue to be difficult to create until revisions can be made to existing source datasets. Until such time, manual editing will be necessary to make adjustments for man-made features and changes in the natural landscape that are not reflected in the digital elevation model data.

Semi-automated extraction of landslides in Taiwan based on SPOT imagery and DEMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisank, Clemens; Hölbling, Daniel; Friedl, Barbara; Chen, Yi-Chin; Chang, Kang-Tsung

2014-05-01

The vast availability and improved quality of optical satellite data and digital elevation models (DEMs), as well as the need for complete and up-to-date landslide inventories at various spatial scales have fostered the development of semi-automated landslide recognition systems. Among the tested approaches for designing such systems, object-based image analysis (OBIA) stepped out to be a highly promising methodology. OBIA offers a flexible, spatially enabled framework for effective landslide mapping. Most object-based landslide mapping systems, however, have been tailored to specific, mainly small-scale study areas or even to single landslides only. Even though reported mapping accuracies tend to be higher than for pixel-based approaches, accuracy values are still relatively low and depend on the particular study. There is still room to improve the applicability and objectivity of object-based landslide mapping systems. The presented study aims at developing a knowledge-based landslide mapping system implemented in an OBIA environment, i.e. Trimble eCognition. In comparison to previous knowledge-based approaches, the classification of segmentation-derived multi-scale image objects relies on digital landslide signatures. These signatures hold the common operational knowledge on digital landslide mapping, as reported by 25 Taiwanese landslide experts during personal semi-structured interviews. Specifically, the signatures include information on commonly used data layers, spectral and spatial features, and feature thresholds. The signatures guide the selection and implementation of mapping rules that were finally encoded in Cognition Network Language (CNL). Multi-scale image segmentation is optimized by using the improved Estimation of Scale Parameter (ESP) tool. The approach described above is developed and tested for mapping landslides in a sub-region of the Baichi catchment in Northern Taiwan based on SPOT imagery and a high-resolution DEM. An object-based accuracy assessment is conducted by quantitatively comparing extracted landslide objects with landslide polygons that were visually interpreted by local experts. The applicability and transferability of the mapping system are evaluated by comparing initial accuracies with those achieved for the following two tests: first, usage of a SPOT image from the same year, but for a different area within the Baichi catchment; second, usage of SPOT images from multiple years for the same region. The integration of the common knowledge via digital landslide signatures is new in object-based landslide studies. In combination with strategies to optimize image segmentation this may lead to a more objective, transferable and stable knowledge-based system for the mapping of landslides from optical satellite data and DEMs.

Open-Source Digital Elevation Model (DEMs) Evaluation with GPS and LiDAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalid, N. F.; Din, A. H. M.; Omar, K. M.; Khanan, M. F. A.; Omar, A. H.; Hamid, A. I. A.; Pa'suya, M. F.

2016-09-01

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer-Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM), Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), and Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 (GMTED2010) are freely available Digital Elevation Model (DEM) datasets for environmental modeling and studies. The quality of spatial resolution and vertical accuracy of the DEM data source has a great influence particularly on the accuracy specifically for inundation mapping. Most of the coastal inundation risk studies used the publicly available DEM to estimated the coastal inundation and associated damaged especially to human population based on the increment of sea level. In this study, the comparison between ground truth data from Global Positioning System (GPS) observation and DEM is done to evaluate the accuracy of each DEM. The vertical accuracy of SRTM shows better result against ASTER and GMTED10 with an RMSE of 6.054 m. On top of the accuracy, the correlation of DEM is identified with the high determination of coefficient of 0.912 for SRTM. For coastal zone area, DEMs based on airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) dataset was used as ground truth data relating to terrain height. In this case, the LiDAR DEM is compared against the new SRTM DEM after applying the scale factor. From the findings, the accuracy of the new DEM model from SRTM can be improved by applying scale factor. The result clearly shows that the value of RMSE exhibit slightly different when it reached 0.503 m. Hence, this new model is the most suitable and meets the accuracy requirement for coastal inundation risk assessment using open source data. The suitability of these datasets for further analysis on coastal management studies is vital to assess the potentially vulnerable areas caused by coastal inundation.

Digital geologic map of the Coeur d'Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

digital compilation by Munts, Steven R.

2000-01-01

Between 1961 and 1969, Alan Griggs and others conducted fieldwork to prepare a geologic map of the Spokane 1:250,000 map (Griggs, 1973). Their field observations were posted on paper copies of 15-minute quadrangle maps. In 1999, the USGS contracted with the Idaho Geological Survey to prepare a digital version of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle. To facilitate this work, the USGS obtained the field maps prepared by Griggs and others from the USGS Field Records Library in Denver, Colorado. The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) digitized these maps and used them in their mapping program. The mapping focused on field checks to resolve problems in poorly known areas and in areas of disagreement between adjoining maps. The IGS is currently in the process of preparing a final digital spatial database for the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle. However, there was immediate need for a digital version of the geologic map of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle and the data from the field sheets along with several other sources were assembled to produce this interim product. This interim product is the digital geologic map of the Coeur d’Alene 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho and Montana. It was compiled from the preliminary digital files prepared by the Idaho Geological, and supplemented by data from Griggs (1973) and from digital databases by Bookstrom and others (1999) and Derkey and others (1996). The resulting digital geologic map (GIS) database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map graphics (of00-135_map.pdf) that are provided are representations of the digital database. The map area is located in north Idaho. This open-file report describes the geologic map units, the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the ArcInfo GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet.

Mapping polar bear maternal denning habitat in the National Petroleum Reserve -- Alaska with an IfSAR digital terrain model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Simac, Kristin S.; Amstrup, Steven C.

2013-01-01

The National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR-A) in northeastern Alaska provides winter maternal denning habitat for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and also has high potential for recoverable hydrocarbons. Denning polar bears exposed to human activities may abandon their dens before their young are able to survive the severity of Arctic winter weather. To ensure that wintertime petroleum activities do not threaten polar bears, managers need to know the distribution of landscape features in which maternal dens are likely to occur. Here, we present a map of potential denning habitat within the NPR-A. We used a fine-grain digital elevation model derived from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IfSAR) to generate a map of putative denning habitat. We then tested the map’s ability to identify polar bear denning habitat on the landscape. Our final map correctly identified 82% of denning habitat estimated to be within the NPR-A. Mapped denning habitat comprised 19.7 km2 (0.1% of the study area) and was widely dispersed. Though mapping denning habitat with IfSAR data was as effective as mapping with the photogrammetric methods used for other regions of the Alaskan Arctic coastal plain, the use of GIS to analyze IfSAR data allowed greater objectivity and flexibility with less manual labor. Analytical advantages and performance equivalent to that of manual cartographic methods suggest that the use of IfSAR data to identify polar bear maternal denning habitat is a better management tool in the NPR-A and wherever such data may be available.

Integrating GPS, GYRO, vehicle speed sensor, and digital map to provide accurate and real-time position in an intelligent navigation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qingquan; Fang, Zhixiang; Li, Hanwu; Xiao, Hui

2005-10-01

The global positioning system (GPS) has become the most extensively used positioning and navigation tool in the world. Applications of GPS abound in surveying, mapping, transportation, agriculture, military planning, GIS, and the geosciences. However, the positional and elevation accuracy of any given GPS location is prone to error, due to a number of factors. The applications of Global Positioning System (GPS) positioning is more and more popular, especially the intelligent navigation system which relies on GPS and Dead Reckoning technology is developing quickly for future huge market in China. In this paper a practical combined positioning model of GPS/DR/MM is put forward, which integrates GPS, Gyro, Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) and digital navigation maps to provide accurate and real-time position for intelligent navigation system. This model is designed for automotive navigation system making use of Kalman filter to improve position and map matching veracity by means of filtering raw GPS and DR signals, and then map-matching technology is used to provide map coordinates for map displaying. In practical examples, for illustrating the validity of the model, several experiments and their results of integrated GPS/DR positioning in intelligent navigation system will be shown for the conclusion that Kalman Filter based GPS/DR integrating position approach is necessary, feasible and efficient for intelligent navigation application. Certainly, this combined positioning model, similar to other model, can not resolve all situation issues. Finally, some suggestions are given for further improving integrated GPS/DR/MM application.

Flood-inundation map library for the Licking River and South Fork Licking River near Falmouth, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lant, Jeremiah G.

2016-09-19

Digital flood inundation maps for a 17-mile reach of Licking River and 4-mile reach of South Fork Licking River near Falmouth, Kentucky, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Pendleton County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–Louisville District. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://wim.usgs.gov/FIMI/FloodInundationMapper.html, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on the Licking River at Catawba, Ky., (station 03253500) and the USGS streamgage on the South Fork Licking River at Hayes, Ky., (station 03253000). Current conditions (2015) for the USGS streamgages may be obtained online at the USGS National Water Information System site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). In addition, the streamgage information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The flood hydrograph forecasts provided by the NWS are usually collocated with USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the NWS Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.In this study, flood profiles were computed for the Licking River reach and South Fork Licking River reach by using a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current (2015) stage-discharge relations for the Licking River at Catawba, Ky., and the South Fork Licking River at Hayes, Ky., USGS streamgages. The calibrated model was then used to calculate 60 water-surface profiles for a sequence of flood stages, at 2-foot intervals, referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from an elevation near bankfull to the elevation associated with a major flood that occurred in the region in 1997. To delineate the flooded area at each interval flood stage, the simulated water-surface profiles were combined with a digital elevation model of the study area by using geographic information system software.The availability of these flood inundation maps for Falmouth, Ky., along with online information regarding current stages from the USGS streamgages and forecasted stages from the NWS, provides emergency management personnel and local residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations, road closures, and post-flood recovery efforts.

Hydrologic Derivatives for Modeling and Analysis—A new global high-resolution database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verdin, Kristine L.

2017-07-17

The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a new global high-resolution hydrologic derivative database. Loosely modeled on the HYDRO1k database, this new database, entitled Hydrologic Derivatives for Modeling and Analysis, provides comprehensive and consistent global coverage of topographically derived raster layers (digital elevation model data, flow direction, flow accumulation, slope, and compound topographic index) and vector layers (streams and catchment boundaries). The coverage of the data is global, and the underlying digital elevation model is a hybrid of three datasets: HydroSHEDS (Hydrological data and maps based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales), GMTED2010 (Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010), and the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission). For most of the globe south of 60°N., the raster resolution of the data is 3 arc-seconds, corresponding to the resolution of the SRTM. For the areas north of 60°N., the resolution is 7.5 arc-seconds (the highest resolution of the GMTED2010 dataset) except for Greenland, where the resolution is 30 arc-seconds. The streams and catchments are attributed with Pfafstetter codes, based on a hierarchical numbering system, that carry important topological information. This database is appropriate for use in continental-scale modeling efforts. The work described in this report was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center.

Ground Collision Avoidance System (Igcas)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prosser, Kevin (Inventor); Hook, Loyd (Inventor); Skoog, Mark A (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The present invention is a system and method for aircraft ground collision avoidance (iGCAS) comprising a modular array of software, including a sense own state module configured to gather data to compute trajectory, a sense terrain module including a digital terrain map (DTM) and map manger routine to store and retrieve terrain elevations, a predict collision threat module configured to generate an elevation profile corresponding to the terrain under the trajectory computed by said sense own state module, a predict avoidance trajectory module configured to simulate avoidance maneuvers ahead of the aircraft, a determine need to avoid module configured to determine which avoidance maneuver should be used, when it should be initiated, and when it should be terminated, a notify Module configured to display each maneuver's viability to the pilot by a colored GUI, a pilot controls module configured to turn the system on and off, and an avoid module configured to define how an aircraft will perform avoidance maneuvers through 3-dimensional space.

Phenological classification of the United States: A geographic framework for extending multi-sensor time-series data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gu, Yingxin; Brown, Jesslyn F.; Miura, Tomoaki; van Leeuwen, Willem J.D.; Reed, Bradley C.

2010-01-01

This study introduces a new geographic framework, phenological classification, for the conterminous United States based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series data and a digital elevation model. The resulting pheno-class map is comprised of 40 pheno-classes, each having unique phenological and topographic characteristics. Cross-comparison of the pheno-classes with the 2001 National Land Cover Database indicates that the new map contains additional phenological and climate information. The pheno-class framework may be a suitable basis for the development of an Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)-MODIS NDVI translation algorithm and for various biogeographic studies.

Global GIS database; digital atlas of Central and South America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn,, Paul P.; Hare, T.; Schruben, P.; Sherrill, D.; LaMar, C.; Tsushima, P.

2000-01-01

This CD-ROM contains a digital atlas of the countries of Central and South America. This atlas is part of a global database compiled from USGS and other data sources at the nominal scale of 1:1 million and is intended to be used as a regional-scale reference and analytical tool by government officials, researchers, the private sector, and the general public. The atlas includes free GIS software or may also be used with ESRI's ArcView software. Customized ArcView tools, specifically designed to make the atlas easier to use, are also included. The atlas contains the following datasets: country political boundaries, digital shaded relief map, elevation, slope, hydrology, locations of cities and towns, airfields, roads, railroads, utility lines, population density, geology, ecological regions, historical seismicity, volcanoes, ore deposits, oil and gas fields, climate data, landcover, vegetation index, and lights at night.

An interactive method for digitizing zone maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giddings, L. E.; Thompson, E. J.

1975-01-01

A method is presented for digitizing maps that consist of zones, such as contour or climatic zone maps. A color-coded map is prepared by any convenient process. The map is then read into memory of an Image 100 computer by means of its table scanner, using colored filters. Zones are separated and stored in themes, using standard classification procedures. Thematic data are written on magnetic tape and these data, appropriately coded, are combined to make a digitized image on tape. Step-by-step procedures are given for digitization of crop moisture index maps with this procedure. In addition, a complete example of the digitization of a climatic zone map is given.

Studying of Forests Potentials for Introducing of Mediterranean Industrial Woody Species to Desertification Combating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdavi Najafabadi, R.; Khajeddin, S. J.; Sofyanian, A. R.; Karimzadeh, H. R.; Rezaei, M.

2009-04-01

Most of arid and semiarid parts of the world suffer from great lack of forest land. Therefore taking a good care of these forest lands quantity and quality and control of renewable natural resources is very important. Zagroass forests are located in semiarid parts of Iran. The main purpose of this research is to determine the potential habitat of forest olive for Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary using GIS. This province has a total area of 1653300 hectars. The main steps of this project are as follows: collecting data and maps, digitizing topographic maps with scale of 1:25000, and developing maps of slope, elevation levels, aspect, climatic classification. Regretion analysis was performed on the climatic data and the gradian equations were developed with a high R2 value. Using these equations the following maps were developed. For the whole province: isothermal, isoheytal, abs. max isothermal, relative humidity relative humidity of dry months. Soil maps were also digitized and the information system suitable for this study was developed. Using this bank the following layers were made: land units, soil depth, two soil textures, EC, pH, CaCo3. The following layers were made using digitized data, land use hydraulic network, lake and marsh land. Considering ecological needs of olive and extracting them from all diferent layers using boolean method. The layers showing suitable locations for planting olive(olea europea) was made. One of these maps includes all types of soils suitable for planting olive and the other excludes silty clay loam soils which are not so suitable. The total area achived was 9500 hectars in the whole province and the area excluding silty clay loam soils was determined to be 900 hectars. Using RS information and GIS technology in these types of projects can increase accuracy specialy including some more layers is recommended.

Computer-aided analysis of Skylab scanner data for land use mapping, forestry and water resource applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffer, R. M.

1975-01-01

Skylab data were obtained over a mountainous test site containing a complex association of cover types and rugged topography. The application of computer-aided analysis techniques to the multispectral scanner data produced a number of significant results. Techniques were developed to digitally overlay topographic data (elevation, slope, and aspect) onto the S-192 MSS data to provide a method for increasing the effectiveness and accuracy of computer-aided analysis techniques for cover type mapping. The S-192 MSS data were analyzed using computer techniques developed at Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing (LARS), Purdue University. Land use maps, forest cover type maps, snow cover maps, and area tabulations were obtained and evaluated. These results compared very well with information obtained by conventional techniques. Analysis of the spectral characteristics of Skylab data has conclusively proven the value of the middle infrared portion of the spectrum (about 1.3-3.0 micrometers), a wavelength region not previously available in multispectral satellite data.

Digital Elevation Models of Greenland based on combined radar and laser altimetry as well as high-resolution stereoscopic imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levinsen, J. F.; Smith, B. E.; Sandberg Sorensen, L.; Khvorostovsky, K.; Simonsen, S. B.; Forsberg, R.

2015-12-01

A number of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of Greenland exist, each of which are applicable for different purposes. This study presents two such DEMs: One developed by merging contemporary radar and laser altimeter data, and one derived from high-resolution stereoscopic imagery. All products are made freely available. The former DEM covers the entire Greenland. It is specific to the year 2010, providing it with an advantage over previous models suffering from either a reduced spatial/ temporal data coverage or errors from surface elevation changes (SEC) occurring during data acquisition. Radar data are acquired with Envisat and CryoSat-2, and laser data with the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite, the Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor, and the Airborne Topographic Mapper. Correcting radar data for errors from slope effects and surface penetration of the echoes, and merging these with laser data, yields a DEM capable of resolving both surface depressions as well as topographic features at higher altitudes. The spatial resolution is 2 x 2 km, making the DEM ideal for application in surface mass balance studies, SEC detection from radar altimetry, or for correcting such data for slope-induced errors. The other DEM is developed in a pilot study building the expertise to map all ice-free parts of Greenland. The work combines WorldView-2 and -3 as well as GeoEye1 imagery from 2014 and 2015 over the Disko, Narsaq, Tassilaq, and Zackenberg regions. The novelty of the work is the determination of the product specifications after elaborate discussions with interested parties from government institutions, the tourist industry, etc. Thus, a 10 m DEM, 1.5 m orthophotos, and vector maps are produced. This opens to the possibility of using orthophotos with up-to-date contour lines or for deriving updated coastlines to aid, e.g., emergency management. This allows for a product development directly in line with the needs of parties with specific interests in Greenland.

Radar image and data fusion for natural hazards characterisation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Zhong; Dzurisin, Daniel; Jung, Hyung-Sup; Zhang, Jixian; Zhang, Yonghong

2010-01-01

Fusion of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images through interferometric, polarimetric and tomographic processing provides an all - weather imaging capability to characterise and monitor various natural hazards. This article outlines interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) processing and products and their utility for natural hazards characterisation, provides an overview of the techniques and applications related to fusion of SAR/InSAR images with optical and other images and highlights the emerging SAR fusion technologies. In addition to providing precise land - surface digital elevation maps, SAR - derived imaging products can map millimetre - scale elevation changes driven by volcanic, seismic and hydrogeologic processes, by landslides and wildfires and other natural hazards. With products derived from the fusion of SAR and other images, scientists can monitor the progress of flooding, estimate water storage changes in wetlands for improved hydrological modelling predictions and assessments of future flood impacts and map vegetation structure on a global scale and monitor its changes due to such processes as fire, volcanic eruption and deforestation. With the availability of SAR images in near real - time from multiple satellites in the near future, the fusion of SAR images with other images and data is playing an increasingly important role in understanding and forecasting natural hazards.

Moving toward a Biomass Map of Boreal Eurasia based on ICESat GLAS, ASTER GDEM, and field measurements: Amount, Spatial distribution, and Statistical Uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neigh, C. S.; Nelson, R. F.; Sun, G.; Ranson, J.; Montesano, P. M.; Margolis, H. A.

2011-12-01

The Eurasian boreal forest is the largest continuous forest in the world and contains a vast quantity of carbon stock that is currently vulnerable to loss from climate change. We develop and present an approach to map the spatial distribution of above ground biomass throughout this region. Our method combines satellite measurements from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) that is carried on the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite ( ICESat), with the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM), and biomass field measurements collected from surveys from a number of different biomes throughout Boreal Eurasia. A slope model derived from the GDEM with quality control flags, and Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) water mask was implemented to exclude poor quality GLAS shots and stratify measurements by MODIS International Geosphere Biosphere (IGBP) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ecozones. We derive equations from regional field measurements to estimate the spatial distribution of above ground biomass by land cover type within biome and present a map with uncertainties and limitations of this approach which can be used as a baseline for future studies.

Characterization of Lunar Polar Illumination from a Power System Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fincannon, James

2008-01-01

This paper presents the results of illumination analyses for the lunar south and north pole regions obtained using an independently developed analytical tool and two types of digital elevation models (DEM). One DEM was based on radar height data from Earth observations of the lunar surface and the other was a combination of the radar data with a separate dataset generated using Clementine spacecraft stereo imagery. The analysis tool enables the assessment of illumination at most locations in the lunar polar regions for any time and any year. Maps are presented for both lunar poles for the worst case winter period (the critical power system design and planning bottleneck) and for the more favorable best case summer period. Average illumination maps are presented to help understand general topographic trends over the regions. Energy storage duration maps are presented to assist in power system design. Average illumination fraction, energy storage duration, solar/horizon terrain elevation profiles and illumination fraction profiles are presented for favorable lunar north and south pole sites which have the potential for manned or unmanned spacecraft operations. The format of the data is oriented for use by power system designers to develop mass optimized solar and energy storage systems.

A multitemporal (1979-2009) land-use/land-cover dataset of the binational Santa Cruz Watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

2011-01-01

Trends derived from multitemporal land-cover data can be used to make informed land management decisions and to help managers model future change scenarios. We developed a multitemporal land-use/land-cover dataset for the binational Santa Cruz watershed of southern Arizona, United States, and northern Sonora, Mexico by creating a series of land-cover maps at decadal intervals (1979, 1989, 1999, and 2009) using Landsat Multispectral Scanner and Thematic Mapper data and a classification and regression tree classifier. The classification model exploited phenological changes of different land-cover spectral signatures through the use of biseasonal imagery collected during the (dry) early summer and (wet) late summer following rains from the North American monsoon. Landsat images were corrected to remove atmospheric influences, and the data were converted from raw digital numbers to surface reflectance values. The 14-class land-cover classification scheme is based on the 2001 National Land Cover Database with a focus on "Developed" land-use classes and riverine "Forest" and "Wetlands" cover classes required for specific watershed models. The classification procedure included the creation of several image-derived and topographic variables, including digital elevation model derivatives, image variance, and multitemporal Kauth-Thomas transformations. The accuracy of the land-cover maps was assessed using a random-stratified sampling design, reference aerial photography, and digital imagery. This showed high accuracy results, with kappa values (the statistical measure of agreement between map and reference data) ranging from 0.80 to 0.85.

The future of structural fieldwork - UAV assisted aerial photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollgger, Stefan; Cruden, Alexander

2015-04-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, are opening new and low cost possibilities to acquire high-resolution aerial images and digital surface models (DSM) for applications in structural geology. UAVs can be programmed to fly autonomously along a user defined grid to systematically capture high-resolution photographs, even in difficult to access areas. The photographs are subsequently processed using software that employ SIFT (scale invariant feature transform) and SFM (structure from motion) algorithms. These photogrammetric routines allow the extraction of spatial information (3D point clouds, digital elevation models, 3D meshes, orthophotos) from 2D images. Depending on flight altitude and camera setup, sub-centimeter spatial resolutions can be achieved. By "digitally mapping" georeferenced 3D models and images, orientation data can be extracted directly and used to analyse the structural framework of the mapped object or area. We present UAV assisted aerial mapping results from a coastal platform near Cape Liptrap (Victoria, Australia), where deformed metasediments of the Palaeozoic Lachlan Fold Belt are exposed. We also show how orientation and spatial information of brittle and ductile structures extracted from the photogrammetric model can be linked to the progressive development of folds and faults in the region. Even though there are both technical and legislative limitations, which might prohibit the use of UAVs without prior commercial licensing and training, the benefits that arise from the resulting high-resolution, photorealistic models can substantially contribute to the collection of new data and insights for applications in structural geology.

The Use of LIDAR and Volunteered Geographic Information to Map Flood Extents and Inundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDougall, K.; Temple-Watts, P.

2012-07-01

Floods are one of the most destructive natural disasters that threaten communities and properties. In recent decades, flooding has claimed more lives, destroyed more houses and ruined more agricultural land than any other natural hazard. The accurate prediction of the areas of inundation from flooding is critical to saving lives and property, but relies heavily on accurate digital elevation and hydrologic models. The 2011 Brisbane floods provided a unique opportunity to capture high resolution digital aerial imagery as the floods neared their peak, allowing the capture of areas of inundation over the various city suburbs. This high quality imagery, together with accurate LiDAR data over the area and publically available volunteered geographic imagery through repositories such as Flickr, enabled the reconstruction of flood extents and the assessment of both area and depth of inundation for the assessment of damage. In this study, approximately 20 images of flood damaged properties were utilised to identify the peak of the flood. Accurate position and height values were determined through the use of RTK GPS and conventional survey methods. This information was then utilised in conjunction with river gauge information to generate a digital flood surface. The LiDAR generated DEM was then intersected with the flood surface to reconstruct the area of inundation. The model determined areas of inundation were then compared to the mapped flood extent from the high resolution digital imagery to assess the accuracy of the process. The paper concludes that accurate flood extent prediction or mapping is possible through this method, although its accuracy is dependent on the number and location of sampled points. The utilisation of LiDAR generated DEMs and DSMs can also provide an excellent mechanism to estimate depths of inundation and hence flood damage

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Elk City Aquifer in western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, C.J.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Elk City aquifer in western Oklahoma. The aquifer covers an area of approximately 193,000 acres and supplies ground water for irrigation, domestic, and industrial purposes in Beckham, Custer, Roger Mills, and Washita Counties along the divide between the Washita and Red River basins. The Elk City aquifer consists of the Elk City Sandstone and overlying terrace deposits, made up of clay, silt, sand and gravel, and dune sands in the eastern part and sand and gravel of the Ogallala Formation (or High Plains aquifer) in the western part of the aquifer. The Elk City aquifer is unconfined and composed of very friable sandstone, lightly cemented with clay, calcite, gypsum, or iron oxide. Most of the grains are fine-sized quartz but the grain size ranges from clay to cobble in the aquifer. The Doxey Shale underlies the Elk City aquifer and acts as a confining unit, restricting the downward movement of ground water. All of the data sets were digitized and created from information and maps in a ground-water modeling thesis and report of the Elk City aquifer. The maps digitized were published at a scale of 1:63,360. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Preliminary Analysis of AVIRIS Data for Tectonostratigraphic Assessment of Northern Guerrero

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Harold R.; Cabral-Cano, Enrique

1996-01-01

The tectonostratigraphic evolution of the southern margin of North American Plate in Mexico is still in debate. Recent explanations assert Laramide age (Campanian-Eocene) accretion of far-traveled oceanic terranes (Campa and Coney, 1983; Sedlock et al. 1993). In 1989, we began an effort to bring new data to this debate through field mapping, incorporating Lansat Thematic Mapper and digital elevation data, along a 30km by 250km, east-west geologic transect on northern Guerrero State.

Coastal Storm Surge Analysis System Digital Elevation Model: Report 1: Intermediate Submission No. 1.1

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Center 1261 Duck Rd. Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 Lisa Stillwell, Margaret Blanchard-Montgomery, Brian Blanton Renaissance Computing Institute 100 Europa...Insurance Studies in the study area, and serve as the basis for new coastal hazard analysis and ultimately updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Study... hazard zones in coastal areas of the United States. Under Task Order HSFE03-06-X-0023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and project partners are

GPS test range mission planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Iris P.; Hancock, Thomas P.

The principal features of the Test Range User Mission Planner (TRUMP), a PC-resident tool designed to aid in deploying and utilizing GPS-based test range assets, are reviewed. TRUMP features time history plots of time-space-position information (TSPI); performance based on a dynamic GPS/inertial system simulation; time history plots of TSPI data link connectivity; digital terrain elevation data maps with user-defined cultural features; and two-dimensional coverage plots of ground-based test range assets. Some functions to be added during the next development phase are discussed.

Projection of Stabilized Aerial Imagery Onto Digital Elevation Maps for Geo-Rectified and Jitter-Free Viewing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansar, Adnan I.; Brennan, Shane; Clouse, Daniel S.

2012-01-01

As imagery is collected from an airborne platform, an individual viewing the images wants to know from where on the Earth the images were collected. To do this, some information about the camera needs to be known, such as its position and orientation relative to the Earth. This can be provided by common inertial navigation systems (INS). Once the location of the camera is known, it is useful to project an image onto some representation of the Earth. Due to the non-smooth terrain of the Earth (mountains, valleys, etc.), this projection is highly non-linear. Thus, to ensure accurate projection, one needs to project onto a digital elevation map (DEM). This allows one to view the images overlaid onto a representation of the Earth. A code has been developed that takes an image, a model of the camera used to acquire that image, the pose of the camera during acquisition (as provided by an INS), and a DEM, and outputs an image that has been geo-rectified. The world coordinate of the bounds of the image are provided for viewing purposes. The code finds a mapping from points on the ground (DEM) to pixels in the image. By performing this process for all points on the ground, one can "paint" the ground with the image, effectively performing a projection of the image onto the ground. In order to make this process efficient, a method was developed for finding a region of interest (ROI) on the ground to where the image will project. This code is useful in any scenario involving an aerial imaging platform that moves and rotates over time. Many other applications are possible in processing aerial and satellite imagery.

Georectification and snow classification of webcam images: potential for complementing satellite-derrived snow maps over Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dizerens, Céline; Hüsler, Fabia; Wunderle, Stefan

2016-04-01

The spatial and temporal variability of snow cover has a significant impact on climate and environment and is of great socio-economic importance for the European Alps. Satellite remote sensing data is widely used to study snow cover variability and can provide spatially comprehensive information on snow cover extent. However, cloud cover strongly impedes the surface view and hence limits the number of useful snow observations. Outdoor webcam images not only offer unique potential for complementing satellite-derived snow retrieval under cloudy conditions but could also serve as a reference for improved validation of satellite-based approaches. Thousands of webcams are currently connected to the Internet and deliver freely available images with high temporal and spatial resolutions. To exploit the untapped potential of these webcams, a semi-automatic procedure was developed to generate snow cover maps based on webcam images. We used daily webcam images of the Swiss alpine region to apply, improve, and extend existing approaches dealing with the positioning of photographs within a terrain model, appropriate georectification, and the automatic snow classification of such photographs. In this presentation, we provide an overview of the implemented procedure and demonstrate how our registration approach automatically resolves the orientation of a webcam by using a high-resolution digital elevation model and the webcam's position. This allows snow-classified pixels of webcam images to be related to their real-world coordinates. We present several examples of resulting snow cover maps, which have the same resolution as the digital elevation model and indicate whether each grid cell is snow-covered, snow-free, or not visible from webcams' positions. The procedure is expected to work under almost any weather condition and demonstrates the feasibility of using webcams for the retrieval of high-resolution snow cover information.

City of Flagstaff Project: Ground Water Resource Evaluation, Remote Sensing Component

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chavez, Pat S.; Velasco, Miguel G.; Bowell, Jo-Ann; Sides, Stuart C.; Gonzalez, Rosendo R.; Soltesz, Deborah L.

1996-01-01

Many regions, cities, and towns in the Western United States need new or expanded water resources because of both population growth and increased development. Any tools or data that can help in the evaluation of an area's potential water resources must be considered for this increasingly critical need. Remotely sensed satellite images and subsequent digital image processing have been under-utilized in ground water resource evaluation and exploration. Satellite images can be helpful in detecting and mapping an area's regional structural patterns, including major fracture and fault systems, two important geologic settings for an area's surface to ground water relations. Within the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Flagstaff Field Center, expertise and capabilities in remote sensing and digital image processing have been developed over the past 25 years through various programs. For the City of Flagstaff project, this expertise and these capabilities were combined with traditional geologic field mapping to help evaluate ground water resources in the Flagstaff area. Various enhancement and manipulation procedures were applied to the digital satellite images; the results, in both digital and hardcopy format, were used for field mapping and analyzing the regional structure. Relative to surface sampling, remotely sensed satellite and airborne images have improved spatial coverage that can help study, map, and monitor the earth surface at local and/or regional scales. Advantages offered by remotely sensed satellite image data include: 1. a synoptic/regional view compared to both aerial photographs and ground sampling, 2. cost effectiveness, 3. high spatial resolution and coverage compared to ground sampling, and 4. relatively high temporal coverage on a long term basis. Remotely sensed images contain both spectral and spatial information. The spectral information provides various properties and characteristics about the surface cover at a given location or pixel (that is, vegetation and/or soil type). The spatial information gives the distribution, variation, and topographic relief of the cover types from pixel to pixel. Therefore, the main characteristics that determine a pixel's brightness/reflectance and, consequently, the digital number (DN) assigned to the pixel, are the physical properties of the surface and near surface, the cover type, and the topographic slope. In this application, the ability to detect and map lineaments, especially those related to fractures and faults, is critical. Therefore, the extraction of spatial information from the digital images was of prime interest in this project. The spatial information varies among the different spectral bands available; in particular, a near infrared spectral band is better than a visible band when extracting spatial information in highly vegetated areas. In this study, both visible and near infrared bands were analyzed and used to extract the desired spatial information from the images. The wide swath coverage of remotely sensed satellite digital images makes them ideal for regional analysis and mapping. Since locating and mapping highly fractured and faulted areas is a major requirement for ground water resource evaluation and exploration this aspect of satellite images was considered critical; it allowed us to stand back (actually up about 440 miles), look at, and map the regional structural setting of the area. The main focus of the remote sensing and digital image processing component of this project was to use both remotely sensed digital satellite images and a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to extract spatial information related to the structural and topographic patterns in the area. The data types used were digital satellite images collected by the United States' Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and French Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de laTerre (SPOT) imaging systems, along with a DEM of the Flagstaff region. The USGS Mini Image Processing Sy

An approach to identification and modelling of artificial grounds in urban area from multidisciplinary data (Oviedo, NW Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pando, Luis; Flor-Blanco, Germán; María Díaz-Díaz, Luis; Arias, Daniel

2016-04-01

This contribution describes the investigation of changes on urban relief caused by anthropogenic processes in Oviedo (population 215,000), the capital city of Asturias, formerly a Christian kingdom (719-925 AD) located in the north-western Iberian Peninsula. This city is placed on a Mesozoic-Cenozoic basin above a folded Paleozoic basement. Oviedo's subsurface is formed by carbonate and siliciclastic Cretaceous formations, and the overlying fluvial-lacustrine deposits of Paleogene age; the latter are mainly composed of marls, clays and gypsum layers. The urban core, which extends 15 km2, presents an elevation range between 160 to 330 m above mean sea level and the natural slopes reach up 15o in the built-up area. The research involved at first the collection and review of more than 950 borehole logs, presenting the man-made fills an average thickness of 1.9 m with maximum value of 25 m. Then topographic variations that occurred during the period of greatest urban development were analysed through map algebra. The data used to construct Digital Elevation Models (DEM) were provided by 1:5,000 city maps performed since 1869 to the present, all properly georeferenced. The subtraction operations generated Digital Terrain Models representing ground elevation gains and losses during different periods of time, after setting the necessary control points (elevation remains invariant) and corrections in order to avoid altitude deviations between DEMs. The thicknesses estimated for the man-made fills were compared with borehole data to validate the prediction, obtaining good correlations. The GIS-based methodology was complemented by an inspection of the historical evolution of land uses (i.e., using ancient street maps, aerial images interpretation and documentary references since the thirteenth century), and the analysis of all the surficial geological maps that have been published. Man-made grounds were then classified into categories, mainly: (i) earthworks related to urban development; (ii) ground modified by civil engineering; (iii) ground modified by quarrying activities; (iv) dumping sites. Further modified landscapes were studied using more detailed DEMs (up to 1x1 m cell size) to generate isolines maps indicating excavated and filled areas. This research provided valuable information about the distribution, geometry, volume and origin of the main accumulations of man-made fills and excavated areas. Especially noteworthy was the study of topographic changes caused by fills and excavations related to old quarries (extracting limestone, sand and clay). These quarries, abandoned for hundreds of years, are now hardly recognizable due to the growth of the city but have great historical significance. In fact they supplied building stone for some monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias that are included in the World Heritage List of Unesco.

Global multi-resolution terrain elevation data 2010 (GMTED2010)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Gesch, Dean B.

2011-01-01

In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a global topographic elevation model designated as GTOPO30 at a horizontal resolution of 30 arc-seconds for the entire Earth. Because no single source of topographic information covered the entire land surface, GTOPO30 was derived from eight raster and vector sources that included a substantial amount of U.S. Defense Mapping Agency data. The quality of the elevation data in GTOPO30 varies widely; there are no spatially-referenced metadata, and the major topographic features such as ridgelines and valleys are not well represented. Despite its coarse resolution and limited attributes, GTOPO30 has been widely used for a variety of hydrological, climatological, and geomorphological applications as well as military applications, where a regional, continental, or global scale topographic model is required. These applications have ranged from delineating drainage networks and watersheds to using digital elevation data for the extraction of topographic structure and three-dimensional (3D) visualization exercises (Jenson and Domingue, 1988; Verdin and Greenlee, 1996; Lehner and others, 2008). Many of the fundamental geophysical processes active at the Earth's surface are controlled or strongly influenced by topography, thus the critical need for high-quality terrain data (Gesch, 1994). U.S. Department of Defense requirements for mission planning, geographic registration of remotely sensed imagery, terrain visualization, and map production are similarly dependent on global topographic data. Since the time GTOPO30 was completed, the availability of higher-quality elevation data over large geographic areas has improved markedly. New data sources include global Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTEDRegistered) from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), Canadian elevation data, and data from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat). Given the widespread use of GTOPO30 and the equivalent 30-arc-second DTEDRegistered level 0, the USGS and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) have collaborated to produce an enhanced replacement for GTOPO30, the Global Land One-km Base Elevation (GLOBE) model and other comparable 30-arc-second-resolution global models, using the best available data. The new model is called the Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010, or GMTED2010 for short. This suite of products at three different resolutions (approximately 1,000, 500, and 250 meters) is designed to support many applications directly by providing users with generic products (for example, maximum, minimum, and median elevations) that have been derived directly from the raw input data that would not be available to the general user or would be very costly and time-consuming to produce for individual applications. The source of all the elevation data is captured in metadata for reference purposes. It is also hoped that as better data become available in the future, the GMTED2010 model will be updated.

Optimized Global Digital Elevation Data Records (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobrick, M.; Farr, T.; Crippen, R. E.

2009-12-01

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) used radar interferometry to map the Earth's topography between ±60° latitude - representing 80% of the land surface. The resulting digital elevation models bettered existing topographic data sets (including restricted military data) in accuracy, areal coverage and uniformity by several orders of magnitude, and the resulting data records have found broad application in most of the geosciences, military operations, even Google Earth. Despite their popularity the SRTM data have several limitations, including lack of coverage in polar regions and occasional small voids, or areas of no data in regions of high slope of low radar backscatter. Fortunately additional data sets have become available that, although lacking SRTM's data quality, are sufficient to mitigate many of these limitations. Primary among these is the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) produced from ASTER stereo pairs. The MEaSUREs program is sponsoring an effort to merge these sets to produce and distribute an improved collection of data records that will optimize the topographic data, as well as make available additional non-topographic data products from the SRTM mission. There are four main areas of effort: (1) A systematic program to combine SRTM elevation data with those from other sensors, principally GDEM but also including SPOT stereo, the USGS’s National Elevation Data Set and others, to fill voids in the DEMs according to a prioritized plan, as well as extend the coverage beyond the current 60° latitude limit. (2) Combine the topographic data records with ICESat laser altimeter topography profiles to produce and distribute data records with enhanced ground control. (3) Document the existing SRTM radar image and ancillary data records, as well as generate image mosaics at multiple scales and distribute them via the world wide web. (4) Generate, document and distribute a standard and representative set of SRTM raw radar echo data, along with the appropriate ancillary tracking and pointing data necessary to process the echoes into DEMS using improved algorithms or

SRTM Data Release for Eurasia, Index Map and Colored Height

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The colored regions of this map show the extent of digital elevation data recently released by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This release includes data for most of Europe and Asia plus numerous islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. SRTM flew on board the Space Shuttle Endeavour in February 2000 and used an interferometric radar system to map the topography of Earth's landmass between latitudes 56 degrees south and 60 degrees north.

The data were processed into geographic 'tiles,' each of which represents one by one degree of latitude and longitude. A degree of latitude measures 111 kilometers (69 miles) north-south, and a degree of longitude measures 111 kilometers or less east-west, decreasing away from the equator. The data are being released to the public on a continent-by-continent basis. This Eurasia segment includes 5,940 tiles, more than a third of the total data set. Previous releases covered North America and South America. Forthcoming releases will include Africa-Arabia and Australia plus an 'Islands' release for those islands not included in the continental releases. Together these data releases constitute the world's first high-resolution, near-global elevation model. The resolution of the publicly released data is three arcseconds (1/1,200 of a degree of latitude and longitude), which is about 90 meters (295 feet).

European coverage in the current data release stretches eastward from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west, across the Alps and Carpathian Mountains, as well as the Northern European Plain, to the Ural and Caucasus Mountains bordering Asia. The Asian coverage includes a great diversity of landforms, including the Tibetan Plateau, Tarin Basin, Mongolian Plateau, and the mountains surrounding Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake. Mt. Everest in the Himalayas, at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) is the world's highest mountain. From India's Deccan Plateau, to Southeast Asia, coastal China, and Korea, various landforms place constraints upon land use planning for a great population. Volcanoes in the East Indies, the Philippines, Japan, and the Kamchatka Peninsula form the western part of the 'Ring of Fire' around the Pacific Ocean.

Many of these regions were previously very poorly mapped due to persistent cloud cover or the inaccessibility of the terrain. Digital elevation data, such as provided by SRTM, are particularly in high demand by scientists studying earthquakes, volcanism, and erosion patterns for use in mapping and modeling hazards to human habitation. But the shape of Earth's surface affects nearly every natural process and human endeavor that occurs there, so elevation data are used in a wide range of applications.

In this index map color-coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. The large, very dark green feature in western Asia is the Caspian Sea, which is below sea level. Blue areas on the map represent water within the mapped tiles, each of which includes shorelines or islands.

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.

Orientation: North toward the top Image Data: Colored SRTM elevation model Date Acquired: February 2000

The MAP program: building the digital terrain model.

Treesearch

R.H. Twito; R.W. Mifflin; R.J. McGaughey

1987-01-01

PLANS, a software package for integrated timber-harvest planning, uses digital terrain models to provide the topographic data needed to fit harvest and transportation designs to specific terrain. MAP, an integral program in the PLANS package, is used to construct the digital terrain models required by PLANS. MAP establishes digital terrain models using digitizer-traced...

Predictive mapping of soil organic carbon in wet cultivated lands using classification-tree based models: the case study of Denmark.

PubMed

Bou Kheir, Rania; Greve, Mogens H; Bøcher, Peder K; Greve, Mette B; Larsen, René; McCloy, Keith

2010-05-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the most important carbon stocks globally and has large potential to affect global climate. Distribution patterns of SOC in Denmark constitute a nation-wide baseline for studies on soil carbon changes (with respect to Kyoto protocol). This paper predicts and maps the geographic distribution of SOC across Denmark using remote sensing (RS), geographic information systems (GISs) and decision-tree modeling (un-pruned and pruned classification trees). Seventeen parameters, i.e. parent material, soil type, landscape type, elevation, slope gradient, slope aspect, mean curvature, plan curvature, profile curvature, flow accumulation, specific catchment area, tangent slope, tangent curvature, steady-state wetness index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Wetness Index (NDWI) and Soil Color Index (SCI) were generated to statistically explain SOC field measurements in the area of interest (Denmark). A large number of tree-based classification models (588) were developed using (i) all of the parameters, (ii) all Digital Elevation Model (DEM) parameters only, (iii) the primary DEM parameters only, (iv), the remote sensing (RS) indices only, (v) selected pairs of parameters, (vi) soil type, parent material and landscape type only, and (vii) the parameters having a high impact on SOC distribution in built pruned trees. The best constructed classification tree models (in the number of three) with the lowest misclassification error (ME) and the lowest number of nodes (N) as well are: (i) the tree (T1) combining all of the parameters (ME=29.5%; N=54); (ii) the tree (T2) based on the parent material, soil type and landscape type (ME=31.5%; N=14); and (iii) the tree (T3) constructed using parent material, soil type, landscape type, elevation, tangent slope and SCI (ME=30%; N=39). The produced SOC maps at 1:50,000 cartographic scale using these trees are highly matching with coincidence values equal to 90.5% (Map T1/Map T2), 95% (Map T1/Map T3) and 91% (Map T2/Map T3). The overall accuracies of these maps once compared with field observations were estimated to be 69.54% (Map T1), 68.87% (Map T2) and 69.41% (Map T3). The proposed tree models are relatively simple, and may be also applied to other areas. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The microwave holography system for the Sardinia Radio Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serra, G.; Bolli, P.; Busonera, G.; Pisanu, T.; Poppi, S.; Gaudiomonte, F.; Zacchiroli, G.; Roda, J.; Morsiani, M.; López-Pérez, J. A.

2012-09-01

Microwave holography is a well-established technique for mapping surface errors of large reflector antennas, particularly those designed to operate at high frequencies. We present here a holography system based on the interferometric method for mapping the primary reflector surface of the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT). SRT is a new 64-m-diameter antenna located in Sardinia, Italy, equipped with an active surface and designed to operate up to 115 GHz. The system consists mainly of two radio frequency low-noise coherent channels, designed to receive Ku-band digital TV signals from geostationary satellites. Two commercial prime focus low-noise block converters are installed on the radio telescope under test and on a small reference antenna, respectively. Then the signals are amplified, filtered and downconverted to baseband. An innovative digital back-end based on FPGA technology has been implemented to digitize two 5 MHz-band signals and calculate their cross-correlation in real-time. This is carried out by using a 16-bit resolution ADCs and a FPGA reaching very large amplitude dynamic range and reducing post-processing time. The final holography data analysis is performed by CLIC data reduction software developed within the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM, Grenoble, France). The system was successfully tested during several holography measurement campaigns, recently performed at the Medicina 32-m radio telescope. Two 65-by-65 maps, using an on-the-fly raster scan with on-source phase calibration, were performed pointing the radio telescope at 38 degrees elevation towards EUTELSAT 7A satellite. The high SNR (greater than 60 dB) and the good phase stability led to get an accuracy on the surface error maps better than 150 μm RMS.

Lithology and aggregate quality attributes for the digital geologic map of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knepper, Daniel H.; Green, Gregory N.; Langer, William H.

1999-01-01

This geologic map was prepared as a part of a study of digital methods and techniques as applied to complex geologic maps. The geologic map was digitized from the original scribe sheets used to prepare the published Geologic Map of Colorado (Tweto 1979). Consequently the digital version is at 1:500,000 scale using the Lambert Conformal Conic map projection parameters of the state base map. Stable base contact prints of the scribe sheets were scanned on a Tektronix 4991 digital scanner. The scanner automatically converts the scanned image to an ASCII vector format. These vectors were transferred to a VAX minicomputer, where they were then loaded into ARC/INFO. Each vector and polygon was given attributes derived from the original 1979 geologic map.

Validation Study on Alos Prism Dsm Mosaic and Aster Gdem 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadono, T.; Takaku, J.; Shimada, M.

2012-07-01

This study aims to evaluate height accuracy of two datasets obtained by spaceborne optical instruments of a digital elevation data for a large-scale area. The digital surface model (DSM) was generated by the Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS, nicknamed 'Daichi'), and the global digital elevation model (DEM) version 2 (GDEM-2) was derived from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard NASA's TERRA satellite. The test site of this study was the entire country of Bhutan, which is located on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas. Bhutan is not a large country, covering about 330 km from east to west, and 170 km from north to south; however, it has large height variation from 200 m to more than 7,000 m. This therefore makes it very interesting for validating digital topographic information in terms of national scale generation as well as wide height range. Regarding the reference data, field surveys were conducted in 2010 and 2011, and collected ground control points by a global positioning system were used for evaluating precise height accuracies in point scale as check points (CPs), with a 3 arc-sec DEM created by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM-3) used to validate the wide region. The results confirmed a root mean square error of 8.1 m for PRISM DSM and 29.4 m for GDEM-2 by CPs.

TouchTerrain: A simple web-tool for creating 3D-printable topographic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasiuk, Franciszek J.; Harding, Chris; Renner, Alex Raymond; Winer, Eliot

2017-12-01

An open-source web-application, TouchTerrain, was developed to simplify the production of 3D-printable terrain models. Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) using 3D Printers can change how geoscientists, students, and stakeholders interact with 3D data, with the potential to improve geoscience communication and environmental literacy. No other manufacturing technology can convert digital data into tangible objects quickly at relatively low cost; however, the expertise necessary to produce a 3D-printed terrain model can be a substantial burden: knowledge of geographical information systems, computer aided design (CAD) software, and 3D printers may all be required. Furthermore, printing models larger than the build volume of a 3D printer can pose further technical hurdles. The TouchTerrain web-application simplifies DDM for elevation data by generating digital 3D models customized for a specific 3D printer's capabilities. The only required user input is the selection of a region-of-interest using the provided web-application with a Google Maps-style interface. Publically available digital elevation data is processed via the Google Earth Engine API. To allow the manufacture of 3D terrain models larger than a 3D printer's build volume the selected area can be split into multiple tiles without third-party software. This application significantly reduces the time and effort required for a non-expert like an educator to obtain 3D terrain models for use in class. The web application is deployed at http://touchterrain.geol.iastate.edu/.

Citizen-Scientist Digitization of a Complex Geologic Map of the McDowell Mountains (Scottsdale, Arizona).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, D.; Skotnicki, S.; Gootee, B.

2016-12-01

The work of citizen scientists has become very important to researchers doing field work and internet-based projects but has not been widely utilized in digital mapping. The McDowell Mountains - located in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the edge of the basin-and-range province and protected as part of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve - are geologically complex. Until recently, no comprehensive geologic survey of the entire range had been done. Over the last 9 years geologist Steven Skotnicki spent 2000 hours mapping the complex geology of the range. His work, born of personal interest and partially supported by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, resulted in highly detailed hand-drawn survey maps. Dr. Skotnicki's work provides important new information and raises interesting research questions about the geology of this range. Citizen scientists of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Field Institute digitized Dr. Skotnicki's maps. A team of 10 volunteers, trained in ArcMap digitization techniques and led by volunteer project leader Daniel Gruber, performed the digitization work. Technical oversight of mapping using ArcMap, including provision of USGS-based mapping toolbars, was provided by Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) research geologist Brian Gootee. The map digitization process identified and helped resolve a number of mapping questions. The citizen-scientist team spent 900 hours on training, digitization, quality checking, and project coordination with support and review by Skotnicki and Gootee. The resulting digital map has approximately 3000 polygons, 3000 points, and 86 map units with complete metadata and unit descriptions. The finished map is available online through AZGS and can be accessed in the field on mobile devices. User location is shown on the map and metadata can be viewed with a tap. The citizen scientist map digitization team has made this important geologic information available to the public and accessible to other researchers quickly and efficiently.

US National Large-scale City Orthoimage Standard Initiative

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhou, G.; Song, C.; Benjamin, S.; Schickler, W.

2003-01-01

The early procedures and algorithms for National digital orthophoto generation in National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) were based on earlier USGS mapping operations, such as field control, aerotriangulation (derived in the early 1920's), the quarter-quadrangle-centered (3.75 minutes of longitude and latitude in geographic extent), 1:40,000 aerial photographs, and 2.5 D digital elevation models. However, large-scale city orthophotos using early procedures have disclosed many shortcomings, e.g., ghost image, occlusion, shadow. Thus, to provide the technical base (algorithms, procedure) and experience needed for city large-scale digital orthophoto creation is essential for the near future national large-scale digital orthophoto deployment and the revision of the Standards for National Large-scale City Digital Orthophoto in National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP). This paper will report our initial research results as follows: (1) High-precision 3D city DSM generation through LIDAR data processing, (2) Spatial objects/features extraction through surface material information and high-accuracy 3D DSM data, (3) 3D city model development, (4) Algorithm development for generation of DTM-based orthophoto, and DBM-based orthophoto, (5) True orthophoto generation by merging DBM-based orthophoto and DTM-based orthophoto, and (6) Automatic mosaic by optimizing and combining imagery from many perspectives.

Summit-to-sea mapping and change detection using satellite imagery: tools for conservation and management of coral reefs.

PubMed

Shapiro, A C; Rohmann, S O

2005-05-01

Continuous summit-to-sea maps showing both land features and shallow-water coral reefs have been completed in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, using circa 2000 Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) Imagery. Continuous land/sea terrain was mapped by merging Digital Elevation Models (DEM) with satellite-derived bathymetry. Benthic habitat characterizations were created by unsupervised classifications of Landsat imagery clustered using field data, and produced maps with an estimated overall accuracy of>75% (Tau coefficient >0.65). These were merged with Geocover-LC (land use/land cover) data to create continuous land/ sea cover maps. Image pairs from different dates were analyzed using Principle Components Analysis (PCA) in order to detect areas of change in the marine environment over two different time intervals: 2000 to 2001, and 1991 to 2003. This activity demonstrates the capabilities of Landsat imagery to produce continuous summit-to-sea maps, as well as detect certain changes in the shallow-water marine environment, providing a valuable tool for efficient coastal zone monitoring and effective management and conservation.

Hasty retreat of glaciers in the Palena province of Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, F.; Mölg, N.; Bolch, T.

2013-12-01

Mapping glacier extent from optical satellite data has become a most efficient tool to create or update glacier inventories and determine glacier changes over time. A most valuable archive in this regard is the nearly 30-year time series of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data that is freely available (already orthorectified) for most regions in the world from the USGS. One region with a most dramatic glacier shrinkage and a missing systematic assessment of changes, is the Palena province in Chile, south of Puerto Montt. A major bottleneck for accurate determination of glacier changes in this region is related to the huge amounts of snow falling in this very maritime region, hiding the perimeter of glaciers throughout the year. Consequently, we found only three years with Landsat scenes that can be used to map glacier extent through time. We here present the results of a glacier change analysis from six Landsat scenes (path-rows 232-89/90) acquired in 1985, 2000 and 2011 covering the Palena district in Chile. Clean glacier ice was mapped automatically with a standard technique (TM3/TM band ratio) and manual editing was applied to remove wrongly classified lakes and to add debris-covered glacier parts. The digital elevation model (DEM) from SRTM was used to derive drainage divides, determine glacier specific topographic parameters, and analyse the area changes in regard to topography. The scene from 2000 has the best snow conditions and was used to eliminate seasonal snow in the other two scenes by digital combination of the binary glacier masks. The observed changes show a huge spatial variability with a strong dependence on elevation and glacier hypsometry. While small mountain glaciers at high elevations and steep slopes show virtually no change over the 26-year period, ice at low elevations from large valley glaciers shows a dramatic decline (area and thickness loss). Some glaciers retreated more than 3 km over this time period or even disappeared completely. Typically, these glaciers lost contact to the accumulation areas of tributaries and now consist of an ablation area only. Furthermore, numerous pro-glacial lakes formed or expanded rapidly, increasing the local hazard potential. On the other hand, some glaciers located on or near to (still active) volcanoes have also advanced in the same time period. Observed trends in temperature (decreasing) are in contrast to the observed strong glacier shrinkage.

Magnitude and extent of flooding at selected river reaches in western Washington, January 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastin, M.C.; Gendaszek, A.S.; Barnas, C.R.

2010-01-01

A narrow plume of warm, moist tropical air produced prolonged precipitation and melted snow in low-to-mid elevations throughout western Washington in January 2009. As a result, peak-of-record discharges occurred at many long-term streamflow-gaging stations in the region. A disaster was declared by the President for eight counties in Washington State and by May 2009, aid payments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had exceeded $17 million. In an effort to document the flood and to obtain flood information that could be compared with simulated flood extents that are commonly prepared in conjunction with flood insurance studies by FEMA, eight stream reaches totaling 32.6 miles were selected by FEMA for inundation mapping. The U.S. Geological Survey?s Washington Water Science Center used a survey-grade global positioning system (GPS) the following summer to survey high-water marks (HWMs) left by the January 2009 flood at these reaches. A Google Maps (copyright) application was developed to display all HWM data on an interactive mapping tool on the project?s web site soon after the data were collected. Water-surface profiles and maps that display the area and depth of inundation were produced through a geographic information system (GIS) analysis that combined surveyed HWM elevations with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital elevation models of the study reaches and surrounding terrain. In several of the reaches, floods were well confined in their flood plains and were relatively straightforward to map. More common, however, were reaches with more complicated hydraulic geometries where widespread flooding resulted in flows that separated from the main channel. These proved to be more difficult to map, required subjective hydrologic judgment, and relied on supplementary information, such as aerial photographs and descriptions of the flooding from local landowners and government officials to obtain the best estimates of the extent of flooding.

Landslides Mapped from LIDAR Imagery, Kitsap County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenna, Jonathan P.; Lidke, David J.; Coe, Jeffrey A.

2008-01-01

Landslides are a recurring problem on hillslopes throughout the Puget Lowland, Washington, but can be difficult to identify in the densely forested terrain. However, digital terrain models of the bare-earth surface derived from LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) data express topographic details sufficiently well to identify landslides. Landslides and escarpments were mapped using LIDAR imagery and field checked (when permissible and accessible) throughout Kitsap County. We relied almost entirely on derivatives of LIDAR data for our mapping, including topographic-contour, slope, and hill-shaded relief maps. Each mapped landslide was assigned a level of 'high' or 'moderate' confidence based on the LIDAR characteristics and on field observations. A total of 231 landslides were identified representing 0.8 percent of the land area of Kitsap County. Shallow debris topples along the coastal bluffs and large (>10,000 m2) landslide complexes are the most common types of landslides. The smallest deposit mapped covers an area of 252 m2, while the largest covers 0.5 km2. Previous mapping efforts that relied solely on field and photogrammetric methods identified only 57 percent of the landslides mapped by LIDAR (61 percent high confidence and 39 percent moderate confidence), although nine landslides previously identified were not mapped during this study. The remaining 43 percent identified using LIDAR have 13 percent high confidence and 87 percent moderate confidence. Coastal areas are especially susceptible to landsliding; 67 percent of the landslide area that we mapped lies within 500 meters of the present coastline. The remaining 33 percent are located along drainages farther inland. The LIDAR data we used for mapping have some limitations including (1) rounding of the interface area between low slope surfaces and vertical faces (that is, along the edges of steep escarpments) which results in scarps being mapped too far headward (one or two meters), (2) incorrect laser-distance measurements resulting in inaccurate elevation values, (3) removal of valid ground elevations, (4) false ground roughness, and (5) faceted surface texture. Several of these limitations are introduced by algorithms in the processing software that are designed to remove non-ground elevations from LIDAR data. Despite these limitations, the algorithm-enhanced LIDAR imagery does effectively 'remove' vegetation that obscures many landslides, and is therefore a valuable tool for landslide inventories and investigations in heavily vegetated regions such as the Puget Lowland.

Alluvial Fan Delineation from SAR and LIDAR-Derived Digital Elevation Models in the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, D. T.; Ortiz, I.; Timbas, N.; Gacusan, R.; Montalbo, K.; Eco, R. C.; Lagmay, A.

2013-12-01

Occurrence of floods and debris flows leading to the formation of alluvial fans at the base of mountains naturally improve fertility of alluvial plains. However, these formations also have detrimental effects to communities within these zones like the case of Barangay (village) Andap, New Bataan, Compostela Valley where the whole village was wiped out by debris flow when it was hit by Supertyphoon Bopha in 2012. Hence, demarcating the boundaries of alluvial fans is crucial in disaster preparedness and mitigation. This study describes a method to delineate alluvial fans through contour maps from SAR and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models. Based on this data, we used hydrographic apex point polygons to plot the outflow points of upstream watersheds. The watershed and alluvial fan polygons were used to simulate debris flows in the study sites. The fans generated from the flood simulation were consistent with the polygons delineated from the digital elevation model. Satellite imagery and evidences of alluvial deposits found on site revealed 392 alluvial fans in the country. Widest among these is the sprawling 760 sq km fan identified in Cagayan Valley threatening about 434,329 persons at risk of debris flow. Other fans include those identified in Calapan, Mindoro (531 sq km), Kaliwanagan, Pangasinan (436 sq km), Pampanga Alluvial Fan (325 sq km), Mina, Iloilo (315 sq km), Lamsugod, S. Cotabato (286 sq km), in Tignaman, Oton and Alimodian in Iloilo (272 sq km), and the bajada, a series of alluvial fan coalescing to form a larger fan, identified in Ilocos Norte (218 sq km).

Estimates of future inundation of salt marshes in response to sea-level rise in and around Acadia National Park, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielsen, Martha G.; Dudley, Robert W.

2013-01-01

Salt marshes are ecosystems that provide many important ecological functions in the Gulf of Maine. The U.S. Geological Survey investigated salt marshes in and around Acadia National Park from Penobscot Bay to the Schoodic Peninsula to map the potential for landward migration of marshes using a static inundation model of a sea-level rise scenario of 60 centimeters (cm; 2 feet). The resulting inundation contours can be used by resource managers to proactively adapt to sea-level rise by identifying and targeting low-lying coastal areas adjacent to salt marshes for conservation or further investigation, and to identify risks to infrastructure in the coastal zone. For this study, the mapping of static inundation was based on digital elevation models derived from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) topographic data collected in October 2010. Land-surveyed control points were used to evaluate the accuracy of the LiDAR data in the study area, yielding a root mean square error of 11.3 cm. An independent accuracy assessment of the LiDAR data specific to salt-marsh land surfaces indicated a root mean square error of 13.3 cm and 95-percent confidence interval of ± 26.0 cm. LiDAR-derived digital elevation models and digital color aerial photography, taken during low tide conditions in 2008, with a pixel resolution of 0.5 meters, were used to identify the highest elevation of the land surface at each salt marsh in the study area. Inundation contours for 60-cm of sea-level rise were delineated above the highest marsh elevation for each marsh. Confidence interval contours (95-percent,± 26.0 cm) were delineated above and below the 60-cm inundation contours, and artificial structures, such as roads and bridges, that may present barriers to salt-marsh migration were mapped. This study delineated 114 salt marshes totaling 340 hectares (ha), ranging in size from 0.11 ha (marshes less than 0.2 ha were mapped only if they were on Acadia National Park property) to 52 ha, with a median size of 1.0 ha. Inundation contours were mapped at 110 salt marshes. Approximately 350 ha of low-lying upland areas adjacent to these marshes will be inundated with 60 cm of sea-level rise. Many of these areas are currently freshwater wetlands. There are potential barriers to marsh migration at 27 of the 114 marshes. Although only 23 percent of the salt marshes in the study are on ANP property, about half of the upland areas that will be inundated are within ANP; most of the predicted inundated uplands (approximately 170 ha) include freshwater wetlands in the Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh areas. Most of the salt marshes analyzed do not have a significant amount of upland area available for migration. Seventy-five percent of the salt marshes have 20 meters or less of adjacent upland that would be inundated along most of their edges. All inundation contours, salt marsh locations, potential barriers, and survey data are stored in geospatial files for use in a geographic information system and are a part of this report.

Reducing the Dynamical Degradation by Bi-Coupling Digital Chaotic Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lingfeng; Liu, Bocheng; Hu, Hanping; Miao, Suoxia

A chaotic map which is realized on a computer will suffer dynamical degradation. Here, a coupled chaotic model is proposed to reduce the dynamical degradation. In this model, the state variable of one digital chaotic map is used to control the parameter of the other digital map. This coupled model is universal and can be used for all chaotic maps. In this paper, two coupled models (one is coupled by two logistic maps, the other is coupled by Chebyshev map and Baker map) are performed, and the numerical experiments show that the performances of these two coupled chaotic maps are greatly improved. Furthermore, a simple pseudorandom bit generator (PRBG) based on coupled digital logistic maps is proposed as an application for our method.

3D Color Digital Elevation Map of AFM Sample

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

This color image is a three dimensional (3D) view of a digital elevation map of a sample collected by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

The image shows four round pits, only 5 microns in depth, that were micromachined into the silicon substrate, which is the background plane shown in red. This image has been processed to reflect the levelness of the substrate.

A Martian particle only one micrometer, or one millionth of a meter, across is held in the upper left pit.

The rounded particle shown at the highest magnification ever seen from another world is a particle of the dust that cloaks Mars. Such dust particles color the Martian sky pink, feed storms that regularly envelop the planet and produce Mars' distinctive red soil.

The particle was part of a sample informally called 'Sorceress' delivered to the AFM on the 38th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (July 2, 2008). The AFM is part of Phoenix's microscopic station called MECA, or the Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer.

The AFM was developed by a Swiss-led consortium, with Imperial College London producing the silicon substrate that holds sampled particles.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Merrimack County, New Hampshire

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

DOQ Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle DOQQ Digital Ortho Quarter Quadrangle DTM Digital Terrain Model FBFM Flood Boundary and Floodway Map FEMA Federal...discussed available data and coverages within New Hampshire (for example, 2003 National Agriculture Imag- ery Program (NAIP) color Digital Orthophoto ... orthophotos providing improved base map accuracy. NH GRANIT is presently converting the standard, paper FIRMs and Flood Boundary and Floodway maps (FBFMs

A LiDAR based analysis of hydraulic hazard mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cazorzi, F.; De Luca, A.; Checchinato, A.; Segna, F.; Dalla Fontana, G.

2012-04-01

Mapping hydraulic hazard is a ticklish procedure as it involves technical and socio-economic aspects. On the one hand no dangerous areas should be excluded, on the other hand it is important not to exceed, beyond the necessary, with the surface assigned to some use limitations. The availability of a high resolution topographic survey allows nowadays to face this task with innovative procedures, both in the planning (mapping) and in the map validation phases. The latter is the object of the present work. It should be stressed that the described procedure is proposed purely as a preliminary analysis based on topography only, and therefore does not intend in any way to replace more sophisticated analysis methods requiring based on hydraulic modelling. The reference elevation model is a combination of the digital terrain model and the digital building model (DTM+DBM). The option of using the standard surface model (DSM) is not viable, as the DSM represents the vegetation canopy as a solid volume. This has the consequence of unrealistically considering the vegetation as a geometric obstacle to water flow. In some cases the topographic model construction requires the identification and digitization of the principal breaklines, such as river banks, ditches and similar natural or artificial structures. The geometrical and topological procedure for the validation of the hydraulic hazard maps is made of two steps. In the first step the whole area is subdivided into fluvial segments, with length chosen as a reasonable trade-off between the need to keep the hydrographical unit as complete as possible, and the need to separate sections of the river bed with significantly different morphology. Each of these segments is made of a single elongated polygon, whose shape can be quite complex, especially for meandering river sections, where the flow direction (i.e. the potential energy gradient associated to the talweg) is often inverted. In the second step the segments are analysed one by one. Therefore, each segment was split into many reaches, so that within any of them the slope of the piezometric line can be approximated to zero. As a consequence, the hydraulic profile (open channel flow) in every reach is assumed horizontal both downslope and on the cross-section. Each reach can be seen as a polygon, delimited laterally by the hazard mapping boundaries and longitudinally by two successive cross sections, usually orthogonal to the talweg line. Simulating the progressive increase of the river stage, with a horizontal piezometric line, allow the definition of the stage-area and stage-volume relationships. Such relationships are obtained exclusively by the geometric information as provided by the high resolution elevation model. The maximum flooded area resulting from the simulation is finally compared to the potentially floodable area described by the hazard maps, to give a flooding index for every reach. Index values lower than 100% show that the mapped hazard area exceeds the maximum floodable area. Very low index values identify spots where there is a significant incongruity between the hazard map and the topography, and where a specific verification is probably needed. The procedure was successfully used for the validation of many hazard maps across Italy.

Elevation maps of the San Francisco Bay region, California, a digital database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Scott E.; Pike, Richard J.

1998-01-01

PREFACE: Topography, the configuration of the land surface, plays a major role in various natural processes that have helped shape the ten-county San Francisco Bay region and continue to affect its development. Such processes include a dangerous type of landslide, the debris flow (Ellen and others, 1997) as well as other modes of slope failure that damage property but rarely threaten life directly?slumping, translational sliding, and earthflow (Wentworth and others, 1997). Different types of topographic information at both local and regional scales are helpful in assessing the likelihood of slope failure and the mapping the extent of its past activity, as well as addressing other issues in hazard mitigation and land-use policy. The most useful information is quantitative.

Comparing the Performance of Commonly Available Digital Elevation Models in GIS-based Flood Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ybanez, R. L.; Lagmay, A. M. A.; David, C. P.

2016-12-01

With climatological hazards increasing globally, the Philippines is listed as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world due to its location in the Western Pacific. Flood hazards mapping and modelling is one of the responses by local government and research institutions to help prepare for and mitigate the effects of flood hazards that constantly threaten towns and cities in floodplains during the 6-month rainy season. Available digital elevation maps, which serve as the most important dataset used in 2D flood modelling, are limited in the Philippines and testing is needed to determine which of the few would work best for flood hazards mapping and modelling. Two-dimensional GIS-based flood modelling with the flood-routing software FLO-2D was conducted using three different available DEMs from the ASTER GDEM, the SRTM GDEM, and the locally available IfSAR DTM. All other parameters kept uniform, such as resolution, soil parameters, rainfall amount, and surface roughness, the three models were run over a 129-sq. kilometer watershed with only the basemap varying. The output flood hazard maps were compared on the basis of their flood distribution, extent, and depth. The ASTER and SRTM GDEMs contained too much error and noise which manifested as dissipated and dissolved hazard areas in the lower watershed where clearly delineated flood hazards should be present. Noise on the two datasets are clearly visible as erratic mounds in the floodplain. The dataset which produced the only feasible flood hazard map is the IfSAR DTM which delineates flood hazard areas clearly and properly. Despite the use of ASTER and SRTM with their published resolution and accuracy, their use in GIS-based flood modelling would be unreliable. Although not as accessible, only IfSAR or better datasets should be used for creating secondary products from these base DEM datasets. For developing countries which are most prone to hazards, but with limited choices for basemaps used in hazards studies, the caution must be taken in the use of globally available GDEMs and higher-resolution DEMs must always be sought.

Framework for National Flood Risk Assessment for Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshorbagy, A. A.; Raja, B.; Lakhanpal, A.; Razavi, S.; Ceola, S.; Montanari, A.

2016-12-01

Worldwide, floods have been identified as a standout amongst the most widely recognized catastrophic events, resulting in the loss of life and property. These natural hazards cannot be avoided, but their consequences can certainly be reduced by having prior knowledge of their occurrence and impact. In the context of floods, the terms occurrence and impact are substituted by flood hazard and flood vulnerability, respectively, which collectively define the flood risk. There is a high need for identifying the flood-prone areas and to quantify the risk associated with them. The present study aims at delivering flood risk maps, which prioritize the potential flood risk areas in Canada. The methodology adopted in this study involves integrating various available spatial datasets such as nightlights satellite imagery, land use, population and the digital elevation model, to build a flexible framework for national flood risk assessment for Canada. The flood risk framework assists in identifying the flood-prone areas and evaluating the associated risk. All these spatial datasets were brought to a common GIS platform for flood risk analysis. The spatial datasets deliver the socioeconomic and topographical information that is required for evaluating the flood vulnerability and flood hazard, respectively. Nightlights have been investigated as a tool to be used as a proxy for the human activities to identify areas with regard to economic investment. However, other datasets, including existing flood protection measures, we added to identify a realistic flood assessment framework. Furthermore, the city of Calgary was used as an example to investigate the effect of using Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of varying resolutions on risk maps. Along with this, the risk map for the city was further enhanced by including the population data to give a social dimension to the risk map. Flood protection measures play a major role by significantly reducing the flood risk of events with a specific return period. An analysis to update the risk maps when information on protection measures is available was carried out for the city of Winnipeg, Canada. The proposed framework is a promising approach to identify and prioritize flood-prone areas, which are in need of intervention or detailed studies.

Photogrammetric Processing of IceBridge DMS Imagery into High-Resolution Digital Surface Models (DEM and Visible Overlay)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvesen, J. C.; Dotson, R. C.

2014-12-01

The DMS (Digital Mapping System) has been a sensor component of all DC-8 and P-3 IceBridge flights since 2009 and has acquired over 3 million JPEG images over Arctic and Antarctic land and sea ice. The DMS imagery is primarily used for identifying and locating open leads for LiDAR sea-ice freeboard measurements and documenting snow and ice surface conditions. The DMS is a COTS Canon SLR camera utilizing a 28mm focal length lens, resulting in a 10cm GSD and swath of ~400 meters from a nominal flight altitude of 500 meters. Exterior orientation is provided by an Applanix IMU/GPS which records a TTL pulse coincident with image acquisition. Notable for virtually all IceBridge flights is that parallel grids are not flown and thus there is no ability to photogrammetrically tie any imagery to adjacent flight lines. Approximately 800,000 Level-3 DMS Surface Model data products have been delivered to NSIDC, each consisting of a Digital Elevation Model (GeoTIFF DEM) and a co-registered Visible Overlay (GeoJPEG). Absolute elevation accuracy for each individual Elevation Model is adjusted to concurrent Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) Lidar data, resulting in higher elevation accuracy than can be achieved by photogrammetry alone. The adjustment methodology forces a zero mean difference to the corresponding ATM point cloud integrated over each DMS frame. Statistics are calculated for each DMS Elevation Model frame and show RMS differences are within +/- 10 cm with respect to the ATM point cloud. The DMS Surface Model possesses similar elevation accuracy to the ATM point cloud, but with the following advantages: · Higher and uniform spatial resolution: 40 cm GSD · 45% wider swath: 435 meters vs. 300 meters at 500 meter flight altitude · Visible RGB co-registered overlay at 10 cm GSD · Enhanced visualization through 3-dimensional virtual reality (i.e. video fly-through) Examples will be presented of the utility of these advantages and a novel use of a cell phone camera for aerial photogrammetry will also be presented.

Extending airborne electromagnetic surveys for regional active layer and permafrost mapping with remote sensing and ancillary data, Yukon Flats ecoregion, central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pastick, Neal J.; Jorgenson, M. Torre; Wylie, Bruce K.; Minsley, Burke J.; Ji, Lei; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Smith, Bruce D.; Abraham, Jared D.; Rose, Joshua R.

2013-01-01

Machine-learning regression tree models were used to extrapolate airborne electromagnetic resistivity data collected along flight lines in the Yukon Flats Ecoregion, central Alaska, for regional mapping of permafrost. This method of extrapolation (r = 0.86) used subsurface resistivity, Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) at-sensor reflectance, thermal, TM-derived spectral indices, digital elevation models and other relevant spatial data to estimate near-surface (0–2.6-m depth) resistivity at 30-m resolution. A piecewise regression model (r = 0.82) and a presence/absence decision tree classification (accuracy of 87%) were used to estimate active-layer thickness (ALT) (< 101 cm) and the probability of near-surface (up to 123-cm depth) permafrost occurrence from field data, modelled near-surface (0–2.6 m) resistivity, and other relevant remote sensing and map data. At site scale, the predicted ALTs were similar to those previously observed for different vegetation types. At the landscape scale, the predicted ALTs tended to be thinner on higher-elevation loess deposits than on low-lying alluvial and sand sheet deposits of the Yukon Flats. The ALT and permafrost maps provide a baseline for future permafrost monitoring, serve as inputs for modelling hydrological and carbon cycles at local to regional scales, and offer insight into the ALT response to fire and thaw processes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fielding, E.J.; Barazangi, M.; Isacks, B.L.

Topography and heterogeneous crustal structure have major effects on the propagation of regional seismic phases. We are collecting topographical, geological, and geophysical datasets for Eurasia into an information system that can be accessed via Internet connections. Now available are digital topography, satellite imagery, and data on sedimentary basins and crustal structure thicknesses. New datasets for Eurasia include maps of depth to Moho beneath Europe and Scandinavia. We have created regularly spaced grids of the crustal thickness values from these maps that can be used to create profiles of crustal structure. These profiles can be compared by an analyst or anmore » automatic program with the crustal seismic phases received along the propagation path to better understand and predict the path effects on phase amplitudes, a key to estimating magnitudes and yields, and for understanding variations in travel-time delays for phases such as Pn, important for improving regional event locations. The gridded data could also be used to model propagation of crustal phases in three dimensions. Digital elevation models, Satellite imagery, Geographic information systems, Lg Propagation, Moho, Geology, Crustal structure, Topographic relief.« less

Historical analysis and visualization of the retreat of Findelengletscher, Switzerland, 1859-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastner, P.; Joerg, P. C.; Huss, M.; Zemp, M.

2016-10-01

Since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1850, glaciers in Europe have strongly retreated. Thanks to early topographic surveys in Switzerland, accurate maps are available, which enable us to trace glacier changes back in time. The earliest map for all of Switzerland that is usable for a detailed analysis is the Dufour map from around 1850 with subsequent topographic maps on a 20 year interval. Despite the large public and scientific interest in glacier changes through time, this historic dataset has not yet been fully utilized for topographic change assessment or visualization of historic glacier extents. In this study, we use eleven historical topographic maps and more recent digital datasets for the region of Zermatt to analyze geometric changes (length, area and volume) of Findelengletscher as well as for creating animations of glacier evolution through time for use in public communication. All maps were georeferenced, the contour lines digitized, and digital elevation models (DEMs) created and co-registered. Additional digital data like the SRTM X-band DEM and high resolution laser scanning data were used to extend the analysis until 2010. Moreover, one independent DEM from aerial photogrammetry was used for comparison. During the period 1859-2010, Findelengletscher lost 3.5 km of its length (6.9 km in 2010), 4.42 ± 0.13 km2 of its area (15.05 ± 0.45 km2 in 2010) and 1.32 ± 0.52 km3 of its volume. The average rate of thickness loss is 0.45 ± 0.042 m yr- 1 for the 151 years period. Four periods with high thickness change from - 0.56 m ± 0.28 yr- 1 (1859-1881), - 0.40 ± 0.08 m yr- 1 (1937-1965), - 0.90 ± 0.31 m yr- 1 (1995-2000) and - 1.18 ± 0.02 m yr- 1 (2000-2005) have been identified. Small positive thickness changes were found for the periods 1890-1909 (+ 0.09 ± 0.46 m yr- 1) and 1988-1995 (+ 0.05 ± 0.24 m yr- 1). During its retreat with intermittent periods of advance, the glacier separated into three parts. The above changes are demonstrated through an animation (available from the supplementary material), which has been created to inform the general public.

Maps Showing Inundation Depths, Ice-Rafted Erratics, and Sedimentary Facies of Late Pleistocene Missoula Floods in the Willamette Valley, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Minervini, J.M.; O'Connor, J. E.; Wells, R.E.

2003-01-01

Glacial Lake Missoula, impounded by the Purcell Trench lobe of the late Pleistocene Cordilleran Icesheet, repeatedly breached its ice dam, sending floods as large as 2,500 cubic kilometers racing across the Channeled Scabland and down the Columbia River valley to the Pacific Ocean. Peak discharges for some floods exceeded 20 million cubic meters per second. At valley constrictions along the flood route, floodwaters temporarily ponded behind each narrow zone. One such constriction at Kalama Gap-northwest of Portland-backed water 120-150 meters high in the Portland basin, and backflooded 200 km south into Willamette Valley. Dozens of floods backed up into the Willamette Valley, eroding 'scabland' channels, and depositing giant boulder gravel bars in areas of vigorous currents as well as bedded flood sand and silt in backwater areas. Also, large chunks of ice entrained from the breached glacier dam rafted hundreds of 'erratic' rocks, leaving them scattered among the flanking foothills and valley bottom. From several sources and our own mapping, we have compiled information on many of these features and depict them on physiographic maps derived from digital elevation models of the Portland Basin and Willamette Valley. These maps show maximum flood inundation levels, inundation levels associated with stratigraphic evidence of repeated floodings, distribution of flood deposits, and sites of ice-rafted erratics. Accompanying these maps, a database lists locations, elevations, and descriptions of approximately 400 ice-rafted erratics-most compiled from early 20th-century maps and notes of A.M. Piper and I.S. Allison.

Landslide susceptibility mapping using frequency ratio, logistic regression, artificial neural networks and their comparison: A case study from Kat landslides (Tokat—Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Işık

2009-06-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the landslide susceptibility mapping methods of frequency ratio (FR), logistic regression and artificial neural networks (ANN) applied in the Kat County (Tokat—Turkey). Digital elevation model (DEM) was first constructed using GIS software. Landslide-related factors such as geology, faults, drainage system, topographical elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, topographic wetness index (TWI) and stream power index (SPI) were used in the landslide susceptibility analyses. Landslide susceptibility maps were produced from the frequency ratio, logistic regression and neural networks models, and they were then compared by means of their validations. The higher accuracies of the susceptibility maps for all three models were obtained from the comparison of the landslide susceptibility maps with the known landslide locations. However, respective area under curve (AUC) values of 0.826, 0.842 and 0.852 for frequency ratio, logistic regression and artificial neural networks showed that the map obtained from ANN model is more accurate than the other models, accuracies of all models can be evaluated relatively similar. The results obtained in this study also showed that the frequency ratio model can be used as a simple tool in assessment of landslide susceptibility when a sufficient number of data were obtained. Input process, calculations and output process are very simple and can be readily understood in the frequency ratio model, however logistic regression and neural networks require the conversion of data to ASCII or other formats. Moreover, it is also very hard to process the large amount of data in the statistical package.

Spatial digital database of the geologic map of Catalina Core Complex and San Pedro Trough, Pima, Pinal, Gila, Graham, and Cochise counties, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickinson, William R.; digital database by Hirschberg, Douglas M.; Pitts, G. Stephen; Bolm, Karen S.

2002-01-01

The geologic map of Catalina Core Complex and San Pedro Trough by Dickinson (1992) was digitized for input into a geographic information system (GIS) by the U.S. Geological Survey staff and contractors in 2000-2001. This digital geospatial database is one of many being created by the U.S. Geological Survey as an ongoing effort to provide geologic information in a geographic information system (GIS) for use in spatial analysis. The resulting digital geologic map database data can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps and derivative products. Digital base map data (topography, roads, towns, rivers, lakes, and so forth) are not included; they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:125,000 (for example, 1:100,000 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map plot files that are provided herein are representations of the database. The map area is located in southern Arizona. This report lists the geologic map units, the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the ArcInfo GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet. The manuscript and digital data review by Lorre Moyer (USGS) is greatly appreciated.

Landslide Detection in the Carlyon Beach, WA Peninsula: Analysis Of High Resolution DEMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayne, J.; Tran, C.; Mora, O. E.

2017-12-01

Landslides are geological events caused by slope instability and degradation, leading to the sliding of large masses of rock and soil down a mountain or hillside. These events are influenced by topography, geology, weather and human activity, and can cause extensive damage to the environment and infrastructure, such as the destruction of transportation networks, homes, and businesses. It is therefore imperative to detect early-warning signs of landslide hazards as a means of mitigation and disaster prevention. Traditional landslide surveillance consists of field mapping, but the process is expensive and time consuming. This study uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) derived Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and k-means clustering and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) to analyze surface roughness and extract spatial features and patterns of landslides and landslide-prone areas. The methodology based on several feature extractors employs an unsupervised classifier on the Carlyon Beach Peninsula in the state of Washington to attempt to identify slide potential terrain. When compared with the independently compiled landslide inventory map, the proposed algorithm correctly classifies up to 87% of the terrain. These results suggest that the proposed methods and LiDAR-derived DEMs can provide important surface information and be used as efficient tools for digital terrain analysis to create accurate landslide maps.

Verification of ICESat-2/ATLAS Science Receiver Algorithm Onboard Databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carabajal, C. C.; Saba, J. L.; Leigh, H. W.; Magruder, L. A.; Urban, T. J.; Mcgarry, J.; Schutz, B. E.

2013-12-01

NASA's ICESat-2 mission will fly the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimetry System (ATLAS) instrument on a 3-year mission scheduled to launch in 2016. ATLAS is a single-photon detection system transmitting at 532nm with a laser repetition rate of 10 kHz, and a 6 spot pattern on the Earth's surface. A set of onboard Receiver Algorithms will perform signal processing to reduce the data rate and data volume to acceptable levels. These Algorithms distinguish surface echoes from the background noise, limit the daily data volume, and allow the instrument to telemeter only a small vertical region about the signal. For this purpose, three onboard databases are used: a Surface Reference Map (SRM), a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and a Digital Relief Maps (DRMs). The DEM provides minimum and maximum heights that limit the signal search region of the onboard algorithms, including a margin for errors in the source databases, and onboard geolocation. Since the surface echoes will be correlated while noise will be randomly distributed, the signal location is found by histogramming the received event times and identifying the histogram bins with statistically significant counts. Once the signal location has been established, the onboard Digital Relief Maps (DRMs) will be used to determine the vertical width of the telemetry band about the signal. University of Texas-Center for Space Research (UT-CSR) is developing the ICESat-2 onboard databases, which are currently being tested using preliminary versions and equivalent representations of elevation ranges and relief more recently developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Global and regional elevation models have been assessed in terms of their accuracy using ICESat geodetic control, and have been used to develop equivalent representations of the onboard databases for testing against the UT-CSR databases, with special emphasis on the ice sheet regions. A series of verification checks have been implemented, including comparisons against ICESat altimetry for selected regions with tall vegetation and high relief. The extensive verification effort by the Receiver Algorithm team at GSFC is aimed at assuring that the onboard databases are sufficiently accurate. We will present the results of those assessments and verification tests, along with measures taken to implement modifications to the databases to optimize their use by the receiver algorithms. Companion presentations by McGarry et al. and Leigh et al. describe the details on the ATLAS Onboard Receiver Algorithms and databases development, respectively.

Preliminary geologic map of the Piru 7.5' quadrangle, southern California: a digital database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yerkes, R.F.; Campbell, Russell H.

1995-01-01

This Open-File report is a digital geologic map database. This pamphlet serves to introduce and describe the digital data. There is no paper map included in the Open-File report. This digital map database is compiled from previously published sources combined with some new mapping and modifications in nomenclature. The geologic map database delineates map units that are identified by general age and lithology following the stratigraphic nomenclature of the U. S. Geological Survey. For detailed descriptions of the units, their stratigraphic relations and sources of geologic mapping consult Yerkes and Campbell (1995). More specific information about the units may be available in the original sources.

Geologic Map of the Utukok River Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2006-01-01

This map is a product of the USGS Digital Geologic Maps of Northern Alaska project, which captures in digital format quadrangles across the entire width of northern Alaska. Sources include geologic maps previously published in hardcopy format and recent updates and revisions based on field mapping by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil and Gas, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Individual quadrangles are digitized at either 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 depending on the resolution of source maps. The project objective is to produce a set of digital geologic maps with uniform stratigraphic nomenclature and structural annotation, and publish those maps electronically.

Geocoding and stereo display of tropical forest multisensor datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welch, R.; Jordan, T. R.; Luvall, J. C.

1990-01-01

Concern about the future of tropical forests has led to a demand for geocoded multisensor databases that can be used to assess forest structure, deforestation, thermal response, evapotranspiration, and other parameters linked to climate change. In response to studies being conducted at the Braulino Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica, digital satellite and aircraft images recorded by Landsat TM, SPOT HRV, Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner, and Calibrated Airborne Multispectral Scanner sensors were placed in register using the Landsat TM image as the reference map. Despite problems caused by relief, multitemporal datasets, and geometric distortions in the aircraft images, registration was accomplished to within + or - 20 m (+ or - 1 data pixel). A digital elevation model constructed from a multisensor Landsat TM/SPOT stereopair proved useful for generating perspective views of the rugged, forested terrain.

A search for Ganymede stereo images and 3D mapping opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubarev, A.; Nadezhdina, I.; Brusnikin, E.; Giese, B.; Oberst, J.

2017-10-01

We used 126 Voyager-1 and -2 as well as 87 Galileo images of Ganymede and searched for stereo images suitable for digital 3D stereo analysis. Specifically, we consider image resolutions, stereo angles, as well as matching illumination conditions of respective stereo pairs. Lists of regions and local areas with stereo coverage are compiled. We present anaglyphs and we selected areas, not previously discussed, for which we constructed Digital Elevation Models and associated visualizations. The terrain characteristics in the models are in agreement with our previous notion of Ganymede morphology, represented by families of lineaments and craters of various sizes and degradation stages. The identified areas of stereo coverage may serve as important reference targets for the Ganymede Laser Altimeter (GALA) experiment on the future JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission.

Sand waves at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibbons, Helen; Barnard, Patrick L.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey; California State University, Monterey Bay; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and Center for Integrative Coastal Observation, Research and Education partnered to map central San Francisco Bay and its entrance under the Golden Gate Bridge using multibeam echosounders. View eastward, through the Golden Gate into central San Francisco Bay. Depth of sea floor color coded: red (less than 10 m deep) to purple (more than 100 m deep). Land from USGS digital orthophotographs (DOQs) overlaid on USGS digital elevation models (DEMs). Sand waves in this view average 6 m in height and 80 m from crest to crest. Golden Gate Bridge is about 2 km long. Vertical exaggeration is approximately 4x for sea floor, 2x for land.

Geologic and Mineral Resource Map of Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doebrich, Jeff L.; Wahl, Ronald R.; With Contributions by Ludington, Stephen D.; Chirico, Peter G.; Wandrey, Craig J.; Bohannon, Robert G.; Orris, Greta J.; Bliss, James D.; Wasy, Abdul; Younusi, Mohammad O.

2006-01-01

Data Summary The geologic and mineral resource information shown on this map is derived from digitization of the original data from Abdullah and Chmyriov (1977) and Abdullah and others (1977). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has made no attempt to modify original geologic map-unit boundaries and faults as presented in Abdullah and Chmyriov (1977); however, modifications to map-unit symbology, and minor modifications to map-unit descriptions, have been made to clarify lithostratigraphy and to modernize terminology. Labeling of map units has not been attempted where they are small or narrow, in order to maintain legibility and to preserve the map's utility in illustrating regional geologic and structural relations. Users are encouraged to refer to the series of USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) 1:250,000-scale geologic quadrangle maps of Afghanistan that are being released concurrently as open-file reports. The classification of mineral deposit types is based on the authors' interpretation of existing descriptive information (Abdullah and others, 1977; Bowersox and Chamberlin, 1995; Orris and Bliss, 2002) and on limited field investigations by the authors. Deposit-type nomenclature used for nonfuel minerals is modified from published USGS deposit-model classifications, as compiled in Stoeser and Heran (2000). New petroleum localities are based on research of archival data by the authors. The shaded-relief base is derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) data having 85-meter resolution. Gaps in the original SRTM DEM dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). The marginal extent of geologic units corresponds to the position of the international boundary as defined by Abdullah and Chmyriov (1977), and the international boundary as shown on this map was acquired from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af) in September 2005. Non-coincidence of these boundaries is due to differences in the respective data sources and to inexact registration of the geologic data to the DEM base. Province boundaries, province capital locations, and political names were also acquired from the AIMS Web site in September 2005. The AIMS data were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Version 2 differs from Version 1 in that (1) map units are colored according to the color scheme of the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW) (http://www.ccgm.org), (2) the minerals database has been updated, and (3) all data presented on the map are also available in GIS format.

Single-Frame Terrain Mapping Software for Robotic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rankin, Arturo L.

2011-01-01

This software is a component in an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) perception system that builds compact, single-frame terrain maps for distribution to other systems, such as a world model or an operator control unit, over a local area network (LAN). Each cell in the map encodes an elevation value, terrain classification, object classification, terrain traversability, terrain roughness, and a confidence value into four bytes of memory. The input to this software component is a range image (from a lidar or stereo vision system), and optionally a terrain classification image and an object classification image, both registered to the range image. The single-frame terrain map generates estimates of the support surface elevation, ground cover elevation, and minimum canopy elevation; generates terrain traversability cost; detects low overhangs and high-density obstacles; and can perform geometry-based terrain classification (ground, ground cover, unknown). A new origin is automatically selected for each single-frame terrain map in global coordinates such that it coincides with the corner of a world map cell. That way, single-frame terrain maps correctly line up with the world map, facilitating the merging of map data into the world map. Instead of using 32 bits to store the floating-point elevation for a map cell, the vehicle elevation is assigned to the map origin elevation and reports the change in elevation (from the origin elevation) in terms of the number of discrete steps. The single-frame terrain map elevation resolution is 2 cm. At that resolution, terrain elevation from 20.5 to 20.5 m (with respect to the vehicle's elevation) is encoded into 11 bits. For each four-byte map cell, bits are assigned to encode elevation, terrain roughness, terrain classification, object classification, terrain traversability cost, and a confidence value. The vehicle s current position and orientation, the map origin, and the map cell resolution are all included in a header for each map. The map is compressed into a vector prior to delivery to another system.

Mapping the montane cloud forest of Taiwan using 12 year MODIS-derived ground fog frequency data.

PubMed

Schulz, Hans Martin; Li, Ching-Feng; Thies, Boris; Chang, Shih-Chieh; Bendix, Jörg

2017-01-01

Up until now montane cloud forest (MCF) in Taiwan has only been mapped for selected areas of vegetation plots. This paper presents the first comprehensive map of MCF distribution for the entire island. For its creation, a Random Forest model was trained with vegetation plots from the National Vegetation Database of Taiwan that were classified as "MCF" or "non-MCF". This model predicted the distribution of MCF from a raster data set of parameters derived from a digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat channels and texture measures derived from them as well as ground fog frequency data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. While the DEM parameters and Landsat data predicted much of the cloud forest's location, local deviations in the altitudinal distribution of MCF linked to the monsoonal influence as well as the Massenerhebung effect (causing MCF in atypically low altitudes) were only captured once fog frequency data was included. Therefore, our study suggests that ground fog data are most useful for accurately mapping MCF.

Spatial digital database for the tectonic map of Southeast Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

map by Drewes, Harald; digital database by Fields, Robert A.; Hirschberg, Douglas M.; Bolm, Karen S.

2002-01-01

A spatial database was created for Drewes' (1980) tectonic map of southeast Arizona: this database supercedes Drewes and others (2001, ver. 1.0). Staff and a contractor at the U.S. Geological Survey in Tucson, Arizona completed an interim digital geologic map database for the east part of the map in 2001, made revisions to the previously released digital data for the west part of the map (Drewes and others, 2001, ver. 1.0), merged data files for the east and west parts, and added additional data not previously captured. Digital base map data files (such as topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This digital geospatial database is one of many being created by the U.S. Geological Survey as an ongoing effort to provide geologic information in a geographic information system (GIS) for use in spatial analysis. The resulting digital geologic map database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps and derivative products. Because Drewes' (1980) map sheets include additional text and graphics that were not included in this report, scanned images of his maps (i1109_e.jpg, i1109_w.jpg) are included as a courtesy to the reader. This database should not be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:125,000 (for example, 1:100,000 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map plot files (i1109_e.pdf and i1109_w.pdf) that are provided herein are representations of the database (see Appendix A). The map area is located in southeastern Arizona (fig. 1). This report describes the map units (from Drewes, 1980), the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the ArcInfo GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet. The manuscript and digital data review by Helen Kayser (Information Systems Support, Inc.) is greatly appreciated.

Re-examining data-intensive surface water models with high-resolution topography derived from unmanned aerial system photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, H.; Tyler, S.

2017-12-01

Small, unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are quickly becoming a cost-effective and easily deployable tool for high spatial resolution environmental sensing. Land surface studies from sUAS imagery have largely focused on accurate topographic mapping, quantifying geomorphologic changes, and classification/identification of vegetation, sediment, and water quality tracers. In this work, we explore a further application of sUAS-derived topographic mapping to a two-dimensional (2-d), depth-averaged river hydraulic model (Flow and Sediment Transport with Morphological Evolution of Channels, FaSTMECH) along a short, meandering reach of East River, Colorado. On August 8, 2016, we flew a sUAS as part of the Center for Transformative Environmental Monitoring Programs with a consumer-grade visible camera and created a digital elevation map ( 1.5 cm resolution; 5 cm accuracy; 500 m long river corridor) with Agisoft Photoscan software. With the elevation map, we created a longitudinal water surface elevation (WSE) profile by manually delineating the bank-water interface and river bathymetry by applying refraction corrections for more accurate water depth estimates, an area of ongoing research for shallow and clear river systems. We tested both uncorrected and refraction-corrected bathymetries with the steady-state, 2-d model, applying sensitivities for dissipation parameters (bed roughness and eddy characteristics). Model performance was judged from the WSE data and measured stream velocities. While the models converged, performance and insights from model output could be improved with better bed roughness characterization and additional water depth cross-validation for refraction corrections. Overall, this work shows the applicability of sUAS-derived products to a multidimensional river model, where bathymetric data of high resolution and accuracy are key model input requirements.

Preliminary digital geologic maps of the Mariposa, Kingman, Trona, and Death Valley Sheets, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D`Agnese, F.A.; Faunt, C.C.; Turner, A.K.

1995-10-01

Parts of four 1:250,000-scale geologic maps by the California Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines and Geology have been digitized for use in hydrogeologic characterization. These maps include the area of California between lat. 35{degree}N; Long. 115{degree}W and lat. 38{degree}N, long. 118{degree}W of the Kingman Sheet (Jennings, 1961), Trona Sheet (Jennings and others, 1962), Mariposa Sheet (Strand, 1967), and Death Valley Sheet (Streitz and Stinson, 1974). These digital maps are being released by the US Geological Survey in the ARC/INFO Version 6.1 Export format. The digitized data include geologic unit boundaries, fault traces, and identity of geologic units. Themore » procedure outlined in US Geological Survey Circular 1054 (Soller and others, 1990) was sued during the map construction. The procedure involves transferring hard-copy data into digital format by scanning manuscript maps, manipulating the digital map data, and outputting the data. Most of the work was done using Environmental Systems Research Institute`s ARC/INFO software. The digital maps are available in ARC/INFO Rev. 6.1 Export format, from the USGS, Yucca Mountain Project, in Denver, Colorado.« less

Geocoding of AIRSAR/TOPSAR SAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holecz, Francesco; Lou, Yun-Ling; vanZyl, Jakob

1996-01-01

It has been demonstrated and recognized that radar interferometry is a promising method for the determination of digital elevation information and terrain slope from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. An important application of Interferometric SAR (InSAR) data in areas with topographic variations is that the derived elevation and slope can be directly used for the absolute radiometric calibration of the amplitude SAR data as well as for scattering mechanisms analysis. On the other hand polarimetric SAR data has long been recognized as permitting a more complete inference of natural surfaces than a single channel radar system. In fact, imaging polarimetry provides the measurement of the amplitude and relative phase of all transmit and receive polarizations. On board the NASA DC-8 aircraft, NASA/JPL operates the multifrequency (P, L and C bands) multipolarimetric radar AIRSAR. The TOPSAR, a special mode of the AIRSAR system, is able to collect single-pass interferometric C- and/or L-band VV polarized data. A possible configuration of the AIRSAR/TOPSAR system is to acquire single-pass interferometric data at C-band VV polarization and polarimetric radar data at the two other lower frequencies. The advantage of this system configuration is to get digital topography information at the same time the radar data is collected. The digital elevation information can therefore be used to correctly calibrate the SAR data. This step is directly included in the new AIRSAR Integrated Processor. This processor uses a modification of the full motion compensation algorithm described by Madsen et al. (1993). However, the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the additional products such as local incidence angle map, and the SAR data are in a geometry which is not convenient, since especially DEMs must be referred to a specific cartographic reference system. Furthermore, geocoding of SAR data is important for multisensor and/or multitemporal purposes. In this paper, a procedure to geocode the new AIRSAR/TOPSAR data is presented. As an example an AIRSAR/TOPSAR image acquired in 1994 is geocoded and evaluated in terms of geometric accuracy.

Integrating terrestrial LiDAR and stereo photogrammetry to map the Tolay lakebed in northern San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woo, Isa; Storesund,; Takekawa, John Y.; Gardiner, Rachel J.; Ehret,

2009-01-01

The Tolay Creek Watershed drains approximately 3,520 ha along the northern edge of San Francisco Bay. Surrounded by a mosaic of open space conservation easements and public wildlife areas, it is one of the only watersheds in this urbanized estuary that is protected from its headwaters to the bay. Tolay Lake is a seasonal, spring-fed lake found in the upper watershed that historically extended over 120 ha. Although the lakebed was farmed since the early 1860s, the majority of the lakebed was recently acquired by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department to restore its natural habitat values. As part of the restoration planning process, we produced a digital elevation model (DEM) of the historic extent of Tolay Lake by integrating terrestrial LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and stereo photogrammetry datasets, and real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS) surveys. We integrated the data, generated a DEM of the lakebed and upland areas, and analyzed errors. The accuracy of the composite DEM was verified using spot elevations obtained from the RTK GPS. Thus, we found that by combining photogrammetry, terrestrial LiDAR, and RTK GPS, we created an accurate baseline elevation map to use in watershed restoration planning and design.

Leveraging North Carolina's QL2 Lidar to Quantify Sensitivity of National Water Model Derived Flood Inundation Extent to DEM Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovette, J. P.; Lenhardt, W. C.; Blanton, B.; Duncan, J. M.; Stillwell, L.

2017-12-01

The National Water Model (NWM) has provided a novel framework for near real time flood inundation mapping across CONUS at a 10m resolution. In many regions, this spatial scale is quickly being surpassed through the collection of high resolution lidar (1 - 3m). As one of the leading states in data collection for flood inundation mapping, North Carolina is currently improving their previously available 20 ft statewide elevation product to a Quality Level 2 (QL2) product with a nominal point spacing of 0.7 meters. This QL2 elevation product increases the ground points by roughly ten times over the previous statewide lidar product, and by over 250 times when compared to the 10m NED elevation grid. When combining these new lidar data with the discharge estimates from the NWM, we can further improve statewide flood inundation maps and predictions of at-risk areas. In the context of flood risk management, these improved predictions with higher resolution elevation models consistently represent an improvement on coarser products. Additionally, the QL2 lidar also includes coarse land cover classification data for each point return, opening the possibility for expanding analysis beyond the use of only digital elevation models (e.g. improving estimates of surface roughness, identifying anthropogenic features in floodplains, characterizing riparian zones, etc.). Using the NWM Height Above Nearest Drainage approach, we compare flood inundation extents derived from multiple lidar-derived grid resolutions to assess the tradeoff between precision and computational load in North Carolina's coastal river basins. The elevation data distributed through the state's new lidar collection program provide spatial resolutions ranging from 5-50 feet, with most inland areas also including a 3 ft product. Data storage increases by almost two orders of magnitude across this range, as does processing load. In order to further assess the validity of the higher resolution elevation products on flood inundation, we examine the NWM outputs from Hurricane Matthew, which devastated southeastern North Carolina in October 2016. When compared with numerous surveyed high water marks across the coastal plain, this assessment provides insight on the impacts of grid resolution on flood inundation extent.

UAV and SfM in Detailed Geomorphological Mapping of Granite Tors: An Example of Starościńskie Skały (Sudetes, SW Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasprzak, Marek; Jancewicz, Kacper; Michniewicz, Aleksandra

2017-11-01

The paper presents an example of using photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and processed using the structure from motion (SfM) procedure in a geomorphological study of rock relief. Subject to analysis is a small rock city in the West Sudetes (SW Poland), known as Starościńskie Skały and developed in coarse granite bedrock. The aims of this paper were, first, to compare UAV/SfM-derived data with the cartographical image based on the traditional geomorphological field-mapping methods and the digital elevation model derived from airborne laser scanning (ALS). Second, to test if the proposed combination of UAV and SfM methods may be helpful in recognizing the detailed structure of granite tors. As a result of conducted UAV flights and digital image post-processing in AgiSoft software, it was possible to obtain datasets (dense point cloud, texture model, orthophotomap, bare-ground-type digital terrain model—DTM) which allowed to visualize in detail the surface of the study area. In consequence, it was possible to distinguish even the very small forms of rock surface microrelief: joints, aplite veins, rills and karren, weathering pits, etc., otherwise difficult to map and measure. The study includes also valorization of particular datasets concerning microtopography and allows to discuss indisputable advantages of using the UAV/SfM-based DTM in geomorphic studies of tors and rock cities, even those located within forest as in the presented case study.

Cartography of irregularly shaped satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batson, R. M.; Edwards, Kathleen

1987-01-01

Irregularly shaped satellites, such as Phobos and Amalthea, do not lend themselves to mapping by conventional methods because mathematical projections of their surfaces fail to convey an accurate visual impression of the landforms, and because large and irregular scale changes make their features difficult to measure on maps. A digital mapping technique has therefore been developed by which maps are compiled from digital topographic and spacecraft image files. The digital file is geometrically transformed as desired for human viewing, either on video screens or on hard copy. Digital files of this kind consist of digital images superimposed on another digital file representing the three-dimensional form of a body.

Enhanced digital mapping project : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-11-19

The Enhanced Digital Map Project (EDMap) was a three-year effort launched in April 2001 to develop a range of digital map database enhancements that enable or improve the performance of driver assistance systems currently under development or conside...

Flood-inundation maps for a 6.5-mile reach of the Kentucky River at Frankfort, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lant, Jeremiah G.

2013-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.5-mile reach of Kentucky River at Frankfort, Kentucky, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Frankfort Office of Emergency Management. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, Kentucky (station no. 03287500). Current conditions for the USGS streamgage may be obtained online at the USGS National Water Information System site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory?agency_code=USGS&site_no=03287500). In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the Kentucky River reach by using HEC–RAS, a one-dimensional step-backwater model developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current (2013) stage-discharge relation for the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, Kentucky, in combination with streamgage and high-water-mark measurements collected for a flood event in May 2010. The calibrated model was then used to calculate 26 water-surface profiles for a sequence of flood stages, at 1-foot intervals, referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from a stage near bankfull to the elevation that breached the levees protecting the City of Frankfort. To delineate the flooded area at each interval flood stage, the simulated water-surface profiles were combined with a digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area by using geographic information system software. The DEM consisted of bare-earth elevations within the study area and was derived from a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) dataset having a 5.0-foot horizontal resolution and an accuracy of 0.229 foot. The availability of these maps, along with Internet information regarding current stages from USGS streamgages and forecasted stages from the NWS, provides emergency management personnel and local residents with critical information for flood response activities such as evacuations, road closures, and postflood recovery efforts.

Flood-inundation maps for an 8.9-mile reach of the South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lant, Jeremiah G.

2013-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for an 8.9-mile reach of South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Hopkinsville Community Development Services. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at South Fork Little River at Highway 68 By-Pass at Hopkinsville, Kentucky (station no. 03437495). Current conditions for the USGS streamgage may be obtained online at the USGS National Water Information System site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory?agency_code=USGS&site_no=03437495). In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the South Fork Little River reach by using HEC-RAS, a one-dimensional step-backwater model developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current (2012) stage-discharge relation at the South Fork Little River at Highway 68 By-Pass at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, streamgage and measurements collected during recent flood events. The calibrated model was then used to calculate 13 water-surface profiles for a sequence of flood stages, most at 1-foot intervals, referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from a stage near bank full to the estimated elevation of the 1.0-percent annual exceedance probability flood at the streamgage. To delineate the flooded area at each interval flood stage, the simulated water-surface profiles were combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the study area by using Geographic Information System (GIS) software. The DEM consisted of bare-earth elevations within the study area and was derived from a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) dataset having a 3.28-foot horizontal resolution. These flood-inundation maps, along with online information regarding current stages from USGS streamgage and forecasted stages from the NWS, provide emergency management and local residents with critical information for flood response activities such as evacuations, road closures, and post-flood recovery efforts.

Flood-inundation maps for the Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Mississippi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Storm, John B.

2012-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 1.7-mile reach of the Leaf River were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Hattiesburg, City of Petal, Forrest County, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Department of Homeland Security, and the Emergency Management District. The Leaf River study reach extends from just upstream of the U.S. Highway 11 crossing to just downstream of East Hardy/South Main Street and separates the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal, Mississippi. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water-surface elevations (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Mississippi (02473000). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained through the National Water Information System Web site at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ms/nwis/uv/?site_no=02473000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, available on the AHPS Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, streamgage and documented high-water marks from recent and historical floods. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 13 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1.0-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water-surface elevation at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model [derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data having a 0.6-foot vertical accuracy and 9.84-foot horizontal resolution] in order to delineate the area flooded at each 1-foot increment of stream stage. The availability of these maps, when combined with real-time stage information from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stage from the NWS, provides emergency management personnel and residents with critical information during flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

Spatial Digital Database for the Geologic Map of Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, George W.; MacLeod, Norman S.; Miller, Robert J.; Raines, Gary L.; Connors, Katherine A.

2003-01-01

Introduction This report describes and makes available a geologic digital spatial database (orgeo) representing the geologic map of Oregon (Walker and MacLeod, 1991). The original paper publication was printed as a single map sheet at a scale of 1:500,000, accompanied by a second sheet containing map unit descriptions and ancillary data. A digital version of the Walker and MacLeod (1991) map was included in Raines and others (1996). The dataset provided by this open-file report supersedes the earlier published digital version (Raines and others, 1996). This digital spatial database is one of many being created by the U.S. Geological Survey as an ongoing effort to provide geologic information for use in spatial analysis in a geographic information system (GIS). This database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:500,000 (for example, 1:100,000). This report describes the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, describes the ArcInfo GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet. Scanned images of the printed map (Walker and MacLeod, 1991), their correlation of map units, and their explanation of map symbols are also available for download.

Geologic Map of the Point Lay Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2008-01-01

This map is a product of the USGS Digital Geologic Maps of Northern Alaska project, which captures in digital format quadrangles across the entire width of northern Alaska. Sources include geologic maps previously published in hardcopy format and recent updates and revisions based on field mapping by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil and Gas, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Individual quadrangles are digitized at either 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 depending on the resolution of source maps. The project objective is to produce a set of digital geologic maps with uniform stratigraphic nomenclature and structural annotation, and publish those maps electronically. The paper version of this map is available for purchase from the USGS Store.

Geologic Map of the Ikpikpuk River Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2005-01-01

This map is a product of the USGS Digital Geologic Maps of Northern Alaska project, which captures in digital format quadrangles across the entire width of northern Alaska. Sources include geologic maps previously published in hardcopy format and recent updates and revisions based on field mapping by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil and Gas, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Individual quadrangles are digitized at either 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 depending on the resolution of source maps. The project objective is to produce a set of digital geologic maps with uniform stratigraphic nomenclature and structural annotation, and publish those maps electronically. The paper version of this map is available for purchase from the USGS Store.

Geologic Map of the Lookout Ridge Quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mull, Charles G.; Houseknecht, David W.; Pessel, G.H.; Garrity, Christopher P.

2006-01-01

This map is a product of the USGS Digital Geologic Maps of Northern Alaska project, which captures in digital format quadrangles across the entire width of northern Alaska. Sources include geologic maps previously published in hardcopy format and recent updates and revisions based on field mapping by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil and Gas, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Individual quadrangles are digitized at either 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 depending on the resolution of source maps. The project objective is to produce a set of digital geologic maps with uniform stratigraphic nomenclature and structural annotation, and publish those maps electronically. The paper version of this map is available for purchase from the USGS Store.

The Marine Geoscience Data System and the Global Multi-Resolution Topography Synthesis: Online Resources for Exploring Ocean Mapping Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrini, V. L.; Morton, J. J.; Carbotte, S. M.

2016-02-01

The Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS: www.marine-geo.org) provides a suite of tools and services for free public access to data acquired throughout the global oceans including maps, grids, near-bottom photos, and geologic interpretations that are essential for habitat characterization and marine spatial planning. Users can explore, discover, and download data through a combination of APIs and front-end interfaces that include dynamic service-driven maps, a geospatially enabled search engine, and an easy to navigate user interface for browsing and discovering related data. MGDS offers domain-specific data curation with a team of scientists and data specialists who utilize a suite of back-end tools for introspection of data files and metadata assembly to verify data quality and ensure that data are well-documented for long-term preservation and re-use. Funded by the NSF as part of the multi-disciplinary IEDA Data Facility, MGDS also offers Data DOI registration and links between data and scientific publications. MGDS produces and curates the Global Multi-Resolution Topography Synthesis (GMRT: gmrt.marine-geo.org), a continuously updated Digital Elevation Model that seamlessly integrates multi-resolutional elevation data from a variety of sources including the GEBCO 2014 ( 1 km resolution) and International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean ( 500 m) compilations. A significant component of GMRT includes ship-based multibeam sonar data, publicly available through NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, that are cleaned and quality controlled by the MGDS Team and gridded at their full spatial resolution (typically 100 m resolution in the deep sea). Additional components include gridded bathymetry products contributed by individual scientists (up to meter scale resolution in places), publicly accessible regional bathymetry, and high-resolution terrestrial elevation data. New data are added to GMRT on an ongoing basis, with two scheduled releases per year. GMRT is available as both gridded data and images that can be viewed and downloaded directly through the Java application GeoMapApp (www.geomapapp.org) and the web-based GMRT MapTool. In addition, the GMRT GridServer API provides programmatic access to grids, imagery, profiles, and single point elevation values.

Identification of erosional and inundation hazard zones in Ken-Betwa river linking area, India, using remote sensing and GIS.

PubMed

Avtar, Ram; Singh, Chander Kumar; Shashtri, Satayanarayan; Mukherjee, Saumitra

2011-11-01

Ken-Betwa river link is one of the pilot projects of the Inter Linking of Rivers program of Government of India in Bundelkhand Region. It will connect the Ken and Betwa rivers through a system of dams, reservoirs, and canals to provide storage for excess rainfall during the monsoon season and avoid floods. The main objective of this study is to identify erosional and inundation prone zones of Ken-Betwa river linking site in India using remote sensing and geographic information system tools. In this study, Landsat Thematic Mapper data of year 2005, digital elevation model from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission, and other ancillary data were analyzed to create various thematic maps viz. geomorphology, land use/land cover, NDVI, geology, soil, drainage density, elevation, slope, and rainfall. The integrated thematic maps were used for hazard zonation. This is based on categorizing the different hydrological and geomorphological processes influencing the inundation and erosion intensity. Result shows that the southern part of the study area which lies in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, India, is more vulnerable than the other areas.

Magellan 3D perspective of Venus surface in western Eistla Regio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Magellan synthetic aperture radar data was used to create this three- dimensional (3D) perspective view of Venus' western Eistla Regio. This viewpoint is located at 1,310 kilometers (812 miles) southwest of Gula Mons at an elevation of 0.178 kilometers (0.48 miles). The view is of the northeast with Gula Mons appearing on the horizon. Gula Mons, a 3 kilometer (1.86 mile) high volcano, is located at approximately 22 degrees north latitude, 359 degrees east longitude. The impact crater Cunitz, named for the astronomer and mathematician Maria Cunitz, is visible in the center of the image. The crater is 48.5 kilometers (30 miles) in diameter and is 215 kilometers (133 miles) from the viewer's position. Magellan synthetic aperture radar data is combined with radar altimetry to develop a 3D map of the surface. Rays cast in a computer intersect the surface to create a 3D view. Simulated color and a digital elevation map developed by the United States (U.S.) Geological Survey is used to enhanc

Radar and Lidar Radar DEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liskovich, Diana; Simard, Marc

2011-01-01

Using radar and lidar data, the aim is to improve 3D rendering of terrain, including digital elevation models (DEM) and estimates of vegetation height and biomass in a variety of forest types and terrains. The 3D mapping of vegetation structure and the analysis are useful to determine the role of forest in climate change (carbon cycle), in providing habitat and as a provider of socio-economic services. This in turn will lead to potential for development of more effective land-use management. The first part of the project was to characterize the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM error with respect to ICESat/GLAS point estimates of elevation. We investigated potential trends with latitude, canopy height, signal to noise ratio (SNR), number of LiDAR waveform peaks, and maximum peak width. Scatter plots were produced for each variable and were fitted with 1st and 2nd degree polynomials. Higher order trends were visually inspected through filtering with a mean and median filter. We also assessed trends in the DEM error variance. Finally, a map showing how DEM error was geographically distributed globally was created.

Lidar-Based Navigation Algorithm for Safe Lunar Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, David M.; Johnson, Andrew E.; Werner, Robert A.

2011-01-01

The purpose of Hazard Relative Navigation (HRN) is to provide measurements to the Navigation Filter so that it can limit errors on the position estimate after hazards have been detected. The hazards are detected by processing a hazard digital elevation map (HDEM). The HRN process takes lidar images as the spacecraft descends to the surface and matches these to the HDEM to compute relative position measurements. Since the HDEM has the hazards embedded in it, the position measurements are relative to the hazards, hence the name Hazard Relative Navigation.

High-resolution mapping based on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to capture paleoseismic offsets along the Altyn-Tagh fault, China.

PubMed

Gao, Mingxing; Xu, Xiwei; Klinger, Yann; van der Woerd, Jerome; Tapponnier, Paul

2017-08-15

The recent dramatic increase in millimeter- to centimeter- resolution topographic datasets obtained via multi-view photogrammetry raises the possibility of mapping detailed offset geomorphology and constraining the spatial characteristics of active faults. Here, for the first time, we applied this new method to acquire high-resolution imagery and generate topographic data along the Altyn Tagh fault, which is located in a remote high elevation area and shows preserved ancient earthquake surface ruptures. A digital elevation model (DEM) with a resolution of 0.065 m and an orthophoto with a resolution of 0.016 m were generated from these images. We identified piercing markers and reconstructed offsets based on both the orthoimage and the topography. The high-resolution UAV data were used to accurately measure the recent seismic offset. We obtained the recent offset of 7 ± 1 m. Combined with the high resolution satellite image, we measured cumulative offsets of 15 ± 2 m, 20 ± 2 m, 30 ± 2 m, which may be due to multiple paleo-earthquakes. Therefore, UAV mapping can provide fine-scale data for the assessment of the seismic hazards.

Earth Observation and Geospatial techniques for Soil Salinity and Land Capability Assessment over Sundarban Bay of Bengal Coast, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Sumanta; Choudhury, Malini Roy; Das, Subhasish; Nagarajan, M.

2016-12-01

To guarantee food security and job creation of small scale farmers to commercial farmers, unproductive farms in the South 24 PGS, West Bengal need land reform program to be restructured and evaluated for agricultural productivity. This study established a potential role of remote sensing and GIS for identification and mapping of salinity zone and spatial planning of agricultural land over the Basanti and Gosaba Islands(808.314sq. km) of South 24 PGS. District of West Bengal. The primary data i.e. soil pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Sodium Absorption ratio (SAR) were obtained from soil samples of various GCP (Ground Control Points) locations collected at 50 mts. intervals by handheld GPS from 0-100 cm depths. The secondary information is acquired from the remotely sensed satellite data (LANDSAT ETM+) in different time scale and digital elevation model. The collected field samples were tested in the laboratory and were validated with Remote Sensing based digital indices analysisover the temporal satellite data to assess the potential changes due to over salinization. Soil physical properties such as texture, structure, depth and drainage condition is stored as attributes in a geographical soil database and linked with the soil map units. The thematic maps are integrated with climatic and terrain conditions of the area to produce land capability maps for paddy. Finally, The weighted overlay analysis was performed to assign theweights according to the importance of parameters taken into account for salineareaidentification and mapping to segregate higher, moderate, lower salinity zonesover the study area.

Flood-inundation maps for the Driftwood River and Sugar Creek near Edinburgh, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fowler, Kathleen K.; Kim, Moon H.; Menke, Chad D.

2012-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for an 11.2 mile reach of the Driftwood River and a 5.2 mile reach of Sugar Creek, both near Edinburgh, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Edinburgh, Indiana. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. Current conditions at the USGS streamgage in Indiana may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/current/?type=flow. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/. The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated at USGS streamgages. That forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. For this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reaches by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. The hydraulic model was then used to determine elevations throughout the study reaches for nine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to nearly the highest recorded water level at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geospatial digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. The availability of these maps along with real-time information available online regarding current stage from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures as well as for post flood recovery efforts.

Insights into bird wing evolution and digit specification from polarizing region fate maps.

PubMed

Towers, Matthew; Signolet, Jason; Sherman, Adrian; Sang, Helen; Tickle, Cheryll

2011-08-09

The proposal that birds descended from theropod dinosaurs with digits 2, 3 and 4 was recently given support by short-term fate maps, suggesting that the chick wing polarizing region-a group that Sonic hedgehog-expressing cells-gives rise to digit 4. Here we show using long-term fate maps that Green fluorescent protein-expressing chick wing polarizing region grafts contribute only to soft tissues along the posterior margin of digit 4, supporting fossil data that birds descended from theropods that had digits 1, 2 and 3. In contrast, digit IV of the chick leg with four digits (I-IV) arises from the polarizing region. To determine how digit identity is specified over time, we inhibited Sonic hedgehog signalling. Fate maps show that polarizing region and adjacent cells are specified in parallel through a series of anterior to posterior digit fates-a process of digit specification that we suggest is involved in patterning all vertebrate limbs with more than three digits.

Development of a flood-warning system and flood-inundation mapping in Licking County, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ostheimer, Chad J.

2012-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for selected reaches of South Fork Licking River, Raccoon Creek, North Fork Licking River, and the Licking River in Licking County, Ohio, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation; U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration; Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and the City of Newark and Village of Granville, Ohio. The inundation maps depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to water levels (stages) at the following USGS streamgages: South Fork Licking River at Heath, Ohio (03145173); Raccoon Creek below Wilson Street at Newark, Ohio (03145534); North Fork Licking River at East Main Street at Newark, Ohio (03146402); and Licking River near Newark, Ohio (03146500). The maps were provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into a Web-based flood-warning system that can be used in conjunction with NWS flood-forecast data to show areas of predicted flood inundation associated with forecasted flood-peak stages. As part of the flood-warning streamflow network, the USGS re-installed one streamgage on North Fork Licking River, and added three new streamgages, one each on North Fork Licking River, South Fork Licking River, and Raccoon Creek. Additionally, the USGS upgraded a lake-level gage on Buckeye Lake. Data from the streamgages and lake-level gage can be used by emergency-management personnel, in conjunction with the flood-inundation maps, to help determine a course of action when flooding is imminent. Flood profiles for selected reaches were prepared by calibrating steady-state step-backwater models to selected, established streamgage rating curves. The step-backwater models then were used to determine water-surface-elevation profiles for up to 10 flood stages at a streamgage with corresponding streamflows ranging from approximately the 50 to 0.2-percent chance annual-exceedance probabilities for each of the 4 streamgages that correspond to the flood-inundation maps. The computed flood profiles were used in combination with digital elevation data to delineate flood-inundation areas. Maps of Licking County showing flood-inundation areas overlain on digital orthophotographs are presented for the selected floods. The USGS also developed an unsteady-flow model for a reach of South Fork Licking River for use by the NWS to enhance their ability to provide advanced flood warning in the region north of Buckeye Lake, Ohio. The unsteady-flow model was calibrated based on data from four flooding events that occurred from June 2008 to December 2011. Model calibration was approximate due to the fact that there were unmeasured inflows to the river that were not able to be considered during the calibration. Information on unmeasured inflow derived from NWS hydrologic models and additional flood-event data could enable the NWS to further refine the unsteady-flow model.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States : Central states : Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeser, Douglas B.; Green, Gregory N.; Morath, Laurie C.; Heran, William D.; Wilson, Anna B.; Moore, David W.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2005-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for regional and national digital geologic maps attributed with age and lithology information. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for purposes including mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This Open-File Report is a preliminary version of part of a series of integrated state geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. The only national-scale digital geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States for the conterminous U.S. are the digital version of the King and Beikman (1974a, b) map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, as digitized by Schruben and others (1994) and the digital version of the Geologic Map of North America (Reed and others, 2005a, b) compiled at a scale of 1:5,000,000 which is currently being prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. In a few cases, new digital compilations were prepared (e.g. OH, SC, SD) or existing paper maps were digitized (e.g. KY, TX). For Alaska and Hawaii, new regional maps are being compiled and ultimately new state maps will be produced. The digital geologic maps are presented in standardized formats as ARC/INFO (.e00) export files and as ArcView shape (.shp) files. Accompanying these spatial databases are a set of five supplemental data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information. The maps for the CONUS have been fitted to a common set of state boundaries based on the 1:100,000 topographic map series of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). When the individual state maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps. No attempt has been made to reconcile differences in mapped geology across state lines. This is the first version of this product and it will be subsequently updated to include four additional states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa)

Preliminary aeromagnetic anomaly map of California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, Carter W.; Jachens, Rober C.

1999-01-01

The magnetization in crustal rocks is the vector sum of induced in minerals by the Earth’s present main field and the remanent magnetization of minerals susceptible to magnetization (chiefly magnetite) (Blakely, 1995). The direction of remanent magnetization acquired during the rock’s history can be highly variable. Crystalline rocks generally contain sufficient magnetic minerals to cause variations in the Earth’s magnetic field that can be mapped by aeromagnetic surveys. Sedimentary rocks are generally weakly magnetized and consequently have a small effect on the magnetic field: thus a magnetic anomaly map can be used to “see through” the sedimentary rock cover and can convey information on lithologic contrasts and structural trends related to the underlying crystalline basement (see Nettleton,1971; Blakely, 1995). The magnetic anomaly map (fig. 2) provides a synoptic view of major anomalies and contributes to our understanding of the tectonic development of California. Reference fields, that approximate the Earth’s main (core) field, have been subtracted from the recorded magnetic data. The resulting map of the total magnetic anomalies exhibits anomaly patterns related to the distribution of magnetized crustal rocks at depths shallower than the Curie point isotherm (the surface within the Earth beneath which temperatures are so high that rocks lose their magnetic properties). The magnetic anomaly map has been compiled from existing digital data. Data obtained from aeromagnetic surveys that were made at different times, spacings and elevations, were merged by analytical continuation of each set onto a common surface 305 m (1000 ft) above terrain. Digital data in this compatible form allows application of analytical techniques (Blakley, 1995) that can be used to enhance anomaly characteristics (e.g., wavelength and trends) and provide new interpretive information.

Towards a Quasi-global precipitation-induced Landslide Detection System using Remote Sensing Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler, B.; Hong, Y.; Huffman, G.; Negri, A.; Pando, M.

2006-05-01

Landslides and debris flows are one of the most widespread natural hazards on Earth, responsible for thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in property damage per year. Currently, no system exists at either a national or a global scale to monitor or detect rainfall conditions that may trigger landslides. In this study, global landslide susceptibility is mapped using USGS GTOPO30 Digital Elevation, hydrological derivatives (slopes and wetness index etc.) from HYDRO1k data, soil type information downscaled from Digital Soil Map of the World (Sand, Loam, Silt, or Clay etc.), and MODIS land cover/use classification data. These variables are then combined with empirical landslide inventory data, if available, to derive a global landslide susceptibility map at elemental resolution of 1 x 1 km. This map can then be overlain with the driving force, namely rainfall estimates from the TRMM-based Multiple-satellite Precipitation Analysis to identify when areas with significant landslide potential receive heavy rainfall. The relations between rainfall intensity and rainstorm duration are regionally specific and often take the form of a power-law relation. Several empirical landslide-triggering Rainfall Intensity-Duration thresholds are implemented regionally using the 8-year TRMM-based precipitation with or without the global landslide susceptibility map at continuous space and time domain. Finally, the effectiveness of this system is validated by studying several recent deadly landslide/mudslide events. This study aims to build up a prototype quasi-global potential landslide warning system. Spatially-distributed landslide susceptibility maps and regional empirical rainfall intensity-duration thresholds, in combination with real-time rainfall measurements from space and rainfall forecasts from models, will be the basis for this experimental system.

Digital data base application to porphyry copper mineralization in Alaska; case study summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trautwein, Charles M.; Greenlee, David D.; Orr, Donald G.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this report is to summarize the progress in use of digital image analysis techniques in developing a conceptual model for assessing porphyry copper mineral potential. The study area consists of approximately the southern one-half of the 1? by 3? Nabesna quadrangle in east-central Alaska. The digital geologic data base consists of data compiled under the Alaskan Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP) as well as digital elevation data and Landsat spectral reflectance data from the Multispectral Scanner System. The digital data base used to develop and implement a conceptual model for porphyry-type copper mineralization consisted of 16 original data types and 18 derived data sets formatted in a grid-cell (raster) structure and registered to a map base in the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection. Minimum curvature and inverse distance squared interpolation techniques were used to generate continuous surfaces from sets of irregularly spaced data points. Processing requirements included: (1) merging or overlaying of data sets, (2) display and color coding of maps and images, (3) univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, and (4) compound overlaying operations. Data sets were merged and processed to create stereoscopic displays of continuous surfaces. The ratio of several data sets were calculated to evaluate relative variations and to enhance the display of surface alteration (gossans). Factor analysis and principal components analysis techniques were used to determine complex relationships and correlations between data sets. The resultant model consists of 10 parameters that identify three areas most likely to contain porphyry copper mineralization; two of these areas are known occurrences of mineralization and the third is not well known. Field studies confirmed that the three areas identified by the model have significant copper potential.

Helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic geophysical survey data, Swedeburg and Sprague study areas, eastern Nebraska, May 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, B.D.; Abraham, J.D.; Cannia, J.C.; Minsley, B.J.; Ball, L.B.; Steele, G.V.; Deszcz-Pan, M.

2011-01-01

This report is a release of digital data from a helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic survey conducted by Fugro Airborne Surveys in areas of eastern Nebraska as part of a joint hydrologic study by the Lower Platte North and Lower Platte South Natural Resources Districts, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The survey flight lines covered 1,418.6 line km (882 line mile). The survey was flown from April 22 to May 2, 2009. The objective of the contracted survey was to improve the understanding of the relation between surface water and groundwater systems critical to developing groundwater models used in management programs for water resources. The electromagnetic equipment consisted of six different coil-pair orientations that measured resistivity at separate frequencies from about 400 hertz to about 140,000 hertz. The electromagnetic data were converted to georeferenced electrical resistivity grids and maps for each frequency that represent different approximate depths of investigation for each survey area. The electrical resistivity data were input into a numerical inversion to estimate resistivity variations with depth. In addition to the electromagnetic data, total field magnetic data and digital elevation data were collected. Data released in this report consist of flight line data, digital grids, digital databases of the inverted electrical resistivity with depth, and digital maps of the apparent resistivity and total magnetic field. The range of subsurface investigation is comparable to the depth of shallow aquifers. The survey areas, Swedeburg and Sprague, were chosen based on results from test flights in 2007 in eastern Nebraska and needs of local water managers. The geophysical and hydrologic information from U.S. Geological Survey studies are being used by resource managers to develop groundwater resource plans for the area.

Radiometric Survey in Western Afghanistan: A Website for Distribution of Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweeney, Ronald E.; Kucks, Robert P.; Hill, Patricia L.; Finn, Carol A.

2007-01-01

Radiometric (uranium content, thorium content, potassium content, and gamma-ray intensity) and related data were digitized from radiometric and survey route location maps of western Afghanistan published in 1976. The uranium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Uranium (Radium) Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The thorium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Thorium Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The potassium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Potassium Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The gamma-ray intensity data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Gamma-Field of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The survey route location data were digitized along flight-lines located on 33 maps in a series entitled 'Survey Routes Location and Contours of Flight Equal Altitudes. Western Area of Afghanistan,' compiled by Z. A. Alpatova, V. G. Kurnosov, and F. A. Grebneva.

Geologic Map of the Tucson and Nogales Quadrangles, Arizona (Scale 1:250,000): A Digital Database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, J.A.; Berquist, J.R.; Reynolds, S.J.; Page-Nedell, S. S.; Digital database by Oland, Gustav P.; Hirschberg, Douglas M.

2001-01-01

The geologic map of the Tucson-Nogales 1:250,000 scale quadrangle (Peterson and others, 1990) was digitized by U.S. Geological Survey staff and University of Arizona contractors at the Southwest Field Office, Tucson, Arizona, in 2000 for input into a geographic information system (GIS). The database was created for use as a basemap in a decision support system designed by the National Industrial Minerals and Surface Processes project. The resulting digital geologic map database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included; they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. Additionally, point features, such as strike and dip, were not captured from the original paper map and are not included in the database. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:250,000 (for example, 1:100,000 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map graphics and plot files that are provided in the digital package are representations of the digital database. They are not designed to be cartographic products.

3D mapping of breast surface using digital fringe projection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vairavan, Rajendaran; Retnasamy, Vithyacharan; Mohamad Shahimin, Mukhzeer; Sauli, Zaliman; Leng, Lai Siang; Wan Norhaimi, Wan Mokhzani; Marimuthu, Rajeswaran; Abdullah, Othman; Kirtsaeng, Supap

2017-02-01

Optical sensing technique has inherited non-contact nature for generating 3D surface mapping where its application ranges from MEMS component characterization, corrosion analysis, and vibration analysis. In particular, the digital fringe projection is utilized for 3D mapping of objects through the illumination of structured light for medical application extending from oral dental measurements, lower back deformation analysis, monitoring of scoliosis and 3D face reconstruction for biometric identification. However, the usage of digital fringe projection for 3D mapping of human breast is very minimal. Thus, this paper addresses the application of digital fringe projection for 3D mapping of breast surface based on total non-contact nature. In this work, phase shift method is utilized to perform the 3D mapping. The phase shifted fringe pattern are displayed through a digital projector onto the breast surface, and the distorted fringe patterns are captured by a CCD camera. A phase map is produced, and phase unwrapping was executed to obtain the 3D surface mapping of the breast. The surface height profile from 3D fringe projection was compared with the surface height measured by a direct method using electronic digital vernier caliper. Preliminary results showed the feasibility of digital fringe projection in providing a 3D mapping of breast and its application could be further extended for breast carcinoma detection.

Specification for the U.S. Geological Survey Historical Topographic Map Collection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allord, Gregory J.; Walter, Jennifer L.; Fishburn, Kristin A.; Shea, Gale A.

2014-01-01

This document provides the detailed requirements for producing, archiving, and disseminating a comprehensive digital collection of topographic maps for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC). The HTMC is a digital archive of about 190,000 printed topographic maps published by the USGS from the inception of the topographic mapping program in 1884 until the last paper topographic map using lithographic printing technology was published in 2006. The HTMC provides a comprehensive digital repository of all scales and all editions of USGS printed topographic maps that is easily discovered, browsed, and downloaded by the public at no cost. The HTMC provides ready access to maps that are no longer available for distribution in print. A digital file representing the original paper historical topographic map is produced for each historical map in the HTMC in georeferenced PDF (GeoPDF) format (a portable document format [PDF] with a geospatial extension).

Spatial digital database for the geologic map of the east part of the Pullman 1° x 2° quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rember, William C.; Bennett, Earl H.

2001-01-01

he paper geologic map of the east part of the Pullman 1·x 2· degree quadrangle, Idaho (Rember and Bennett, 1979) was scanned and initially attributed by Optronics Specialty Co., Inc. (Northridge, CA) and remitted to the U.S. Geological Survey for further attribution and publication of the geospatial digital files. The resulting digital geologic map GIS can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. This digital geospatial database is one of many being created by the U.S. Geological Survey as an ongoing effort to provide geologic information in a geographic information system (GIS) for use in spatial analysis. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, and others.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:250,000 (for example, 1:100,000 or 1:24,000). The digital geologic map graphics and plot files (pull250k.gra/.hp /.eps) that are provided in the digital package are representations of the digital database.

EarthObserver: Bringing the world to your fingertips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, W. B.; Goodwillie, A. M.; Coplan, J.; Carbotte, S. M.; Arko, R. A.; Ferrini, V.; O'hara, S. H.; Chan, S.; Bonczkowski, J.; Nitsche, F. O.; Morton, J. J.; McLain, K.; Weissel, R.

2011-12-01

EarthObserver (http://www.earth-observer.org/), developed by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, brings a wealth of geoscience data to Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices. Built around an easy-to-use interface, EarthObserver allows users to explore and visualise a wide range of data sets superimposed upon a detailed base map of land elevations and ocean depths - tapping the screen will instantly return the height or depth at that point. A simple transparency function allows direct comparison of built-in content. Data sets include high-resolution coastal bathymetry of bays, sounds, estuaries, harbors and rivers; geological maps of the US states and world - tapping the screen displays the rock type, and full legends can be viewed; US Topo sheets; and, geophysical content including seafloor crustal age and sediment thickness, earthquake and volcano data, gravity and magnetic anomalies, and plate boundary descriptions. The names of physiographic features are automatically displayed. NASA Visible Earth images along with ocean temperature, salinity and productivity maps and precipitation information expose data sets of interest to the atmospheric, oceanic and biological communities. Natural hazard maps, population information and political boundaries allow users to explore impacts upon society. EarthObserver, so far downloaded by more than 55,000 users, offers myriad ways for educators at all levels to bring research-quality geoscience data into the learning environment, whether for use as an in-class illustration or for extensive exploration of earth sciences data. By using cutting-edge mobile app technology, EarthObserver boosts access to relevant earth science content. The EarthObserver base map is the Global Multi-Resolution Topography digital elevation model (GMRT; http://www.marine-geo.org/portals/gmrt/), also developed at LDEO and updated regularly. It provides land elevations with horizontal resolution as high as 10m for mainland USA and 30m globally, and detailed oceanic depths derived from numerous sources including multibeam echo-soundings data.

Satellite Snow-Cover Mapping: A Brief Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Dorothy K.

1995-01-01

Satellite snow mapping has been accomplished since 1966, initially using data from the reflective part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and now also employing data from the microwave part of the spectrum. Visible and near-infrared sensors can provide excellent spatial resolution from space enabling detailed snow mapping. When digital elevation models are also used, snow mapping can provide realistic measurements of snow extent even in mountainous areas. Passive-microwave satellite data permit global snow cover to be mapped on a near-daily basis and estimates of snow depth to be made, but with relatively poor spatial resolution (approximately 25 km). Dense forest cover limits both techniques and optical remote sensing is limited further by cloudcover conditions. Satellite remote sensing of snow cover with imaging radars is still in the early stages of research, but shows promise at least for mapping wet or melting snow using C-band (5.3 GHz) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Observing System (EOS) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data beginning with the launch of the first EOS platform in 1998. Digital maps will be produced that will provide daily, and maximum weekly global snow, sea ice and lake ice cover at 1-km spatial resolution. Statistics will be generated on the extent and persistence of snow or ice cover in each pixel for each weekly map, cloudcover permitting. It will also be possible to generate snow- and ice-cover maps using MODIS data at 250- and 500-m resolution, and to study and map snow and ice characteristics such as albedo. been under development. Passive-microwave data offer the potential for determining not only snow cover, but snow water equivalent, depth and wetness under all sky conditions. A number of algorithms have been developed to utilize passive-microwave brightness temperatures to provide information on snow cover and water equivalent. The variability of vegetative Algorithms are being developed to map global snow and ice cover using Earth Algorithms to map global snow cover using passive-microwave data have also cover and of snow grain size, globally, limits the utility of a single algorithm to map global snow cover.

The topographic grain concept in DEM-based geomorphometric mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Józsa, Edina

2016-04-01

A common drawback of geomorphological analyses based on digital elevation datasets is the definition of search window size for the derivation of morphometric variables. The fixed-size neighbourhood determines the scale of the analysis and mapping, which can lead to the generalization of smaller surface details or the elimination of larger landform elements. The methods of DEM-based geomorphometric mapping are constantly developing into the direction of multi-scale landform delineation, but the optimal threshold for search window size is still a limiting factor. A possible way to determine the suitable value for the parameter is to consider the topographic grain principle (Wood, W. F. - Snell, J. B. 1960, Pike, R. J. et al. 1989). The calculation is implemented as a bash shell script for GRASS GIS to determine the optimal threshold for the r.geomorphon module. The approach relies on the potential of the topographic grain to detect the characteristic local ridgeline-to-channel spacing. By calculating the relative relief values with nested neighbourhood matrices it is possible to define a break-point where the increase rate of local relief encountered by the sample is significantly reducing. The geomorphons approach (Jasiewicz, J. - Stepinski, T. F. 2013) is a cell-based DEM classification method for the identification of landform elements at a broad range of scales by using line-of-sight technique. The landforms larger than the maximum lookup distance are broken down to smaller elements therefore the threshold needs to be set for a relatively large value. On the contrary, the computational requirements and the size of the study sites determine the upper limit for the value. Therefore the aim was to create a tool that would help to determine the optimal parameter for r.geomorphon tool. As a result it would be possible to produce more objective and consistent maps with achieving the full efficiency of this mapping technique. For the thorough analysis on the applicability of the proposed methodology a test site covering hilly and low mountainous regions in Southern Transdanubia, Hungary was chosen. As elevation dataset the freely available SRTM DSM with 1 arc-second resolution was used, after implementing necessary error correction. Based on the delineated landform elements and morphometric variables the physiographic characteristics of the landscape could be analysed and compared with the existing expert-based map of microregions. References: Wood, W. F. and J. B. Snell (1960). A quantitative system for classifying landforms. - Technical Report EP-124. U.S. Army Quartermaster Research and Engineering Center, Natick, 20 pp. Pike, R. J., et al. (1989). Topographic grain automated from digital elevation models. - Proceedings, Auto-Carto 9, ASPRS/ACSM Baltimore MD, 2-7 April 1989. Jasiewicz, J. and T. F. Stepinski (2013). Geomorphons - a pattern recognition approach to classification and mapping of landforms. - Geomorphology 182(0): 147-156.

Development of Flood Inundation Libraries using Historical Satellite Data and DEM for Part of Godavari Basin: An Approach Towards Better Flood Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, C. M.; Rao, G. S.; Patro, B.

2014-12-01

Conventional method of identifying areas to be inundated for issuing flood alert require inputs like discharge data, fine resolution digital elevation model (DEM), software for modelling and technically trained manpower to interpret the results meaningfully. Due to poor availability of these inputs, including good network of historical hydrological observations and limitation of time, quick flood early warning becomes a difficult task. Presently, based on the daily river water level and forecasted water level for major river systems in India, flood alerts are provided which are non-spatial in nature and does not help in understanding the inundation (spatial dimension) which may be caused at various water levels. In the present paper a concept for developing a series of flood-inundation map libraries two approaches are adopted one by correlating inundation extent derived from historical satellite data analysis with the corresponding water level recorded by the gauge station and the other simulation of inundation using digital elevation model (DEM's) is demonstrated for a part of Godavari Basin. The approach explained can be one of quick and cost-effective method for building a library of flood inundation extents, which can be utilized during flood disaster for alerting population and taking the relief and rescue operations. This layer can be visualized from a spatial dimension together with other spatial information like administrative boundaries, transport network, land use and land cover, digital elevation data and satellite images for better understanding and visualization of areas to be inundated spatially on free web based earth visualization portals like ISRO's Bhuvan portal (http://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in). This can help decision makers in taking quick appropriate measures for warning, planning relief and rescue operations for the population to get affected under that river stage.

Digital geologic map of the Spokane 1:100,000 quadrangle, Washington and Idaho: a digital database for the 1990 N.L. Joseph map

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Bruce R.; Derkey, Pamela D.

1998-01-01

Geologic data from the geologic map of the Spokane 1:100,000-scale quadrangle compiled by Joseph (1990) were entered into a geographic information system (GIS) as part of a larger effort to create regional digital geology for the Pacific Northwest. The map area is located in eastern Washington and extends across the state border into western Idaho (Fig. 1). This open-file report describes the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, documents the file structures, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet.

EAARL Coastal Topography - Northern Gulf of Mexico, 2007: First Surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kathryn E.L.; Nayegandhi, Amar; Wright, C. Wayne; Bonisteel, Jamie M.; Brock, John C.

2009-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) elevation data were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. The project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of select barrier islands and peninsular regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, acquired June 27-30, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or sub-aerial topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

Geologic and structure map of the Choteau 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, western Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mudge, Melville R.; Earhart, Robert L.; Whipple, James W.; Harrison, Jack E.

1982-01-01

The geologic and structure map of Choteau 1 x 2 degree quadrangle (Mudge and others, 1982) was originally converted to a digital format by Jeff Silkwood (U.S. Forest Service and completed by the U.S. Geological Survey staff and contractor at the Spokane Field Office (WA) in 2000 for input into a geographic information system (GIS). The resulting digital geologic map (GIS) database can be queried in many ways to produce a variey of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:250,000 (e.g. 1:100,000 or 1:24,000. The digital geologic map graphics and plot files (chot250k.gra/.hp/.eps and chot-map.pdf) that are provided in the digital package are representations of the digital database. They are not designed to be cartographic products.

Comparison of Discrete-return ranging and Full-waveform digitization for Bathymetric Lidar Mapping of a Shallow Water Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starek, M. J.; Fernandez-diaz, J.; Pan, Z.; Glennie, C. L.; Shrestha, R. L.; Gibeaut, J. C.; Singhania, A.

2013-12-01

Researchers with the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) at the University of Houston (UH) and the Coastal and Marine Geospatial Sciences Lab (CMGL) of the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi conducted a coordinated airborne and field-based survey of the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area to investigate the capabilities of shallow water bathymetric lidar for benthic mapping. Redfish Bay, located along the middle Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico, is a state scientific area designated for the purposes of protecting and studying the native seagrasses. The mapped region is very shallow (< 1 m in most locations) and consists of a variety of benthic cover including sandy bottom, oyster reef, subaqueous vegetation, and submerged structures. For this survey, UH acquired high resolution (2.5 shots per square meter) bathymetry data using their new Optech Aquarius 532 nm green lidar. The field survey conducted by CMGL used an airboat to collect in-situ radiometer measurements, GPS position, depth, and ground-truth data of benthic type at over 80 locations within the bay. The return signal of an Aquarius lidar pulse is analyzed in real time by a hardware-based constant fraction discriminator (CFD) to detect returns from the surface and determine ranges (x,y,z points). This approach is commonly called discrete-return ranging, and Aquarius can record up to 4 returns per an emitted laser pulse. In contrast, full-waveform digitization records the incoming energy of an emitted pulse by sampling it at very high-frequency. Post-processing algorithms can then be applied to detect returns (ranges) from the digitized waveform. For this survey, a waveform digitizer was simultaneously operated to record the return waveforms at a rate of 1GHz with 12 bit dynamic range. High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of the topo-bathymetry were derived from the discrete-return and full-waveform data to evaluate the relative and absolute accuracy using the collected ground-truth data. Results of this evaluation will be presented including an overview of the method used to extract peaks from the waveform data. Potential advantages and disadvantages of the different ranging modes in terms of observed accuracy, increased processing load, and information gain will also be discussed.

Comparing the performance of various digital soil mapping approaches to map physical soil properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laborczi, Annamária; Takács, Katalin; Pásztor, László

2015-04-01

Spatial information on physical soil properties is intensely expected, in order to support environmental related and land use management decisions. One of the most widely used properties to characterize soils physically is particle size distribution (PSD), which determines soil water management and cultivability. According to their size, different particles can be categorized as clay, silt, or sand. The size intervals are defined by national or international textural classification systems. The relative percentage of sand, silt, and clay in the soil constitutes textural classes, which are also specified miscellaneously in various national and/or specialty systems. The most commonly used is the classification system of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Soil texture information is essential input data in meteorological, hydrological and agricultural prediction modelling. Although Hungary has a great deal of legacy soil maps and other relevant soil information, it often occurs, that maps do not exist on a certain characteristic with the required thematic and/or spatial representation. The recent developments in digital soil mapping (DSM), however, provide wide opportunities for the elaboration of object specific soil maps (OSSM) with predefined parameters (resolution, accuracy, reliability etc.). Due to the simultaneous richness of available Hungarian legacy soil data, spatial inference methods and auxiliary environmental information, there is a high versatility of possible approaches for the compilation of a given soil map. This suggests the opportunity of optimization. For the creation of an OSSM one might intend to identify the optimum set of soil data, method and auxiliary co-variables optimized for the resources (data costs, computation requirements etc.). We started comprehensive analysis of the effects of the various DSM components on the accuracy of the output maps on pilot areas. The aim of this study is to compare and evaluate different digital soil mapping methods and sets of ancillary variables for producing the most accurate spatial prediction of texture classes in a given area of interest. Both legacy and recently collected data on PSD were used as reference information. The predictor variable data set consisted of digital elevation model and its derivatives, lithology, land use maps as well as various bands and indices of satellite images. Two conceptionally different approaches can be applied in the mapping process. Textural classification can be realized after particle size data were spatially extended by proper geostatistical method. Alternatively, the textural classification is carried out first, followed by the spatial extension through suitable data mining method. According to the first approach, maps of sand, silt and clay percentage have been computed through regression kriging (RK). Since the three maps are compositional (their sum must be 100%), we applied Additive Log-Ratio (alr) transformation, instead of kriging them independently. Finally, the texture class map has been compiled according to the USDA categories from the three maps. Different combinations of reference and training soil data and auxiliary covariables resulted several different maps. On the basis of the other way, the PSD were classified firstly into the USDA categories, then the texture class maps were compiled directly by data mining methods (classification trees and random forests). The various results were compared to each other as well as to the RK maps. The performance of the different methods and data sets has been examined by testing the accuracy of the geostatistically computed and the directly classified results to assess the most predictive and accurate method. Acknowledgement: Our work was supported by the Hungarian National Scientific Research Foundation (OTKA, Grant No. K105167).

Research note: Mapping spatial patterns in sewer age, material, and proximity to surface waterways to infer sewer leakage hotspots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hopkins, Kristina G.; Bain, Daniel J.

2018-01-01

Identifying areas where deteriorating sewer infrastructure is in close proximity to surface waterways is needed to map likely connections between sewers and streams. We present a method to estimate sewer installation year and deterioration status using historical maps of the sewer network, parcel-scale property assessment data, and pipe material. Areas where streams were likely buried into the sewer system were mapped by intersecting the historical stream network derived from a 10-m resolution digital elevation model with sewer pipe locations. Potential sewer leakage hotspots were mapped by identifying where aging sewer pipes are in close proximity (50-m) to surface waterways. Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), indicated 41% of the historical stream length was lost or buried and the potential interface between sewers and streams is great. The co-location of aging sewer infrastructure (>75 years old) near stream channels suggests that 42% of existing streams are located in areas with a high potential for sewer leakage if sewer infrastructure fails. Mapping the sewer-stream interface provides an approach to better understand areas were failing sewers may contribute a disproportional amount of nutrients and other pathogens to surface waterways.

Geomorphologic Mapping of a Last Glacial Maximum Moraine Sequence in the Far Eastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, B. J.; Putnam, A. E.; Strand, P.; Radue, M. J.; Dong, G.; Kong, X.; Li, M.; Sheriff, M.; Stevens, J.

2017-12-01

The abrupt millennial-scale climate events of the last glacial cycle constitute an important component of the ice-age puzzle. A complete explanation of glacial cycles, and their rapid terminations, must account for these millennial climatic `flickers'. Here we present a glacial geomorphologic map of a moraine system in a formerly glaciated valley within the mountains of Litang County in the eastern Tibetan Plateau of China. Geomorphologic mapping was conducted by interpreting satellite imagery, structure-from-motion imagery and digital elevation models, and field observations. This map provides context for a parallel ongoing 10Be exposure-dating effort, the preliminary results of which may be available by the time of this 2017 AGU Fall Meeting. We interpret the mapped moraines to document the millennial-scale pulsebeat of glacier advances in this region during the peak of the last ice age. Because changes in mountain glacier extent in this region are driven by atmospheric temperature, these moraines record past millennial climate changes. Altogether this mapping and exposure-dating approach will provide insight into the mechanisms for millennial-scale glacier and climate fluctuations in the interior of Asia.

Experimental flights using a small unmanned aircraft system for mapping emergent sandbars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinzel, Paul J.; Bauer, Mark A.; Feller, Mark R.; Holmquist-Johnson, Christopher; Preston, Todd

2015-01-01

The US Geological Survey and Parallel Inc. conducted experimental flights with the Tarantula Hawk (T-Hawk) unmanned aircraft system (UAS ) at the Dyer and Cottonwood Ranch properties located along reaches of the Platte River near Overton, Nebraska, in July 2013. We equipped the T-Hawk UAS platform with a consumer-grade digital camera to collect imagery of emergent sandbars in the reaches and used photogrammetric software and surveyed control points to generate orthophotographs and digital elevation models (DEMS ) of the reaches. To optimize the image alignment process, we retained and/or eliminated tie points based on their relative errors and spatial resolution, whereby minimizing the total error in the project. Additionally, we collected seven transects that traversed emergent sandbars concurrently with global positioning system location data to evaluate the accuracy of the UAS survey methodology. The root mean square errors for the elevation of emergent points along each transect across the DEMS ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 m. If adequate survey control is established, a UAS combined with photogrammetry software shows promise for accurate monitoring of emergent sandbar morphology and river management activities in short (1–2 km) river reaches.

Spatial Resolution Effects of Digital Terrain Models on Landslide Susceptibility Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, K. T.; Dou, J.; Chang, Y.; Kuo, C. P.; Xu, K. M.; Liu, J. K.

2016-06-01

The purposes of this study are to identify the maximum number of correlated factors for landslide susceptibility mapping and to evaluate landslide susceptibility at Sihjhong river catchment in the southern Taiwan, integrating two techniques, namely certainty factor (CF) and artificial neural network (ANN). The landslide inventory data of the Central Geological Survey (CGS, MOEA) in 2004-2014 and two digital elevation model (DEM) datasets including a 5-meter LiDAR DEM and a 30-meter Aster DEM were prepared. We collected thirteen possible landslide-conditioning factors. Considering the multi-collinearity and factor redundancy, we applied the CF approach to optimize these thirteen conditioning factors. We hypothesize that if the CF values of the thematic factor layers are positive, it implies that these conditioning factors have a positive relationship with the landslide occurrence. Therefore, based on this assumption and positive CF values, seven conditioning factors including slope angle, slope aspect, elevation, terrain roughness index (TRI), terrain position index (TPI), total curvature, and lithology have been selected for further analysis. The results showed that the optimized-factors model provides a better accuracy for predicting landslide susceptibility in the study area. In conclusion, the optimized-factors model is suggested for selecting relative factors of landslide occurrence.

Getting around Antarctica: New High-Resolution Mappings of the Grounded and Freely-Floating Boundaries of the Antarctic Ice Sheet Created for the International Polar Year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bindschadler, R.; Choi, H.; Wichlacz, A.; Bingham, R.; Bohlander, J.; Brunt, K.; Corr, H.; Drews, R.; Fricker, H.; Hall, M.;

Geomorphometric analysis of cave ceiling channels mapped with 3-D terrestrial laser scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallay, Michal; Hochmuth, Zdenko; Kaňuk, Ján; Hofierka, Jaroslav

2016-05-01

The change of hydrological conditions during the evolution of caves in carbonate rocks often results in a complex subterranean geomorphology, which comprises specific landforms such as ceiling channels, anastomosing half tubes, or speleothems organized vertically in different levels. Studying such complex environments traditionally requires tedious mapping; however, this is being replaced with terrestrial laser scanning technology. Laser scanning overcomes the problem of reaching high ceilings, providing new options to map underground landscapes with unprecedented level of detail and accuracy. The acquired point cloud can be handled conveniently with dedicated software, but applying traditional geomorphometry to analyse the cave surface is limited. This is because geomorphometry has been focused on parameterization and analysis of surficial terrain. The theoretical and methodological concept has been based on two-dimensional (2-D) scalar fields, which are sufficient for most cases of the surficial terrain. The terrain surface is modelled with a bivariate function of altitude (elevation) and represented by a raster digital elevation model. However, the cave is a 3-D entity; therefore, a different approach is required for geomorphometric analysis. In this paper, we demonstrate the benefits of high-resolution cave mapping and 3-D modelling to better understand the palaeohydrography of the Domica cave in Slovakia. This methodological approach adopted traditional geomorphometric methods in a unique manner and also new methods used in 3-D computer graphics, which can be applied to study other 3-D geomorphological forms.

The Geographic Information System applied to study schistosomiasis in Pernambuco

PubMed Central

Barbosa, Verônica Santos; Loyo, Rodrigo Moraes; Guimarães, Ricardo José de Paula Souza e; Barbosa, Constança Simões

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Diagnose risk environments for schistosomiasis in coastal localities of Pernambuco using geoprocessing techniques. METHODS A coproscopic and malacological survey were carried out in the Forte Orange and Serrambi areas. Environmental variables (temperature, salinity, pH, total dissolved solids and water fecal coliform dosage) were collected from Biomphalaria breeding sites or foci. The spatial analysis was performed using ArcGis 10.1 software, applying the kernel estimator, elevation map, and distance map. RESULTS In Forte Orange, 4.3% of the population had S. mansoni and were found two B. glabrata and 26 B. straminea breeding sites. The breeding sites had temperatures of 25ºC to 41ºC, pH of 6.9 to 11.1, total dissolved solids between 148 and 661, and salinity of 1,000 d. In Serrambi, 4.4% of the population had S. mansoni and were found seven B. straminea and seven B. glabrata breeding sites. Breeding sites had temperatures of 24ºC to 36ºC, pH of 7.1 to 9.8, total dissolved solids between 116 and 855, and salinity of 1,000 d. The kernel estimator shows the clusters of positive patients and foci of Biomphalaria, and the digital elevation map indicates areas of rainwater concentration. The distance map shows the proximity of the snail foci with schools and health facilities. CONCLUSIONS Geoprocessing techniques prove to be a competent tool for locating and scaling the risk areas for schistosomiasis, and can subsidize the health services control actions. PMID:29166439

Alaska Broad Scale Orthoimagery and Elevation Mapping - Current Statewide Project Progress and Historic Work in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinrichs, T. A.; Broderson, D.; Johnson, A.; Slife, M.

2014-12-01

This presentation describes the overall program goals and current status of broad scale, statewide orthoimagery and digital elevation model (DEM) projects currently underway in Alaska. As context, it will also describe the history and successes of previous statewide Alaska mapping efforts over the preceding 75 years. A new statewide orthomosaic imagery baselayer at 1:24,000 NMAS accuracy (12.2-meters CE90) is nearing completion. The entire state (1.56 million square kilometers) has been imaged with the SPOT 5 satellite, and a 2.5-meter spatial resolution, multi-spectral, nearly cloud-free, pan-sharpened orthoimage will be produced by mid-2015. A second major project is collection of an improved accuracy DEM statewide. Airborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) data has been collected for about half of the state of Alaska and completion of the rest of the state is anticipated within a few years. A 5-meter post spacing, 20-foot contour interval accuracy equivalent (3-meter vertical LE90) DEM and radar backscatter intensity image is being delivered. Historic projects to be described include the 1950's USGS Alaska topographic mapping program, one of the largest and most pioneering, challenging, and successful ever undertaken in North America. These historic and current mapping programs have served as both a baselayer framework and as feedstock for science for virtually every geologic, geophysical, and terrestrial natural science project in the state.

Utility of Characterizing and Monitoring Suspected Underground Nuclear Sites with VideoSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dauphin, S. M.; Yocky, D. A.; Riley, R.; Calloway, T. M.; Wahl, D. E.

2016-12-01

Sandia National Laboratories proposed using airborne synthetic aperture RADAR (SAR) collected in VideoSAR mode to characterize the Underground Nuclear Explosion Signature Experiment (UNESE) test bed site at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The SNL SAR collected airborne, Ku-band (16.8 GHz center frequency), 0.2032 meter ground resolution over NNSS in August 2014 and X-band (9.6 GHz), 0.1016 meter ground resolution fully-polarimetric SAR in April 2015. This paper reports the findings of processing and exploiting VideoSAR for creating digital elevation maps, detecting cultural artifacts and exploiting full-circle polarimetric signatures. VideoSAR collects a continuous circle of phase history data, therefore, imagery can be formed over the 360-degrees of the site. Since the Ku-band VideoSAR had two antennas suitable for interferometric digital elevation mapping (DEM), DEMs could be generated over numerous aspect angles, filling in holes created by targets with height by imaging from all sides. Also, since the X-band VideoSAR was fully-polarimetric, scattering signatures could be gleaned from all angles also. Both of these collections can be used to find man-made objects and changes in elevation that might indicate testing activities. VideoSAR provides a unique, coherent measure of ground objects allowing one to create accurate DEMS, locate man-made objects, and identify scattering signatures via polarimetric exploitation. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. The authors would like to thank the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development, for sponsoring this work. We would also like to thank the Underground Nuclear Explosion Signatures Experiment team, a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary group of scientists and engineers, for its technical contributions.

Proceedings of a workshop on digital mapping techniques; methods for geologic map data capture, management, and publication - June 2 - 5, 1997, Lawrence, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

1997-01-01

Introduction: From June 2-5, 1997, selected technical representatives of the USGS and State geological surveys participated in the 'AASG/USGS Digital Mapping Techniques' workshop in Lawrence, Kansas. The workshop was initiated by the AASG/USGS Data Capture Working Group, and was hosted by the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS). With a focus on methods for data capture and digital map production, the goal was to help move the state surveys and the USGS toward development of more cost-effective, flexible, and useful systems for digital mapping and GIS analysis.

Digital Mapping Techniques '09-Workshop Proceedings, Morgantown, West Virginia, May 10-13, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

2011-01-01

As in the previous years' meetings, the objective was to foster informal discussion and exchange of technical information, principally in order to develop more efficient methods for digital mapping, cartography, GIS analysis, and information management. At this meeting, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized (1) methods for creating and publishing map products (here, "publishing" includes Web-based release); (2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LiDAR; (3) digital cartographic techniques; (4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase format; (5) analytical GIS techniques; and (6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Digital Mapping Techniques '11–12 workshop proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soller, David R.

2014-01-01

At these meetings, oral and poster presentations and special discussion sessions emphasized: (1) methods for creating and publishing map products (here, "publishing" includes Web-based release); (2) field data capture software and techniques, including the use of LiDAR; (3) digital cartographic techniques; (4) migration of digital maps into ArcGIS Geodatabase formats; (5) analytical GIS techniques; and (6) continued development of the National Geologic Map Database.

Procedure for extraction of disparate data from maps into computerized data bases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Junkin, B. G.

1979-01-01

A procedure is presented for extracting disparate sources of data from geographic maps and for the conversion of these data into a suitable format for processing on a computer-oriented information system. Several graphic digitizing considerations are included and related to the NASA Earth Resources Laboratory's Digitizer System. Current operating procedures for the Digitizer System are given in a simplified and logical manner. The report serves as a guide to those organizations interested in converting map-based data by using a comparable map digitizing system.

Development of flood-inundation maps for the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czuba, Christiana R.; Fallon, James D.; Lewis, Corby R.; Cooper, Diane F.

2014-01-01

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.3-mile reach of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota, were developed through a multi-agency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and in collaboration with the National Weather Service. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ and the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service site at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/inundation.php, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage at the Mississippi River at Saint Paul (05331000). The National Weather Service forecasted peak-stage information at the streamgage may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the Mississippi River by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated using the most recent stage-discharge relation at the Robert Street location (rating curve number 38.0) of the Mississippi River at Saint Paul (streamgage 05331000), as well as an approximate water-surface elevation-discharge relation at the Mississippi River at South Saint Paul (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers streamgage SSPM5). The model also was verified against observed high-water marks from the recent 2011 flood event and the water-surface profile from existing flood insurance studies. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 25 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals ranging from approximately bankfull stage to greater than the highest recorded stage at streamgage 05331000. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model, derived from high-resolution topography data, to delineate potential areas flooded and to determine the water depths within the inundated areas for each stage at streamgage 05331000. The availability of these maps along with information regarding current stage at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage and forecasted stages from the National Weather Service provides enhanced flood warning and visualization of the potential effects of a forecasted flood for the city of Saint Paul and its residents. The maps also can aid in emergency management planning and response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

Intrusive Rock Database for the Digital Geologic Map of Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nutt, C.J.; Ludington, Steve

2003-01-01

Digital geologic maps offer the promise of rapid and powerful answers to geologic questions using Geographic Information System software (GIS). Using modern GIS and database methods, a specialized derivative map can be easily prepared. An important limitation can be shortcomings in the information provided in the database associated with the digital map, a database which is often based on the legend of the original map. The purpose of this report is to show how the compilation of additional information can, when prepared as a database that can be used with the digital map, be used to create some types of derivative maps that are not possible with the original digital map and database. This Open-file Report consists of computer files with information about intrusive rocks in Utah that can be linked to the Digital Geologic Map of Utah (Hintze et al., 2000), an explanation of how to link the databases and map, and a list of references for the databases. The digital map, which represents the 1:500,000-scale Geologic Map of Utah (Hintze, 1980), can be obtained from the Utah Geological Survey (Map 179DM). Each polygon in the map has a unique identification number. We selected the polygons identified on the geologic map as intrusive rock, and constructed a database (UT_PLUT.xls) that classifies the polygons into plutonic map units (see tables). These plutonic map units are the key information that is used to relate the compiled information to the polygons on the map. The map includes a few polygons that were coded as intrusive on the state map but are largely volcanic rock; in these cases we note the volcanic rock names (rhyolite and latite) as used in the original sources Some polygons identified on the digital state map as intrusive rock were misidentified; these polygons are noted in a separate table of the database, along with some information about their true character. Fields may be empty because of lack of information from references used or difficulty in finding information. The information in the database is from a variety of sources, including geologic maps at scales ranging from 1:500,000 to 1:24,000, and thesis monographs. The references are shown twice: alphabetically and by region. The digital geologic map of Utah (Hintze and others, 2000) classifies intrusive rocks into only 3 categories, distinguished by age. They are: Ti, Tertiary intrusive rock; Ji, Upper to Middle Jurassic granite to quartz monzonite; and pCi, Early Proterozoic to Late Archean intrusive rock. Use of the tables provided in this report will permit selection and classification of those rocks by lithology and age. This database is a pilot study by the Survey and Analysis Project of the U.S. Geological Survey to characterize igneous rocks and link them to a digital map. The database, and others like it, will evolve as the project continues and other states are completed. We release this version now as an example, as a reference, and for those interested in Utah plutonic rocks.

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Digital data for the geology of southeast Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gehrels, George E.; Berg, Henry C.

2006-01-01

The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set of 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Digital Data for the reconnaissance geologic map for the Kuskokwim Bay Region of Southwest Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Frederic H.; Hults, Chad P.; Mohadjer, Solmaz; Coonrad, Warren L.; Shew, Nora B.; Labay, Keith A.

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION The growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for digital geologic maps that have been attributed with information about age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. This report is part of a series of integrated geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. Three national-scale geologic maps that portray most or all of the United States already exist; for the conterminous U.S., King and Beikman (1974a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:2,500,000, Beikman (1980) compiled a map for Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale, and for the entire U.S., Reed and others (2005a,b) compiled a map at a scale of 1:5,000,000. A digital version of the King and Beikman map was published by Schruben and others (1994). Reed and Bush (2004) produced a digital version of the Reed and others (2005a) map for the conterminous U.S. The present series of maps is intended to provide the next step in increased detail. State geologic maps that range in scale from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 are available for most of the country, and digital versions of these state maps are the basis of this product. The digital geologic maps presented here are in a standardized format as ARC/INFO export files and as ArcView shape files. Data tables that relate the map units to detailed lithologic and age information accompany these GIS files. The map is delivered as a set 1:250,000-scale quadrangle files. To the best of our ability, these quadrangle files are edge-matched with respect to geology. When the maps are merged, the combined attribute tables can be used directly with the merged maps to make derivative maps.

Mapping Land and Water Surface Topography with instantaneous Structure from Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietrich, J.; Fonstad, M. A.

2012-12-01

Structure from Motion (SfM) has given researchers an invaluable tool for low-cost, high-resolution 3D mapping of the environment. These SfM 3D surface models are commonly constructed from many digital photographs collected with one digital camera (either handheld or attached to aerial platform). This method works for stationary or very slow moving objects. However, objects in motion are impossible to capture with one-camera SfM. With multiple simultaneously triggered cameras, it becomes possible to capture multiple photographs at the same time which allows for the construction 3D surface models of moving objects and surfaces, an instantaneous SfM (ISfM) surface model. In river science, ISfM provides a low-cost solution for measuring a number of river variables that researchers normally estimate or are unable to collect over large areas. With ISfM and sufficient coverage of the banks and RTK-GPS control it is possible to create a digital surface model of land and water surface elevations across an entire channel and water surface slopes at any point within the surface model. By setting the cameras to collect time-lapse photography of a scene it is possible to create multiple surfaces that can be compared using traditional digital surface model differencing. These water surface models could be combined the high-resolution bathymetry to create fully 3D cross sections that could be useful in hydrologic modeling. Multiple temporal image sets could also be used in 2D or 3D particle image velocimetry to create 3D surface velocity maps of a channel. Other applications in earth science include anything where researchers could benefit from temporal surface modeling like mass movements, lava flows, dam removal monitoring. The camera system that was used for this research consisted of ten pocket digital cameras (Canon A3300) equipped with wireless triggers. The triggers were constructed with an Arduino-style microcontroller and off-the-shelf handheld radios with a maximum range of several kilometers. The cameras are controlled from another microcontroller/radio combination that allows for manual or automatic triggering of the cameras. The total cost of the camera system was approximately 1500 USD.

SRTM Data Release for Africa, Colored Height

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This color shaded relief image shows the extent of digital elevation data for Africa recently released by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This release includes data for all of the continent, plus the island of Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula. SRTM flew on board the Space Shuttle Endeavour in February 2000 and used an interferometric radar system to map the topography of Earth's landmass between latitudes 56 degrees south and 60 degrees north.

The data were processed into geographic 'tiles,' each of which represents one by one degree of latitude and longitude. A degree of latitude measures 111 kilometers (69 miles) north-south, and a degree of longitude measures 111 kilometers or less east-west, decreasing away from the equator. The data are being released to the public on a continent-by-continent basis. This Africa segment includes 3256 tiles, almost a quarter of the total data set. Previous releases covered North America, South America and Eurasia. Forthcoming releases will include Australia plus an 'Islands' release for those islands not included in the continental releases. Together these data releases constitute the world's first high-resolution, near-global elevation model. The resolution of the publicly released data is three arcseconds (1/1,200 of a degree of latitude and longitude), which is about 90 meters (295 feet).

Coverage in the current data release extends from 35 degrees north latitude at the southern edge of the Mediterranean to the very tip of South Africa, encompassing a great diversity of landforms. The northern part of the continent consists of a system of basins and plateaus, with several volcanic uplands whose uplift has been matched by subsidence in the large surrounding basins. Many of these basins have been infilled with sand and gravel, creating the vast Saharan lands. The Atlas Mountains in the northwest were created by convergence of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.

The geography of the central latitudes of Africa is dominated by the Great Rift Valley, extending from Lake Nyasa to the Red Sea, and splitting into two arms to enclose an interior plateau and the nearly circular Lake Victoria, visible in the right center of the image. To the west lies the Congo Basin, a vast, shallow depression which rises to form an almost circular rim of highlands.

Most of the southern part of the continent rests on a concave plateau comprising the Kalahari basin and a mountainous fringe, skirted by a coastal plain which widens out in Mozambique in the southeast.

Many of these regions were previously very poorly mapped due to persistent cloud cover or the inaccessibility of the terrain. Digital elevation data, such as provided by SRTM, are particularly in high demand by scientists studying earthquakes, volcanism, and erosion patterns for use in mapping and modeling hazards to human habitation. But the shape of Earth's surface affects nearly every natural process and human endeavor that occurs there, so elevation data are used in a wide range of applications.

In this index map color-coding is directly related to topographic height, with brown and yellow at the lower elevations, rising through green, to white at the highest elevations. Blue areas on the map represent water within the mapped tiles, each of which includes shorelines or islands.

Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.

Orientation: North toward the top, Mercator projection Image Data: Colored SRTM elevation model Date Acquired: February 2000

Digital geologic map of part of the Thompson Falls 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Reed S.; Derkey, Pamela D.

1999-01-01

The geology of the Thompson Falls 1:100,000 quadrangle, Idaho was compiled by Reed S. Lewis in 1997 onto a 1:100,000-scale greenline mylar of the topographic base map for input into a geographic information system (GIS). The resulting digital geologic map GIS can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files (topography, roads, towns, rivers and lakes, etc.) are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000). The map area is located in north Idaho. This open-file report describes the geologic map units, the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, the Arc/Info GIS file structures and relationships, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet.

Geomorphic Proxies to Test Strain Accommodation in Southwestern Puerto Rico from Digital Elevation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrios Galindez, I. M.; Xue, L.; Laó-Dávila, D. A.

2017-12-01

The Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island microplate is located in at the northeastern corner of the Caribbean plate boundary with North America is placed within an oblique subduction zone in which strain patterns remain unresolved. Seismic hazard is a major concern in the region as seen from the seismic history of the Caribbean-North America plate boundary zone. Most of the tectonic models of the microplate show the accommodation of strain occurring offshore, despite evidence from seismic activity, trench studies, and geodetic studies suggesting the existence of strain accomodation in southwest Puerto Rico. These studies also suggest active faulting specially in the western part of the island, but limited work has been done regarding their mechanism. Therefore, this work aims to define and map these active faults in western Puerto Rico by integrating data from analysis of fluvial terrains, and detailed mapping using digital elevation model (DEM) extracted from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and LIDAR data. The goal is to (1) identify structural features such as surface lineaments and fault scarps for the Cerro Goden fault, South Lajas fault, and other active faults in the western of Puerto Rico, (2) correlate these information with the distribution pattern and values of the geomorphic proxies, including Chi integral (χ), normalized steepness (ksn) and Asymmetric factor (AF). Our preliminary results from geomorphic proxies and Lidar data provide some insight of the displacement and stage of activities of these faults (e.g. Boqueron-Punta Malva Fault and Cerro Goden fault). Also, the anomaly of the geomorphic proxies generally correlate with the locations of the landslides in the southwestern Puerto Rico. The geomorphic model of this work include new information of active faulting fundamental to produce better seismic hazards maps. Additionally, active tectonics studies are vital to issue and adjust construction buildings codes and zonification codes.

Digital Geologic Map of the Rosalia 1:100,000 Quadrangle, Washington and Idaho: A Digital Database for the 1990 S.Z. Waggoner Map

USGS Publications Warehouse

Derkey, Pamela D.; Johnson, Bruce R.; Lackaff, Beatrice B.; Derkey, Robert E.

1998-01-01

The geologic map of the Rosalia 1:100,000-scale quadrangle was compiled in 1990 by S.Z. Waggoner of the Washington state Division of Geology and Earth Resources. This data was entered into a geographic information system (GIS) as part of a larger effort to create regional digital geology for the Pacific Northwest. The intent was to provide a digital geospatial database for a previously published black and white paper geologic map. This database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000) as it has been somewhat generalized to fit the 1:100,000 scale map. The map area is located in eastern Washington and extends across the state border into western Idaho. This open-file report describes the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, documents the file structures, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet. We wish to thank J. Eric Schuster of the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources for providing the original stable-base mylar and the funding for it to be scanned. We also thank Dick Blank and Barry Moring of the U.S. Geological Survey for reviewing the manuscript and digital files, respectively.

Estimation of reactive surface area using a combined method of laboratory analyses and digital image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jin; Kong, Xiang-Zhao; Saar, Martin O.

2017-04-01

Fluid-rock interactions play an important role in the engineering processes such as chemical stimulation of enhanced geothermal systems and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. However, these interactions highly depend on the accessible reactive surface area of the minerals that are generally poorly constrained for natural geologic samples. In particular, quantifying surface area of each reacting mineral within whole rock samples is challenging due to the heterogeneous distribution of minerals and pore space. In this study, detailed laboratory analyses were performed on sandstone samples from deep geothermal sites in Lithuania. We measure specific surface area of whole rock samples using a gas adsorption method (so-called B.E.T.) with N2 at a temperature of 77.3K. We also quantify their porosity and pore size distribution by a Helium gas pycnometer and a Hg porosimetry, respectively. Rock compositions are determined by a combination of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and quantitative scanning electron microscopy (SEM) - Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), which are later geometrically mapped on images of two-dimensional SEM- Backscattered electrons (BSE) with a resolution of 1.2 μm and three-dimensional micro-CT with a resolution of 10.3 μm to produce a digital mineral map for further constraining the accessibility of reactive minerals. Moreover, we attempt to link the whole rock porosity, pore size distribution, and B.E.T. specific surface area with the digital mineral maps. We anticipate these necessary analyses to provide in-depth understanding of fluid sample chemistry from later hydrothermal reactive flow-through experiments on whole rock samples at elevated pressure and temperature.

Lidar-based mapping of flood control levees in south Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thatcher, Cindy A.; Lim, Samsung; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Kimbrow, Dustin R.

2016-01-01

Flood protection in south Louisiana is largely dependent on earthen levees, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the state’s levee system has received intense scrutiny. Accurate elevation data along the levees are critical to local levee district managers responsible for monitoring and maintaining the extensive system of non-federal levees in coastal Louisiana. In 2012, high resolution airborne lidar data were acquired over levees in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, and a mobile terrestrial lidar survey was conducted for selected levee segments using a terrestrial lidar scanner mounted on a truck. The mobile terrestrial lidar data were collected to test the feasibility of using this relatively new technology to map flood control levees and to compare the accuracy of the terrestrial and airborne lidar. Metrics assessing levee geometry derived from the two lidar surveys are also presented as an efficient, comprehensive method to quantify levee height and stability. The vertical root mean square error values of the terrestrial lidar and airborne lidar digital-derived digital terrain models were 0.038 m and 0.055 m, respectively. The comparison of levee metrics derived from the airborne and terrestrial lidar-based digital terrain models showed that both types of lidar yielded similar results, indicating that either or both surveying techniques could be used to monitor geomorphic change over time. Because airborne lidar is costly, many parts of the USA and other countries have never been mapped with airborne lidar, and repeat surveys are often not available for change detection studies. Terrestrial lidar provides a practical option for conducting repeat surveys of levees and other terrain features that cover a relatively small area, such as eroding cliffs or stream banks, and dunes.

EAARL Coastal Topography - Northeast Barrier Islands 2007: Bare Earth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Sallenger, A.H.; Wright, C. Wayne; Yates, Xan; Bonisteel, Jamie M.

2008-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived bare earth (BE) topography were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of the northeast coastal barrier islands in New York and New Jersey, acquired April 29-30 and May 15-16, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is routinely used to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL Topography - Natchez Trace Parkway 2007: First Surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Wright, C. Wayne; Segura, Martha; Yates, Xan

2008-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of a portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, acquired on September 14, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL Topography - Vicksburg National Military Park 2008: Bare Earth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Wright, C. Wayne; Segura, Martha; Yates, Xan

2008-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived bare earth (BE) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, acquired on March 6, 2008. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL Coastal Topography - Northeast Barrier Islands 2007: First Surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Sallenger, A.H.; Wright, C. Wayne; Yates, Xan; Bonisteel, Jamie M.

2009-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) topography were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of the northeast coastal barrier islands in New York and New Jersey, acquired April 29-30 and May 15-16, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is routinely used to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL Topography-Vicksburg National Military Park 2007: First Surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Wright, C. Wayne; Segura, Martha; Yates, Xan

2009-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, acquired on September 12, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL-B coastal topography: eastern New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy, 2012: first surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, C. Wayne; Fredericks, Xan; Troche, Rodolfo J.; Klipp, Emily S.; Kranenburg, Christine J.; Nagle, David B.

2014-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets for a portion of the New Jersey coastline beachface, acquired pre-Hurricane Sandy on October 26, and post-Hurricane Sandy on November 1 and November 5, 2012. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural-resource managers. An innovative airborne lidar system, known as the second-generation Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL-B), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL-B system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nm) lidar designed to map nearshore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL-B sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive lidar, down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) and infrared (IR) digital cameras, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for sub-meter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL-B platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL-B system. The resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight-line definition, flight-path plotting, lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or sub-aerial topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the "bare earth" under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations. For more information about similar projects, please visit the Lidar for Science and Resource Management Web site.

EAARL Coastal Topography--Cape Canaveral, Florida, 2009: First Surface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonisteel-Cormier, J.M.; Nayegandhi, Amar; Plant, Nathaniel; Wright, C.W.; Nagle, D.B.; Serafin, K.S.; Klipp, E.S.

2011-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography datasets were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Kennedy Space Center, FL. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of a portion of the eastern Florida coastline beachface, acquired on May 28, 2009. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural-resource managers. An innovative airborne lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multispectral color-infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for sub-meter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine aircraft, but the instrument was deployed on a Pilatus PC-6. A single pilot, a lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight-line definition, flight-path plotting, lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or sub-aerial topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the "bare earth" under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

EAARL Coastal Topography - Sandy Hook 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nayegandhi, Amar; Brock, John C.; Wright, C. Wayne; Stevens, Sara; Yates, Xan; Bonisteel, Jamie M.

2008-01-01

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Kingston, RI; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of Gateway National Recreation Area's Sandy Hook Unit in New Jersey, acquired on May 16, 2007. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of Lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for pre-survey flight line definition, flight path plotting, Lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is routinely used to create maps that represent submerged or first surface topography. Specialized filtering algorithms have been implemented to determine the 'bare earth' under vegetation from a point cloud of last return elevations.

Morphotectonic architecture of the Transantarctic Mountains rift flank between the Royal Society Range and the Churchill Mountains based on geomorphic analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demyanick, Elizabeth; Wilson, Terry J.

2007-01-01

Extensional forces within the Antarctic Plate have produced the Transantarctic Mountains rift-flank uplift along the West Antarctic rift margin. Large-scale linear morphologic features within the mountains are controlled by bedrock structure and can be recognized and mapped from satellite imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs). This study employed the Antarctic Digital Database DEM to obtain slope steepness and aspect maps of the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) between the Royal Society Range and the Churchill Mountains, allowing definition of the position and orientation of the morphological axis of the rift-flank. The TAM axis, interpreted as a fault-controlled escarpment formed by coast-parallel retreat, provides a marker for the orientation of the faulted boundary between the TAM and the rift system. Changes in position and orientation of the TAM axis suggests the rift flank is segmented into tectonic blocks bounded by relay ramps and transverse accommodation zones. The transverse boundaries coincide with major outlet glaciers, supporting interpretation of rift structures between them. The pronounced morphological change across Byrd Glacier points to control by structures inherited from the Ross orogen.

Soil organic carbon content assessment in a heterogeneous landscape: comparison of digital soil mapping and visible and near Infrared spectroscopy approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michot, Didier; Fouad, Youssef; Pascal, Pichelin; Viaud, Valérie; Soltani, Inès; Walter, Christian

2017-04-01

This study aims are: i) to assess SOC content distribution according to the global soil map (GSM) project recommendations in a heterogeneous landscape ; ii) to compare the prediction performance of digital soil mapping (DSM) and visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy approaches. The study area of 140 ha, located at Plancoët, surrounds the unique mineral spring water of Brittany (Western France). It's a hillock characterized by a heterogeneous landscape mosaic with different types of forest, permanent pastures and wetlands along a small coastal river. We acquired two independent datasets: j) 50 points selected using a conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS); jj) 254 points corresponding to the GSM grid. Soil samples were collected in three layers (0-5, 20-25 and 40-50cm) for both sampling strategies. SOC content was only measured in cLHS soil samples, while Vis-NIR spectra were measured on all the collected samples. For the DSM approach, a machine-learning algorithm (Cubist) was applied on the cLHS calibration data to build rule-based models linking soil carbon content in the different layers with environmental covariates, derived from digital elevation model, geological variables, land use data and existing large scale soil maps. For the spectroscopy approach, we used two calibration datasets: k) the local cLHS ; kk) a subset selected from the regional spectral database of Brittany after a PCA with a hierarchical clustering analysis and spiked by local cLHS spectra. The PLS regression algorithm with "leave-one-out" cross validation was performed for both calibration datasets. SOC contents for the 3 layers of the GSM grid were predicted using the different approaches and were compared with each other. Their prediction performance was evaluated by the following parameters: R2, RMSE and RPD. Both approaches led to satisfactory predictions for SOC content with an advantage for the spectral approach, particularly as regards the pertinence of the variation range.

UAV, DGPS, and Laser Transit Mapping of Microbial Mat Ecosystems on Little Ambergris Cay, B.W.I.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, N.; Quinn, D. P.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Fischer, W. W.; Knoll, A. H.; Cantine, M.; Gomes, M. L.; Grotzinger, H. M.; Lingappa, U.; Metcalfe, K.; O'Reilly, S. S.; Orzechowski, E. A.; Riedman, L. A.; Strauss, J. V.; Trower, L.

2016-12-01

Little Ambergris Cay is a 6 km long, 1.6 km wide uninhabited island on the Caicos platform in the Turks and Caicos. Little Ambergris provides an analog for the study of microbial mat development in the sedimentary record. Recent field mapping during July of 2016 used UAV- and satellite-based images, differential GPS (DGPS), and total station theodolite (TST) measurements to characterize sedimentology and biofacies across the entirety of Little Ambergris Cay. Nine facies were identified in-situ during DGPS island transects including oolitic grainstone bedrock, sand flats, cutbank and mat-filled channels, hardground-lined bays with EPS-rich mat particles, mangroves, EPS mats, polygonal mats, and mats with blistered surface texture. These facies were mapped onto a 15 cm/pixel visible light orthomosaic of the island generated from more than 1500 nadir images taken by a UAV at 350 m standoff distance. A corresponding stereogrammetric digital elevation map was generated from drone images and 910 DGPS measurements acquired during several island transects. More than 1000 TST measurements provide additional facies elevation constraints, control points for satellite-based water depth calculations, and means to cross-calibrate and reconstruct the topographic profile of bedrock exposed at the beach. Additionally, the thickness of the underlying Holocene sediment fill was estimated over several island transects using a depth probe. Sub-cm resolution drone-based orthophotos of microbial mats were used to quantify polygonal mat size and textures. The mapping results highlight that sedimentary and bio-facies (including mat morphology and fabrics) correlate strongly with elevation. Notably, mat morphology was observed to be highly sensitive to cm-scale variations in topography and water depth. The productivity metric NDVI was computed for mat and vegetation facies using nadir images from a UAV-mounted two-band red-NIR camera. In combination with in situ facies mapping, these measurements provided ground truth for reduction of multispectral Landsat and Worldview-2 satellite images to evaluate mat distribution and diversity across a range of spatial and spectral facies variations.

Landslide hazard mapping with selected dominant factors: A study case of Penang Island, Malaysia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tay, Lea Tien; Alkhasawneh, Mutasem Sh.; Ngah, Umi Kalthum

Landslide is one of the destructive natural geohazards in Malaysia. In addition to rainfall as triggering factos for landslide in Malaysia, topographical and geological factors play important role in the landslide susceptibility analysis. Conventional topographic factors such as elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, plan curvature and profile curvature have been considered as landslide causative factors in many research works. However, other topographic factors such as diagonal length, surface area, surface roughness and rugosity have not been considered, especially for the research work in landslide hazard analysis in Malaysia. This paper presents landslide hazard mapping using Frequency Ratio (FR) and themore » study area is Penang Island of Malaysia. Frequency ratio approach is a variant of probabilistic method that is based on the observed relationships between the distribution of landslides and each landslide-causative factor. Landslide hazard map of Penang Island is produced by considering twenty-two (22) landslide causative factors. Among these twenty-two (22) factors, fourteen (14) factors are topographic factors. They are elevation, slope gradient, slope aspect, plan curvature, profile curvature, general curvature, tangential curvature, longitudinal curvature, cross section curvature, total curvature, diagonal length, surface area, surface roughness and rugosity. These topographic factors are extracted from the digital elevation model of Penang Island. The other eight (8) non-topographic factors considered are land cover, vegetation cover, distance from road, distance from stream, distance from fault line, geology, soil texture and rainfall precipitation. After considering all twenty-two factors for landslide hazard mapping, the analysis is repeated with fourteen dominant factors which are selected from the twenty-two factors. Landslide hazard map was segregated into four categories of risks, i.e. Highly hazardous area, Hazardous area, Moderately hazardous area and Not hazardous area. The maps was assessed using ROC (Rate of Curve) based on the area under the curve method (AUC). The result indicates an increase of accuracy from 77.76% (with all 22 factors) to 79.00% (with 14 dominant factors) in the prediction of landslide occurrence.« less

Creating Digital Elevation Model Using a Mobile Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durmaz, A. İ.

2017-11-01

DEM (Digital Elevation Models) is the best way to interpret topography on the ground. In recent years, lidar technology allows to create more accurate elevation models. However, the problem is this technology is not common all over the world. Also if Lidar data are not provided by government agencies freely, people have to pay lots of money to reach these point clouds. In this article, we will discuss how we can create digital elevation model from less accurate mobile devices' GPS data. Moreover, we will evaluate these data on the same mobile device which we collected data to reduce cost of this modeling.

Operation IceBridge Turns Five

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

In May 2014, two new studies concluded that a section of the land-based West Antarctic ice sheet had reached a point of inevitable collapse. Meanwhile, fresh observations from September 2014 showed sea ice around Antarctica had reached its greatest extent since the late 1970s. To better understand such dynamic and dramatic differences in the region's land and sea ice, researchers are travelling south to Antarctica this month for the sixth campaign of NASA’s Operation IceBridge. The airborne campaign, which also flies each year over Greenland, makes annual surveys of the ice with instrumented research aircraft. Instruments range from lasers that map the elevation of the ice surface, radars that "see" below it, and downward looking cameras to provide a natural-color perspective. The Digital Mapping System (DMS) camera acquired the above photo during the mission’s first science flight on October 16, 2009. At the time of the image, the DC-8 aircraft was flying at an altitude of 515 meters (1,700 feet) over heavily compacted first-year sea ice along the edge of the Amundsen Sea. Since that first flight, much has been gleaned from IceBridge data. For example, images from an IceBridge flight in October 2011 revealed a massive crack running about 29 kilometers (18 miles) across the floating tongue of Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier. The crack ultimately led to a 725-square-kilometer (280-square-mile) iceberg. In 2012, IceBridge data was a key part of a new map of Antarctica called Bedmap2. By combining surface elevation, ice thickness, and bedrock topography, Bedmap2 gives a clearer picture of Antarctica from the ice surface down to the land surface. Discoveries have been made in Greenland, too, including the identification of a 740-kilometer-long (460-mile-long) mega canyon below the ice sheet. Repeated measurements of land and sea ice from aircraft extend the record of observations once made by NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite, or ICESat, which stopped functioning in 2009. In addition to extending the ICESat record, IceBridge also sets the stage for ICESat-2, which is scheduled for launch in 2017. Credit: IceBridge DMS L0 Raw Imagery courtesy of the Digital Mapping System (DMS) team/NASA DAAC at the National Snow and Ice Data Center More info: earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84549 earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84549

Using Digital Mapping Tool in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bai, Hua

2013-01-01

Scaffolding students' problem solving and helping them to improve problem solving skills are critical in instructional design courses. This study investigated the effects of students' uses of a digital mapping tool on their problem solving performance in a design case study. It was found that the students who used the digital mapping tool…

Using Digital Mapping Programs to Augment Student Learning in Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler, Thomas; An, Heejung

2007-01-01

Thomas Chandler and Heejung An describe how digital mapping technology can be incorporated into community-based K-12 social studies projects. According to Chandler and An, digital mapping can add value to the social studies curriculum by enabling students to better understand the interdependence between the lives of individuals and their…

Digital elevation modeling via curvature interpolation for lidar data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Digital elevation model (DEM) is a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a terrain's surface - for a planet (including Earth), moon, or asteroid - created from point cloud data which measure terrain elevation. Its modeling requires surface reconstruction for the scattered data, which is an ill-p...

Identification of karst sinkholes in a forested karst landscape using airborne laser scanning data and water flow analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofierka, Jaroslav; Gallay, Michal; Bandura, Peter; Šašak, Ján

2018-05-01

Karst sinkholes (dolines) play an important role in a karst landscape by controlling infiltration of surficial water, air flow or spatial distribution of solar energy. These landforms also present a limiting factor for human activities in agriculture or construction. Therefore, mapping such geomorphological forms is vital for appropriate landscape management and planning. There are several mapping techniques available; however, their applicability can be reduced in densely forested areas with poor accessibility and visibility of the landforms. In such conditions, airborne laser scanning (ALS) provides means for efficient and accurate mapping of both land and landscape canopy surfaces. Taking the benefits of ALS into account, we present an innovative method for identification and evaluation of karst sinkholes based on numerical water flow modelling. The suggested method was compared to traditional techniques for sinkhole mapping which use topographic maps and digital terrain modelling. The approach based on simulation of a rainfall event very closely matched the reference datasets derived by manual inspection of the ALS digital elevation model and field surveys. However, our process-based approach provides advantage of assessing the magnitude how sinkholes influence concentration of overland water flow during extreme rainfall events. This was performed by calculating the volume of water accumulated in sinkholes during the simulated rainfall. In this way, the influence of particular sinkholes on underground geomorphological systems can be assessed. The method was demonstrated in a case study of Slovak Karst in the West Carpathians where extreme rainfalls or snow-thaw events occur annually. We identified three spatially contiguous groups of sinkholes with a different effect on overland flow concentration. These results are discussed in relation to the known underground hydrological systems.

Spirit's Course

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Figure 1Figure 2

This digital elevation map shows the topography of the 'Columbia Hills,' just in front of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's current position. Rover planners have plotted the safest route for Spirit to climb to the front hill, called 'West Spur.' The black line in the middle of the image represents the rover's traverse path, which starts at 'Hank's Hollow' and ends at the top of 'West Spur.' Scientists are sending Spirit up the hill to investigate the interesting rock outcrops visible in images taken by the rover. Data from the Mars Orbital Camera on the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor were used to create this 3-D map.

In figure 1, the digital map shows the slopes of the 'Columbia Hills,' just in front of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's current position. Colors indicate the slopes of the hills, with red areas being the gentlest and blue the steepest. Rover planners have plotted the safest route for Spirit to climb the front hill, called 'West Spur.' The path is indicated here with a curved black line. Stereo images from the Mars Orbital Camera on the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor were used to create this 3-D map.

In figure 2, the map shows the north-facing slopes of the 'Columbia Hills,' just in front of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's current position. Bright areas indicate surfaces sloping more toward the north than dark areas. To reach the rock outcrop at the top of the hill, engineers will aim to drive the rover around the dark areas, which would yield less solar power. The curved black line in the middle represents the rover's planned traverse path.

Mapping the montane cloud forest of Taiwan using 12 year MODIS-derived ground fog frequency data

PubMed Central

Li, Ching-Feng; Thies, Boris; Chang, Shih-Chieh; Bendix, Jörg

2017-01-01

Up until now montane cloud forest (MCF) in Taiwan has only been mapped for selected areas of vegetation plots. This paper presents the first comprehensive map of MCF distribution for the entire island. For its creation, a Random Forest model was trained with vegetation plots from the National Vegetation Database of Taiwan that were classified as “MCF” or “non-MCF”. This model predicted the distribution of MCF from a raster data set of parameters derived from a digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat channels and texture measures derived from them as well as ground fog frequency data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. While the DEM parameters and Landsat data predicted much of the cloud forest’s location, local deviations in the altitudinal distribution of MCF linked to the monsoonal influence as well as the Massenerhebung effect (causing MCF in atypically low altitudes) were only captured once fog frequency data was included. Therefore, our study suggests that ground fog data are most useful for accurately mapping MCF. PMID:28245279

Semi-automated landform classification for hazard mapping of soil liquefaction by earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Takayuki

2018-05-01

Soil liquefaction damages were caused by huge earthquake in Japan, and the similar damages are concerned in near future huge earthquake. On the other hand, a preparation of soil liquefaction risk map (soil liquefaction hazard map) is impeded by the difficulty of evaluation of soil liquefaction risk. Generally, relative soil liquefaction risk should be able to be evaluated from landform classification data by using experimental rule based on the relationship between extent of soil liquefaction damage and landform classification items associated with past earthquake. Therefore, I rearranged the relationship between landform classification items and soil liquefaction risk intelligibly in order to enable the evaluation of soil liquefaction risk based on landform classification data appropriately and efficiently. And I developed a new method of generating landform classification data of 50-m grid size from existing landform classification data of 250-m grid size by using digital elevation model (DEM) data and multi-band satellite image data in order to evaluate soil liquefaction risk in detail spatially. It is expected that the products of this study contribute to efficient producing of soil liquefaction hazard map by local government.

Maps showing aeromagnetic survey and geologic interpretation of the Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Case, J.E.; Cox, D.P.; Detra, D.E.; Detterman, R.L.; Wilson, Frederic H.

1981-01-01

An aeromagnetic survey over part of the Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, on the southern Alaska Peninsula, was flown in 1977 as part of the Alaska mineral resource assessment program (AMRAP). Maps at scales 1:250,000 and 1:63,360 have been released on open-file (U.s. Geological Survey, 1978a, 1978b). This report includes the aeromagnetic map superimposed on the topographic base (sheet 1) and an interpretation map superimposed on the topographic and simplified geologic base (sheet 2). This discussion provides an interpretation of the aeromagnetic data with respect to regional geology, occurrence of ore deposits and prospects, and potential oil and gas resources. The survey was flown along northwest-southeast lines, spaced about 1.6 km apart, at a nominal elevation of about 300 m above the land surface. A proton-precession magnetometer was used for the survey, and the resulting digital data were computer contoured at intervals of 10 and 50 gammas (sheet 1). The International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) of 1965, updated to 1977, was removed from the total field data.