GIS Technology Applications in Environmental and Earth Sciences

Abstract

General overview of GIS -- What Is GIS? -- GIS data -- Freeware/shareware metadata tools -- Commercial metadata tools -- Coordinate systems and projections -- Spatial data and metadata standards and relevant guidelines -- GIS history -- Major GIS software products -- Major open-source GIS software products -- Major commercial GIS software vendors and products -- GIS technology widely used in environmental and earth sciences -- Collecting field data more efficiently with GIS and GPS technologies -- Trimble GPS Pathfinder Office and TerraSync software packages -- Garmin handheld GPS navigators and GPS utility software -- ESRI ArcPad software -- Field data collecting, processing and mapping for former Camp Sibert -- Data collecting, processing, managing and mapping for three large-scale regional and nationwide MMRP site inspections (SI) related projects (total: 1063 sites) -- FUDS MMRP site inspections (SI), SE and SW regions (total: 625 sites) -- U.S. Army National Guard Bureau NDNODS site inspections (SI), eastern region (247 sites) -- Nationwide chemical warfare materiel (CWM) scoping and security study (total: 91 sites) -- Locating and destroying final two caches of chemical weapons in Libya -- Processing and analyzing data to extract useful and meaningful information -- Statistically analyzing existing geophysical survey data to predict possible anomalies in adjacent unknown areas -- Analyzing recent, historical aerial photos/drawings and LiDAR to identify and delineate environmentally impacted areas -- Recent aerial photo analysis -- (Site 2A of former Camp Sibert) and 3.4 (Tanapag Fuel Farm): Analyzing historical aerial photos and drawings -- Analyzing high-resolution LiDAR data -- Topographic slope analysis -- Geophysical anomaly Density Analysis -- Chemical concentration analysis -- Analyzing groundwater elevations and flow directions with GIS -- Virgin Islands National Park general management plan/environmental Impact Statement -- Alternative A -- Alternative B -- Mapping and analyzing geology data with GIS -- Geologic mapping -- Creating 3D maps and studying them with virtual reality (VR) technology -- Processing and mapping geologic data more efficiently with GIS -- Data modeling and visualization -- EquIS -- Groundwater modeling system (GMS) -- Environmental visualization system (EVS Pro) -- RockWorks -- Modeling and visualizing a contaminated groundwater plume in NASB -- Modeling and visualizing a contaminated groundwater plume at an industrial site in Bloomfield, Connecticut -- Modeling and visualizing the contaminated soil at Site 2A, inside the former Camp Sibert -- Modeling and visualizing the contaminated soil in Bronx Criminal Court Complex, New York City -- Other data displaying and visualizing techniques -- Using tags, pie charts, and color-shaded contours to display chemical and geologic data -- Linking pictures, water well diagrams, geologic cross sections, graphics and other information to spatial features in a GIS map -- Sharing GIS data and maps through the internet -- Examples of some popular geospatial data and mapping websites and FTP sites of the UN, EU, national and local government agencies, industries and institutions -- A GIS web-based application developed for the environmental investigations at the former Camp Sibert.