GIS

A free set of tools for automated imagery rectification

by Gianluca Cantoro

Sustainable Ecologies, Unsustainable Politics: Chinampa Farming in Ancient Central Mexico

by Christopher Morehart

Spectroscopic characterization of mineralogy and its diversity across Vesta

by Alessandro Frigeri

Mars reconnaissance orbiter

by Alessandro Frigeri

Evaluating the Pedagogical Orientation of Distance Learning Courses Using the Conversational Model.

by Karl Donert

Artifact orientations and site formation processes from total station proveniences

by Oldstoneage OSA

It is well understood that the orientation of clasts within a deposit can yield information on site formation... more It is well understood that the orientation of clasts within a deposit can yield information on site formation processes. Although the term clast usually refers to the natural component of a deposit, the artifactual and faunal components are also known to be sensitive to site formation processes. There are a number of ways in which orientations can be recorded and analyzed, and this paper describes how orientations can be recorded as part of piece proveniencing artifacts with a total station. After the method is described, the calculation, statistical analysis and presentation of artifact orientations are considered. The final part of the paper presents orientation data from Pech de l’Aze´ IV recorded and analyzed in this way. The example demonstrates the ffectiveness of the total station method of recording orientations, their sensitivity to site formation processes, and the importance of using multiple methods of data analysis and presentation to assess and interpret patterning.

Discussion of wind farm development in the South-west of Wales.

by Philip Southwood

Wind is one of the most cleanest and most environmentally friendly energy sources and unlike fossil fuels, the wind... more Wind is one of the most cleanest and most environmentally friendly energy sources and unlike fossil fuels, the wind will never be depleted (Bilgili, et al., 2011). For this reason it is important to be able to find the most feasible areas in the UK to build wind farms.

Yet another strategic planning Tool

by PJ Hooker

by Piergiorgio Roveda and Deborah Savoia

Paper presented in INPUT2012 Seventh International Conference on Informatics and Urban and Regional Planning at 12 May... more Paper presented in INPUT2012 Seventh International Conference on Informatics and Urban and Regional Planning at 12 May 2012.
Abstract:
The land use planning (which in this paper we call “LUPlanning”) is a complex matter that needs of clearness and standardize methods. This work proposes an effective tool for strategic planning, which provides the use of informatic systems to aid the decision makers and insiders of public body that are not professionals. The use of informatics makes easier and real time the public participation, an important critical point of planning, often difficult to implement for scepticism and in many town hard to really carry out, due to inadequate means.
The aim of the proposed tool is to furnish a way to simplification of LUPlanning process and decision, using available and cheap hardware and software solutions. Computerization is not just a fad, but is almost inevitable evolution of management systems, so make it the most for the municipality means facilitating the work of technicians and insiders and the active involvement of citizens, for a more effective, rational and strategic land planning.

STANDORT

by Piyush Shah

The most pressing need facing Disaster managers during the immediate aftermath of a disaster is to estimate the impact... more The most pressing need facing Disaster managers during the immediate aftermath of a disaster is to estimate the impact of the disaster on the local population to determine where first-responders should focus rescue efforts. This problem requires an awareness of the scale and scope of the disaster as well as the ability to know where response resources are located, what their capabilities are, and what routes are available for them to take to those who need their help. Solve this problem by developing such a system which will guide Authority taking decision in real time.

Release of a 10-m-resolution DEM for the Italian territory: Comparison with global-coverage DEMs and anaglyph-mode exploration via the web

by Simone Tarquini

Tarquini S., Vinci, S., Favalli M., Doumaz, F., Fornaciai A., Nannipieri, L.
2012, Computers & Geosciences 38, 168-170

The 10-m-resolution TINITALY/01 DEM (Tarquini et al., 2007) is compared with the two, coarserresolution,... more The 10-m-resolution TINITALY/01 DEM (Tarquini et al., 2007) is compared with the two, coarserresolution, global-coverage, spaceborne-based SRTM and ASTER DEMs and with a high-resolution, LIDAR-derived DEM. Afterwards, we presented a webGIS which allows to explore a 10-m-resolution anaglyph layer showing the landforms of the whole Italian territory in 3D. The webGIS (http://tinitaly. pi.ingv.it/) is open to the public, and can be used to carry out a preliminary analysis of landforms. The TINITALY/01 DEM is available for scientific purposes on the basis of a research agreement (see the above website or write to tinitaly@pi.ingv.it).

Morphometry of scoria cones, and their relation to geodynamic setting: a DEM-based analysis

by Simone Tarquini

Fornaciai A., Favalli M., Karátson D., Tarquini S., Boschi E.
2012, J. Volcanol. Geoth. Res. 217-218.

The morphometry of a great number of scoria cones, belonging to volcanic fields of various geodynamic settings, has... more The morphometry of a great number of scoria cones, belonging to volcanic fields of various geodynamic settings, has been measured and analyzed, addressing the question whether there is a relation between the prevalent cone shape in a given field and the geodynamic setting of the field itself. Morphometric analysis was carried out on freely downloadable digital elevation models (DEMs). The accuracy of the used DEMs and the associated error in scoria cone morphometry were determined by cross-comparing high-resolution LIDAR-derived DEMs, USGS NED, TINITALY DEM and ASTER GDEM. The 10-m TINITALY/01 and USGS NED DEMs are proven to be suitable for scoria cone morphometry, whereas ASTER GDEM can be used reliably for cones with volume greater than 30×106 m3. According to a detailed morphometry of all scoria cones, we propose that the cones related to subductional setting show relatively higher values of Hco/Wco and lower values of Wcr/Wco than the cones related to extensional setting. The detected differences can be imputable to peculiar eruption dynamics resulting in slight but systematic changes in shape, and differences in lithological and sedimentological characteristics that govern post-eruptive erosion. To constrain the pathway of scoria cone erosion, the detected morphometric changes were also interpreted using a simple linear degradation model. Utilizing the obtained simulation results, the inferred initial cone base, and the age of scoria cones, we calculated a diffusion coefficient (K) for several dated cones, which are related to the prevalent climate. Our results, despite the high error associated, allow to assess the median K for all volcanic fields. Due to the complexity of the factors behind, it is not easy to understand if the prevalent shape characterizing a certain volcanic field is due mainly to sin-eruptive or post-eruptive mechanisms; however, our distinction between the two main geodynamic settings may be the first step to decipher these factors.

SITAU: UN SISTEMA INFORMATIVO PER LA GESTIONE E LA SALVAGUARDIA DEL PATRIMONIO ARCHITETTONICO DI CATANIA (2008)

by Cettina Santagati

Restuccia F, Galizia M, Santagati C (2008), SITAU: Un sistema informativo per la gestione e la salvaguardia del patrimonio architettonico di Catania in Atti 12° Conferenza Nazionale Asita, volume II, L’Aquila, 21-24 Ottobre 2008 ISBN 978-88-903132-1-9 pag 1723-1728

Revealing distributed geoinformation for engineering geological applications

by Tomas Fernandez-Steeger

Kiehle, C., Azzam, R., Fernandez-Steeger, T.M. (2006): Revealing distributed geoinformation for engineering geological applications , In: Culshaw, M. , Reeves, H. , Spink, T. , Jefferson, I. (Hrsg.): IAEG 2006 Engineering Geology for Tomorrow's Cities 6.-10. Oktober 2006

Today geology faces new challenges but also great chances brought on by the increased use of digital information. On... more Today geology faces new challenges but also great chances brought on by the increased use of digital information. On one hand in the last decade the increase in data volume has been enormous, on the other hand the data sources are still neither homogeneous nor widely distributed. Furthermore often the only available data for a survey were acquired for completely different purposes. Especially when tasks become more complex, the usage of distributed not homogeneous data is essential and leads to considerable problems.
One possible solution is the development of data warehouses, integrating all available and needed data. The disadvantage of this concept is a reduced flexibility and the investments to build up and run this data environment. Another solution is provided by recent developments in Geoinformatics: the use of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) for management of huge amounts of spatially related data. In contrast to the data integration approach, SDIs foster the re-use of already existing data inventories for future uses that are not known yet. The approach aims at just-in-time integration of data in a distributed computing environment. The main building block of any SDI is the web service technology, an industrial standard in the field of Information Technology (IT).
Most tasks related to engineering geology are dependent on a broad variety of data, not necessarily assembled in one place In this paper problems resulting from this fact will be discussed and shown where engineering geologist may profit from the application of SDI. Typical approaches for the usage will be shown and an established case study (groundwater vulnerability assessment) is discussed to demonstrate the capabilities the potential of this technique in Engineering Geology.

Mapping and DOWNFLOW simulation of recent lava flow fields at Mount Etna

by Simone Tarquini

Tarquini S., Favalli M.
2011, J. Volcanol. Geoth. Res. 204, 27-39

In recent years, progress in geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques have allowed the... more In recent years, progress in geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques have allowed the mapping and studying of lava flows in unprecedented detail. A composite GIS technique is introduced to obtain high resolution boundaries of lava flow fields. This technique is mainly based on the processing of LIDAR-derived maps and digital elevation models (DEMs). The probabilistic code DOWNFLOW is then used to simulate eight large flow fields formed at Mount Etna in the last 25 years. Thanks to the collection of 6 DEMs representing Mount Etna at different times from 1986 to 2007, simulated outputs are obtained by running the DOWNFLOW code over pre-emplacement topographies. Simulation outputs are compared with the boundaries of the actual flow fields obtained here or derived from the existing literature. Although the selected fields formed in accordance with different emplacement mechanisms, flowed on different zones of the volcano over different topographies and were fed by different lava supplies of different durations, DOWNFLOW yields results close to the actual flow fields in all the cases considered. This outcome is noteworthy because DOWNFLOW has been applied by adopting a default calibration, without any specific tuning for the new cases considered here. This extensive testing proves that, if the pre-emplacement topography is available, DOWNFLOW yields a realistic simulation of a future lava flow based solely on a knowledge of the vent position. In comparison with deterministic codes, which require accurate knowledge of a large number of input parameters, DOWNFLOW turns out to be simple, fast and undemanding, proving to be ideal for systematic hazard and risk analyses.

A microscopic information system (MIS) for petrographic analysis

by Simone Tarquini

Tarquini S., Favalli M.
2010, Computers & Geosciences 36, 665-674

The database and visualization facilities of Geographic Information System (GIS) software are employed to support the... more The database and visualization facilities of Geographic Information System (GIS) software are employed to support the analysis of rock texture from thin section by image processing. A Microscopic Information System (MIS) is hence obtained. The method is applied to transmitted light images of 137 samples obtained from 8 granitoid rocks. A slide scanner and a mount for crossed polarization are used to acquire the input images. For each thin section 5 collimated RGB images are scanned: 4 under different directions of crossed polarization and 1 without polarization. A grain segmentation procedure, based on two region growing functions is applied. The output is converted to vector format and refined using editing tools in the MIS environment, which enables a straightforward match between the input imagery and the final vectorized texture. GIS software provides optimal management of the MIS database, allowing the cumulative measurement of more than 87,000 grains.

Drainage network detection and assessment of network storage capacity in agrarian landscape

by Paolo Tarolli

Published in Hydrological Processes, 2012. Co-authored with Federico Cazorzi, Giancarlo Dalla Fontana, Alberto De Luca, Giulia Sofia

Drainage networks in agrarian landscape within floodplains constitute surface's discontinuities that are expected to... more Drainage networks in agrarian landscape within floodplains constitute surface's discontinuities that are expected to affect hydrological response during floods. Drainage network recognition and quantification of water storage capacity within channels are, therefore, crucial for watershed planning and management. These evaluations require accurate spatial information for the area of interest and in most cases, when studying large catchments, broad datasets of ditches locations and descriptions are not available. In order to characterize drainage networks for large areas, the availability of high resolution topography derived by airborne laser scanner (LiDAR) represents a new and effective tool. Nowadays LiDAR DTMs covering large areas are readily available for public authorities, and there is a greater and more widespread interest in the application of such information for the development of automated methods aimed at solving geomorphological and hydrological problems. While LiDAR DTMs reliability in steep landscape has been proven by several recent studies, only few researches have been conducted to take into account the effectiveness of these data in agrarian low relief landscapes. The goal of this research is to propose a semi-automatic approach based on a LiDAR DTM to (1) detect drainage networks in agrarian/floodplain contexts, and (2) to estimate some of the network summary statistics (network length, width, drainage density and storage capacity). The procedure is applied in two typical alluvial-plain areas in the North East of Italy, and tested comparing automatically derived network with surveyed ones. The results underline the capability of high resolution DTMs for drainage network detection and characterization in the context of agrarian landscapes within floodplains, opening at the same time new challenges to evaluate some hydrological processes in these areas

LANDSLIDE MAPPING TO ANALYSE EARTHQUAKE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS (EEE) IN CARMONA, SPAIN – RELATION TO THE 1504 EVENT?

by Tomas Fernandez-Steeger

Vollmert, A., Reicherter, K., Silva, P.G., Fernandez-Steeger, T.M. (2011). Landslide mapping to analyse earthquake environmental effects (EEE) in Carmona, Spain - Relation to the 1504 event? Proceedings 2nd INQUA-IGCP567 International Workshop on Active Tectonics, Earthquake Geology, Archaeology and Engineering 19-24 September 2011, Corinth, 267-270.

The 1504 Carmona earthquake (intensity IX EMS) claimed the loss of human life and caused a number of Earthquakemore The 1504 Carmona earthquake (intensity IX EMS) claimed the loss of human life and caused a number of Earthquake
Environmental Effects. On the basis of historical data reported by George Bonsor (1918) this study is intended to estimate
coseismic slope performance. The aim is to combine field investigations, geotechnical parameters and computerized models to generate digital probabilistic seismic landslide hazard maps on a local scale. GIS-based simulations of mass movements driven by hydrodynamical and gravitational processes are performed by means of the factor of safety, which is calculated for dry and fully water saturated conditions. Following Newmark´s sliding block model these approaches are extended to assess the potential of earthquake-triggered slope movements. Assuming a Peak Ground Acceleration of 0.3 g, representing the 1504 event, the most affected areas show a failure probability of 33.5 %.

Mapping Optimal Prehistoric Clay Sources: Adapting Watson’s Method to GIS Technology

by Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology

By Elissa Hulit

Published in Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology 3(1): 63-72. (May 2012)
Copyright ©2012 by Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology

One of the basic problems in the study of prehistoric North American ceramics is clay sourcing. In a 1992 paper,... more One of the basic problems in the study of prehistoric North American ceramics is clay sourcing. In a 1992 paper, Robert Watson proposed a method of predicting optimal clay sources using a combination of United States Department of Agriculture soils maps, knowledge of landscape formations, and ethnographic data to predict optimal locations for raw clay acquisition in Jefferson County, WI. These optimal locations were then compared to the site data from the Southeastern Wisconsin Archaeological Project. In this paper I discuss the results of my attempt to adapt his methodology by creating a digital model which could predict the optimal clay sources of Walworth County, WI, located just to the southeast of Jefferson County. The results of this project point out several weaknesses in the proposed model, but also highlight the benefits of using GIS for analyzing the patterns in the site data.

Open source GIS Tools to Map Earthquake Damage Scenarios and to Support Emergency

by Maurizio Pollino

Authors: Maurizio Pollino, Antonio Bruno Della Rocca, Grazia Fattoruso, Luigi La Porta, Sergio Lo Curzio, Agnese Arolchi, Valentina James, Carmine Pascale.
Published in: GEOProcessing 2012 Conference Proceedings. Valencia, Spain,
January 30 - February 4, 2012, pp. 152-157. Copyright (c) IARIA, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-61208-178-6

The latest improvements in geo-informatics offer new opportunities in a wide range of territorial and environmental... more The latest improvements in geo-informatics offer new opportunities in a wide range of territorial and environmental applications. In this general framework, a relevant issue is represented by earthquake early warning and emergency management. In the recent years, the scientific community has recognized the added value of a geo-analytic approach in order to support complex decision making processes for critical situations, due to disastrous natural events like earthquakes. This paper describes the research activities concerning a GIS-based solution, which is aimed at the development of seismic Early Warning Systems (EWSs). In this context, an innovative open source GIS has been studied, implemented and integrated as component of the seismic EWS. Its architecture consists in: a geospatial database system; a local GIS application for analyzing and modelling the seismic event and its impacts and supporting post-event emergency management; a WEB-GIS module for sharing the geo-information among the public and private stakeholders and emergency managers involved in disaster impact assessment and response management.

Collaborative Open Source Geospatial Tools and Maps Supporting the Response Planning to Disastrous Earthquake Events

by Maurizio Pollino

Authors: Maurizio Pollino, Grazia Fattoruso, Luigi La Porta, Antonio Bruno Della Rocca and Valentina James
Published in: Future Internet 2012, 4(2), 451-468; doi:10.3390/fi4020451

Future Internet (ISSN 1999-5903), an open access journal on Internet technologies and the information society, is published by MDPI online quarterly.

The latest improvements in geo-informatics offer new opportunities in a wide range of territorial and environmental... more The latest improvements in geo-informatics offer new opportunities in a wide range of territorial and environmental applications. In this general framework, a relevant issue is represented by earthquake early warning and emergency management. This research work presents the investigation and development of a simple and innovative geospatial methodology and related collaborative open source geospatial tools for predicting and mapping the vulnerability to seismic hazard in order to support the response planning to disastrous events. The proposed geospatial methodology and tools have been integrated into an open source collaborative GIS system, designed and developed as an integrated component of an earthquake early warning and emergency management system.
Keywords: GIS; VGI; geospatial open source technology; early warning systems; emergency managemen