GST 101: Introduction to Geospatial Technology��Unit 1 – Overview�Module 1.1 What is Geospatial Technology� � �

Ann Johnson

Associate Director

ann@baremt.com

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Based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DUE 1304591, DUE 164409, DUE 1700496, DUE 1937177, Due 1938717 DUE 1937237, 2030206 and 2015927. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Wildfire Boundary and Hot Spot Locations:

National Interagency Fire Center https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/%3F/39.5379/-119.3257/9

What is Geospatial Technology?�

It is the enabling technology for all of these uses and MANY more that affect our daily lives!

Is it the map and directions on your cell phone or Car Navigation System? A weather map, an image of the earth from a satellite, a map showing locations of crimes, wildfires or flooding?

In Car Navigation

Satellite Image: NASA

The Weather Channel

Google Web Map on Cell Phone

Enabling Technologies and Skills Needed to Use Them

• Technology
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - Browser-based and professional software
• Remote Sensing (RS) - imagery
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and US Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
• Supporting and emerging technology:
• Internet and Cloud
• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Internet of Things
• Data Science - BIG Data

• Skills and Competencies
• Ability to “Think spatially”
• Analyze data spatially and temporally – patterns, clusters, relationships, models
• Visualize analysis using cartographic design principles
• Find, access, store, and update data and its metadata stored in a relational database

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Some Definitions

GIS stands for …?

• Location on the earth
• Spatial relationships

Geographic

Information

Systems

• Data at the location
• Stuff we want to know

• Hardware
• Software
• People
• Procedures

GIS is often used as the umbrella term for all technologies dealing with spatial analysis. For this course, Geospatial will be the umbrella term with GIS the specific term for use of a software application

Geographic Information System

• GIS can include browser-based or professional software that can investigate
• Cultural, biological, demographic, economic, geographic, and physical phenomena such as
• Land use planning
• Epidemiology and healthcare
• Weather and Climate
• Emergency planning, response and recovery

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What is Remote Sensing?

Acquiring information about a natural feature or phenomenon, such as the Earth’s surface, without actually being in contact with it

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Drones: Sensor can be ground based, aerial or satellite.

Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) https://www.ogc.org/domain/swe

Landsat 8 https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/sites/landsat/

Landsat Explorer a browser-based tool from Esri

Definition from USGS

Acquiring Location Data

• Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) for determining location of features
• Such as light poles, road, rivers
• GPS – USA system of satellites
• Provide location on devices needing accurate position using Internet of Things (IoT)
• In car navigation maps
• Autonomous vehicles

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https://www.globalpos.com.au/what-is-gnss

What is Where?

We can describe Features in two ways:

Its Attributes

What is it?

Species:

Travelers Palm

Height: 10 m

Age: 20 y

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Its Location

Where is it?

Jamaica 18.342, -78.335

Globe from: https://www.google.com/maps/

How is the feature and attribute data stored and used?

• Each row is a Feature (state)
• Each Attribute for that Feature in a column in the database
• Ask a question
• Which states are Idaho, Nevada and Arizona?

Find Answers for Spatial Questions

• What exists at a certain location?
• Where are certain conditions satisfied?
• What has changed in a place over time?
• What spatial patterns exist?
• What if this condition occurred at another place? (modeling, hypothesis testing)

Analyzing and Presenting Information Spatially

Where are cities in the US with populations greater than 160,000?

Which is easier to interpret?

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Each dot is a city with population scaled to the size of its dot

A Digital Version of the World Can Include Data for

• Elevation of the land surface
• Streets – type, names, addresses
• Building footprints
• Soils types or vegetation types
• Oceans, lakes and rivers
• Images – aerial and satellite
• Land use classifications – urban, rural, forest, agricultural
• Demographic data

And these layers can be combined (layered) as data to study and visualize real-world problems

Combining data layers to represent the real world

https://www.esri.com/arcgisblog/products/product/analytics/how-to-perform-spatial-analysis/

Some Sources of Data

• A paper map – scanned, digitized, etc.
• Data tables - weather records, labor statistics or text in documents
• Imagery – aerial photos and satellite sensors
• Sensor webs – such as temperatures, road conditions or stream gages
• Global Position Systems (GPS) – location data
• Digital Basemaps – from government or commercial sources
• Crowdsourcing – Twitter, Volunteer Geographic Information, Waze, etc.

Thinking Spatially – Modeling, Analysis, Visualization, Action

Data Visualization- Not just a pretty Map!

Tool for investigating:

• Land Use Change
• Climate
• Disasters
• Floods, fires, volcanoes, earthquakes
• Forestry, Agriculture
• Healthcare
• Many more topics!

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/30/822491838/coronavirus-world-map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-outbreak

Different Types of Data Models Can Be Used

Vector Data Model

• Layers of points, lines, or polygons
• Points – Modis infrared sensor data
• Lines – Streets and highways,
• Polygons – Burn areas, states, lakes

Raster Data Model

• A grid made up of pixels with each pixel containing a value for a continuous feature
• Vegetation, Elevation, Slope, Type of Land Use, Temperature, etc.

Multidimensional 3D Data Models

• 3D & 4D Voxels

National Interagency Fire Center: https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/%3F/39.5379/-119.3257/9

NASA Landsat: https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/landsat-9

ArcGIS Pro 4D Voxels

And NOAA data

Summary and Additional Thoughts:

• It is more than learning software and pressing buttons and includes
• Ability to Think Spatially
• Understanding geographic concepts (scale, projections, accuracy)
• Ability to use analysis methods, pattern interpretation and
• Visual presentations (maps and graphs) incorporating use of critical thinking skills
• Geospatial Technology can be used to help understand complex problems
• It can save users time, money, and lives
• The Geospatial Technology Industry is rapidly growing
• Both as an industry and an ancillary tool for disciplines and workforce sectors needing to visualize or analyze their applications spatially
• Geospatial Technology is shifting from a closed, centralized GIS architecture, to an open, distributed Geospatial Information System framework with web-based, desktop and Cloud computing available for all to use

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See GeoTech Center website (https://geotechcenter.org) �for additional Model Courses, Concept Modules �and other curriculum resources. ������Note: some content is a derivative of other authors���

Ann Johnson

Associate Director

ann@baremt.com

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3-1-2021 V16