GeoISEM Home         Modelling and monitoring landscape evolution: Examples from the NC coast and NCSU Centennial Campus.

Mitasova H, Drake T, McLaughlin R, Austin R.

Seminar presented at MEAS, February 18, 2002

Landscape evolution studies involve processing, analysis and visualization of large spatial data sets, often in different computational environments, coordinate systems and formats. Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool for management of georeferenced data, is a natural choice for integration of these heterogeneous data. However, the traditional concept of a 2D static GIS is not sufficient and extension of GIS capabilities to make it compatible with the rapidly evolving mapping technologies is needed. We demonstrate the application of Open source GIS tools for processing of state of the art, high resolution topographic data aimed at detection of features and changes in topography over short periods of time. We include the analysis of both man made and natural changes as well as the initial results of their impact on water flow. The projects include combination of LIDAR and Real Time Kinematic Survey measurements of coastal topography and combination of high resolution contours with Real Time Kinematic Survey for a natural area undergoing urbanization.