STATEMAP Program Develops a New Mobile GIS Platform
for Geologic Mapping
The FGS
STATEMAP program
recently developed an innovative and inexpensive
mobile GIS platform for geologic mapping. The
system, which was primarily developed utilizing
surplus and existing equipment, allows staff
geologists to map from a moving vehicle more
efficiently.
Prior to using this new method, staff geologists
kept notes and recorded observations on a paper copy
of a 1:24,000 scale quadrangle and then transcribed
the data once they were back in the office. This
required that the quadrangle be scanned, georeferenced in GIS, and then that the notes each
be manually transcribed into the GIS project. This
was a very time-consuming and inefficient process.
Capturing data
directly on a laptop in a GIS
environment greatly increased
accuracy by registering field points
directly to a
detailed
digital map with standardized
notations and symbology. This new
system resulted in a five-fold
increase in the amount of
observations which were made by
field geologists over the prior
year’s project (using paper-based
methods). In addition to the
increase amount of data gathered,
numerous days worth of office staff
time were saved by capturing the
data directly in the GIS environment
and avoiding the need for
labor-intensive transcription of
data.
The system was
assembled primarily from existing
and surplus resources and only
required the purchase of minimal
(<$100) additional equipment. The
system, which is customized
specifically for STATEMAP projects
but can be adapted for other
purposes, utilizes a vehicle-mounted
laptop, GPS, ArcPad 10, and a
special keyboard.
This software and keyboard have been
programmed with macro commands that
allow field geologists to capture
observations directly in a GIS
environment. Up to 36 custom macros
can be programmed into this keyboard
and executed with a single
keystroke, saving significant time
for each observation. For example, a
geologist is now able to record the
presence of exposures with one click
of the mouse. If they desire
additional notes for the data point,
it simply requires a “double-click”
on the data point with a mouse and a
form (shown above) opens for
additional fields to be populated.
The software
also allows rapid
switching between
GIS coverages
(aerials, property
records, scanned
historical
quadrangles, etc)
with a single
keystroke. In
addition to geologic
data, the program
captures streaming
data from the GPS
(tracklogs) and
allows geologists to
rapidly analyze
records of travel
for the end of the
day. One use of
these tracklogs is
to plot the course
of the vehicle as
“speed over ground”
which allows the
geologists to assess
whether or not an
area needs to be
covered more slowly
or might need a
second look.
If you are
interested in more
details, a poster
was presented at the
Geological Society
of America annual
meeting in
Minneapolis. The
text for the
abstract can be
accessed here.
Contact person/info:
Rick Green, P.G.
2012 State of Florida