LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
Thursday Evenings
6:00 - 9:00 PM
(Geoinformatics Lab)

Note: See assignments on BLACKBOARD under DISCUSSION BOARD. Get lab assignments under LAB ASSIGNMENTS. Submit your answers AND write-ups, MAP PRODUCTS under LAB SUBMISSIONS so others can comment / share results and evaluate or help review them.

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Lab #1 (Week One):

1. Explore all the links under week #1 to become acquainted with the websites, organizations, etc. Note that some of the resources are listed under COURSE MATERIALS on BLACKBOARD.
   
   
2. In your exploration ANSWER QUESTIONS in word document posted in Blackboard under LAB ASSIGNMENTS.
   
   
3. Post your results as a WORD document attached to LAB SUBMISSIONS (open a new thread when you submit) - put your name in the SUBJECT & WEEK # (e.g. Paul Lackey, Week #1 Lab Response/Product).

• DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

• Key Terms - Remote Sensing

• Key Terms - Map Use

• Research and Reference Tools: GIS/RS, Knowledge Management, Decision Support, Information Science

• GIS/RS/LIS Resources

• Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)

LAB #1:

You will work on this in class (and outside) and post on Blackboard no later than two weeks from Thursday September 27 - i.e. Oct. 11  

• What is SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure)? - explore several documents, e.g. GSDI (Cookbook), Who Needs SDI? ( Presentation made in late 2004 at Earth Institute Conference on Global Spatial Data - Blackboard .) SDI Overview (Lance and Bassole) - Powerpoint (PDF) Overview of concepts and practice of SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure) - blackboard - then answer/define:
  
  -What is the official name/title of the ISO standards committee that sets protocols for spatial data?
  
  -What is METADATA AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
  
  -What is a “clearinghouse node” and what does it do? (Explore from the FGCD site) - The Clearinghouse Registry = http://registry.fgdc.gov/ and http://registry.fgdc.gov/serverstatus/
  -What is a Z39.50 processes?
  - How many nodes were active when you logged on?

• Answer the following questions/define terms and write an essay on your experience using an WMS Access Interface (see below):

• Go to the OGC site, and/or Geobrain site and/or GSDI (Cookbook) to define what is:
  
  -Web service
  -WMS
  -WFS
  -WMS
  -WICS
  
• Explore the WMS (Web Map Service) tutorial and Access from VIRTUAL UTAH - Those of you who know ArcGIS 9.2 try accessing the Virtual Utah site and downloading some data for a map. Post your result here and come to class explaining how difficult or easy it
  is...
• Start Exploring the WMS feature in NASA World Wind or SERVIR-Viz - both should be on your machine by Thursday. You can Download your own version of SERVIR-VIZ at = http://servir.nsstc.nasa.gov/visualizations/servir_viz.html
• Download the latest version of NASA World Wind at = http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

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Geobrowsers, Satellite and Sensor Platforms:

NOTE: Assignment - to be worked out in class and will be due by early November:

a) Develop a basic resource in Google Earth including use of Arc2Earth to import an ArcMAP (Shape files).

b) Produce a map using SERVIR-VIZ and/or NASA World Wind in which you also use the WMS capacity and other tools, e.g. SHAPE file importer.

See resources under WEEK #2 - Schedule

INTRODUCTION TO ERDAS IMAGINE - see powerpoint/PDF version:

• GIS/Remote Sensing Products Overview from ERDAS/Leica Geosystems

a) Learn basic setup of ERDAS Imagine, e.g. setting preferences, exploring icons, and importing and conversion of data into .IMG file type.

• REVIEW following tutorials::

-Why Satellite Images have different colors Virtual Hawaii

-CCRS - What is Remote Sensing Tutorial

-An Introductory Landsat Tutorial - NASA_SSC

-Importing Landsat ETM+ Data to ERDAS IMAGINE from HDF Format

KEY ONLINE RESOURCES

• DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

• Key Terms - Remote Sensing

• Research and Reference Tools: GIS/RS, Knowledge Management, Decision Support, Information Science

• GIS Glossaries and Dictionaries -

• ESRI Home and Virtual Campus

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Introduction to ERDAS Imagine:

a) Create a LAYER STACK using data downloaded for the Inland Empire/Norton Neighborhoods area - LANDSAT (TM, ETM+, or MSS) - or ASTER, if available...

b) If needed review following tutorials and aides.

-An Introductory Landsat Tutorial - NASA-SSC

-Manual for Users of the Center for Earth Observation (CEO)

-Obtaining Satellite Images for Use in ArcGIS - Yale_CEO Document (PDF)

-Building a visible color composite image of Landsat 7 bands using ERDAS Imagine - Alexandria Digital Library

-Tutorial - Auburn Univ.

-UMIACS Tutorial

-Univ. Wisconsin Tutorial for Image aquisition and Data conversiion, layer stacking (PDF)

-DEMs and Orthoimages from ASTER data - Brazil (PDF)

-USGS - EO-1 User's Guide - see for ERDAS Imagine instructions

Cartography and Mapping Basics (Ford) - (for Those who don't have background)

Map Projections, Datums, Coordinate Systems

Map exercise (Great Salt Lake)

Fundamentals of Physical geography - Maps, Remote Sensing and GIS

• Locating a Point on the Earth
  
• Geographic coordinate conversion Tool: WGS84/Last/Long > UTM Coordinate Converter (courtesy of Chuck Taylor)

• Key Terms - Map Use

• JPL - Basics of Space Flight - Reference Systems

• Mathematics of Cartography

• What are Maps?

• Coordinate Systems

• Geodetic Datum

• Map Projections Peter Dana

• Map Projection Module - Laurie Garo, VGD

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

Remote Sensing Core Curriculum

Table 4. Appearance of Features on Composite Images. From: An Introductory Landsat Tutorial - NASA-SSC

Doing an image SUBSET in ERDAS Imagine - continued

• GIS/Remote Sensing Products Overview from ERDAS/Leica Geosystems

Principles of Aerial Photo Interpretation - (Robert Ford)

• GeoTIFF & Photoshop - adding metadat tags
• Remote Sensing Tools site - Tutorial
• GeoTIFF site

GPS Basics - Powerpoint - Paul Burgess - Redlands Institute

• GPS - Global Positioning System Overview - Peter Dana

• Maps-gps-info.com site - excellent resources!

• Locating a Point on the Earth

• Degrees, Minutes, Seconds and Decimal Degrees Latitude/Longitude Conversion - FCC

• Geographic coordinate conversion Tool: WGS84/Last/Long > UTM Coordinate Converter (courtesy of Chuck Taylor)

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

UNB - Remote Sensing and GIS Glossaries

Research and Reference Tools: GIS/RS, Knowledge Management, Decision Support, Information Science

ICRSED (International Center for Remote Sensing Education)

Remote Sensing Core Curriculum - home

Introductory Digital Image Processing

Principles of Remote Sensing (John Jensen)

University of Nebraska Resources for Health and GIS/RS

MORE GPS Help:

Creating basemaps for Garmin GPS units usually entails using their Mapsource software, which is quite expensive depending on the detail of the map data.  However, you can create very simple basemaps and upload them to your Garmin GPS using available, free software.  Here is a site that lists the software available and "how-to" instructions.  Making your own maps can be quite tedious, but it does save money.

http://www.travelbygps.com/authoring.php#gpsmaps - links to mapping software

http://cgpsmapper.com/ - free if used only for simple basemaps

http://home.cinci.rr.com/creek/garmin.htm - requires Mapsource

http://www.gpsinformation.org/adamnewham/article1/gpsmapper.htm - requires Mapsource

Other options if your GPS did not come with Mapsource:

From (http://freegeographytools.com/2007/garmin-mapsource-for-free)

LLU-ESSE21 LULC Module:

LULC - Landuse / Land Cover Change principles

-Introduction to LULC and the FAO-LCCS

-Preparing to do an UNSUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION in ERDAS Imagine

b. Mobile Mapping & GPS in the field (for verifying signatures on an image)...

Lab Activity: ArcPAD and GPS - (Paul Burgess)

• Book: Global Positioning System: A Field Guide for the Social Sciences. Spencer, Frizzelle, Page and Vogler. Blackwell, 2003. Chapters: 6-14

• Book: Making Community Connections: The Orton Family Foundation Community Mapping Program by Connie L. Knapp

• What is PGIS – Participatory GIS?

• WHAT PPGIS REALLY NEEDS IS...David Tulloch, Rutgers

• Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) WebRing - Rutgers/CRSSA

LAB #2: VIRTUAL TOURS IN HONDURAS - STUDY LULC CONCEPTS

a) Review the Powerpoints dealing with LULC (Landuse/Landcover) analysis in the LLU-ESSE21 Module - see online module at = http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/ and the LAB GUIDE at = http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/lab_guide.html

b) Do the TWO VIRTUAL tours based on two case studies from northern Honduras (Cuero y Salado and Pico Bonito/La Ceiba). AFTER FIRST studying the following PEDAGOGICAL BACKGROUND GUIDE Before Doing the Virtual Tours = http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/virtual_tour_1.html 

c) ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ON THE ONLINE PDF QUIZ = http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/docs/LULC-Quiz_No_1.pdf  then see how your answers compare to the information noted in the VIRTUAL TOURS.

d) Review the FAO-GLCN document/software tool called LCCS (Land Cover Classification System) - there should be a copy on Blackboard. and/or download from the FAO site after you register as a user.

NOTE: The next assignment (Lab No. 3) will require you to do an UNSUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION of the area in the Inland Empire known as Norton Neighborhood (if you prefer you may do it for another site around the world, as long it is of an area that you know well. 

You will be required to attempt to classify the image above (or your other approved choice area) using the FAO-GLCN-LCCS system.

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LULC Change - Continued (Ford)

LULC Module:

Overview of Land Use/Land Cover Classification

Do an UNSUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION in ERDAS Imagine

a) Read / study the PDF Lab Guide:

How to do a Supervised and/or Unsupervised Classification

See the PDF lab module attached HERE

http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/courses/ESSC5xx/docs/ESSE21_clssfn.pdf

b) If needed study the ERDAS Tutorial on Supervised classifications (see tutorial and labguide that Maria Anastario has).

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

UNB - Remote Sensing and GIS Glossaries

IDRISI -WWW Tutorial

LAB NO. 3:

1.  Do an Unsupervised Classification of either an area around Loma Linda or of another area (of your choice - but get permission from the instructor).  You will need to decide which images to use, e.g. ETM, Geocover, ASTER (if you get it), etc.  Subset the image to an area that includes both natural areas as well as urban, etc...multiple land cover types,  etc.

2.  Create at least TWO maps (one with 5-7 land classes and another with 15-25 classes).  You will want to experiment with several different iterations of classification and see which results you feel fits the data best.

3.  Compose the final results into nice maps (using ArcMap or ERDAS Imagine - if the latter you'll need to explore the map composition tools of ERDAS using the tutorials in the lab manual - see Maria who has it).  Include Legend, North Arrow, scale, etc...and full explanation of source of data, year, etc.  Use good cartographic practice in composing your map.

4.  Present your maps to the class the night of November 27.  Explain orally your chosen "land class classification system" and compare it to the FAO-GLCN (LCCS) system vs. what the USGS uses in the US - look for the Anderson Classification System.  How are these two systems similar or different?  Which one do you like best, and why?

NOTE:  We will be going to the field during the first week of November to learn the use of the Garmin GPS for training site identification, that could be part of doing a SUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION - but we won't complete that process until the first week of December as part of the final lab activity and/or special project work (yet to be decided).

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Serene Ong - Using ArcHYDRO Tools - ArcGIS - Redlands Institute

Do a SUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION in ERDAS Imagine

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

LAB #4:

a) Read and study the PDF Lab Guide See:

How to do a Supervised and/or Unsupervised Classification

See the PDF lab module attached HERE

http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/courses/ESSC5xx/docs/ESSE21_clssfn.pdf

b) If needed study the ERDAS Tutorial on Supervised classifications (see tutorial and labguide that Maria Anastario has).

c) Work with the professor AS A GROUP to define a project (most likely in the Loma Linda/Norton Neighborhoods area) to do a supervised classification, e g. of the vegetation and landcover types in the Santa Ana River wash. 

d) Include selection of "training sites" with the GARMIN GPS etc...to refine your classification.

e)  Produce a final map.

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ERDAS Imagine exercises:

Lab Activity: Using IDRISI Kilimanjaro - Paul Burgess - Redlands Institute

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

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Lab Activity: Using IDRISI Kilimanjaro - Paul Burgess - Redlands Institute - CONTINUED

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

UNB - Remote Sensing and GIS Glossaries

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Lab Activity: Using IDRISI Kilimanjaro - Paul Burgess - Redlands Institute - CONTINUED

DICTIONARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

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