Photo: NOAA

Today, NOAA cartographers from the Marine Chart Division are converting paper nautical charts to a digital format and incorporating them into NOAA electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC). NOAA created its suite of ENCs by digitizing its paper nautical charts. An ENC is a vector database that supports all types of marine navigation. Marine navigators can use the system to see their real- time position in relation to features on a chart.

Marine navigators using NOAA ENC. (Photo: NOAA)

By digitizing the paper Erie Canal charts, NOAA can now provide ENCs for the canal from Albany to Lake Ontario. As part of the digitizing process, NOAA cartographers standardized the chart scales covering the canal, moving away from the 64 irregularly shaped paper charts in chart 14786, New York State Canal System.

1:10,000 SCALE NOAA Custom Chart output near Waterford, New York. (Photo: USGS/NOAA)

The ENC is the primary nautical navigation product of the agency, which is ending the production and maintenance of its traditional paper and raster nautical chart products. The remaining paper charts are only being updated with critical corrections until they are fully canceled. Chart 14786 will be one of the last ones canceled, on Dec. 5, 2024.

Now, marine users are referred to the NOAA Custom Chart Application. It is an online map tool for users to create paper and PDF nautical charts derived from the official NOAA ENC.

<p>The post How NOAA is digitizing charts of the Erie Canal first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Landscape of Badwater Basin salt flats, with halite textures under a vibrant pink sky during sunset or sunrise at Death Valley National Park. (Photo: StephenBridger / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has commissioned Woolpert to collect Quality Level 1 lidar data and conduct ground control surveys throughout Southern California in support of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and The National Map.

Overseen by the USGS National Geospatial Program, 3DEP provides the nation’s first comprehensive, high-resolution topographic elevation data integrated into The National Map. The data will be accessible to local, state and national agencies to consider when making decisions that affect the immediate safety of life, property and the environment, as well as for long-term infrastructure planning.

Woolpert will collect roughly 60,000 km² of aerial lidar data throughout Inyo County, California, including parts of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley National Park, using a Leica TerrainMapper. QL1 data are collected at eight points per square meter.

“Woolpert has had the honor of supporting USGS’ 3D Elevation Program since its launch nearly a decade ago,” said John Gerhard, Woolpert vice president and program director. “Critical decisions that depend on accurate and available elevation data are being made every day, and we are incredibly proud to continue our support for the U.S. Geological Survey and its commitment to completing the nation’s first-ever baseline of consistent high-resolution elevation data.”

Gerhard added that the data acquired for this project will also support the USGS 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). The project is underway, and data is expected to be acquired by fall 2024.

<p>The post Woolpert to collect lidar data for USGS first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Mapping the melting Arctic

Image: TT / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

According to the 2023 Arctic Report Card by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), new records have been documented showing that human-induced warming of the atmosphere, ocean and land is creating adverse impacts on people, ecosystems and communities across the Arctic region. The report states the Arctic is experiencing a faster rate of warming than any other part of the world. Overall, it was the Arctic’s sixth-warmest year on record. Sea ice extent continued to decline, with the past 17 Septembers now registering as the lowest on record.

GNSS enhances landslide monitoring in China

Image: pananba / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

Researchers from Chang’an University in China have developed a new method of tracking landslides. The team combined GNSS precise point positioning (PPP) techniques with a cumulative sum control chart (CUSUM) method. Conducted at the Tengqing landslide in Liupanshui, Guizhou Province, Southwest China, the study aims to enhance the precision in tracking the movements of the landslides and improve the overall reliability of the monitoring results.

Crabs on the move

Image: United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Georgia officials are asking the public for help in spotting non-native blue land crabs as they appear to be moving north in recent years, according to data collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). According to USGS, it is unclear whether this movement is driven by humans or by the crabs themselves, or if the crabs are breeding in their non-native homes. Officials worry about the damage caused by the crabs’ burrowing behavior. While scientists learn about how the species interacts with its new environment, several states are asking residents to report sightings.

India’s war on drugs

Image: evandrorigon / E+ / Getty Images

India’s border security force (BSF) has said it is battling an unprecedented UAV “menace” infiltrating the border with Pakistan, fueling the drug crisis in the state of Punjab and raising serious security issues, reported The Guardian. UAVs have dropped weapons such as pistols and Chinese-made assault rifles, as well as consignments of opium and heroin believed to be from Afghanistan.

<p>The post Seen & heard: Mapping the melting arctic and India’s war on drugs first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Topobathymetric digital elevation model of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. (Image: USGS)

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, have jointly released a new topobathymetric lidar dataset for the Potomac River, extending from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

The survey was conducted using Teledyne Optech CZMIL SuperNova lidar system, which allowed Dewberry to successfully survey a 55-mile (88.5km) stretch of the Potomac River, spanning from Hancock, Maryland to Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The survey resulted in the acquisition of 33km² of submerged topobathymetric lidar data.

Project deliverables included a 3D point cloud and topobathymetric digital elevation models (DEMs) for the surveyed river section. This project, the second for the Potomac River, builds on the first, which covered the area from Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to the Little Falls dam near Washington, DC. The generated maps are designed to serve as a valuable tool for predicting oil spill presence and movement in the Potomac River, supporting ICPRB’s mission to safeguard the waters and resources of the Potomac River basin through science, regional cooperation and education.

Conducted for the USGS’s 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), the lidar survey involved collaboration with the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS), National Geospatial Program (NGP) and Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) programs, along with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River (ICPRB).

<p>The post USGS, Dewberry release precision lidar map of Potomac River first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Only three earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger have occurred in Turkiye and northern Syria since 1970. The largest was a magnitude 6.7 earthquake in January 2020. (Image: USGS)

On Feb. 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkiye and northern Syria collapsing buildings and killing more than 2,000 people, followed by magnitude 6.7 aftershocks. The impact of the earthquakes was significant and ranks in the red for economic losses and orange for fatalities, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS reports the earthquake resulted from strike-slip faulting at shallow depths. It appears to be associated with either the East Anatolia fault zone or the Dead Sea transform fault zone.

Historical buildings throughout Turkey have been severely damaged, including the Yeni Mosque and the Gaziantep Castle, which date back thousands of years.

War-torn Syria — specifically Aleppo, Hama and Latakia — have also sustained severe damage to infrastructure that was already fragile.

The effects of this earthquake were felt as far as Lebanon and Israel.

Parts of the historic Gaziantep Castle collapsed, as it lies close to epicenter of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake. (Image: JudyDillon/ iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

Historical Gaziantep Castle’s east, south and southeast bastions collapse, leaving debris scattered on the road after major 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye’s southeasthttps://t.co/5j2soYI6hC pic.twitter.com/1n6whCr2gY

— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) February 6, 2023

<p>The post Earthquake damages cities in Turkiye and Syria first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Photo: A&J Fotos/E+/Getty Images

Work supports climate change research, the 2020 Juneau landslide, and effects of the Exxon-Valdez oil spill

NV5 Geospatial marks its 65th year helping Alaska solve environmental and geospatial challenges, with new hydrospatial projects with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Alaska Railroad Corporation, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“As climate change intensifies, so do the challenges that Alaska and its citizens face,” said Adam McCullough, NV5 Geospatial’s Alaska program manager. “From mapping the coastlines, to collecting lidar and imagery data to better understand geohazards and landslide risks, to mapping rivers, lakes and other surface water features, we are involved in critical projects across the state. We are proud to work side by side with national, state and local governments and agencies, as well as private corporations to facilitate climate-change informed decision making over the state’s valuable, unique resources.”

The following six projects provide a sampling of the work in which NV5 Geospatial has participated across the state:

• Revillagigedo Topobathymetric Lidar and Imagery Mapping – NV5 Geospatial is working alongside state and federal partners on a multi-year program to map Alaska’s 66,000 miles of complex coastline. This work is part of a larger national shoreline mapping project being undertaken by NOAA to gather baseline data to update nautical charts, manage coastal resources, and define U.S. territorial limits.

The data collected also can support maritime trade and transportation, as well as wave and wind energy site selection. The data supports coastal resiliency efforts that include modeling sea-level change, storm surge, coastal flooding and pollution trajectories, as well as analysis and monitoring of critical habitats, developing land and marine GIS base layers.

• The Alaska Railroad Corporation (AARC) Lidar Acquisition for Geohazards – AARC engaged Michael Baker and NV5 Geospatial to collect high-resolution topographic lidar and imagery data for analysis of geohazards, hydrology, engineering and landscape ecology across portions of its vast rail network in Alaska. NV5 leveraged its advanced combined low-altitude sensor solution (CLASS) mounted to a helicopter to simultaneously collect lidar, ortho-imagery and oblique images along the rail line that enables researchers to evaluate landslide and hydrological risks in areas of concern.

• USGS 3DEP Juneau Landslide Lidar Study – In the aftermath of unprecedented rain events in Southeast Alaska in December 2020, the City and Borough of Juneau, along with Alaska Electrical Light & Power, partnered with the USGS to acquire and process 3DEP-compliant airborne topographic lidar data covering the Juneau landslide impact area. The USGS contracted NV5 Geospatial to perform the lidar survey that included acquiring extremely accurate lidar to USGS’s highest quality level specification.

The lidar data will support planning and landslide assessment to enable the reinforcement of critical infrastructure resources in the area. Project stakeholders are able to use this data along with existing lidar collected by NV5 Geospatial in 2013 to study how the landscape is changing in precise detail.

• Alaska 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) – The USGS, in partnership with state, local, and tribal governments and others, has embarked on a multi-year effort to enhance the mapping of rivers, lakes and other surface water features for the entire state of Alaska. Supporting that initiative, NV5 Geospatial has been repeatedly contracted by USGS to develop improved hydrography, covering 62,934 square miles to date.

NV5 Geospatial is leveraging the recently completed statewide interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) coverage as the elevation data source to define drainages, impoundments and other hydrographic features in greater detail and accuracy. Once completed, the enhanced map data will be used to inform navigable waterways; conduct flood analysis; and delineate wetlands, fish habitat, recreational opportunities, coastal resiliency and more.

• Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill, National Wetlands Inventory and National Hydrography Dataset – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is leveraging grant funds to map wetlands and hydrography for areas affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. These areas include Kodiak Island, Afognak Island and the shorelines of Shelikof Strait in Alaska. Wetlands data are used by natural resource managers to promote the understanding, conservation and restoration of wetlands, while the hydrographic data supports scientific studies, cartography and natural-resource management associated with inland surface water features.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture Aerial Orthoimagery Term Contract – NV5 Geospatial was awarded a large multi-year term contract to support aerial orthoimagery in Alaska. The contract has been used to acquire tens of thousands of square miles of high-resolution orthoimagery covering some of the nation’s largest national forests including Tongass and Chugach, as well as agricultural lands significant to the Natural Resource Conservation Service. These areas are in areas with some of the most challenging weather and terrain anywhere in North America and require aircraft on persistent standby to take advantage of the brief windows of opportunity to collect high-quality imagery.

<p>The post NV5 Geospatial marks 65 years serving Alaska with geospatial projects first appeared on GPS World.</p>

Organizers of Geo Week, which brings together geospatial technologies and the built world, have announced its conference sessions and speakers for the 2022 event, which will take place Feb. 6-8  in Denver, Colorado.

The conference program features more than 125 speakers across 50 sessions with content that explores best practices in 3D capture, working in the built environment, gaining return on investment (ROI) from building information management (BIM), defining what’s possible now with lidar, and more.

The coming together of AEC Next Technology Expo & Conference, International Lidar Mapping Forum, and SPAR 3D Expo & Conference to form Geo Week reflects the increased integration between the built environment, advanced airborne/terrestrial technologies, and commercial 3D technologies.

Partner events taking place in conjunction with Geo Week include ASPRS Annual Conference, MAPPS Winter Meeting and USIBD Annual Symposium, ensuring the presence of geospatial and built-world industry experts in one place.

Presenters represent Autodesk, Esri, USGS, The Beck Group, Hexagon Geosystems, GM, Caltrans, Velodyne Lidar, Draper, MLB and NASA. These experts will share their expertise on a range of topics. Sessions include:

• BIM Project Approaches
• The Digital Twin In Action
• Locating and Mapping Underground Infrastructure
• 3D Technology in Transportation
• AR/VR/XR Applications
• Mapping for Transportation (Road, Rail)
• Exploring How 3D Technology Will Define Our Future Workflows
• Advances in Processing of Point Clouds

Geo Week will have multiple tracks with content clearly identified as relevant to one or more of the audience groups feeding into Geo Week.

• The International Lidar Mapping Forum (ILMF) audience has historically been comprised of precision measurement professionals in surveying and mapping who use airborne and terrestrial lidar and related remote sensing technologies.
• The AEC Next audience has historically been comprised of professionals in architecture, engineering and construction that use technologies such as reality capture, automation, artificial intelligence and XR to bid and manage projects and improve workflows.
• The SPAR 3D audience has historically been comprised of professionals who use 3D capture, scanning, visualization and modeling technologies across a variety of verticals.

“We’ve witnessed the growing convergence between geospatial and the built world,” said Lee Corkhill, group event director at Diversified Communications, organizer of Geo Week. “We believe the market is ready and eager for this next step of leveraging the confluence of technologies for improved collaboration, increased efficiency, and better outcomes. Much of the conference content and technology being showcased will reflect and support this increasing integration. At the same time, we recognize that individuals and organizations are at differing levels of adoption, and so there will be ample content more focused on what were traditional AEC Next, ILMF and SPAR 3D topics.”

Geo Week will provide education, technology and resources for professionals in industries including AEC, asset and facility management, disaster and emergency response, Earth observation and satellite applications, energy and utilities, infrastructure and transportation, land and natural resource management, mining and aggregates, surveying and mapping, and urban planning and smart cities.

More than 80 companies have confirmed booths on the Exhibition Floor with additional companies being confirmed every week and more than 100 associations and media companies are signed on as supporters.

Geo Week takes place Feb. 6-8, 2022, with conference programming and exhibits all three days. Additional features of the programming are vendor-delivered product reviews, exhibition theaters, workshops and programming hosted by ASPRS, MAPPS and USIBD. Visit www.geo-week.com for more information on attending or exhibiting. Register before Dec, 10 for early bird rates.

<p>The post Speakers, program announced for Geo Week conference first appeared on GPS World.</p>

ShakeAlert provides alerts to the general public through public alert systems such as TV, radio and mobile phones. It also slows down trains, opens firehouse doors, closing water and gas valves and

May’s addition of Washington State to the system completes the U.S. Geological Survey and partners’ West Coast rollout of ShakeAlert.

ShakeAlert first launched in California in 2019 and expanded to Oregon in March of this year. People in all three states can now receive alerts from FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alert system, third-party phone apps, and other technologies.

The ShakeAlert system relies on sensor data from the USGS Advanced National Seismic System. ANSS is a USGS-facilitated collection of regional earthquake monitoring networks operated by partner universities and state geological surveys on the West Coast and throughout the nation.

Part of that data comes from GPS, which the USGS uses to measure crustal deformations over time. The USGS measures the precise position (within 5 mm or less) of GNSS stations near active faults relative to each other.

USGS works closely with ANSS partners and state emergency management agencies on the system’s development as well as public communication, education and outreach.  “USGS science is the backbone of hazard assessment, notification, and response capabilities for communities nationwide so they can plan for, and bounce back from, natural disasters,” said David Applegate, associate director for Natural Hazards Exercising the Delegated Authority of the USGS Director.

See also:

Early earthquake warnings: GNSS could enable 10-second alerts

“Systems powered by ShakeAlert can turn mere seconds into opportunities for people to take life-saving protective actions or for applications to trigger automated actions that protect critical infrastructure,” Applegate said. “An effort like this takes the dedication, ingenuity and hard work of dozens of partners with the same vision, and the USGS is proud to have been part of a collaborative team that made this robust public safety system available for millions of citizens on the West Coast.”

The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system can save lives and reduce injuries by giving people time to take protective actions like drop, cover and hold on before potentially dangerous earthquake shaking arrives at their location.

In addition to supporting public alerts to mobile phones, ShakeAlert system data has, since late 2018, been used to develop applications that trigger automated actions. Automatic actions can be used to slow down trains to prevent derailments, open firehouse doors so they don’t jam shut and close valves to protect water and gas systems.

The technology will continue to improve over time with the addition of more seismometers to the network, by expanding alert delivery area and by improving messaging speeds.

A GNSS station in the Pacific Northwest geodetic array. (Photo: Central Washington University)

<p>The post US West Coast now has access to GNSS-powered ShakeAlert app first appeared on GPS World.</p>