Geography Commons^™

The Role Of Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques In Analysis Of Southern California Wildfires In January 2025, Sara Fitzgibbon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

California is no stranger to wildfires, with them becoming more frequent and larger in recent years. In early January 2025, Southern California had one of the worst outbreaks of wildfires in its history, with the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Fires being considered among the most destructive in state history. To help prevent this from happening in the future, remote sensing techniques are essential in combating these issues. In this report, geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing data utilized to explore fire behavior by various organizations were investigated. By using this data, this study aims to predict and monitor fire …

An Exploratory Study Of Ukrainian Refugee Resettlement Patterns And Education Resource Needs In Poland, Marta Gintowt

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine that started in late February 2022 triggered a refugee crisis that reverberated throughout Europe. During the onset of the invasion, an estimated five million Ukrainian refugees, mostly women, children, and the elderly, fled to countries in Europe and beyond. Countries were not prepared for the magnitude of the initial influx of refugees, who are a vulnerable population who require specific immediate and long-term supports. As three years have passed since the start of the war, the needs of refugees have evolved, and resources providing educational support to refugee children have taken on increased importance. …

Nipping Crime In The Bud: The Spatial Relationship Between Crime And Meeting People’S Needs, Alicia Cerquone

LSU Master's Theses

The recent high-profile killings of people by the police brought attention to police violence, and prompted activists to call for an end to police violence. Drawing from an understanding of strain theory (Merton, 1938; Farnworth & Leiber, 1989; Agnew, 1992; Agnew, 2001; Agnew, 2008) and Tucker and Cadora’s (2003) ideas of justice reinvestment, this research was designed with the belief that police funding can be better used to help people meet their basic needs of housing, healthcare, and education. This research is concerned with the spatial relationship between crime and the quality of social infrastructure, or the programs in place …

Teaching Geographic Information Systems In Civil Engineering/Surveying Technology Curricula, William A. Sprinsky

The Geographical Bulletin

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are becoming the norm in engineering, designing and building activities. In the Civil Engineering Technology program at Pennsylvania College of Technology emphasizing surveying, we think GIS provides an excellent example of the use of some basic tools. We teach the GIS "tool" during the second semester, in CET122, Topographic Drawing and Cartography, using Intergraph because of its flexibility in acceptance of data in a number of differing formats. First, we used a part of a municipal database from Knoxville, TN, that supports a project to widen a downtown street, for which there is a unique solution. …

Geography And Environmental Management Self-Assessment Collection: A Self-Assessment Package For Gis, Krystyna Brown

The Geographical Bulletin

Geography and Environmental Management Self-Assessment Collection (GEMSAC), endeavours to bring selfassessment and speedier independent learning to large numbers of students This interactive computer-based package was devised to give students taking an introduction Geographical Information System course (GIS) the opportunity to measure their progress and obtain immediate feedback. Geographic Information Systems draw from many disciplines and techniques and so require a great deal of diverse knowledge, even at a basic level. In addition to this particular consideration the challenge was to reach large groups of students having varied educational backgrounds and skills. The success of GEMSAC depends on students getting ready …

Performance Of Acoustic Telemetry And Space Use Of Pallid Sturgeon In The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Christopher F. Pullano

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) are centenarian, potamodromous, rheophiles that historically occupied the Missouri River and Mississippi River basins. Listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1990, population declines are attributed to habitat fragmentation and degradation, as well as overharvest, and hybridization. A knowledge gap exists regarding the extent to which tributaries facilitate key life stages for Pallid Sturgeon. This study evaluated the capacity of acoustic telemetry to monitor the movements of Pallid Sturgeon in a shallow, braided tributary to the Missouri River. The specific objectives were to (1) evaluate the environmental variables influencing the performance of acoustic …

A Volumetric Model Of Ree And Other Critical Element-Bearing Underclay Deposits In The Eckley Mine Area, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Harrison Spiller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Eastern Middle Anthracite Field in southern Luzerne County, Pennsylvania was investigated for potential quantities of critical minerals, including rare earth-bearing minerals (REE) present in underclay deposits associated with coal measures of an existing anthracite coal mine. This work is built on Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/ NETL) 2016 work on samples from the Eckley Mine near Hazelton, Pa. which discovered elevated contents of some critical minerals in core from a single wellbore. This thesis reports on new and additional information collected from that area through geological field work, detailed conventional core descriptions, stratigraphic cross sections, and spectral …

Potential Urban Hazard Zones Of Shanghai, Prc, C. Nicholas Raphael, Jinan Li

The Geographical Bulletin

Land-use data derived from large scale aerial images were used to determine potential hazard zones of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Using a GIS, nine cultural and physical parameters in onekilometer2 pixels are identified, classified and mapped. A coefficient of urban hazard is calculated per square kilometer within the city. Of the 10 administrative municipalities, Jinan and Luwang, in the central city, are determined as having high urban disaster potential. Natural hazards such as storm surges and subsidence in the delta complex have been recognized and addressed. However, in view of increasing urbanization, urban hazard is yet to be adequately …

Remote Sensing Quantification Of Wetland Habitat Change In South Carolina: Implications For Coastal Resource Policy, John All, Jenna Nelson

The Geographical Bulletin

Increased urbanization of coastal areas has resulted in the pollution and destruction of wetland ecosystems worldwide. The effect of development on local wetland habitat was examined for Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA. Changes in the areal extent of wetlands in Mount Pleasant were determined through a quantification of changes in wetland margins from the 1970s to 1990s using Landsat data. The rate of wetland habitat loss accelerated from the 1980s to 1990s compared to the 1970s, even though coastal zone regulations had been strengthened and the rate of population increase was comparable for the decades selected for comparison. This paper …

Spatial Patterns Of Methamphetamine In North Dakota, Alex Feidler, Roni Mayzer, Kevin Romig, Douglas Munski

The Geographical Bulletin

In the last decade, the methamphetamine situation has become critical in North Dakota, which has the third-highest rate of clandestine meth lab seizures in the country. This study addresses two questions: 1) What is the spatial pattern of meth–related arrests in North Dakota? and 2) What geographic factors account for the increased prevalence of meth use and production in the state? This study employs GIS overlay and multiple regression analysis to determine the spatiality of the phenomenon. The findings reveal that meth-related arrests tend to take place in the more urban southeast and central counties while meth lab seizures tend …

Short-Term Associations Between Accumulated Rainfall And Atmospheric Moisture During Landfall Of Three Atlantic Hurricanes, Peng Jia, Andrew Joyner, Yilun Sun

The Geographical Bulletin

Most hurricane-related deaths are caused by flooding and, as a result, accurate forecasting of rainfall can have a profound impact on reducing loss of life as well as property damages resulting from hurricanes. Quantitative relationships between atmospheric moisture and rainfall have been examined during the landfall of three Atlantic hurricanes in the study, with Geographic Information System and high temporal resolution remote sensing data used and time lags between atmospheric moisture and rainfall taken into account. Results show that 1) atmospheric moisture and rainfall-related variables can be accurately gauged by satellite at any given place and provide approximate estimations for …

Nonpoint Source Pollution Risk Mapping For Alabama’S Big Creek Lake, Marco Allain, Jason Jones

The Geographical Bulletin

Big Creek Lake is the primary water supply for Mobile, Alabama. Management of the watershed is important because nonpoint source (NPS) pollution can introduce contaminants into the lake. After the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) expressed a need for a land suitability assessment to aid in mitigating NPS pollution in the watershed, we worked to assist them in mapping potential sources of NPS pollution there. First, we created a system for rating the relative contributions of various land cover and soil types to NPS pollution in the watershed. Then, we utilized land use/land cover information generated from ASTER …

Paths Of Least Resistance: A Geospatial Analysis Of The Integration Of Mississippian Communities In The Northwest Arkansas Ozarks, Joseph Jilek

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

During the Mississippi period (ca. AD 1050-1500), native groups occupying bluff shelters in the Northwest Arkansas Ozarks constructed three similarly sized mound-and-plaza centers: Goforth-Saindon (3BE0245), Collins (3WA0001), and Huntsville (3MA0022). Similarities in size and number of mounds suggests none rose to a position of power over the other and each integrated a separate community. Previous research hypothesizes that communities in emergent complex societies such as these are best defined by those who you interact with regularly, with mound centers less than a day’s travel from each other likely integrating the same communities. This study uses least-cost analysis, generating likely travel …

A Study Of The Impact And Mitigation Strategies For Community-Defined Historic Places At Immediate (Within Three Decades) Risk Of Sea Level Rise, Isaac Quaye

All Theses

The rising sea level casts formidable threats on community-based historic places within coastal communities. These community-defined historic places derive their meaning from local values and are more recognized within the local community. Unlike recognized iconic historic places, these resources are confronted with inadequate resources to address the impacts of punctuated climate events. This study investigates the imminent threats posed by sea level rise (SLR) to community-defined historic places within the next three decades (2025) and explores mitigation strategies proposed by stakeholders. The study used a GIS-based (enhanced bathtub model) to model the impact of coastal inundation on three historic places …

Identification Of Physical And Social Potential For Ecotourism Development In Neglasari Village, Sukabumi Regency Using Remote Sensing And Geographical Information Systems, Tjiong Giok Pin, Adi Wibowo, Haura Hazema Alya, Afifa Ayu Nastiti

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

Identification of physical and social potential needs to be done so that it can be developed as an ecotourism object that has a role in improving the economy of a region. Physical and social potential data can be obtained and interpreted from satellite imagery using remote sensing which is then verified through surveys and direct measurements in the field using GPS and digital maps. Data analysis was performed using the overlay method in GIS. Remote sensing methods using satellite imagery have proven to be superior for obtaining information on an area effectively and sustainably. Landsat imagery 8 and 9 are …

Dining Out With Allergies: Examining Boston’S Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Landscape, Rebecca Marie Shakespeare

The Geographical Bulletin

According to a recent national survey, about ten percent of American adults, estimated 26 million, are likely to have food allergies (Gupta, et al. 2019). Food allergies have many psychosocial outcomes for adults, including social isolation, anxiety, and loneliness. Framing restaurants as a site of social engagement, this article seeks to describe the restaurant landscape for adults with food allergies in Boston. Using online user reviews from TripAdvisor and AllergyEats to identify locations of restaurants with mostly positive allergy-related reviews, this paper uses GIS to assess the geographic accessibility of allergy-friendly restaurants for locations across Boston. Reported allergy-friendly restaurants tend …

Managing The Environmental And Socio-Economic Impacts Of Rohingya Refugees In Bangladesh, Mousume Azad

Master's Projects and Capstones

In August 2017, nearly 1 million Rohingya people fled to Bangladesh to save their lives from the genocide inflicted by the military of Myanmar. At present, over 1.3 million Rohingyas are staying at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in 34 overcrowded refugee camps. This research examined the environmental impacts especially the change in vegetation cover and land surface temperature as well as the socioeconomic alteration of the host country after the refugee influx. The research found a 5488 ha or 9.58% decrease in forest area, accompanied by an 8.25% increase in refugee settlement areas, an increase in average land surface temperature within …

Accessibility Or Environmental Conservation? Evaluating The Relationship Between Environmental Protection And Hiking Trail Accessibility Via Photogrammetry, Lidar & Remote Sensing, Zhanchao Yang

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Binghamton University Nature Preserve spans 190 acres of land, with a notable 20-acre wetland serving a multifaceted purpose. It is dedicated to preserving the ecological integrity of this landscape, fostering biodiversity, and facilitating research and environmental education. Improving the accessibility of nature preserves can maximize its advantages, particularly in fostering environmental consciousness and responsible management. However, it may also lead to a simultaneous rise in the potential for soil erosion, unethical utilization, and disruptions to the habitat. This research focuses on Binghamton University's nature preserve as a case study to explore the intricate balance between two vital objectives: ensuring equal …

The Machine In The Rice Field: A Spatial Analysis Of Mechanized Rice Processing Infrastructure Along The Cooper River, 1780 - 1830, Jacob Hockenberry

All Theses

This thesis examines the spatial and physical characteristics of mechanized rice processing infrastructure along the Cooper River in South Carolina’s Lowcountry between 1780 and 1830. Historic rice plantation plats and modern geospatial data provided new information regarding the location of rice processing machines in relation to other plantation landscape features. This research analyzed seven rice plantations that contained these machines. Each plantation plat was georeferenced using ArcGIS Pro to support a detailed spatial analysis of these processing sites. While literature has extensively detailed the social, economic, environmental and enslaved aspects of rice culture in the Lowcountry, little research has specifically …

Spectral Properties Of Wetlands In Michigan Using Remote Sensing To Identify And Classify Wetlands In Roscommon County, Michigan, Kolin Williamson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biological, geological, and physical. These are only a handful of the many environmental aspects that wetlands functions maintain and protect. Unfortunately, wetlands within the United States have been razed at an alarming rate. The State of Michigan has not gone through this unscathed either, loosing over 1000 acres of wetland a year. One of the most important tools to prevent this destruction are the maps and programs that show where these essential ecosystems are located. The current, federally-created maps and imaging software in use by environmental consultants and contractors may not be up to date which can pose challenges for …

Analyzing Land Suitability For Industrial Areas In Pekanbaru City Using The Smce Method And Geographical Information Systems, Siti Aisyah, Muhammad Dimyati

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

Domestic industrial growth continues to increase in line with population growth and the development of new areas, both in the city center and on the outskirts of the city. The location of Riau Province, which is close to Malaysia and Singapore, makes it an attractive investment destination, supported by Riau's abundant natural resources. Pekanbaru City, as the capital of Riau Province, consisting of 12 regencies/cities, serves as the center of government and economy. Among the 27 integrated industrial estates, there are two locations in Riau Province determined by the central government in the 2020-2024 RPJMN, namely Tanjung Buton in Siak …

High And Dry - Contextualizing Domestic Root Cellar Drains In Southern Ontario, Anatolijs Venovcevs

Northeast Historical Archaeology

The subterranean root cellar is the quintessential feature of rural nineteenth-century archaeological sites in Ontario and much archaeological, historical, and architectural research on rural farmsteads has focused on defining and understanding these structures. However, this work has neglected an important component of this feature – the root cellar drain. This paper contextualizes these features within their broader nineteenth-century ideals of drainage and goes on to tackle the topic with the use of statistical analysis on the associated geographical, social, and economic attributes. The discussion presents opportunities that are present from the vast quantities of historical sites that have been excavated …

Unearthing The Past: A Comprehensive Study Of Natural And Anthropogenic Changes At An Archaeological Site Through Hydrogeologic Connectivity Utilizing Gis, Mehlich Ii Phosphorus Extractant, And Ph, Dana L. F. Herren

Theses

This thesis aims to thoroughly analyze the Mehlich II Phosphorus Extractant and pH levels at the Bains Gap Village Site in Anniston, AL., while examining the impact of various environmental factors and human activities on them. Phosphorus is often used in archaeology as an indicator of human activity. Soil core samples were collected to analyze anomalies in phosphorus levels.

To establish any relationships, phosphorus and pH levels from soil cores were correlated with findings from past excavation units and features. The potential effects of hydrogeologic connectivity on soil phosphorus and pH levels were investigated. Geospatial technologies were used to manage …

Effects Of Social Media Use Disparities On Community Resilience To Disasters, Kejin Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the rapid development of social media, many researchers chose to use social media data to conduct studies of disaster resilience. This dissertation addresses three fundamental challenges related to social media use and disaster resilience analysis including: how the spatial analysis scale affects the results of social media use disparity and its impacts on disaster resilience; how different vulnerability and resilience measurement methods can generate very different results; and how social media use disparity can be identified to help improve the fairness of AI-based emergency rescue model development. Therefore, the first part of the dissertation measured the relationships between disparities …

Gis-Based Spatial And Temporal Analyses Of Motor Vehicle Crashes In The Atlanta Metropolitan Region 2017-2021, Heyward Stober, Jeong C. Seong

The Geographical Bulletin

Motor vehicle crash analysis is among the most insightful metrics for public safety officials, researchers, and drivers. In this article, geographical information systems (GIS) tools were used to study the spatial and temporal trends of traffic crashes and fatal crashes. The methodology involves collecting spatial crash data over time and using computer-based analysis to overlay the road data against various spatial and temporal parameters in the Atlanta metropolitan region. Results show major crash hotspots in the region, such as the cites of Marietta, Kennesaw, and College Park. Hotspots tend to form on interstate highways, while smaller state highways have fewer …

Geospatial Analytics Extension For Knime, Lingbo Liu, Xiaokang Fu, Tobias Kötter, Kevin Sturm, Carsten Haubold, Weihe Wendy Guan, Shuming Bao, Fahui Wang

Faculty Publications

The Geospatial Analytics Extension for KNIME (GAEK) is an innovative tool designed to integrate visual programming with geospatial analytics, streamlining GIS education and research in social sciences. GAEK simplifies access for users with an intuitive, visual interface for complex spatial analysis tasks and contributes to the organization of the GIS Knowledge Tree through its geospatial analytics nodes. This paper discusses GAEK's architecture, functionalities, and its transformative impact on GIS applications. While GAEK significantly enhances user experience and research reproducibility, future updates aim to expand its functionality and optimize its bundled environment.

Patterns Of Infringement, Risk, And Impact Driven By Coal Mining Permits In Indonesia, Tim T. Werner, Tessa Toumbourou, Victor Maus, Martin C. Lukas, Laura J. Sonter, Muhamad Muhdar, Rebecca K. Runting, Anthony J. Bebbington

Geography

Coal mining is known for its contributions to climate change, but its impacts on the environment and human lives near mine sites are less widely recognised. This study integrates remote sensing, GIS, stakeholder interviews and extensive review of provincial data and documents to identify patterns of infringement, risk and impact driven by coal mining expansion across East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Specifically, we map and analyse patterns of mining concessions, land clearing, water cover, human settlement, and safety risks, and link them with mining governance and regulatory infractions related to coal mining permits. We show that excessive, improper permit granting and insufficient …

Mapping And Spatial Analysis To Expand Rural Broadband Access, John C. Kostelnick, Jonathan B. Thayn, Koushik Sinha

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

High-speed broadband internet access is a critically important issue for many aspects of daily life, yet populations in rural areas are often unserved or underserved with reliable internet connectivity. Expanding broadband internet coverage in rural areas may have significant economic potential, especially since it enables precision farming which in turn increases yields, particularly for row crops such as corn and soybeans. This paper introduces methods that utilize GIS spatial analysis and remote sensing to assist in efforts to expand rural broadband access using case study counties in Illinois. Specifically, the methods presented here: (1) quantify current cropland production as well …

Effects Of Short-Term Rentals On Neighborhoods: Crime, Economic Development, And City Ordinances In Rochester, Minnesota, Ethan Smith

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The concept of online-based peer-to-peer (P2P) short-term rental (STR) lodging, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, is still a relatively recent phenomenon that has experienced rapid growth in the past decade. Due to the rapid growth of STRs, many areas of this phenomenon have been left relatively unexplored, such as the relationship between STRs and neighborhood crime. The association between neighborhood crime and STRs is attributed to the negative spotlight in the news, causing STRs to develop a negative connotation due to their perceived impacts on neighborhoods. Due to that connotation, it is believed that STRs contribute to neighborhood crime because …

Spatial Analysis Of Socioeconomic Factors At Found Locations Of Orphaned Mammals In Champaign County, Illinois, Usa, Colleen Elzinga, Stephanie Heniff, William Sander, William Marshall Brown, Csaba Varga, Samantha Sander

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Young mammals make up a significant portion of animals brought into wildlife rehabilitation centers. Unfortunately, some of these presumed orphaned individuals are inappropriately removed from their native habitat. As such, there is a need for educational community outreach centered on the proper identification of orphaned wildlife that benefit from human intervention, while maximizing limited resources of rehabilitation facilities. This study evaluated found locations of common mammalian orphans presenting from Champaign County to the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic, Illinois, USA, between 2015 and 2020. The found locations of the orphans (99 Virginia opossums [Didelphis virginiana], 80 common …