Geographic Information Sciences Commons^™

Multisensory Experiences In Archaeological Landscapes—Sound, Vision, And Movement In Gis And Virtual Reality, Heather Richards-Rissetto, Kristy Primeau, David E. Witt, Graham Goodwin

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Archaeologists are employing a variety of digital tools to develop new methodological frameworks that combine computational and experiential approaches which is leading to new multisensory research. In this article, we explore vision, sound, and movement at the ancient Maya city of Copan from a multisensory and multiscalar perspective bridging concepts and approaches from different archaeological paradigms. Our methods and interpretations employ theory-inspired variables from proxemics and semiotics to develop a methodological framework that combines computation with sensory perception. Using GIS, 3D, and acoustic tools we create multisensory experiences in VR with spatial sound using an immersive headset (Oculus Rift) and …

Exploring Inequality At Copan, Honduras: A 2d And 3d Geospatial Comparison Of Household Wealth, Heather Richards-Rissetto

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

The archaeological site of Copan was a cultural and commercial crossroads at the southeastern Maya frontier. Research indicates that the demographics and sociopolitical circumstances of the city of Copan and its location within a circumscribed pocket (24 km²) of the larger Copan Valley varied through time. These circumstances not only influenced its social, political, and economic interactions, but likely the size, construction, and organization of households, specifically plazuelas. Copan’s plazuelas differ from those located in other Maya regions because they often have smaller house platforms, comprise more than a single patio, and exhibit a larger than normal …

To The Cosmos And Back: Modelling Ritualized Movement And Natural Sanctuaries Around The Manialtepec Lagoon, Sami Savateri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Depictions of movement in Late Postclassic and early Colonial Mesoamerican art, maps, and documents show a multi-faceted conception of movement as not only a means of physical travel through the landscape of the mundane world, but also a means to reach the cosmic realms of divine forces. In this thesis, I explored the intersection of movement and ritual in Late Postclassic Oaxaca by modelling a hypothetical ritual circuit around the Manialtepec Lagoon: a bioluminescent lagoon near Oaxaca's Pacific Coast that is significant in oral histories of the Indigenous Chatinos. The Manialtepec Basin lacks the level of continuous occupation or historic …

Mapping Landcover Change And Population Displacement Of Lakshmipur District, Bangladesh Due To Riverbank Erosion From 2001-2021: A Geospatial Approach, Israt Jahan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to the geographical setting, the Lakshmipur district of Bangladesh experiences adverse effects of global climate change that include but are not limited to natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, storm surges, coastal flooding, and riverbank erosion. While riverbank erosion is an implicit impact of climate change, it directly affects human settlements, agricultural activity, and the overall livelihoods of people in this area. Examining the spatiotemporal changes in land cover and population due to riverbank erosion in this region could help us better understand the dynamics of human-environmental relations. This study aimed to classify land cover for every five years …

The Influence Of Urban Forms And Street Infrastructure On Pedestrian-Motorist Collisions, Taylor J. Foreman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Unwalkable cities are afflicted by serious issues such as increasing rates of pedestrian traffic accidents, public health concerns, and the denied right to have an accessible city. This study examines how different types of urban forms and street infrastructure contribute to the prevalence of traffic accidents in two major metropolitan cities in the United States: Atlanta, Georgia, and Boston, Massachusetts. This study utilizes geospatial analysis through the Average Nearest Neighbor and Optimized Hot Spot Analysis tools to determine the spatial distribution of traffic accidents throughout both cities. Additionally, statistical tests were conducted to explore the relationships between the number of …

Delineating A Stream Network At Gale Crater, Mars, On Arcgis Pro: A Geographic Information Systems Approach, Elpidio Guzman De La Cruz

West Chester University Master’s Theses

The northwestern region of the Gale crater experienced flooding in the past. Delineation of stream networks for the northwestern region of Gale Crater, Mars employing geographic information systems (GIS) techniques is applied. The stream network produced by the algorithm in the study traverses the clay unit in Gediz Vallis, and visual HiRISE imagery analysis correlates with a topologic cross section of an inverted river channel of 750 meters wide and 90 meters deep. HiRISE imagery analysis further confirms a sulfate and clay stratigraphic unit in a stream 125 meters wide and 25 meters deep. Lastly, data smoothing procedures in the …

Using Gis To Better Understand The Cracker Community Of Pat's Island In The Ocala National Forest, Florida, Nicholas Kopp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This research uses GIS methods to contextualize a Florida Cracker community in the Ocala National Forest. My case study is drawn from two seasons of fieldwork and supporting desktop surveys associated with Pat's Island, the home of multiple Cracker families. Cracker culture is historically categorized by its efforts to avoid modernization and prevent the commercialization of traditional lifeways in the quickly shifting society of late-19th and early 20th-century Florida. The geospatial expressions of these Cracker values are an emphasis on semi-remote living, adaptations to a unique environmental context, and the development of a semi-self-sufficient community. This research evaluates how GIS …

Developing A Standard Operating Procedure For Irrigated Agricultural Field Delineation And Irrigation Identification Using Examples From The Oregon-Idaho Border And Central California, Scott Milleson

Masters in GIS Practicum Reports

This practicum draws from experience working as an intern for The Freshwater Trust (an environmental nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon) from June to December of 2022. The work performed in this internship involved the delineation of agricultural fields using ArcGIS Online, an online collaborative mapping tool, as well as identifying and assigning irrigation type attributes on the Oregon-Idaho border along the Snake River, and the Deschutes Basin.

The purpose of this practicum project is to create a generalized guide for the delineation of agricultural fields and identification of irrigation type using a standard operating procedure for GIS interns, mapathon …

Village Of Grand Ridge Gis Utility Mapping: Effective Decision Making And Cost Benefits, Nick Harsted

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

According to Worldpopualtionreview.com, “As of 2018, there are 19,495 incorporated cities, towns and villages in the United States. Of those, 14,768 have populations below 5,000. Only ten have populations above 1 million and none are above 10 million. There are 310 cities considered at least medium cities with populations of 100,000 or more.” According to the U.S Census Bureau stats, “about 80% of the United States population lives in urban areas.” Within these cities or towns are underground utility infrastructures such as water lines and sewer pipes. For years cities have stored in files and boxes these construction plans explaining …

Comparison Of Gis Methods For Estimating The Social Vulnerability In Response To Natural Hazards In The West Part Of The City Of Tualatin, Alex Troy

Geography Masters Research Papers

The influence of natural hazards on social vulnerability is an important topic in the risk analysis of natural disasters in the human-environment system. Due to the difficulty of directly measuring social vulnerability, composite indexes are used as a surrogate. Social vulnerability indexes attempt to characterize access to societal and local social services during or after disastrous events, using various indicators such as age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, housing organization, access to shelters, and medical facilities. Geographic information systems (GIS) are used for vulnerability analysis due to their visualization methods and demographic data analysis. However, limitations in GIS applications for social …

Artisanal Mining River Dredge Detection Using Sar: A Method Comparison, Marissa A. Alessi, Peter G. Chirico, Marco Millones

Geography Articles

Challenges exist in monitoring artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities, given their dynamic and often informal nature. ASM takes form through various techniques and scales, including riverine dredging, which often targets the abundant alluvial gold deposits in South America. Remote sensing offers a solution to improve data collection, regulation, and monitoring of the more mobile and elusive ASM activities and their impacts. Mapping ASM riverine dredges using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is one of the application areas least explored. Three semi-automated detection approaches using Sentinel-1 SAR are compared on their ability to identify dredges with minimal false positives. The methods …

Modeling Debris Flow Hazard Risk Post Wildfire In Northern Colorado: A Spatial Approach, Ashleigh Boyd

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, the largest in Colorado’s History, impacted over 200,000 acres of land, including vital watersheds close to population centers in Colorado, such as the towns of Estes Park and Loveland. Runoff and debris flows are a continuous hazard for approximately five years post-fire. This study takes a spatial approach to modeling runoff potential of the Big Thompson Subbasin Watershed, using curve number methodology to approximate runoff potential by combining land cover, soil data, slope, and burn severity. Field work indicated possible uncertainty in the model due to discrepancies with field sample soil hydro groups compared to …

A Lack Of Inclusive Playgrounds And How Gis Can Bridge The Gap: A Case Study In Metro Denver, Brittny N. Wagner

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Inclusive and accessible playgrounds are a vital component to a sustainable and healthy community. These types of playgrounds encourage interactions between children of all abilities, which is a key component of social, emotional, and physical development. Playgrounds are often outdated or built without considering the needs of different types of community members. This is often due to lack of research about what it means to build an accessible playground and lack of awareness of the need for this type of play coming from city officials and park planners. Many parents and caregivers are left wondering where accessible playgrounds are located, …

Understanding Delays And Improving Emergency Response With Gis - Evergreen Fire Department In Evergreen, Colorado, Adrien Hoff

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

It is expected that both the PSAP and the responders in the field react quickly and arrive on the scene to emergency events as soon as possible. Fire agencies have been held to standards set in place reflective of where the emergency occurs and how quickly responders are expected to reach that location. Calls that experience delays in meeting these standards should be carefully examined and learned from for future events. Utilizing National Fire Protection (NFPA) population zone recommendations, population zones previously established with 2010 census data and unknown methods were recreated for Evergreen Fire Protection District. Then, utilizing SQL …

Disaster Risk Assessment In The Context Of Social Justice Using Geospatial Data Analytics, Behrang Bidadian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Disaster Risk Assessment in the Context of Social Justice Using Geospatial Data Analytics

Behrang Bidadian

In recent decades, urban areas have witnessed a rise in floods which have posed a significant threat to human life and wealth, due to the effects of global warming. While researchers have conducted extensive studies on natural disaster risk focusing on components such as hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, certain aspects of this field have remained inadequately understood. To fulfill this need, the primary objective of this dissertation was to enhance our understanding of flood risk in urban areas, considering it a crucial example of natural …

Production, Best Management Practices, And Market Impacts Of Forest Biomass Harvest And Collection In The Mid-Atlantic Region, William E. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Time motion studies were conducted at five mid-Atlantic sites that spanned various operations in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The harvest systems included integrated harvests where chips were produced in the forest, roundwood systems where only roundwood was produced, and a centralized chipping system. The study collected overall productivity and machine utilization data at the various harvesting operations. The cost per green ton of woody biomass ranged from $18.46 to $39.8 resulting in an average of $30.33 among the five systems. Hauling had the highest average price per green ton at $9.10, while loading had the lowest at $1.73 per …

The Relationship Between Climate Social Vulnerability And Asthma, Diane Nunez

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people worldwide, the incidence and severity of asthma is influenced influenced by various factors, including air masses, and weather conditions. Asthma can also disproportionately affect different sociodemographics groups, leading to inequalities and injustices. This study used statistical analysis and GIS to analyze the spatial distribution of asthma calls and their relationship to sociodemographic traits in Wichita, KS, Tulsa, OK, and Oklahoma City, OK, and the seasonal distribution of asthma calls and their relationship to air masses. Results show that the relationship between asthma prevalence is higher among certain sociodemographic groups, …

Linkages Between Atmospheric Circulation, Weather, Climate, Land Cover And Social Dynamics Of The Tibetan Plateau, Shobha Kumari Yadav

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important landmass that plays a significant role in both regional and global climates. In recent decades, the TP has undergone significant changes due to climate and human activities. Since the 1980s anthropogenic activities, such as the stocking of livestock, land cover change, permafrost degradation, urbanization, highway construction, deforestation and desertification, and unsustainable land management practices, have greatly increased over the TP. As a result, grasslands have undergone rapid degradation and have altered the land surface which in turn has altered the exchange of heat and moisture properties between land and the atmosphere. But gaps …

Quantifying The Carbon Stored And Sequestered By The Trees On Pomona College’S Campus, Paola A. Giron-Carson

Scripps Senior Theses

We are experiencing a climate crisis that must be confronted with strategic mitigation. Pomona College contributes to the climate crisis through its emissions for which there is a baseline record. However there is no baseline record of the climate mitigation currently performed by the trees on Pomona’s campus through carbon storage. This study seeks to determine a current baseline quantity of carbon stored and sequestrated by Pomona’s trees as well as possible courses of climate mitigation for Pomona College to take. Initial information gathering was conducted through interviews with several stakeholders. This study was conducted using data collected prior to …

Structural Analysis And Slip Kinematics Of The Keweenaw Fault System Between Bête Grise Bay And Gratiot Lake, Keweenaw County, Michigan, Daniel J. Lizzadro-Mcpherson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Keweenaw fault is perhaps the most significant geologic structure on the Keweenaw Peninsula, with an estimated 7-11 km of reverse slip juxtaposing volcanic strata of the ~1.1 Ga Portage Lake Volcanics above ~1.0 Ga Jacobsville Sandstone. The fault has been interpreted as a rift-bounding normal fault later inverted by compressional pulses of the Grenville Orogeny or, more recently, as part of a detached thrust fault system unrelated to an earlier normal fault. The fault is shown on published maps as a single continuous fault trace whose sinuosity implies multiple fault segments and complex slip dynamics. Mapping along Bête Grise …