Peer Reviewed Articles
977 An Integration of Remote Sensing, GIS, and Information Distribution
for Wildfire Detection and Management
Vincent G. Ambrosia, Sally W. Buechel, James A. Brass,James R. Peterson,
Richard H. Davies, Ronald J. Kane,and Steve Spain
Abstract
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Article
A disaster mitigation feasibility study, entitled "WILDFIRE," was
initiated in 1997. Project WILDFIRE demonstrated the feasibility
of integrating civil and commercial communications and information
technology to provide operational resources to firefighters
attacking wildland fires. The demonstration of various
technologies occurred during an actual "controlled" burn in a
wildland environment in northern California. Real-time data
transfer of thermal line scanner data from an airborne platform
via a cellular data phone transmission was accomplished,
and near-real-time map integration and development
was demonstrated using portable uplink/downlink systems to "move" data and asset information (such as vehicle and personnel
locations) to a fire camp and a disaster control center.
Vehicle tracking was accomplished with the Global Positioning
System (GPS) and radio communications to track both fire
equipment and field personnel in real time. We focus on the
utility and melding of these "off-the-shelf ' and emerging technologies
in the context of disaster mitigation and response.
987 GIS and Image Understanding for Near-Real-Time Earthquake Damage
Assessment
Paolo Gamba and Fabio Casciati
Abstract
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Article
This paper evolved from the results of RADATT (RApid Damage
Assessment Telematic Tool), a project funded by the
European Commission, whose goal was to sensibly reduce
the effects of a devastating seismic event by providing the
responsible agencies rapid and reliable damage detection
and estimation of the extent and location of the suffered
area.
This result was accomplished by the integration, within a single user interface environment, of data access and standardization techniques, image processing tools, and GIS technology. A two-phase operating model has been conceived. In the pre-event era, images and data about buildings and infrastructures are collected and analyzed exploiting GIS capabilities. Immediately after the occurrence of the earthquake, the system must be ready to receive near-real-time imagery of the affected area to be compared with the pre-event data set.
In this paper the capability of this quick change-detection analysis, given the availability of the pre-event information in the GIS environment, is discussed.
995 Identification of Potential Hazardous Waste Units Using Aerial
Radiological Measurements
Patrick J. Bresnahan
Abstract
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Article
Remote sensing of radioIogica1 phenomena provides valuable
support for a variety of environmental applications. Aerial
gamma ray spectrometer (AGRS) survey data and the tools of
geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to identify
radiological hazards in support of risk assessments for contaminated
areas. This paper describes an application of
AGRS survey data and highlights technology development,
previous uses, contemporary applications, and operational
characteristics of AGRS technology.
The described application of aerial radiological measurements
was employed to delineate geographical boundaries
for potential waste units within stream corridors. The
project objectives included importing AGRS data into a spatial
model and the creation of user-defined contoured boundaries.
Potential radiological hazard boundaries were derived
using processed exposure rate counts from an aircraft platform
as the third dimension in the data model. A procedure
was developed using GIS software to produce TIN (triangulated irregular network) structures from ASCII text files of processed
AGRS sample data. Contours of exposure rate counts
and dose values were interpolated from the TIN structures to
provide preliminary boundaries based on individual isotopes.
It is intended that these boundaries be used as a reference
for field survey and preliminary site characterization.
1003 A Systems Approach to Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Mapping
for Oil Spill Contingency Planning and Response
John R. Jensen, Joanne N. Halls, and Jacqueline Michel
Abstract
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Article
Oil spills can devastate ecosystems and severely impact water
quality. The Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) was developed
to reduce the environmental consequences of a spill
and help prioritize the placement and allocation of resources
during cleanup efforts. The successful use of analog and digital
geographic information system versions of the ESI concept
during the past ten years has led to improvements and
refinements, including (1) the development of tidal inlet protection
strategy maps produced before a spill that specify the
type of response (e.g., boom, skimmer) and where and how
to place it, (2) new large format seasonal summary maps, (3)
geographic expansion of the ESI concept inland to classify
the sensitivity of rivers using a river Reach Sensitivity Index
(RSI), (4) regional watershed analysis to identify hazards and
potential spill consequences, and (5) the identification of unusually
sensitive areas to environmental damage if there is a
hazardous liquid pipeline accident,
1015 Application of C-CAP Protocol Land-Cover Data to Nonpoint
Source Water Pollution Potential Spatial Models in a Coastal Environment
Floyd M. Henderson, Thomas F. Hart, Jr., Laura Orlando, Brian Heaton, James
Portolese, and Robert Chasan
Abstract
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Article
Nonpoint source water pollution is a gradual and often subtle
hazard, especially to water quality. Custom-derived satellite
imagery-based land-cover data have proven useful in the
creation of nonpoint source water pollution potential models
but are expensive and time consuming to create. This study
examines the potential of an existing satellite-based (TM)
land-cover data set (Coastal Change Analysis Program) in a
rapidly developing coastal area. A comparison is made of
generalized and detailed hydrologic soil groups in compiling
permeability values. Two distance-to-water variables are also
tested in the spatial model. Results indicate that C-CAP data
can provide a useful land-cover database for such work.
Both soil groupings may have utility, but weighted distance
measures provide a more accurate representation of nonpoint
source water pollution potential sources and spatial
distribution.
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