Acquisition of a High Accuracy/Resolution Landscape and Structure Characterization System (HARLS-CS) for Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, Biology and Geosciences

University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR

Investigators

Abstract

Investigations of a wide range of natural and human processes require data from varying scales - from global to site or plot. In the past, acquisition of data at the site/plot/field/structure level of investigation involved manual measurements, traditional survey, or other time consuming approaches. The High Accuracy/Resolution Landscape and Structure Characterization System (HARLS-CS) is an integrated suite of instruments designed to rapidly and accurately characterize the topographic and spectral properties of the surfaces of relatively small areas (e.g. 100s of square meters to 10s of hectares) and structures (such as building facades) at very high resolution (25 mm - 0.5 m). The system will provide coordinated three dimensional, multispectral and metric photographic-based measurements necessary for a wide range of mensuration, classification, and quantitative characterization analyses. The intellectual merit of the system derives from dramatic expansion of existing research activities in a number of disciplines and multidisciplinary areas. It will serve as a shared resource in the fields of anthropology, archeology, architecture, biology, biological and agricultural engineering, community planning/policy, entomology, geography, geology, photogrammetric mapping and terrain characterization, and water resource management. It will be managed by an experienced group of researchers growing their already substantial collaborative research capabilities. This approach will expand multi-disciplinary cross-pollination and exposure of faculty and students. The system will integrate seamlessly and expand a well-developed set of existing research programs and institutional structures that will insure its effective use. The system has broad impact for both education and socioeconomic capacity building. The HARLS-CS will play a significant role in expanding research training. It will provide both undergraduate and graduate students access to previously inaccessible high resolution data for their thesis research and will be used in "real world" applications in both advanced undergraduate and graduate classes. These offerings will help students develop valuable methodological expertise. By taking advantage of the existing, extensive hardware, software and course infrastructure already in place, the HARLS-CS will expand the integration of education and research. The equipment and data acquired by the instruments will play a key role in solutions to a variety of socially important problems. For example, measurements from the system will be used for visualizations of alternative development scenarios for communities around the state, providing a publicly accessible way to understand alternative future strategies. Data from the system will allow creation of detailed 3D urban maps to be used in support of aerosol dispersion analyses relating to both pollution studies and homeland security planning. The detailed data provided by the system will support reptile micro-habitat analyses. This is only a partial list. Data from the systems will be used in the ongoing EAST Project where various high-technology approaches are integrated into high school curricula in 152 schools in the state, particularly in underserved rural areas. Particular efforts will be placed in the recruitment of underrepresented groups into the student population exposed to these new opportunities. Regular "short course" offerings will be also used to insure that there is a substantial population of technically trained users.