Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technology
for Visualization and Analysis
of Environmental Data
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"Concern for man himself and his fate must always
form the chief interest of all technical endeavor. Never forget this
in the midst of your diagrams and equations."
Albert Einstein
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Video Resources
Environmental
data are available in a great variety of formats. They include topography,
bathymetry, satellite images of the Earth, contaminant levels in surface
and subsurface waters, and so forth. Scientists and engineers are routinely
called upon to analyze multiple sets of spatially distributed data. This
task can be made much easier by using the visualization and computational
tools provided by the Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS is a set
of software modules that allows collection, storage, manipulation and
visual display of any kind of geographically referenced spatial data.
This course will introduce students to the general concepts of data entry,
visualization and analysis, using the ARCVIEW and ARCINFO GIS software.
Most of the course will examine the principles and application of GIS
to specific examples and case studies in the area of the Earth and environmental
sciences and engineering. This subject of multi-disciplinary interest
will be taught by an expert in GIS Dr. Yuri
Gorokhovich (also, Head of the GIS Unit for the New
York City Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water
Quality Control). A team of scientists associated with
Columbia's Earth Engineering Center will present specific environmental
applications of GIS technology. The facilities of the Gateway computer
laboratory of the
Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) will
be used.
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