GIS Applications: Tsunami Response

Hello and welcome again,
      This post is dedicated to this weeks particular application in GIS which continues last week theme of disaster response. This weeks focus area was on the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and tsunami in March 2011 which crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Radiation evacuation and danger zones based on tsunami run up are explored in the map below. The data for the project was provided by UWF and stems from many sources including USGS, UNITAR, geocommons.com, Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. This map is complied completely in ArcMAP. Some of the main objects being explored are below.

• Map the radiation evacuation zones surrounding the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant using the multiple ring buffer tool. 
• Analyze runup on Fukushima coast 10 km inland for three zones using conditional raster analysis.
• Intersect roads, nuclear power plants and cities with runup results to aid in evacuation decisions and plans.
• Determine the at-risk population locations within each of those zones by creating GIS queries and selection operations.
• Create a VB expression to label features by two fields from attribute data
• Utilize GIS tools and ModelBuilder to automate the process of tsunami hazard evacuation zone mapping.
• Summarize analysis results and related findings utilizing tables.

The center piece of this map is the radiation danger areas highlighted by the centrally placed multi-colored rings. These were one of the simpler aspects of the map to create. They were done by adding multiple buffer rings to the Fukushima Nuclear plant, cutting them to just the inland area and color coding them according to severity, seeing the most severe areas closer to the plant. the other significant features such as the closed cities were then identified and represented with the population impact by city. 
The side map, highlighting the inundation or runup danger areas on the right side features where tsunami runup washed inland and the effected elevations. This area's creation was much more involved. It revoled around several Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) which were analyzed up to 10 Km inland for hazard areas. The DEMs were  evaluated for elevation and proximity to the coast line in three zones as listed. These were then transformed from Raster features into polygon vector feature classes and then symbolized similarly to the Radiation evacuations zones. The key to this in depth process was that rather than use each tool three separate times, with multiple tools, the process was automated using ArcMAPS ModelBuilder. This is a visual programming tool allows you to build a model that executes many tools with many variables in visual sequence to automate several product layers creation near simultaneously saving much time. All in all another excellent example of how to use GIS in disaster situations. Thank you.

GIS Programming: Python Fundamentals Pt 1

Hello,
     This week we begin a look at the fundamentals of Python to gain an understanding of the programming language we will be using to interact with GIS throughout the rest of the course. This weeks lab included exercises in the basic execution of Python script, followed by the creation of a simplistic code to take my full name, divide it into individual parts, then display my last name, and calculate the length or number of letters in my last name and multiply them by three. The overall objectives being serviced by these activities can be seen below.

• Perform basic math functions with Python
• Use basic conditional statements
• Use the ArcGIS Python Window’s help features to write code
• Work with variables, strings and lists
• Work with functions and methods

Below you can see the results of this basic script. 

Only the output of the script has been provided to maintain academic integrity. For this script I utilized variables defined with strings and lists, and then manipulated them with functions, indexing, and multiplication after identifying specific portions or objects within the script. This was an overall enlightening exercise and amazing how with a few simple lessons you can start executing actual scripting, albeit relatively simple script. Thank you for your time.

GIS Applications: Lahars

Hello and welcome to my inaugural post in my GIS Applications course. This begins a look at how GIS can be used to plan for and react to natural environmental hazards. This week's topic of focus is Lahars. Lahars are volcanic debris flows consisting of ash, soil, water which can be either super heated or cool,  and travel through river ways and natural ravines from some volcanic eruptions. The study area for the lab was Mt Hood in Oregon. The objectives of this lab were to conduct a hydrology analysis to define river ways most likely to channel Lahar activity, and identify the local populations inhabiting the most likely areas to be affected. All base data was provided by UWF, and assembled in ArcMAP.

The map above depicts the Mt Hood region in Oregon and highlights block groups that at least partially intersect or fall within 1/2 mile of the river areas stemming from Mt Hood. These are colored yellow for lower population concentration to red where the highest population per block group occur. These river areas would channel lahar activity which could devastate the areas around the river as they carried tons of debris down from the mountain. ArcMAP hydrology and raster tool sets needed to be used to generate the river ways seen, by starting with a digital elevation model, and identifying where the natural water channels are, and overall flow directions. This determined where lahar activity would likely occur and allowed the population groups affected to be identified. In addition to highlight population by block group, the schools within 1/2 mile of the river ways are also highlighted and labeled. Thank you for viewing my map.
Check back for more posts as the course goes on.

Python and ArcGIS

     Welcome to the inaugural post for my GIS Programming class. This is the first week of the new semester and focused on an introduction to the program that we will be using throughout the rest of the semester. Python. Python scripting and programming will be the focus of the semester and learning how to utilize this language to make certain tasks within ArcGIS easier and faster. The main things introduced this week were Pythons default interactive window called IDLE, and the default interactive window we will use throughout the semester, PythonWin. PythonWin is an interface to allow you to write, check, and experiment with scripting in python. We also saw an intro into how ArcGIS has its own built in interactive python script editor. The key task this week was to take an existing script and run it for the desired result. In this case, I used the instructor provided script to create a folder hierarchy for every module in the course. You can see this below.

Above is a simple screen shot of the open PythonWin window and the results of the script having been run. You can see in the interactive window reads "Process Complete" which was done by design of the script.
This weeks process was very straight forward and called for three particular steps. First, look at the code to gain some experience seeing python scripting. Then run the code, which was done by hitting Ctrl + R while having the PythonWin window selected. Finally, examine the results to ensure the code worked as advertised.
This was a good intro into just seeing various interactive windows that I can work with Python in, and how some of them are already tailored to ArcGIS. This should be an excellent class on how Python can enhance ArcGIS work. Stay tuned as I continue to work with python, hopefully not feeling the squeeze to much as we get more in depth. Thank you. 

SAT Scores by State, A Cartography Final

Hello and welcome to the final post associated with my Cartography Skills class. The final assignment was to use a compilation of skills learned throughout the course. It essentially asked the question How would you build a map representing the average SAT score and participation rate for the entire country?  This question could have just as many answers as there are budding cartographers in this course. However I will show you below how I answered the question. The objectives for this exercise were to put all of the skills gained throughout this course semester into practice to build and polish a professional grade thematic map. Specific focus areas were to present both of the individual statistics on one map while balancing the basic elements of cartography: project and classify data for easy interpretation, organize and maximize map space, demonstrate effective visual hierarchy through figure ground relationships, label in accordance with typographical guidelines. Then do some summary explanation and interpretation of the deliverable map. Before we get to any of that lets have a look at the map.

Here as stated on the map we are comparing Average SAT score by state with the participation rate of the state. Unfortunately for me, I was almost entirely complete with a map and starting my final paper about it when I realized that I could better portray the data better, such as above. So I virtually re-accomplished the base map. So what did I do? I created a stretched symbology choropleth map as the base, showing a continuous sequential color change from the low composite score of 1200 to the high of 1838 in blue. Then I utilized a Equal-Interval classified graduated symbol in the form of a diploma for a little flair. Essentially, the larger the diploma the more graduate participants by state. I incorporated a drop shadow to he main elements and balanced the overall map gravity to the bottom with the peripheral information. I hope you enjoy the map.

Overall I have learned more than I thought possible about maps, and these seem to be the basics. Cartographic design, gestalt principles, Tufte-isms, all concepts I didnt have a good understanding or appreciation for before the course. I happily look at maps in a completely new light now. All the thematic maps you see on facebook on a daily basis, to mapping sites you visit weekly to get around. I have a much greater appreciation for it all thanks to this course. Thank be to the college and to Mrs Mitchell for this. 
Enjoy my continued posts for the other courses in this certificate program.