Marshall Kirchner's UWF GIS Blog

For this laboratory assignment, I was tasked with determining the horizontal and vertical precision and accuracy of waypoints to a reference point. I used the batch version of the Project tool to place the given waypoints on the same projection and coordinate field. I then created a multi-ring buffer that was useful in separating the percentiles used for analysis. The analyses were conducted by looking at both the data and running a variety of statistic tools on the data. Horizontal Precision Analysis through Waypoint Buffers Horizontal accuracy consists of how close a point is to the "correct" or reference value. In this scenario, it was determined by measuring the distance between the reference point and the average waypoint. Horizontal precision, on the other hand, is based on how close values are to each other. In this instance, this was determined by looking at how many points lie within the different buffers. The main difference between these two measures, is accuracy l...

Link to Storymap:  https://arcg.is/1bfbDH This final module of the course was an excellent, all-encompassing project in which we were able to expand upon the analyses made in the previous module and map the damage from the storm itself. Many steps were conducted to come to helpful, useful conclusions that could be used for disaster response teams in the wake of natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. I personally believe that mapping structural damage could be extremely useful in future instances of hurricanes, as this application allows one to collect data and draw conclusions without having to be in the field. While there were certainly limitations (that will be discussed later in this post), overall, I enjoyed this analysis greatly and would enjoy doing similar work in my future career path. First, I wanted to assess the data provided in the lab and how it may be used to map the storm. The data in the SandyTrack table was recorded between 3:00 PM on 10/22/2012 to 3:00 AM on 1...

This week's laboratory assignment highlighted how to conduct coastal flooding analyses and map buildings affected by such disasters. The coastal flood analysis was conducted on two separate areas, one in Eastern New Jersey and one in Southwestern Florida. These areas are both prone to tropical storms and hurricanes and have experienced catastrophic hurricanes in the past. Thus, it is crucial to understand historical trends to better protect individuals and infrastructure from future weather related events. Whilst there are a multitude of layers, calculations, and steps that go into such coastal flooding analyses, they are critical in understanding natural disasters and their effects on communities. I will now go into more detail on how I conducted my analyses, what steps I took to attain my data, and what the maps and data mean for these communities and disaster management. Imagery Layer Created Change Layer I began my New Jersey analysis by creating a change layer from the pre and...