ADVANCED GPS INSTRUMENTATION IN AN UNDERGRADUATE COURSE IN GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY

Integration of geospatial technology in our curricula has provided undergraduate students with advanced instrumentation experiences that complement standard instrumentation for the analysis of environmental media (rock, soil, water, air, biota). The foundation of geospatial technology consists of two courses: Environmental Mapping I: The Global Positioning System and Environmental Mapping II: Geographic Information Systems. Students typically take one or both of these courses during their sophomore or junior year and then apply learned instrumentation skills in other required or elective courses. The GPS course offers a comprehensive treatment of fundamental concepts combined with rigorous laboratory exercises that train students on the use and limitations of entry, intermediate and advanced level GPS receivers. Data analysis is performed within the various levels of GPS solutions. In addition to standard mapping applications using signal code, our students use multi-component GPS receivers and carrier phase signal processing to make high-precision, survey grade coordinate calculations. For example, students occupy an OPUS-derived reference point on campus and compare accuracies of calculated coordinates using uncorrected code, real-time corrected code, differentially corrected code, and single frequency carrier phase processing (recently acquired GPS receivers will enable dual frequency processing). An annual GPS ground deformation survey at Yellowstone National Park allows selected students to build on their carrier phase training and apply it to volcanic system monitoring. A final mapping project in the course requires students to define a study site and combine their advanced GPS skills with GIS and present their results in poster format.