USING INTERNET MAP SERVER TECHNOLOGY TO ASSIST WITH THE SITING, PERMITTING, AND BUILDING OF THE PLATE BOUNDARY OBSERVATORY GPS NETWORK

Given the large geographic area that the Plate Boundary Observatory(PBO)component of EarthScope covers, from Alaska to California, the number of stations, and the wide geographic distribution of PBO staff, a method to help PBO staff locate potential sites for instrument installation was required. The frontline reconnaissance tool for PBO is an Internet Map Server (IMS), available using any web browser application, that provides LANDSAT satellite imagery at a resolution of 28.5m, political boundary maps, road maps, cell phone coverage maps, historical earthquake information, Federal land ownership information, and in some areas 1m resolution aerial photography. PBO site locations, proposed sites from the public and PBO staff, permitted sites, and installed sites are also visible in the IMS. Attributes about the sites can be queried and displayed using the IMS tools. Additional reconnaissance tools include GIS maps that include more detailed, site specific data. Custom GIS analysis for viewshed, incoming solar radiation, and telecommunications coverage can also be performed. Office reconnaissance and siting analysis should eliminate wasted time in the field and result in cost savings over the length of the five year build out phase of PBO. UNAVCO/PBO also provides an online siting form that the scientific community and public can use to suggest potential PBO site locations. It is anticipated that once the Plate Boundary Observatory is completed in 2008, that the IMS will still function as a metadata retrival system and data visualization tool.