DIGITAL MAPPING AND 3D VISUALIZATION IN A GEOLOGY SUMMER FIELD COURSE

Digital field techniques are fast becoming the standard in environmental, engineering and geoscience industries, in part due to the increased accessibility of ruggedized handheld computers equipped with GPS receivers. Handheld GIS-based units record and display data in real time, which increases the accuracy and utility of working field maps. Digital field data are easily downloaded to a standard PC, on which data can be fully displayed and interpreted, and professional geologic maps and multi-dimensional visualizations can be constructed. It is vital that students gain experience with these new techniques prior to entering the workforce and/or graduate school. The James Madison University Geology Field Course in Ireland introduces digital field mapping after providing a solid foundation in traditional paper-based bedrock and surficial mapping. In the digital phase of the course, students begin by learning the technical aspects and capabilities of the equipment and then design their GIS data files. Field data collection using ArcPad software includes lithologic information, structural orientations, and other relevant point and line data. Partnership with the National University of Ireland, Galway provides students with a state-of-the-art GIS laboratory in the Environmental Change Institute where they download their field data. Following an introduction to ArcGIS software, students use and interpret their digital data to prepare a professional-quality geologic map of their field area. An additional component of the exercise allows students to render their data within a 3D model. They can drape their GIS-based geologic maps over a rotatable digital elevation model of the field area superimposed with high-resolution orthophotos. Distinctive topographic features, such as lineations that might have resulted from faults or contacts, often can be matched to field data to better constrain map interpretations. This field- and laboratory-based mapping and visualization exercise familiarizes students with new tools that can aid in the interpretation of field geology and provides an example of how new digital technologies are revolutionizing traditional field methods. Initial assessment suggests strong student support for this approach to GIS-based integration of field data collection, map preparation and 3D visualization and interpretation.