Day 20, June 22

Today was a day for data processing. I finally feel like I’m starting to get a product. Although I have been gathering information it’s just now beginning to come together in a visual way. I work best with visual media and seeing something on the screen other than random points and attribute tables is gratifying. After working with the data and trying to get a good visualization method I was having trouble really relaying it well. I then decided to turn to ArcScene, which is a program I had almost forgotten existed. Using the 30m DEM and the World View II 8 band imagery I was able to make a 3D terrain model however the resolution was so poor that the model was clearly distorted and inaccurate. One pro when it comes to all the time we’ve spent in the field is that we are able to immediately identify when something is incorrect, at least when it comes to obvious problems. I decided to delve into the World Wide Web in search of some better data. I am very grateful for all of the academic and governmental bodies that allow free use of the geographic data. Not that this means the data you need or want will be available or accurate, but much of it is. I was lucky enough to find a 10m DEM and tried it with infinitely better results. It gave relatively nice looking representation. I then added in my points including the Z values for proper placement. After some more tinkering we all gathered for a progress report of sorts. We all spoke of our projects, where we were, what we needed to do, concerns, and the like. It was both very helpful and interesting to hear what was going on with everyone else’s projects. The professors made some helpful suggestions and steered us in useful directions. It was Coles birthday today as well. After dinner we had a great nighttime swim and sat around the bonfire that took so much effort especially on Thomas’s part to light. I got to hang out Scott more than I had before which was fun. I am so glad that I have such awesome peers. It was a nice way to unwind and to look forward to tomorrow’s day off.