2011

Assignment # 1
Applications of GIS

Shereen Iram
Roll #
10/25/2011

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Tracking Bangalore Buses on Google Maps

Bangalore Live Bus Tracking

This site is tracking buses of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation live on a Google Map. The buses all carry GPS units so
the map is able to update locations once a minute.
It is possible to track all BMTC buses at once or select an individual bus to track. If you click on a bus map marker you can get the
route information and speed of the bus. There is also a mobile phone version of this map, so it is possible to work how long you will
have to wait for a bus when you are out and about in Bangalore.
This map comes from the same developer as the Indian Train Tracker.

Google Latitude Added to Orkut

Google Latitude Orkut Application

Google have created a Google Latitude application for the social networking site orkut. The Google Latitude application lets orkut
members share their location and see their friends' locations on a Google Map inside of orkut.
If members use Google Latitude from a mobile phone, they can even send updates about their location to their friends on orkut
while they are out and about.

Application of Geostatistical Methods

in 3-D Modeling of Coal Resources,
The creation of accurate three-dimensional models of coal beds with
an associated, calculated error was a high priority of this project. To create
reliable coal surfaces, we used Surfer 8, a contouring and surface mapping
program, which allows for variogram modeling and application of kriging
theory to the elevation data collected (Figure 6).
Kriging is a geostatistical gridding method for constructing a
minimum-error-variance linear estimate at a location where the true value is
unknown. This method produces accurate maps from irregularly spaced data,
such as coal bed elevation points derived from underground mines. Kriging
attempts to express trends suggested in the data, so that, for example, high
points might be connected along a ridge rather than isolated by bull's-eye type
contours. Kriging is a very flexible gridding method that can be custom-fit to
any data set by specifying the appropriate variogram model. It incorporates
anisotropy and underlying trends in an efficient and natural manner.
When computing the interpolation weights, the kriging algorithm
considers the inherent length scale of the data. For example, the topography
in the Virginia Coastal Plain varies much more slowly in space than does the
topography in southwestern Virginia. Consider two observed elevations
separated by 5 miles. In the Coastal Plain, it would be reasonable to assume a
linear variation between these two observations, while in southwestern
Virginia such an assumed linear variation would be unrealistic. The
algorithm adjusts the interpolation weights accordingly.
Natural phenomena often exhibit preferred orientations. For example,
coal beds in southwestern Virginia are rarely horizontal, but instead have a
slight dip. Therefore, when interpolating at a point, an observation 100
meters away but in a direction parallel to the strike of the bed is more likely to
be similar to the value at the interpolation point than is an equidistant
observation in a direction perpendicular to the strike of the bed. When
computing the interpolation weights, the algorithm incorporates this natural
anisotrop
Recent compilations of coal mine maps, core hole logs, and geologic
maps of the Southwest Virginia Coalfield have enabled the creation of a
new three-dimensional model of the coal-bearing section in Buchanan
County, Virginia. This model is composed of 12 layers, each representing a
mined coal bed with its respective thickness and elevation data and mined
out areas. Over 1,500 georeferenced coal mine maps and geologic maps of
the area have yielded close to 150,000 elevation and thickness data points
that were used in the generation of coal bed surfaces. The coal bed

surfaces for this model were generated using geostatistical methods

enabling error and confidence levels to be established for any location. The
high level of detail and spatial accuracy in this model exceeds previous
attempts to generate a regional integration of coalfield data and permit a
better understanding of the local stratigraphy. Application of this model
will not only improve estimates of the remaining coal resources, but will
have the added benefit of enhancing mine safety.
Conclusion

The Buchanan County coal modeling process shows how coal mine
maps and geologic maps can be used to better understand how the structure
and thickness of a coal bed varies on a small scale. Applying this
information across areas that have been mined out will increase the
accuracy of the model as it predicts the structure and thickness of a coal
bed across remaining unmined areas. This model can therefore enable
better estimates of remaining coal resources.