1.2 Who Uses Geospatial Technology?

Geospatial technology is used in a wide variety of fields (Figure 1.1), including federal, state, and local government, forestry, law enforcement, public health, biology, and environmental studies (see Hands-on Application 1.1: Industries Using Geospatial Technology for a look at industries employing people in these fields). As long as the job field involves the utilization of some sort of information or data that has a location associated with it, chances are that some sort of geospatial technology is being used. Geospatial technology has been heralded by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the main emerging and evolving job fields in the United States, with enormous growth potential. For instance, the Department of Labor’s O*NET utility contains job descriptions in fields such as “Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists,” “Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists,” and “Precision Agriculture Technicians” (see Hands-on Application 1.2: Jobs in the Geospatial Field for more information about types of jobs).

FIGURE 1.1 Examples of geospatial technology in action on the job.(Source: Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry)

The following are just a handful of examples of fields that utilize geospatial technology.

Archeology

The ability to pinpoint the location of artifacts uncovered on a dig, construct a map of the area, and then search for patterns on the site are all archeological functions that can be rendered quickly and efficiently with geospatial technology (Figure 1.2). Archeologists can utilize historical maps, current aerial photography or satellite imagery, and location information obtained on the site throughout the course of their work.

FIGURE 1.2 Using GIS for archeological mapping of Clay Tobacco Pipestems in Virginia.(Source: Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry)

City Planning

Utilities, wastewater, green space, traffic, roads, zoning, and housing are all matters of concern to urban planners. Geospatial technology provides a means of working with all of these entities together for planning purposes. Strategies for smart urban growth and the management and updating of city resources can be examined through a variety of different applications.

Environmental Monitoring

Processes that affect Earth’s environment in many different ways can be tracked and assessed using geospatial technology. Information about land-use change, pollution, air quality, water quality, and global temperature levels is vital to environmental research, ranging from the monitoring of harmful algae blooms to studies in climate change (see Figure 1.3).

FIGURE 1.3 Global carbon monoxide concentrations as monitored by NASA remote sensing satellites.(Source: Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry)

Forestry

All manner of forest monitoring, management, and protection can be aided through the use of geospatial technology. Modeling animal habitats and the pressures placed upon them, examining the spatial dimensions of forest fragmentation, and managing fires are among the many different ways that geospatial technology is utilized within the field of forestry (Figure 1.4).

FIGURE 1.4 Geospatial technology used for assessing the risk of wildfires in Virginia.(Source: Courtesy Virginia Department of Forestry)

Homeland Security

Geospatial technology is a key component in examining vulnerable areas with regard to homeland security. Risk assessment of everything from evacuation plans to smoke-plume modeling can be examined using geospatial technology. Disaster mitigation and recovery efforts can be greatly enhanced through the use of current satellite imagery and location-based capabilities.

Law Enforcement

The locations of various types of crimes can be plotted using GIS. Law enforcement officials can use this information to analyze patterns (Figure 1.5) and to determine potential new crime areas. Geospatial technology can be used in several other ways beyond mapping and analysis; for instance, police departments can gather high-resolution aerial photography of locations of patrols to provide further information about potentially dangerous areas.

FIGURE 1.5 A GIS map showing crime locations in Minneapolis.(Source: Minneapolis Police Crime Analysis Unit)

Health and Human Services

Geospatial technology is used in a variety of health-related services. For example, monitoring of diseases, tracking sources of diseases, and mapping health-related issues (such as the spread of H1N1 or other influenza; see Figure 1.6) are all tasks that can be completed using geospatial technology applications.

FIGURE 1.6 A CDC map examining the spatial distribution of influenza activity.(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Military and Intelligence

Geospatial technology plays a key role in today’s military, defense, and intelligence worlds. Satellite imagery and aerial photography have long been used for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, practices that continue today with an increased use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and high-resolution satellite sensors. The field of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) encompasses all types of remotely sensed imagery, GIS, and GPS data for information gathering and analysis related to national security and defense applications.

Real Estate

Through geospatial technology, realtors and appraisers (as well as home buyers and sellers) can create and examine maps of neighborhoods and quickly compare housing prices and values of nearby or similar properties. Other features of a property can be examined by viewing high-resolution aerial images, showing the topography, the terrain, and even if it’s located on a floodplain. You can also examine where a property is located in relation to schools, highways, wastewater treatment plants, and other urban features.

All of these areas and many, many more are reliant on the capabilities of geospatial technology. No matter the field, what distinguishes geospatial technology from other types of computer systems or technologies is that it explicitly handles geospatial data.