Environmental Systems Research Institute , Inc. Research Articles

Impact of cross-border transportation corridors on changes of land use and landscape pattern: A case study of the China-Laos railway

Regional integration initiatives have triggered impacts on land use changes (LUC) and landscape patterns through geo-economic cooperation like cross-border infrastructure, which are often presented, but comprehensive studies on the extent and degree remains insufficient. The China-Laos Railway (CLR), a cross-border transportation corridor connecting Kunming in China with the Laotian capital, Vientiane, which was launched in December 2016 and operation started in December 2021, has recently witnessed rapid and notable changes in landscape and land use. This case study provides a distinctive opportunity to evaluate the relative significance of political and socioeconomic factors on LUC and landscape patterns. In this study, we integrate 10-m land-use data products (2017–2022) provided by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI) with geospatial analysis to quantify and compare the impacts of cross-border transportation corridors on LUC within a 10 km buffer area along the CLR. The results showed that since 2017, about 3 % deforestation caused by the expansion of cropland (8 %) and construction land (38 %) along the CLR. The comprehensive dynamic degree along the CLR displays two peaks, appearing within the 2–4 km and 8–10 km buffer zones. Interestingly, the fragmentation of land patches within the buffer zone decreases as the distance from the CLR increases. Moreover, the construction of the CLR has a greater impact on the Laotian side, while its completion and operation triggered more significant changes on the Chinese side. The study quantitatively assesses the extent, type, and intensity of the impacts of cross-border transportation corridors on LUC and landscape patterns.

Geospatial analysis of patients' social determinants of health for health systems science and disparity research.

Geospatial analysis of patients' social determinants of health for health systems science and disparity research.

The Effects of Lifestyle on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States: An Analysis of Market Segmentation.

The aim of this study is to correlate lifestyle characteristics to COVID-19 vaccination rates at the U.S. County level and provide where and when COVID-19 vaccination impacted different households. We grouped counties by their dominant LifeMode, and the mean vaccination rates per LifeMode are calculated. A 95% confidence interval for both the mean and median vaccination rate for each LifeMode is generated. The limits of this interval were compared to the nationwide statistics to determine whether each LifeMode’s vaccine uptake differs significantly from the nationwide average. We used Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI) Tapestry LifeModes data that are collected at the U.S. household level through geodemographic segmentation typically used for marketing purposes. High risk Lifestyle segments and their locations are clearly the areas in the U.S. where the public might benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine. We then used logistic regression analysis to predict vaccination rates using ESRI’s tapestry segmentation and other demographic variables. Our findings demonstrate that vaccine uptake appears to be highest in the urban corridors of the Northeast and the West Coast and in the retirement communities of Arizona and Florida and lowest in the rural areas of the Great Plains and Southeast. Looking closely at other parts of the West such as the Dakotas and Montana, counties that contain Native American reservations have higher vaccination rates. Racial/ethnic minorities also adopt the vaccine at higher rates. The most effective predictor of vaccination hesitancy was Republican voting habits, with Republican counties less likely to take the vaccine. The other predictors in order of importance were college education, minority race/ethnicity, median income, and median age. Our approach correlating lifestyle characteristics to COVID-19 vaccination rate at the U.S. County level provided unique insights into where and when COVID-19 vaccination impacted different households. The results suggest that prevention and control policies can be implemented to those specific households.

GeoWeb Crawler: An Extensible and Scalable Web Crawling Framework for Discovering Geospatial Web Resources

With the advance of the World-Wide Web (WWW) technology, people can easily share content on the Web, including geospatial data and web services. Thus, the “big geospatial data management” issues start attracting attention. Among the big geospatial data issues, this research focuses on discovering distributed geospatial resources. As resources are scattered on the WWW, users cannot find resources of their interests efficiently. While the WWW has Web search engines addressing web resource discovery issues, we envision that the geospatial Web (i.e., GeoWeb) also requires GeoWeb search engines. To realize a GeoWeb search engine, one of the first steps is to proactively discover GeoWeb resources on the WWW. Hence, in this study, we propose the GeoWeb Crawler, an extensible Web crawling framework that can find various types of GeoWeb resources, such as Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web services, Keyhole Markup Language (KML) and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI) Shapefiles. In addition, we apply the distributed computing concept to promote the performance of the GeoWeb Crawler. The result shows that for 10 targeted resources types, the GeoWeb Crawler discovered 7351 geospatial services and 194,003 datasets. As a result, the proposed GeoWeb Crawler framework is proven to be extensible and scalable to provide a comprehensive index of GeoWeb.

Geostatistical characterization of the soil of Aguascalientes, México, by using spatial estimation techniques.

Four spatial estimation techniques available in commercial computational packages are evaluated and compared, namely: regularized splines interpolation, tension splines interpolation, inverse distance weighted interpolation, and ordinary Kriging estimation, in order to establish the best representation for the shallow stratigraphic configuration in the city of Aguascalientes, in Central Mexico. Data from 478 sample points along with the software ArcGIS (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), ArcGIS, ver. 9.3, Redlands, California 2008) to calculate the spatial estimates. Each technique was evaluated based on the root mean square error, calculated from a validation between the generated estimates and measured data from 64 sample points which were not used in the spatial estimation process. The present study shows that, for the estimation of the hard-soil layer, ordinary Kriging offered the best performance among the evaluated techniques.

Prototipe Sistem Informasi Geografis Fasilitas Kesehatan di Kota Cirebon Berbasis Web

In the development of health need the data and information system that is integrated with both the development process so that health facilities can be optimized and the right target. One information system that can be used in the development of health facilities in the city of Cirebon is a geographic information system (GIS). And one of the software to build applications GIS is an Arcview and AlovMap. ArcView software is one of the software (tools) GIS and mapping was developed by ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc). ArcView has the ability to do data visualization, data exploration, the query (both spatial and non-database spatial), analyze the data geographically, and so forth. And AlovMap (including open source software) is a portable application WebGIS Java-based publication that is used to Raster and vector data on the Internet. Excess geographic information system facilities in the city of Cirebon AlovMap use is open source and are cheaper and have the ability to support the visualization of information in decision making. This system can produce a map of the output of these pharmacies, laboratories and hospitals. Utilization of GIS for health facilities that was built is extraordinary in integrating between science, technology and health. Keywords— Arcview, Alowmap, Geographic information system, Health of facilities, Overlay, Shortest path.

Implications and saturation for the administration of higher education site licenses

The purpose of this poster is to describe the administration of the educational license for Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), the largest geographic information systems (GIS) software company in higher education. ESRI's GIS higher education site license allows for unlimited use for teaching, research and administrative purposes throughout an entire university, school district, or state. Administration of unlimited users varies at each institution depending on the information agency responsible for local distribution of the desktop and cloud versions of software. The poster presents survey findings of the higher education site license administrators and outlines the factors associated with distribution, including type of software distribution, frequency of distribution, and the information agency charged with distribution on each campus, as well as the number of devices/downloads of service credits. In a world with ubiquitous location-based services via the Geoweb and location a key factor in many decisions, GIS software should be a standard part of any office software suite training for today's knowledge workers. The educational implications for faculty and students without GIS access are costly. The poster concludes and invites further discussion on why GIS, this earth processing system, is not as common in higher education computer labs as other common software suites.

A comparison of surface interpolation methods for development of noise map using Geographic Information System

Noise map has become an important tool for the assessment and reduction of noise in cities, and can be manufactured by using ArcView GIS which is a PC-based Geographic Information System (GIS) software by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI). The interpolate surface function of the ArcView GIS creates an output grid wherein each cell contains an interpolated noise value based on known noise values. In this study, several algorithms for surface interpolation, such as spline, inverse distance weighted, Kriging methods, are employed to compared the accuracy of noise levels in the downtown of a city.

Computer-based data acquisition and visualization systems in field geology: Results from 12 years of experimentation and future potential

Paper-based geologic mapping is now archaic, and it is essential that geologists transition out of paper-based fi eld work and embrace new fi eld geographic information system (GIS) technology. Based on ~12 yr of experience with using handheld computers and a variety of fi eld GIS software, we have developed a working model for using fi eld GIS systems. Currently this system uses software products from ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.) (ArcGIS and ArcPad), but the data model could be applied to any GIS system. This fi eld data model is aimed at simultaneously increasing the effi ciency of fi work while adding the attributing capability of GIS to develop fi eld data products that are more data rich than any paper map could ever achieve. We emphasize three basic rules in the development of this data structure. (1) A fi eld GIS map should emphasize line and point objects, avoiding polygons, objects that can easily be constructed outside of the fi eld environment. (2) Keep it simple stupid (KISS) is a critical rule for setting up data structures to avoid fi eld GIS systems that are less effi cient than paper. (3) Data structures need to develop a compromise between display and data entry, with display always trumping data entry because geologic insight is the primary goal. This paper contains two sample blank databases that illustrate these approaches for two applications: (1) generic bedrock geologic mapping, and (2) metamorphic geology mapping multiple generations of fabrics. Key features in our approach are to use display as a fi rst-order attribute, sorting point objects into four basic types (station, orientation, sample, photo) and lines into the four basic contact types (depositional contact, unconformity, intrusive contact, fault), plus other specialized data layers where needed. Individual GIS objects are further attributed, but attributing is limited to critical information with all objects carrying a special “note” fi eld for input of nonstandard information. We suggest that when fi eld GIS systems become the norm, fi eld geology should enjoy a revolution both in the attitude of the fi eld geologist toward his or her data and the ability to address problems using the fi eld information. However, fi eld geologists will need to adjust to the changing technology, and many longestablished fi eld paradigms should be reevaluated. One example is the rule that all linework on geologic maps needs to be perfected in the fi eld setting. Our experience suggests that with modern high-resolution imagery (aerial photography and topographic shaded reliefs) and digital elevation models, fi eld work should evolve into an iterative process where map linework is roughed out in the fi eld, refi ned during evening fi eld sessions, then potentially revisited if problems arise. This procedure is particularly effi cient when three-dimensional visualization is added to the system, a feature that will soon become the norm rather than the exception. We note that using these systems is particularly important for future developments in metamorphic geology, sedimentary geology, and astrogeology, but other applications are clearly also possible. For geoscience instructors who teach fi eld geology classes, we note that it is critical that these systems be incorporated into all geoscience fi eld programs, but research is needed on the best teaching approaches in the use of the technology.

The Use of Geographic Information Systems as a Forensic Tool to Investigate Sources of Marine Mammal Entanglement in Fisheries*

Commercial fisheries represent a significant anthropogenic threat to marine mammal survival. Causes of marine mammal mortality are commonly determined by detailed necropsies of stranded carcasses. Gross evidence of entanglement in a fishery might include gear attached to the body, internal indications of asphyxiation and trauma, or gear markings on the epidermis. As gear is often fishery-specific, wound patterns on the epidermis that are created by entanglements in fishing gear may serve to identify possible sources of mortality. For this study, tools within the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) ArcMap GIS software were used to create maps that outline impressions that fishing gear can leave on the epidermis of entangled marine mammals. These maps can subsequently be used to identify possible sources of fishery entanglement for the many marine mammals that wash ashore without gear attached to their carcass. Entanglement wound patterns can be visually compared with fishing gear characteristics; however, differences in scale and image quality can introduce subjectivity that might hinder source identification. The technique described herein provides an objective way to outline the unique characteristics of fishing gear and their associated wounds on entangled marine mammals. Additionally, spatial relationships are preserved as the maps are adjusted to varying scales. Whereas the initial protocol required time-consuming digitization of the outline and visual determination of the pattern interface, this new, semiautomated technique saves analyst effort and minimizes error.

Integração de modelos de localização a sistemas de informações geográficas

O problema de p-medianas consiste em decidir onde localizar p centros em uma rede composta por vértices e arestas, de forma a minimizar a soma de todas as distâncias de cada vértice ao centro mais próximo. Em alguns casos, quando uma demanda estiver associada a cada vértice, pode haver restrições na capacidade de atendimento dos centros (problema de pmedianas com restrições de capacidade). Modelos de localização de facilidades têm sido propostos como ferramentas de auxílio à decisão, principalmente quando é possível usar Sistemas de Informações Geográficas (SIGs) na coleta e análise dos dados dos problemas. Apresentamos neste trabalho um relato da integração de modelos de p-medianas aos SIGs ArcView, da ESRI, e SPRING, um sistema desenvolvido no INPE. O código que foi integrado a estes SIGs implementa uma abordagem recente da heurística Lagrangiana/ surrogate, onde a viabilização da solução dual é feita através de uma heurística de localização-alocação alternada. O trabalho apresenta alguns testes computacionais usando dados do município de São José dos Campos, com tamanhos variando até o máximo de 3280 vértices e 1141 centros, para o caso sem restrições de capacidade.