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Geology topics

Robin G. Fegeas

Publications and source records attributed to Robin G. Fegeas.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Profile development for the Spatial Data Transfer Standard

The Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS), or Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 173, is designed to support all types of spatial data. Implementing all of the standard's options at one time is impractical. Therefore, implementation of the SDTS is being accomplished through the use of profiles. Profiles are clearly defined, limited subsets of the SDTS created for use with a specific type or model of data and designed with as few options as possible. When a profile is proposed, specific choices are made for encoding possibilities that were not addressed, left optional, or left with numerous choices within the SDTS. Profile development is coordinated by the U.S. Geological SUIVey's SDTS Task Force. When completed, profiles are submitted to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for approval as official amendments to the SDTS. The first profile, the Topological Vector Profile (TVP), has been completed. A Raster Profile has been tested and is being finalized for submission to the NIST. Other vector profiles, such as those for network and nontopological data, are also being considered as future implementation options for the SDTS.

Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

Land use and land cover digital data

The discipline of cartography is undergoing a number of profound changesthat center on the emerging influence ofdigital manipulation and analysis ofdata for the preparation of cartographic materials and for use in geographic information systems. Operational requirements have led to the development by the USGS National Mapping Division of several documents that establish in-house digital cartographic standards. In an effort to fulfill lead agency requirements for promulgation of Federal standards in the earth sciences, the documents have been edited and assembled with explanatory text into a USGS Circular. This Circular describes some of the pertinent issues relative to digital cartographic data standards, documents the digital cartographic data standards currently in use within the USGS, and details the efforts of the USGS related to the definition of national digital cartographic data standards. It consists of several chapters; the first is a general overview, and each succeeding chapter is made up from documents that establish in-house standards for one of the various types of digital cartographic data currently produced. This chapter 895-E, describes the Geographic Information Retrieval and Analysis System that is used in conjunction with the USGS land use and land cover classification system to encode, edit, manipuate, and analyze land use and land cover digital data.

Open-File Report

Geographic information system development in the CARETS project

Experience in the development of a geographic information system to support the CARETS project has confirmed the considerable advantages that may accrue by paralleling the system development with a rational and balanced system production effort which permits the integration of the education and training of users with interim deliverable products to them. Those advantages include support for a long-term staff plan that recognizes substantial staff changes through system development and implementation, a fiscal plan that provides continuity in resources necessary for total system development, and a feedback system which allows the user to communicate his experiences in using the system. Thus far balance between system development and system production has not been achieved because of continuing large-scale spatial data processing requirements coupled with strong and insistent demands from users for immediately deliverable products from the system. That imbalance has refocussed staffing and fiscal plans from long-term system development to short- and near-term production requirements, continuously extends total system development time, and increases the possibility that later system development may reduce the usefulness of current interim products.

Final Report