Introduction
This weeks exercise is a continuation of a previous exercise in which we set up a microclimate geodatabase in ArcMap 10.2.2. This week we will be taking that previously created geodatabase and employing it onto a handheld Trimble Juno GPS unit (Figure 1). We are then going to be going into the main courtyard of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and collecting different climate variables using the Kestrel 3000 Wind Meter (Figure 2).
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| Figure 1 Trimble Juno that will be used to collect different microclimate attributes at each location. |
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Figure 2 Kestrel 3000 Wind Meter that will provide each of the climate variables that will be collected around UWEC.
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As previously stated, we will be using a geodatabase that was created in a previous exercise. Creating a geodatabase before going into the field is a standard protocol that helps ensure accurate data collection. This geodatabase has eight different variables that will be collected at each point. The variables include temperature at the surface, temperature 2 meters above the surface, dew point, wind chill, wind speed, wind direction, and relative humidity. In order to ensure each variable is recorded in the GPS correctly we set up domains for each. All temperature related variables (temp, wind chill, dew point) were set with a range between -30 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind speed attribute ranges from 0 to 50 mph. Wind direction ranges from 0 to 360 degrees. Ground cover is set up with coded values for each expected ground cover that we will see in our study area. These range values can help prevent the user from incorrectly inputting the data, for example adding an extra 0 to temperature values. Incorrect data entry can be a huge problem while in the field, especially if environmental conditions aren't favorable.
Study Area
In this exercise we are going to be collecting microclimate data across the UW-Eau Claire campus (Figure 3). UWEC sits at the heart of the city of Eau Claire, WI on the banks of the Chippewa River. UWEC contains 28 major buildings on 333 acres. For this exercise we will be mainly staying within the main courtyard of the UWEC campus. March temperatures usually range between 0 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative humidity values commonly range between 20 to 60 percent during this the spring months, which is significantly lower than during the summer months. UWEC seems to always be really windy, especially on the walking bridge over the Chippewa River. Depending on the day wind speeds usually range from 0mph to 20mph, but 50mph gusts are frequent during large storms. The majority of the ground cover at UWEC is grass, blacktop parking lots, or concrete sidewalks. However, since it's March, there is a large amount of campus that still has snow covering the ground.
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Figure 3 Aerial imagery with the extend of the UWEC campus overlaid on top.
For this exercise we will be sticking by the cluster of buildings located at the
western edge of campus. |
Methods
Below are screenshots of the general process of deploying a feature class onto the handheld Trimble Juno GPS unit. First, we begin by selecting the ArcPad Data Manager extension that allows us to transfer data between ArcMap and ArcPad (Figure 4). Then we open up the ArcPad Data Manager toolbar and select the Get Data From ArcPad button (Figure 5). This opens the Get Data From ArcPad wizard to walk us through the process. We then click on the Action button and select Checkout all Geodatabase layers only (Figure 6). This checks in the microclimate feature class that we will be using to collect the data (Figure 7). We then need to click on the Do not export button next to our raster image and select Export as background JPEG2000 (Figure 8). We can then click Next and continue through the wizard (Figure 9-12).
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| Figure 4 Activating the ArcPad Data Manager Extension |
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Figure 5 The ArcPad Data Manager toolbar. Click the first button after the
drop down menu to deploy the data onto the Juno. |
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| Figure 6 Get Data for ArcPad menu |
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| Figure 7 Click on the Action menu and select Checout all Geodatabase layers only. |
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| Figure 8 The Microclimate feature class has been checked out. |
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| Figure 9 Click on the do not export button next to the raster image and select Export as background JPED2000 |
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| Figure 10 Menu after feature classes are checked in and background is set. |
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| Figure 11 Selecting the workspace to save the ArcPad documents in order to copy them to the GPS unit. |
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| Figure 12 More parameters to set before deploying the data. |
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| Figure 13 Last menu of the Get Data For ArcPad wizard. |
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| Figure 14 Final report of the Get Data For ArcPad wizard informing that the data was deployed successfully. |
After this process is complete we simply copy the folder we just created and past it onto the memory card of the Trimble. We then launch ArcPad 10 and load the map we just imported with the microclimate feature class. We can then go into the field and collect the data. After the data is collected we can then copy the folder on the Trimble Juno storage card and past it right into the desired ArcMap folder and add it to the map display.
Results
After importing the data from the Trimble Juno back into ArcMap 10.2.2. we were able to add the feature class to the map. Figure 4 shows each of the attributes that were collected for the nine different points around the UWEC campus. Since we did not have a compass available we were not able to collect any data for the WindDirection field. I also didn't record any values for WindChill. I decided to leave this field null because we can use NOAA's equation for wind chill to calculate the field based on temperature and wind speed when we are back in the lab. Each of these attributes were then mapped using the Inverse Distance Weighted spatial interpolation tool in ArcMap 10.2.2 (Figure 14-18).
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| Figure 13 Table showing the collected values for each microclimate attribute. |
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| Figure 14 IDW interpolation of temperature at the surface (Fahrenheit). |
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| Figure 15 IDW interpolation of temperature at 2 meters above the surface (Fahrenheit). |
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| Figure 16 IDW interpolation of dew point (Fahrenheit). |
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| Figure 17 IDW interpolation of relative humidity (%). |
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| Figure 18 IDW interpolation of wind speed (MPH). |
Discussion
Overall, I did not experience any difficulties when deploying the data onto the Trimble Juno or when importing it back into ArcMap 10.2.2. Since we had already developed the geodatabase with each attribute that was collected I had no problem collecting the data while in the field either. This really shows the importance of setting up a geodatabase with domains prior to data collection in the field. If I had not set up this geodatabase I feel that I would have had a lot of difficulty entering data for each of the variables that we collected.
Although I had no real problems collecting the data, I do notice some problems associated with the resulting maps. Since I had only collected nine points across the campus the interpolation is very generalized and does no show an accurate representation of the microclimate attributes across UWEC, and therefore, no real spatial analysis can be done. In order to make these maps more accurate we need a lot more data points spanning the entirety of the campus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this exercise served as the background for next weeks exercise where we will be going out in groups of two to collect microclimate data throughout the entire UWEC campus. Since I experience no difficulties in deploying my GPS unit this week, I suspect that I will not have any difficulties next week either.
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