Field Activity 9: Using ArcCollector to Gather MicroClimates

Introduction

The purpose of Field Activity 8 is to gain a working understanding of ArcCollector through the means of creating a geodatabase, deploying the project, and accessing it in ArcCollector. ArcCollector is a very useful application for mobile collecting of data in the field. It offers many of the good features of ArcGIS out in the field, all on a mobile device. This activity can help one learn how to deploy a project that is needed when group participation is needed in mapping an area without the ability to have one person go out in the field. This streamlines it and allows many to collect the data into one geodatabase.

Study Area

Figure 1: Study Area

The study area was the entire lower campus of UW- Eau Claire's campus. Many different groups went out to collect data in all of the delineated spaces in Figure 1. He(the writer) could not attend class, so the data was made available to him to study.

Results/Discussion

Figure 2: Temperatures collected around campus in microclimates.

The distribution of points suggests that the tree covered microclimates have a lower temperature, such as in the southeast microclimate, and part of the westernmost climate near the river. This can also be confirmed by the concentration of warmer temperatures collected near all of the buildings in the east microclimate, and the northernmost part of the southeast climate. These areas are all relatively treeless and would have less tree cover to absorb some of the radiation.

Figure 3: Dewpoints collected around campus within microclimates.

In comparison to the temperature map above, the dew point map shows trends using similar distribution techniques. The tree covered areas have higher dew points that the non-tree covered areas, which suggests that there is higher water concentration in the area because of that. This information could be used to interpolate that trees are in areas with a higher concentration of high dew points if this study were completed on a larger scale.

Figure 4: Wind Speed Collected at different micropoints around campus.

The wind speed map shows information that could be inferred from a topographic map as well. As the points get to an overlook on a higher elevation, they are higher, as well as when one is over the river, where the wind speed would be higher too.

Figure 5: Wind Direction by Angle Collected around campus 

The wind direction map is an interesting way to look at the area. The directions tend to swirl near some of the buildings, but for the most part all head N NE and then head NW when it interacts with the river.

Conclusion

ArcCollector is a very effective means to collect information. The lab shows that the maps generated from collected data is very accurate and highly informative. With a large army of people, one could collect just about anything. It is a great tool to collect information that could be displayed on maps, and solves the goals of projects when planned out effectively.