This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This equipment will be used to create accurate and realistic three-dimensional computer models of natural features and built structures. Modern, highly-accurate surveying instruments, and new technology known as "fused imagery" will be employed. Fused imagery combines rapidly acquired, laser-scanned, spatial point clouds (X-Y-Z data) with photographic color information for each scanned point. Research will include the creation of models of structures (buildings, bridges, highways, structural failures, etc.); topographic and geologic features (outcrops, fractures, surficial depressions, dunes and details of former shore lines, etc.); geomorphologic changes due to natural or artificial processes (coastal cliff erosion, landforms produced by active faulting, quarry walls and steps, earthwork, etc.); archaeological excavations (Civil-War fortification sites, prisoner-of-war sites, etc.); and studies in biogeography (identification of forest-floor vegetation and moisture influences on bird habitats).
The diverse disciplines included in the work reflect the breadth of impact and resulting benefits to society in multiple fields. The work will advance building modeling techniques of architects, engineers, and construction professionals. The scope includes evaluating the rising sea level effect on the Georgia barrier islands while also enhancing current understanding of groundwater movement and potential sources of contamination. New information will be gathered on ground deformation associated with the San Andreas Fault. Benefits to society include public-oriented visually-enhanced interpretation of archeological sites, dissemination of visual images online and via on-site interpretive centers. Students at all levels will experience and interpret sites remotely. Significantly, the research will attract and motivate many students to strengthen their education with on-going undergraduate and graduate research experiences
