Exercise 5 Navigation Maps

Figure 1: Showing UTM zones of the world. Wisconsin is located in zones 15 and 16.
Source: http://www.xmswiki.com/xms/images/8/88/UTM_world_no_Image_Map.jpg

Introduction

                Being able to use other means to navigate besides a GPS come in handy for obvious reasons. Using a compass and map for navigation may be considered archaic to some but it is a very useful skill. In the event that technology fails using a map and compass could be the only resources available. This exercise was an introduction to navigating using non-technological means. Two maps were created for an area in Eau Claire owned by the University. This area called the Priory is located 3 miles south of campus. The two maps were to be using a UTM grid and a decimal degree grid. The maps were to be made using features accessed in ArcMap and given by Professor Hupy. These maps were made using practical methods and features.

Projection and Coordinates

                The main projection used was the Universal Transverse Mercator projection or UTM. UTM divides the earth into 60 different zones. Wisconsin is located in zones 15 and 16. Using this projection yields accurate results when mapping in this area.

Methods

                The task was to create maps and choose what was to be included in the maps. Some of these choices were a pair of contour lines, a DEM, aerial images, boundaries, a topographic map, and labels for elevation. The choices that were made were to be based on the effectiveness of the features.

                Before all these maps were to be made a geodatabase was to be created in Arc. To do this one has to navigate to a personalized folder. This process can be done in either ArcMap or ArcCatalog and is very easy. In a personalized folder right click the folder, hover over new, and select File Geodatabase. In this File Geodatabase all data that is selected will be saved. This can be done by exporting or going through a process like projecting in ArcMap. For the first image I chose boundaries, 5 meter contours, and an aerial image of southeastern Eau Claire. I set the bottom layer in Arc as the aerial image as the others would be visible placed above the image. The 5 meter contours show a change in elevation in 5 meter intervals. I chose these features because they are not complicated to read and get the message across that at these intervals is an elevation change. The grid for the first map was to be in decimal degrees. To do this select layers in the table of contents, properties, the grids tab, and graticule. Choosing intervals is a matter of discretion. Decimal degrees shows the longitude and latitude that a section is located at.

                

Figure 2: This a map of the Priory and surrounding area. The gird units are in decimal degrees.

                For the second map I again chose the southeastern quadrant of Eau Claire but I placed that under a DEM of the area. The DEM or digital elevation model is like a visual continuous layer of contour lines. The DEM shows the elevations as different shades. These shades range from a dark red to a green. The dark red shows a higher elevation and the green shows a lower. A yellow color would be a mid-elevation. I chose this method because it is legible to read and shows an important aspect of the land. One can look at it as the slope gradient of the land. For this UTM 50 meter intervals were used. The 50 meter intervals show how far away in meters an area is from the Equator and Prime Meridian.

Figure 3: The second map of the Priory and surrounding area. Grid units are in  UTM 50 Meter Intervals. Used is a DEM

Discussion

                This exercise presented some problems as choosing what features to include was difficult. There are many different aspects that go into this process but just because one person understands the visualization does not mean that others will. Working out the kinks for the grid and formatting proved to be difficult. This exercise was hard to get a grasp of because of the relative ambiguity of it. It is difficult to explain to someone in words how this process was done and explaining with visuals and a face to face conversation feels to me to be easier.

Conclusion

                Creating maps for navigation and being able to use these maps is a skill that seems to be dying out, but is very useful. Making a map that is not cluttered and complicated is all about discretion. What to put on a map to make it admirable takes sometime but in the end works out well. These maps will be looked at again for future use in other exercises and it should be interesting to see how that works out.