Landscape Visualization in Fieldwork

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for the use of 3D modelling and landscape visualization in the context of real-world experience. The techniques offer a framework for a qualitative ‘ground truth’ exercise to assess the nature and quality of digital geographic information within the context of fieldwork exercises. In view of the increasing use of such compelling images in a range of public contexts, the approach aims to encourage viewers of computer-generated landscape images to question the data and processing techniques which generated the digital models. The techniques are used to complement the physical geography components of fieldwork by augmenting real scenes with hidden (geological) and past (glaciated) landscapes. Ongoing developments in the use of mobile computing devices to further support these approaches are presented.

Keywords:

• Landscape visualization
• fieldwork
• Digital Surface Models
• representational fidelity
• geographical information systems

Acknowledgements

The ‘NEXTMap’ Digital Surface Model, derived from Intermap's IFSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar), and colour aerial photography were supplied by Getmapping UK. Digital geology data were supplied by the British Geological Survey (BGS). Digital contours used in Figure 1 were obtained through the Edina Digimap service, ©Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. The author gratefully acknowledges the input of Dr Michele Clarke, Dr Bob Dugdale and Dr Nick Mount of the School of Geography, The University of Nottingham, in relation to the reconstruction of the extent of glacial ice and depositional features for creating the 3D model. Thanks are due to colleagues on the SPLINT project, Claire Jarvis, Nick Tate, Paul Longley, Martin Smith, Andy Burton and in particular Gemma Polmear for ongoing developments relating to the use of mobile devices. Finally the author is grateful to the reviewers for providing very useful feedback on the first submission of this paper.