GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS (GPS)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are essential to ensuring efficient and timely completion of CRM projects. Summit has a full time staff of personnel certified in GIS and spatial data methodologies as well as industry standard equipment and software for advanced processing, analysis and report generation. Summit utilizes industry standard GIS software including Environmental Research Systems Institute's (ESRI) ArcView® ArcGIS® (versions 3.x and 8.x), Spatial Analyst® for ArcView, and ArcInfo® 8.x.

Used in CRM, GPS and GIS technology can:

• Increase spatial and tabular (descriptive text) data accuracy;
• Increase efficiency of data flow from field to analysis and reporting;
• Increase standardization of each datum and therefore an increased usefulness in the data as a whole;
• Decrease the time it takes to generate reports and figures; and
• Increase the quality and accuracy of reports and figures.

A combination of the following GPS equipment are utilized:

• One or more Trimble Pro-XRSs® utilizing a Differential GPS (DGPS) correction signal (satellite and/ land [Beacon] based) for real-time correction in the field;
• One or more Trimble GeoExplorer® IIIs in conjunction with a post-differential correction base station; and
• Trimble Pathfinder Office desktop GPS data processing software.

Summit Case Studies:

Client Name: NASA/ 3M
Location: Nationwide

Project Description:
Summit conducted the early phase cultural resources planning and site location for a large proposed mining site for 3M in North Carolina. Summit is also under contract to NASA to accumulate GIS data bases for use in environmental planning and management of natural resources. In addition to the cultural resources work for 3M and working with NASA, Summit used digital aerial imagery to determine areas of probable resource concern, combining the data with known cultural resource sensitivity to create a whole picture of the environmental concerns. The purpose of the remotely sensed data is to provide accurate information regarding site resources for required permit applications (e.g. vegetation, wetland resources, surface water, groundwater). The acquired data will be utilized to assist in decisions regarding facility siting.

Summit has acquired Landsat, Thematic Mapper (TM) Space Imaging Radar (SIR-C) and Calibrated Airborne Multispectral Scanner (CAMS) images of the proposed mining site. These images are currently being manipulated and evaluated using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques and applications to evaluate land cover and subsurface attributes of the site. Our GIS facilities employ ArcInfo in a UNIX based system utilizing an SGI Indigo2 Extreme Model processor, Model C/C++ compiler, Silicon Graphics GDM-20D11 graphic display monitor, NEC Multi-spin 3pX CD-ROM, Hewlett-Packard CT1716 Optical Drive and Library, and an HP 650C/PS Plotter.

Client Name: US Navy, Fallon Naval Air Station
Location: Northern Nevada

Project Description:
Summit personnel have previously worked on projects directed by the US Navy involving the large aerial survey of bombing ranges in northern Nevada, and verification of recorded sites on the base. In addition, remote locations were surveyed and mapped using GPS positioning. Sites were relocated, recorded and evaluated according to guidelines established in the Cultural Resources Management Plan for the base.