Core Science Systems
Publications
Here you will find publications, reports and articles produced by Core Science System scientists. For a comprehensive listing of all USGS publications please click the button below.
Sediment and chemical contaminant loads in tributaries to the Anacostia River, Washington, District of Columbia, 2016–17
A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Washington, D.C., Department of Energy & Environment to estimate the loads of suspended-sediment-bound chemical compounds in five gaged tributaries and four ungaged tributaries of the Anacostia River (known locally as “Lower Anacostia River”) in Washington, D.C...
Wilson, Timothy P.
A system design for implementing advanced feature descriptions for a map knowledge base
A prototype system to explore Linked Data that semantically integrates geospatial data in various formats from different publication sources with data from The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey is presented. The focus is on accessing advanced feature descriptions for data from The National Map with data coreferenced from other sources....
Wagner, Matthew; Varanka, Dalia E.; Usery, E. Lynn
Alignment of surface water ontologies: A comparison of manual and automated approaches
More data are being collected about the world around us than ever before, but effectively using this information requires different data stores to be integrated in such a way that they can be seamlessly queried and analyzed. Automated alignment algorithms exist to facilitate this data integration challenge. In this paper we examine the utility of...
Cheatham, Michelle; Varanka, Dalia E.; Arauz, Fatima; Zhou, Lu Integrating the sociology of space with geospatial semantics relation properties for data graphs
This research posits that socially constructed spatial relations address concepts of interactions instead of intersections, human/tool agents instead of physical processes, and broader ranges of geographical outcomes. The hypothesis is that social space can be represented by using patterns of logic relations between sets of entities. The data...
Varanka, Dalia E. Employing an ecosystem services framework to deliver decision ready science
Public land managers have limited information to allow for the integration and balancing of multiple objectives in land management decisions including the social (cultural and health), economic (monetary and nonmonetary), and environmental aspects. In this article, we document an approach to consider the many facets of decision making by...
Pindilli, Emily J.; Hogan, Dianna M.; Zhu, Zhiliang A spatio-contextual probabilistic model for extracting linear features in hilly terrain from high-resolution DEM data
This paper introduces our research in developing a probabilistic model to extract linear terrain features from high resolution DEM (Digital Elevation Model) data. The proposed model takes full advantage of spatio-contextual information to characterize terrain changes. It first derives a quantifiable measure of spatio-contextual patterns of linear...
Zhou, Xiran; Li, Wenwen; Arundel, Samantha The effect of resolution on terrain feature extraction
Recent increase in the production of high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) from lidar data has led to interest in their use for terrain mapping. Although the impact of different resolutions has been studied relative to terrain characteristics like roughness, slope and curvature, its relationship to the extraction of terrain features...
Arundel, Samantha; Li, Wenwen; Zhou, Xiran U.S. Geological Survey accomplishments in cartography 2015-2019
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the United States' official national topographic mapping organization, is building and maintaining geographic databases for fundamental base geographic layers of land cover, structures, boundaries, hydrography, geographic names, transportation, elevation, and orthoimagery as The National Map. Data from the 3D...
Usery, E. Lynn Semantically supported linked data mapping
Semantic technology based on the Resource Description Framework (RDF) modeling environment has introduced new data management capabilities that can lead to innovative cartographic techniques. This report describes research toward more semantically expressive linked geospatial data mapping, topics of research, and an avenue for further...
Varanka, Dalia E.
Supply chain infrastructure restoration calculator software tool—Developer guide and user manual
This report describes a software tool that calculates costs associated with the reconstruction of supply chain interdependent critical infrastructure in the advent of a catastrophic failure by either outside forces (extreme events) or internal forces (fatigue). This tool fills a gap between search and recover strategies of the Federal Emergency...
Ojha, Akhilesh; Kanwar, Bhanu; Long, Suzanna K.; Shoberg, Thomas G.; Corns, Steven Problems of Large Spatial Databases
Large spatial databases often labeled as geospatial big data exceed the capacity of commonly used computing systems as a result of data volume, variety, velocity, and veracity. Additional problems also labeled with V’s are cited, but the four primary ones are the most problematic and focus of this chapter (Li et al., 2016, Panimalar et al., 2017...
Usery, E. Lynn
The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting California's Economy
IntroductionCalifornia faces unprecedented challenges presented by shifting weather patterns that are defining a “new normal.” The result has been extreme weather events, prolonged drought, flooding, and debris flows. These conditions drive severe tree mortality, increase wildfire occurrence and intensity, reduce water availability, and hasten...
Ostergren, Carol L.; Decker, Drew; Carswell,, William J.