Prepared Data Sets, Remote Field Teaching, and Software Manuals

At times it is not possible to take students into the field to collect their own data and learn field methods directly. There are still a variety of ways that you can help students gain many of the same skills. This page combines geodesy-related remote field teaching resources AND prepared data sets.

It also includes a few field sites that could be revisited for change detection (pre-existing survey sites) and links to the software tutorials and manuals.

Jump down to: Remote Field Teaching | Prepared Data Sets | Pre-existing Survey Sites | Software Tutorials

Remote Field Geodesy Teaching

When the COVID19 pandemic forced field courses to turn to remote teaching, GETSI collaborated with Sharon Bywater-Reyes (University of Northern Colorado) to support her development of a geodesy-oriented remote field course and collection of the necessary field data. Her course provides an example of how elements from the two GETSI Field modules can be combined into a comprehensive remote field course. The course and activities as taught at University of Northern Colorado have been submitted to the NAGT Teaching with Online Field Experiences collection and are linked below.

Course: Geoscience Field Issues Using High-Resolution Topography to Understand Earth Surface Processes

Day 1 - Getting started with Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry
(Adapted from Unit 1-SfM: Introduction to SfM in GETSI module Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM)
Day 2 - Introduction to GPS/GNSS
- Unit 1: GPS/GNSS Fundamentals - from the GETSI module High Precision Positioning with Static and Kinematic GPS/GNSS.
  - GPS/GNSS presentation (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 48.6MB Sep5 20)
  - Unit 1 Accuracy & Precision exercise
- Post-processing GPS/GNSS Base Station Position
Day 3 - SfM of Poudre River at Sheep Draw Reach
- Ground Control Points for Structure from Motion Activity
- Structure from Motion for Analysis of River Characteristics Activity
Day 4 - Working with Point Clouds in CloudCompare and Classifying with CANUPO
Day 5 - Report 1 - SfM Feasibility Report assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 46kB Jun29 23)
Day 6 - Optional Field Day (collected additional dataset with local students who could participate) - no associated assignment
Day 7 - Introduction to Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS)
Day 8 - Point Cloud/Raster Differencing and Change Detection
- Morning activity with course-collected SfM and TLS data - Point Cloud and Raster Change Detection
- Afternoon activity with regional LiDAR from Colorado 2013 floods - DEM of Difference
Day 9 - OpenTopography Data Sources and Topographic Differencing
Day 10 - Report 2 - Methods Comparison Report.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 47kB Jun29 23)
Day 11 - Presentations - students gave short presentations to the group based on their final report

Prepared Data Sets from Field Geodesy

The data sets below can be used to teach elements of the two field methods modules with collecting the data yourself.

Reasons why you might use these prepared resources:

You cannot go out in the field or cannot get access to the needed field equipment
You have a hardware failure in the field but still want to do a related exercise
You want examples from other locations or ideas for how similar exercises have been done elsewhere
You want students to have experience with other field applications that are not readily available in your area

High-resolution topography - Structure from Motion (SfM) and Lidar

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A 3D model of an outcrop in Eldorado Canyon, Colorado. This model was created by processing a photoset of the outcrop in Agisoft Metashape.
Provenance: Image made by GETSI Project with data from Yonathan Admassu (James Madison University)
Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.

El-Mayor Cucapah Earthquake Fault Scarp, Baja, California
- El Mayor Cucapah fault scarp - simple photo set (SfM) (Zip Archive 66.9MB Jun30 23) - Photoset (SfM)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 1-SfM
Milligan Canyon, Three Forks, Montana
- Milligan Canyon sequence stratigraphy data (SfM) (Zip Archive 1433.4MB Jul3 23) - Outcrop for stratigraphic analysis (SfM)
- Milligan Canyon sequence stratigraphy completed Agisoft project (SfM) -- private instructor-only file
  - Outcrop for stratigraphic analysis (SfM)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 2
Dixon Canyon, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Dixon Canyon sequence stratigraphy data (SfM) (Zip Archive 221.8MB Jul3 23) - Outcrop for stratigraphic analysis (SfM)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 2
Eldorado Canyon, Colorado
- Eldorado Canyon outcrop for road cut - SfM photos and metadata (Zip Archive 84.4MB Jul3 23) - Photoset (SfM)
- Eldorado Canyon discontinuity data from SplitFX -- private instructor-only file
  - Point cloud from SfM
- Eldorado Canyon outcrop point cloud from SfM -- private instructor-only file
  - Discontinuity patches from point cloud
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 2.1
Landers Fault Scarp, Landers, California
- Landers fault scarp data (SfM) (Zip Archive 1238.5MB Jul3 23) - Photoset (SfM)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 3
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
- Aeolian dunes change detection (airborne lidar) (Zip Archive 18.5MB Jul3 23) - Airborne Lidar Point Clouds (2009 & 2010)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 4
Muskegon Beach, Michigan
- Anthropogenic and geomorphic change detection at a beach (airborne & TLS) (Zip Archive 20.6MB Jul3 23) - Airborne Lidar Point Cloud (2008) and TLS point cloud (2015)
- Corresponding Unit: Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM: Unit 4
Cache la Poudre River at Sheep Draw Open Space, Greeley, Colorado
- Cache la Poudre River at Sheep Draw Open Space, Greeley, Colorado (Zip Archive 1132.2MB Jul3 23) Photoset (SfM)
- Link to TLS Point Cloud Terrestrial Lidar Point Clouds (2020)
- Corresponding Remote Field Course: Geoscience Field Issues Using High-Resolution Topography to Understand Earth Surface Processes (also summarized above)
Block Mountain Geologic Mapping area near Glen, Montana
- Block Mountain Mapping area - TLS and SfM point clouds and DEMs (Zip Archive 1579.9MB Jul3 23)- July 2021

High precision positioning - GPS/GNSS

Accuracy, precision, and Error Exercise
Salmon Falls Creek, Buhl, Idaho - Actively creeping landslide
- Creating Topographic Surfaces: Salmon Falls Map and Data (Zip Archive 58.2MB Jul3 23) - Lidar scans (2002 & 2010) and GPS locations compiled in ArcMap document
- Corresponding Unit: High Precision Positioning with Static and Kinematic GPS: Unit 2.2
Mt. Borah, Lost River Fault, Chilly, Idaho - Active fault
- Mt. Borah, Lost River Fault: Leveling line data set (Zip Archive 10.3MB Jul3 23) - Leveling line data sets (1933, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2017)
- Corresponding Unit: High Precision Positioning with Static and Kinematic GPS: Unit 2.2

Pre-existing GPS/GNSS Survey Sites

Salmon Falls Creek, Buhl, Idaho - Actively creeping landslide
- Creating Topographic Surfaces: Salmon Falls Map and Data (Zip Archive 58.2MB Jul3 23) - Lidar scans (2002 & 2010) and GPS locations compiled in ArcMap document
Mt. Borah, Lost River Fault, Chilly, Idaho - Active fault
- Mt. Borah, Lost River Fault: Leveling line data set (Zip Archive 10.3MB Jul3 23) - Leveling line data sets (1933, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2017)
Resurvey existing benchmarks to see if change has occurred - National Geodetic Survey Data Explorer is a map interface for finding existing benchmarks known to NGS. For example, the Lost River Fault leveling line listed above was found using this interface.

Software Tutorials for Processing Field Geodesy Data

Structure from Motion (SfM)

Agisoft Metashape - Creates point clouds from sets of overlapping photographs (Windows and Mac)
- Quick start guides - A short introductory guide is typically the best way for someone first using MetaShape
  - MetaShape Quick Guide (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 2.7MB Jun28 23) - This 4-page guide gets students started on a small SfM project in a local reference frame. It is from Getting started with Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry) but can be modified for other types of initial exercises.
  - MetaShape Guide for River Characteristics activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 5.6MB Jun28 23) - This slightly longer quick guide was written specifically for Structure from Motion for Analysis of River Characteristics but is also a good entry point and can be modified for other types of exercises.
  - Agisoft MetaShape intro tutorial video - SfM - Agisoft tutorial (MP4 Video 21.8MB Mar8 17)
- SfM Data Processing and Exploration Manual (Agisoft Metashape software) (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14.5MB Jun29 23)
  - This more in-depth guide is better once one has some experience with the software
- Processing Coastal Imagery With Agisoft Metashape Professional Edition, Version 1.6—Structure From Motion Workflow Documentation, USGS Open-File Report 2021-1039 - this paper offers a very useful workflow for people working on natural surfaces (such as many Earth and environmental scientists)
- Agisoft also provides many resources
  - MetaShape Tutorials
  - MetaShape User Manuals (even longer than guides above)

Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS)

RiSCAN PRO - Processing TLS scans from RIEGL laser scanners (Windows)
- Data exploration and processing manual - TLS Data Processing and Exploration Manual (RiScan Pro software) (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 5.1MB Sep22 16)
SCENE - Processing LiDAR scans from FARO-brand laser scanners into 3D point clouds (Windows)
- SCENE tutorial video - TLS - SCENE software tutorial (MP4 Video 24.1MB Mar8 17)

Point Cloud Processing

CloudCompare - Compare and analyze point clouds or triangular meshes (Windows and Mac)
- Tutorial on CloudCompare basics, point cloud classification with CANUPO, point cloud differencing, and topographic profile extraction - CloudCompare General Tutorial (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14.5MB Jun29 23)
- CloudCompare on macOS LAS file conversion guide - CloudCompare on macOS LAS conversion (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 215kB Jun29 23)
  - CloudCompare on macOS has known issues loading newer LAS file (version 1.4). This guide provides instruction on how to convert LAS files from version 1.4 to version 1.2 so they can be loaded in CloudCompare on macOS.
Split-FX- Engineering software extracts discontinuity data from point clouds (Windows). See Analyzing High Resolution Topography - Unit 2.1: Geodetic survey of an outcrop for road cut design for additional information on use and licensing.
- Quick start guide - Unit 2.1 SplitFX Quick Guide (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 1.9MB Jun29 23)
- SplitFX tutorial video - Engineering analysis - SplitFX software tutorial (MP4 Video 44.7MB May10 17)
DipAnalyst - Performs a kinematic analysis of rock slopes based on known discontinuities (Windows). See High Resolution Topography - Unit 2.1: Geodetic survey of an outcrop for road cut design for additional information on use and licensing.
- Quick start guide - Unit 2.1 DipAnalyst Quick Guide (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 896kB Jun29 23)
- Detailed manual - DipAnalyst User Guide (Acrobat (PDF) 951kB May10 17)