Introduction:
The purpose of this week's lab was to deploy the feature class created in ArcCatalog the previous week, in order to collect weather related data around campus. In groups of two, the Geography 336 students at UW-Eau Claire went around campus to collect specific weather related data. At the end of this assignment the data was then shared and used to create a microclimate of a specific area of the surrounding campus.
Study Area:
The location in which data was found, was the entire UW - Eau Claire campus area (Figure 5.1) which is located along the Menomonie River, in the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The UW-Eau Claire campus consists of three main regions that are divided into seven study zones, in which at least two students were assigned to collect data in. Upper campus was split into two zones (4 and 5), lower campus was divided into three separate zones (3,6, and 7), and finally "Water Street" campus was then allocated into two zones as well (1 and 2). However, as previously mentioned, each student was in charge of a specific zone in which data was to be collected. Thus the data that will be discussed later will be specific zone seven.
Methods:
The first step in this process, was to deploy a previously made geodatabase from ArcPad, onto a Trimble Juno unit (figure 5.2). To do this two folders were created, one for check in and another for check out. Then on ArcMap, the data was prepared for final deployment, such as; designating an area of interest. Then feature class then had to be shared through ArcPad Data Manager using the previously made check out folder. Finally, the Juno unit was connected to the computer through a USB chord and the check out folder, containing the prepared feature class was deployed onto the unit.
In small groups, the students then went out to their designated zones to collect attributing data such as:
Results and Discussion:
From the data collected, 32 separate points were collected. The two figures that were created from this data are multiple attribute maps, with each map displaying two separate attributes. Although six attributes were collected, two were not mapped due to the lack of data they could provide for the final microclimate study. These are:
The purpose of this week's lab was to deploy the feature class created in ArcCatalog the previous week, in order to collect weather related data around campus. In groups of two, the Geography 336 students at UW-Eau Claire went around campus to collect specific weather related data. At the end of this assignment the data was then shared and used to create a microclimate of a specific area of the surrounding campus.
Study Area:
The location in which data was found, was the entire UW - Eau Claire campus area (Figure 5.1) which is located along the Menomonie River, in the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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| Figure 5.1: The red lines show the rough outline the UW - Eau Claire campus, which is then broken broken into seven separate group study zones. |
Methods:
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| Figure 5.2 |
The first step in this process, was to deploy a previously made geodatabase from ArcPad, onto a Trimble Juno unit (figure 5.2). To do this two folders were created, one for check in and another for check out. Then on ArcMap, the data was prepared for final deployment, such as; designating an area of interest. Then feature class then had to be shared through ArcPad Data Manager using the previously made check out folder. Finally, the Juno unit was connected to the computer through a USB chord and the check out folder, containing the prepared feature class was deployed onto the unit.
In small groups, the students then went out to their designated zones to collect attributing data such as:
- Group number
- Temperature (Fahrenheit)
- Dew point (Fahrenheit)
- Relative humidity (Fahrenheit)
- Wind speed
- Wind Direction
Results and Discussion:
From the data collected, 32 separate points were collected. The two figures that were created from this data are multiple attribute maps, with each map displaying two separate attributes. Although six attributes were collected, two were not mapped due to the lack of data they could provide for the final microclimate study. These are:
- Group number - This is non-weather related material and thus is unnecessary for microclimate.
- Dew Point - The dew point remained at a constant of zero degrees and thus provided no variation to the mapping.
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| Figure 5.3: Temperature and relative humidity for the microclimate study of zone seven on UWEC's campus |
Within this map, temperature is expressed by the symbol color, with cooler temps being greener in color and warmer temps, red. The temperature varied by location. For instance, points near the Little Niagara Creek were relatively cooler than points that were collected farther away. Another trend that can be seen was that points that were collected above concrete, or paved surfaces retained higher temperatures than points collected on vegetated surfaces. Other considerations for temperature was due to sun exposure, or shadow cover. The other variable, relative humidity, which is expressed by symbol size, followed trends that were closely associated with its counter part, temperature.
The second map, figure 5.4, is a depiction of wind speed and direction within the same location.
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| Figure 5.4: Wind speed and direction for the microclimate study of zone seven on UWEC's campus |
Wind speed, which also expressed by color, had varied that day. Although the wind was relatively mild, there were random gusts that occurred. Strangely enough, there seemed to be no correlation with open spaces, or court yards, having stronger wind speeds opposed to those that were more enclosed. Instead, wind speed seemed to be more closely related to the timing of when the data points were collected. Wind direction, which is shown by symbol size, remained heading mostly in the same direction, which was south east.
Conclusion:
The data collected creates a good depiction of the weather conditions around campus on March 1, 2016. However, for this to be a proper study of the microclimate within the area, then more data points over a extensive period of time would need to be collected. By doing so, a better understanding of local trends and weather conditions can be gained.
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