For this course, you will build toward the creation of a cartographic report tha

For this course, you will build toward the creation of a cartographic report that will be due in Module Seven.
In Module Two, you will submit Milestone One, in which you provide your project proposal. In preparation for this assignment, read the Final Project Guidelines and Rubric and familiarize yourself with the data fields you will be working with by reviewing the document provided by the Global Historical Climatology Network, GHCN Documentation PDF. Based on this review, use the journal to ask your instructor any questions you may have about the project.
In this module, you were introduced to geostatistics and also to the final project.
What are you most excited about regarding the final project? About the course?
What questions do you have about the final project? What is not clear to you?
This assignment will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
SCI 310 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
In the field of geostatistics, you will be asked to work with a large variety of data. Being flexible in the types of data that you are comfortable working with will be a significant advantage in finding work. For this project, you will be given a large point data set for a real-world scenario. You will work with your instructor to select a set of 20 – 30 different locations (latitude and longitude) that will require three different interpolation techniques. When you have completed your statistical analysis of the data and your interpolation techniques, you will create a visually compelling map series that utilizes correct cartographic principles. Finally, you will provide a summary that describes your analysis and presents your findings.
One of the most powerful aspect of geostatistics is the predictive capabilities that it provides. The Governor‘s office has requested a demonstration of how geostatistics could be utilized in an emergency response situation. They are most interested in how geostatistics can be used to respond more effectively to weather emergencies. After a considerable vetting, your firm has been selected to make the presentation and you have been chosen to manage this project.
Create a map series that demonstrates how geostatistics can be used to predict data values in areas where measurements have not been taken. Include different subjects such as snowfall, rainfall, wind speed, and temperature. Also, include multiple areas to make these demonstrations. Your final product should be professionally done, accurate, and fully cited.
The project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Three, Four, and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.
As you work through each milestone, you will apply the concepts and practices to your own final project.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Utilize geographic information system tools to manipulate geographic data for geostatistical analysis and map creation
Apply descriptive statistics to geographic data to determine data correlation and the extent of data reliability in spatial interpolation for use in responsible geoscientific decision making
Employ suitable interpolation techniques to predict spatial values of unknown, undefined target areas in geological and environmental contexts
Create cartographic reports depicting geostatistical analysis results pertaining to the reliability of predictions and overall data correlation
Prompt
Develop an in-depth cartographic report that contains a visually powerful map series portraying your analysis, a methodology collection of statistical analyses performed, and a summary of your results.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
Introduction: Concisely describe the real-world scenario and locations for which you have data. Why did you choose this set of locations? What is your problem statement?
Data
Statistical Models: Use your data to generate the following statistical models and support your models with screenshots that show the models and accompanying data tables. Make sure to include z-scores, fit, variance, confidence, and so on, where appropriate.
Variograms
Scatterplots
Voronoi maps
Autocorrelation
Interpretation: Interpret the data produced by the statistical models you created. Which descriptive statistics techniques can you apply to determine the degree of correlation of your data? Why do these techniques apply?
Evaluation: Evaluate your data for potential outliers that could skew or alter your analysis. How would these outliers affect your analysis?
Interpolation
Techniques: Identify and explain potential interpolation techniques that apply to your data correlation. As you identify potential techniques, consider data clusters, data dispersion, local samples, and global estimates, for example.
Best Fit Process: Use the interpolation techniques and parameters listed to find a best fit for your spatial data locations. Describe the process you used to find the best fit.
Kriging
Block kriging
Cokriging
Global estimation
Sample estimations
Best Fit Selection: Which interpolation techniques give you the best fit for your data? Why is it a good selection for your map creation?
Map Series
Colors: Contrast your color scale to provide an easy-to-understand visualization. What colors represent positive? Negative? Explain your choices.
Categories: Value categories so that they accurately represent your data. Are your data values dispersed? Are there any extreme ranges? Does the majority of your data fit into one category?
Map Creation: Create logically intuitive and cartographically accurate maps that display the interpolation results for each interpolation technique used for your study area. Provide additional large-scale maps (i.e., maps that show greater detail of a smaller geographic area) that focus on geographic areas where the interpolation results from each model differed. The intent of these maps is to compare the interpolation estimates from different interpolation techniques. In addition to being logically intuitive and cartographically accurate, exceptional maps will be visually powerful. In total, students should produce 4 to 6 maps for the final cartographic report.
Results
Evaluation: Evaluate your results. Now that you have analyzed the data and created the models and maps, what do the data, models, and maps mean? What conclusions can you draw from the maps?
Predictions: Discuss the reliability of your predictions. Was the interpolation technique that you selected the best fit for your data? How do you know? Use the statistical models that you created to support your answer.
Decision Making: How can you use the data, maps, and models to make responsible geoscientific decisions? What kind(s) of decisions would be appropriate given the scenario?
Challenges: What challenges or difficulties did you face in completing the project? How do the maps you created show evidence of these challenges? What would you do differently next time?
Milestones
Milestone One: Identifying and Investigating the Data
In Module Two, you will identify and investigate the data for the final project. For the final project, you will be asked to use geostatistical techniques to analyze a meteorological problem. To do so, you must first develop a question that can be answered with these methods. First, determine what meteorological question you would like to answer. Next, select a state from which to obtain data. Within the selected state and immediate surround region, select 20 – 30 locations to serve as your observation locations. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Geostatistical Models
In Module Three, you will use the Geostatistical Analyst Tutorial to complete Exercise 1: Creating a surface using default parameters and Exercise 2: Exploring your data. When finished, write a brief report explaining what you did and what the results of the analysis show. Include exports or screenshots of all models, graphics, and data you produce during each exercise in the reports. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Kriging
In Module Four, you will use the Geostatistical Analyst Tutorial to complete Exercise 3: Mapping ozone concentration, Exercise 4: Comparing models, and Exercise 5: Mapping the probability of ozone exceeding a critical threshold. When finished, write a brief report explaining what you did and what the results of the analysis show. Include exports or screenshots of all models, graphics, and data you produce during each exercise in the reports. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Milestone Four: Mapping Data
In Module Five, you will create a visually appealing map to convey that data to consumers. Include all of the major elements of maps: legend, scale, appropriate symbols and colors, labels, north arrow, and title. When completed, export the map as a PDF file. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Four Rubric.
Final Submission: Cartographic Report
In Module Seven, you will develop an in-depth cartographic report that contains a visually powerful map series portraying your analysis, a methodology collection of statistical analysis performed, and a summary of your results from the data. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
What to Submit
Your cartographic report should be 3 to 5 pages in length (excluding maps). Use APA style to cite any necessary sources.