*Data
*Public-Use Data
*Identifiers
*Social Survey Data
* Spatial Data
* GIS & Spatial Analysis
* Remote Sensing
* GPS
* Spatial Database Descriptions
* Spatial Survey Data
* Spatial Variables
*Constructed Data
 
You are here: Home > Data > Spatial Data

Nang Rong Projects Spatial Data

        In Nang Rong district we have assembled an impressive and diverse array of data that characterizes people and the environment, is organized within a spatially-explicit context, and has temporal depth and areal extent.  The core of spatial analysis in the Nang Rong Project is formed by the coupling of two inherently spatial  technologies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing, with the expansive collection of longitudinal social survey datasets.  Spatial data within the Nang Rong Projects are broad, incorporating various remotely sensed data products, as well as an extensive collection of vector and raster datasets.For the first 10 years, the Nang Rong Project was without a spatial component, instead gathering data through two surveys, a community survey of 51 villages, and a complete houshold census. A decade later, in 1994-5, a second round of data was collected, consisting of three components: community, household, and migrant follow-up questionaires.  With the addition of a spatial component following the 1994-5 data collection, the major effort of developing a spatial database was undertaken.  With the creation of a robust and expansive spatial database, exciting population-environment analyses were enabled through the marriage of spatial and social data.  The 2000-1 survey added a spatial dimension to the community, household, and migrant surveys, collecting locational data for dwelling units and houshold-linked agricultural plot data.

        Prior to the addition of a spatial component, there existed virtually no geographic data within the Nang Rong Project.  Further, that which was present was not in digital form,  existing instead as hardcopy maps and other products.  Before any spatial based analyses could be performed, analog data needed to be digitized, and baseline datasets needed to be collected.  Spatial data has been gathered and collected from a variety of sources.




        One of the most valuable sources for baseline data  was the collection of topographic maps, which contained several of the critically important data themes, such as transportation and hydrographic networks, administrative and political boundaries.  A vast collection of other hardcopy datasets, such as government produced land parcel maps, soil maps, and general land cover maps, were also digitized for inclusion in the spatial database.  A second series of spatial datasets crucial to the Nang Rong Project were collected through the use Global Positioning Systems (GPS).  With GPS, the absolute real-world positions for a host of features, including household and health center locations, village centroids, Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) validation points, as well as others, were captured.  A  final set of data that has been invaluable in the development of the spatial database is the catalog of remotely sensed imagery.  

        Satellite imagery and aerial photography enable a multi-scaled view of the study site, ranging from the regional perspective provided by the former, to a village level look afforded by the latter.  Additionally, remotely sensed products aid in the creation and generation of additional data layers, such as LULC maps, digital elevation model (DEM), suitablity surfaces, as well as a host of others.
         Following these efforts, the Nang Rong Project's spatial database is an expansive collection of satellite imagery, aerial photography, vector and raster GIS data layers, and derived social-spatial data.  In order to address the pertinent issues relating to population induced LULC change, researchers draw upon an extensive database containing socio-demographic, spatial, and environmental data that is continually updated and expanded via detailed field surveys and investigations (social and environmental), web data searches, digital encoding of thematic data, and acquisition of hardcopy and digital format map/image products.  Further, by employing GIS and image processing techniques, our breadth and depth of knowledge about the population-environment dynamics and their resultant impacts on the biophysical and socio-economic tenor of Nang Rong is continually broadened.
        The Spatial Data section of the Nang Rong Project website is organized into several sections.  The GIS & Spatial Analysis area briefly explains GIS, descibes the database development, and lists out and discusses some of the different analyses and research efforts undertaken by the project.  As the name suggests, much of our research combines various spatial techniques, such as image processing, GIS-based analyses and modeling, and spatial statistics.
       The Remote Sensing section elaborates on the various satellite imagery and aerial photography in our inventory.   A short history of remote sensing, both airplane and satellite-based, is given, followed by a more detailed description of the various sensors and platforms.  Lastly, the classification methods are outlined, providing examples of some of the air photos and images processed by the Nang Rong Project.
       The section on Global Positioning Systems, or GPS, discusses the ways in which GPS has been, and still is, utilized by the Nang Rong Project.  Database development, research aims, and spatial analyses have benefited from the various waves of GPS collection.  Links are also available to sites that offer a comprehensive description of GPS.
       The different vector and raster data layers are described under Spatial Database Descriptions.  Under each data type, the various layers in the Project's inventory elaborated on, including the information about the source of the data, as well as descriptions of how the data was acquired or created.  Further, thumbnail views are provided for all of the non-sensitive datasets.
       Spatial Survey Data deals with the field collected survey data that was inherently or explicitly spatial in nature.  This survey data was collected in two waves: Phase I, from February 2000 to June 2000; and Phase II, from July 2000 to November 2000.  A variety of data was collected, including locational GPS data for structures and landmark features.  A second major set of data collected was gathered though group discussions, whereby the linkage of village-level cadastral data to the people that use it was facilitated.
         The Spatial Variables page details and documents the variables that have been created using the spatial analyses, spatial datasets, or a combination of the spatial and social data.  These variables consist mostly of analyses that have been performed on the datasets, such as village-level distance, accessibility, territory characterization measures, as well as a host of others.   


  Last Modified: 08/23/2005 UNC Carolina Population Center