SEDL / STP / STP1126-EB / STP24189S

Using Common Database and Spreadsheet/Plotting Programs as Inexpensive Geographic Information Systems

Rubin, T
Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Pages: 9    Published: Jan 1992

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Abstract

A commonly used database program (Macintosh HyperCard) and a spreadsheet/plotting program (Lotus 123) are demonstrated to be useful for organizing, displaying, and analyzing geographically coded data with multiple attributes. The data include multiple remote sensing images and geologic maps, and hundreds of high resolution infrared reflectance measurements, all from the same geographic area. The HyperCard database is most useful for indexing and retrieving the remote sensing data and geologic maps. Lotus 123 is most useful for displaying and analyzing the geographic distribution of interpretive analyses of the infrared spectra. Both programs are commonly available and simple to use. The techniques presented here should be helpful in analyzing any problem involving numerous, multiple-attribute datasets where the spatial distribution of data and results are important.