Digital Databases To Support GIS Mapping Applications: A Review of Available Databases

By

KRUMM, ROBERT

Illinois State Geological Survey, 615 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, [email protected]

      During the last few years, GIS databases have become increasingly available to address needs at the local, statewide, and national levels.  In order to access and use this information however, the user must navigate the uncharted waters of arcane technology terms and acronyms.  DRGs, DLGs, DEMs, and DOQs are discussed in the same breath as terms such as 1-meter resolution, Thematic Mapper, vector, raster, street centerlines, Landsat, NSDI, Mr. SID, and others.  This presentation is designed to take the mystery out of digital databases by presenting information on a number of specific digital databases for GIS and remote sensing applications.  The focus of the presentation will concern data sets that are being used and/or are available for users from the USGS, state clearinghouses, and other sources.  Specific data types that will be discussed include

     Digital Orthophoto Quarter-quads (DOQs), Digital Line Graph (DLG) files, Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) files, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and satellite imagery for remote sensing applications.  The presentation will also present information on sources such as clearinghouse web sites that can be used to access and download digital databases.