Geology Comp Appl/Info Tech (Geomorphic Regime Mapping)

This is a lab report for a Geology class based upon using computer applications, particularly Matlab. The report should be of at least 3 pages WITHOUT the figures and appendix, coding, which I will be uploading with this order.

Here’s the project description so that you can have an idea of what to write about:

Project 3 builds on the LIDAR data characterization that you completed in Project 2. In Project 3 will identify and visualize areas of your dataset that correspond to different geomorphic process regimes. The major component of this characterization, at least in terms of your programming and computing effort, is the calculation of the drainage area at each point on the landscape. The drainage area A is generated by a water flowpath model that depends on the site topography. To find the specific areas that correspond to geomorphic process regimes, you will generate a log-log plot of the mean slope of pixels with equal drainage areas. We will then generate a map of the different process regions from the drainage area data. The details of each distinct step in the process will be discussed in class.

In Project 3 you will identify and visualize areas of your dataset that correspond to different geomorphic process regimes. At a minimum, your final products will be:

a log-log plot of slope vs drainage area €“ used to define your process regimes
a map of different process regimes
Your report should be ~6 pages, and should follow GSA format as always. You should include a concise yet complete description of your drainage area algorithm and the slope calculation (a combination of partial derivative vectors) in your methods section. You may include images or graphs of intermediate calculations in the body of the report or the Appendix Code should be included in Appendix, and should contain comments.

Your algorithm should be applied to a new dataset to be retrieved from Topo.org. Your particular dataset will be assigned in class. Options include:

PNW river valley west of Mt Rainier:

Xmin =1359481 Ymin =-34136 Xmax =1364598 Ymax =-26405

Velles Caldera hillside €“ mesa landscape, northern New Mexico

Xmin =377165 Ymin = 3963090 Xmax = 377590 Ymax = 3963530
Mt Antero dataset €“ Rocky Mtn landscape, southern Colorado

Xmin =385800 Ymin =4285612 Xmax = 387535 Ymax =4288520

As for the report itself, it should follow GSA format. Such that, it should consist of the following:

INTRO/BACKGROUND
-Purpose Statement
-Why it’s important
-What others have found

METHODS
-Complete/Easy to follow
-Purpose for steps

RESULTS
-Figures/Captions (captions go under figures per GSA format)
-Reporting raw results
-Code

DIS/CON
-Interpretation of results
-Clear conclusion

APPENDIX
-Paste all codes you have used

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.

An example of GSA format http://www.geosociety.org/pubs/geoguid5.htm