A REGIONAL GIS OF THE CENTRAL ANDES, SOUTH AMERICA - INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE AND
GEOPHYSICAL DATA SETS
Kerstin Hofmann, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam and Franz K.List, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Commision IV, Working Group GIS Data and Applications
KEY WORDS: GIS, Landsat, Geology, Integration, DEM/DTM
ABSTRACT
The Central Andes of northern Chile, southwestern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina are studied by a research project
supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 267). The main topics of these geological and geophysical
investigations are the orogeny of the Andean mountains and the crustal development at an active continental margin.
The "Andean GIS" is designed as a tool for data collection, management, overview, analysis and mapping. The
integration of different data supports the interdisciplinary work within the research project and provides a base for the
exchange of data and ideas between the different geoscientific disciplines of the project. Remote sensing data represent
the basic information level in the "Andean GIS". More than 30 geocoded Landsat TM scenes were processed and
integrated into the GIS as well as digital elevation models and orthoimages created from SPOT stereo images. The
structure of the GIS contains tools for data overview, visualization, and data input for non-GIS experts. The data
management and the applications are developed by the GIS manager in cooperation with project scientists. After the
initial development during the last two years, the structure and content of the Andean GIS have to be kept up-to-date
continuously in order to fulfill its function as a "common link" between the different groups of scientists.
KURZFASSUNG
Die Zentralen Anden im Norden Chiles, Südwesten Boliviens und Nordwesten Argentiniens sind das Arbeitsgebiet des
durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft gefórderten Sonderforschungsbereiches 267. Den Untersuchungs-
gegenstand bildet die Andengenese und die Krustenentwicklung am aktiven Kontinentalrand Südamerikas. Das "Anden
GIS" bildet ein Werkzeug für Datenhaltung, Datenmanagement, Überblick, Analyse und Ausgabe von Daten und
Ergebnissen. Die Zusammenführung thematisch unterschiedlicher Daten dient der interdisziplinären Arbeit der
einzelnen geowissenschaftlichen Teildisziplinen innerhalb des gesamten Sonderforschungsbereiches. Fernerkundungs-
daten bilden eine flächendeckende Informationsbasis im "Anden GIS". Mehr als 30 geocodierte Landsat-TM-Szenen
wurden prozessiert und in das GIS ebenso aufgenommen wie kleinräumige digitale Geländemodelle und Orthobilder,
die aus SPOT-Stereo Daten extrahiert wurden. Die GIS-Struktur enthält Menuoberflächen für den Uberblick, für
Dateneingabe und Digitalisierung zur Anwendung durch Nutzer ohne spezielle GIS-Kenntnisse. Das Datenmanage-
ment, die Analysen und Anwendungen werden in enger Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem GIS-Betreuer und den
Fachwissenschaftlern durchgeführt und entwickelt. Nach der Startphase des grundlegenden GIS-Aufbaus in den letzen
zwei Jahren ist es nun notwendig, Struktur und Inhalt laufend zu halten, damit die Aufgabe des GIS als Bindeglied
zwischen den Teildisziplinen erfüllt werden kann.
INTRODUCTION The large area and the interdisciplinary work within the
project make an absolute necessity to the development
The Central Andes are studied by a research project
supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
(SFB 267). Scientists from the Free University of Berlin,
the Technical University of Berlin and the Geoscientific
Research Center of Potsdam (GFZ) are cooperating
within this project. The main topics of these geological
and geophysical investigations are the orogeny of the
Andean Mountains and the crustal development at an
active crustal margin.
Geological, statigraphical, petrographical, petrochemical,
seismic, magnetotelluric, geomagnetic, and remote
sensing methods are used to achive this objectiv.
The project area is situated between 20 - 28? S and 71 -
63° W with emphasis on northern Chile, especially the
coastal region around lquique, Antofagasta, Taltal, as
well as Calama and the Salar de Atacama, and
northwestern Argentina with the Salar de Antofalla. This
area extents from the Pacific coast to the Subandean and
the Chaco across the Andes.
and implementation of a tool for integrating data sets and
the information gathered by the various project groups.
The "Andean GIS" is designed as a tool for data collec-
tion, management, overview, analysis and mapping. The
integration of the different data types of the project groups
from geological, geophysical to remote sensing data
supports the cooperations within the research project and
provides a base for the exchange of data and ideas
between the different disciplines involved.
"ANDEAN GIS"
The regional aspect of the data implies that a large
quantity of heterogenous data has to be integrated and
organized for efficient usage (Srinivasan & Richards,
1993). That means building of clear structures within the
GIS, development of routines and menus for easy input
and management of data, development of menu inter-
faces for effective data and information retrieval. In order
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996
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