Case Studies

3D Vizualization

An ArcView 3D Analyst Scene showing multiple surfaces displayed simultaneously in 3D, showing contamination levels in a groundwater basin. Contour data was used to generate the surface. Well locations have been extruded based on their total depth. Contaminant levels, measured by taking water samples at incremental depths, were used to generate a contamination surface. The Scene is a combination of these main elements.

Cave survey data from Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, is shown beneath a portion of the surface topography. The surface was generated using contour lines from the DLG Hypsography layer for the area and clipped. Cave survey data was converted from COMPASS to 3D Shapefile format using the ArcView CaveTools extension. Cave survey data is shaded based upon depth below the entrance. Topography is shown using partial transparency to allow cave survey data to be seen through the surface. Cave survey data courtesy: Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

The data shown above is displayed in a 3D Scene using ArcScene, a application included with the ArcGIS 3D Analyst. The georeferenced cave survey data has been draped on top of the 3D surface. ArcScene allows the user to rotate the map and change viewer perspectives and other parameters of the scene. Cave survey data courtesy: Cave Research Foundation (CRF) and American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA).

ArcScene 3D model showing the 3D cave survey data with 3D polygons generated from the left, right, up, down (LRUD) passage dimensions recorded at each survey station. The cave survey data is a 3D AutoCAD drawing file (DXF) generated using COMPASS, a popular third-party cave survey program. The model is shades based on elevation, with red representing higher elevations and green lower elevations. Cave survey data courtesy: Cave Research Foundation (CRF) and American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA).

The The Cave Research Foundation (CRF), a non-profit organization dedicated to the research, management, interpretation, and protection of cave and karst resources, applies GIS in a wide range of projects in conjunction with leading karst scientists and federal government agencies. This map shows a portion of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, the longest cave in the world and also a World Heritage site. The CRF uses GIS at Mammoth Cave to manage cave survey data, produce maps, and store GPS locations and inventory other caves in the park and immediate vicinity. Courtesy: Cave Research Foundation.

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