Geospatial Research and Mapping on Easter Island

摘要：加州州立大学长滩分校地理系和考古项目（CSULB）将与夏威夷大学的考古学家和复活节岛的当地专家合作，在现有的合作伙伴关系的基础上，为本科生提供地理空间研究和利用尖端地理空间技术绘制地图的研究和教育机会。REU复活节岛地理空间研究和测绘网站（GRAM-EI）项目的目标包括：(1)为更多的本科生（包括代表性不足的少数民族）增加基础和应用地理空间研究的可及性；(2)结合地理空间实地数据收集和分析技术，向土地管理者提供研究成果和信息产品；(3)为本科生提供与科学家合作的场所，参与地理空间分析，回答与复活节岛相关的基本考古研究问题；(4)为未来的研究人员和学生提供有价值的长期数据集，以研究环境变化的基本过程和评估管理策略的有效性；(5)提高大学生对地理空间技术和地理空间科学职业发展潜力的认识。GRAM-EI学生将在智利复活节岛参加暑期实地研究体验。学生将在夏季研究期间，通过在岛上进行实地和实验室研究，同时或以前接受过各种地理空间技术的培训。GRAM-EI研究将侧重于国家森林公司（CONAF）的自然资源和考古测绘和分析需求，以及GRAM-EI合作i的卡尔·利波博士及其研究同事和GRAM-EI合作者特里·亨特博士正在进行的考古研究。知识价值：这个REU站点项目将强调使用地理空间技术来帮助假设驱动的基于地理空间的自然资源和考古研究和制图。以自然资源为重点的研究将有助于提高对植被覆盖动态、自然灾害、非点源污染和地表水质量的长期变化的认识。考古研究的重点将有助于提高对欧洲接触之前的定居点年代学和资源利用的理解。复活节岛提供了一个充满考古和自然资源研究机会的实地实验室。该项目将为景观的地理空间分析提供一个框架，向本科生介绍技术和研究文化，同时提供绘制、监测和分析模式和环境过程所需的工具和方法。更广泛的影响：除了一个设计良好的REU遗址的基本和深远的影响外，拟议的地理空间研究和测绘将提供基线数据，并有助于对一个已被联合国宣布为世界遗产的岛屿进行持续的环境和生态监测。GRAM-EI研究将通过建立一个为期四年的制图和分析项目来支持CONAF的数据收集和研究需求。这将为长期的环境和生态监测计划提供基础，该计划可以包括未来的学生和教师研究。对定居年表、史前人口的人口统计以及居民与环境之间的关系的理解的贡献将构成对考古学知识体系的重大贡献。有关国家公园的土地覆盖动态和水文过程的信息将有利于这一世界遗产的管理，从而在地方和全球层面将科学知识与社会效益联系起来。研究经历将提高学生在地理空间技术方面的知识和技能，并产生重要的地理空间信息，同时为地理空间技术相关领域的研究提供就业机会。本项目由国际科学与工程办公室（美洲项目）共同资助。

Summary: The Geography Department and Archaeology Program of California State University Long Beach (CSULB), working with archaeologists from the University of Hawaii, and local experts on Easter Island will build on an existing partnership to provide research and educational opportunities for undergraduate students in geospatial research and mapping utilizing cutting-edge geospatial technologies. The goals of the REU Site on Geospatial Research and Mapping on Easter Island (GRAM-EI) program include: (1) Increase the accessibility of basic and applied geospatial research for a greater number of undergraduate students, including underrepresented minorities; (2) Provide research results and information products to land managers that are derived from a combination of geospatial field data collection and analysis techniques; (3) Provide a venue for undergraduate students to partner with scientists and participate in geospatial analysis to answer fundamental archaeological research questions associated with Easter Island; (4) Provide future researchers and students with valuable long-term data sets to study fundamental processes of environmental change and evaluate the effectiveness of management strategies, and; (5) Increase the awareness by undergraduates of the career potential of geospatial technology and the geospatial sciences. GRAM-EI students will participate in a summer field research experience on Easter Island, Chile. Students will apply concurrent or previous training in various geospatial techniques during the summer research experience by conducting field and laboratory based research on the island. GRAM-EI research will focus on the natural resource and archaeological mapping and analysis needs of the Corporacion Nacional Forestal (CONAF) as well as the ongoing archaeological research of GRAM-EI Co-I Dr. Carl Lipo and his research colleague and GRAM-EI collaborator Dr. Terry Hunt.Intellectual Merit: This REU Site project will emphasize the use of geospatial techniques to aid hypothesis driven geospatially based natural resource and archaeological research and mapping. The natural resource-focused research will contribute to improved understanding of long-term changes in vegetation cover dynamics, natural hazards, non-point source pollution and surface water quality. The archaeological research focus will contribute to improved understanding of settlement chronology and resource utilization prior to European contact. Easter Island provides a field laboratory replete with archaeological and natural resource-based research opportunities. This project will provide a framework for geospatial analysis of the landscape that introduces undergraduate students to technology and the culture of research while providing the tools and methods required to map, monitor, and analyze patterns and environmental processes. Broader Impacts: In addition to the fundamental and far-reaching impacts of a well-designed REU Site, the proposed geospatial research and mapping will provide baseline data and contribute to ongoing environmental and ecological monitoring for an island which has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. GRAM-EI research will support the data collection and research needs of the CONAF by establishing a four-year mapping and analysis program. This will provide the foundation for a long-term environmental and ecological monitoring program that can include future student and faculty research. Contributions to the understanding of the chronology of settlement, demographics of prehistoric populations, and the relationship between the inhabitants and their environment will constitute a significant contribution to the archaeological body of knowledge. Information on land cover dynamics, and hydrologic processes in the national park will benefit the management of this World Heritage Site thus linking scientific knowledge with societal benefit at both the local and global level. The research experience will improve students' knowledge and skill in geospatial technologies and produce important geospatial information while providing exposure to research career opportunities in the geospatial technology-related fields.This project is co-funded with the Office of International Science and Engineering (Americas Program).