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M.B. Gousie and M.J. SmithProceedings of Spatial Accuracy Assessment in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Leicester
It is well known that a digital elevation model (DEM) may contain systematic or other errors. In many 3-D visualization systems, problems in the data may be highlighted, but it is often difficult for the viewer to discern the exact nature of the problem. We present DEMView, a viewing and error assessment system specifically for use with DEMs. The system displays a DEM in 3-D with the usual translation, rotation, and zooming tools. However, the system incorporates a suite of visual (qualitative) and statistical (quantitative) assessment tools that help a researcher determine and analyze errors and uncertainty in a given DEM. A case study shows the efficacy of the system.

C.H. Grohman, M.J. Smith and C. Riccomini
Proceedings of Geomorphometry, 140-148
In this paper we briefly review a selection of measures of surface roughness, with specific application to grid based digital elevation models (DEMs). A selection were assessed for the behaviour of roughness at different spatial scales and dataset resolutions using moving-window and raster algebra steps to a test area in the Midland Valley, Scotland.

Smith, M.J.
US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1385, 43-46.

Open access (OA) journals are rapidly becoming an important channel for publishing academic articles and, although they represent a small proportion of the total number of journals published annually, it is significant that organisations such as British Medical Journals (BMJ) operate in this manner. This article explores the broad implementation of OA journals, issues pertaining to copyright and the distribution of (geospatial) research data.

Smith, M.J., Knight, J. and Field, K.
US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1385, 105-107.

Glacial landform mapping is one of the primarily inputs for the reconstruction of past glacial environments and processes, potentially inferring maximum ice sheet extent, primary ice flow configurations, and ice sheet dynamics. Drumlins, end moraines, ribbed moraines, eskers and meltwater channels are often recorded and subsequently used to infer former ice sheet conditions.

Striae (linear, subglacial, scours on bedrock up to several metres long), have been recorded as palaeo-evidence for ice flow direction for nearly 200 years. The recording of striae observations requires extensive fieldwork and is therefore not suited to collection over large areas. Cumulative data collection by many researchers in Ireland since ~1850 has led to a large published and unpublished archive of striae observations. This research has collated over 4000 individual observations from geological survey maps and memoirs, published (peer-reviewed) literature and unpublished work (theses and fieldnotes). These records are now unified in a single database, georeferenced to the Irish National Grid, and linked to a qualitative assessment of their locational accuracy.

M.J. Smith, Petford N. and Xiao L.
37th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference, paper 1675.
GIS has been used extensively within geoscience, however this has not been mirrored within the planetary sciences. Webriefly explore the convergence between GIS, application of new techniques and availability of data within theplanetary sciences.