Internet resource of the month. (Online Update).

EXPLORE MISSISSIPPI

http://www.geospatial.msstate.edu/website/mississippi/

In June 2002, the Mississippi State University (MSU) Remote Sensing Technologies Center (RSTC), via the MSU Extension Service, lanched the "Explore Mississippi" World Wide Web site, which allows the public to view high-resolution aerial imagery, access census data and research geographic information relating to Mississippi.

Authored by RSTC faculty and staff, Explore Mississippi allows users to view an image of the state with each county represented. Clicking on the map will "zoom" into an aerial image of the selected area, allowing details as small as a backyard garden or walkway to become visible. The site's toolbar provides users with a variety of options to interact with map information, including the ability to measure distances, find places of interest, learn road and stream names, view population figures and breakdowns, search for certain areas or view aerial photographs.

In developing the site, which initially was created as a resource for county agents, RSTC combined aerial photographs of the state (taken from 1995 to 1996), census information and GIS data from several government agencies (e.g., U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, etc.) into a single, multilayered map of Mississippi.

"Users can gain geographic information about the state and explore Mississippi in a new way," said Matt Jones, extension associate at RSFC. "[Users] can find their houses on the map and have an interesting view of it, but [they] also can pull a great deal of information from the site."

In addition to providing information in layers on the map, developers view the site as a tool to introduce users to GIS and related spatial technologies. "One of our goals in RSTC is to provide education to the public, and the Web is such a good tool to do that," noted Jones.

A help screen is available, and the map constantly is being modified to become more user friendly. "Aerial photographs already are available for much of the state, and, in the near future, the entire state will be available," explained Jones.

Currently based on an HTML browser for users with slower Internet capabilities, Jones said the site later would be based on a Java browser to enable more robust capabilities. Developers are seeking user feedback and encourage those interested in exploring the site to e-mail comments to mattj@ext.msstate.edu.