Cave Related Links

The following links allow you to download digital mapping data including Digital Elevation Model (DEM) files, as well as aerial photos, satellite images and topo-maps. DEM are used files provide terrain model overlays for you cave files. There are also links to information on converting SDTS files to the standard DEM format used by COMPASS.

Basic Information

Download DEMs

Web GIS Site - Easy access 7.5 DEM files
Geo Community - Commercial Site with free 7.5 minute files - requires registration.
Map Mart - Commercial Site claims to have free 7.5 minute downloads but they are hard to find.
USGS DEMs - 1-Degree - Alphabetical Listing

Download Topographic Maps

Libre Project.- Free 7.5 minute topographic images (DRGs)

Images and Aerial Photographs

USDA/Forest Service - Forest Service/BLM aerial photos
Microsoft Terraserver - Aerial photos, satellite images and topo maps - to be discontinued, but still works intermittently as of 4/7/2013

Cave Surveying Tools

Auriga - Auriga is a program that allows cave data to be entered, edited and plotted on any Palm, hand-held computer. Auriga data can be imported into Compass.

GIS

ArcExplorer. ArcExplorer is a free viewer that is available from ESRI. It allows you to view Shapefiles and many other data types including maps, images and aerial photograph.
ArcView 60-day Trial. ArcView is the main GIS product from ESRI. This 60-day trial version allows you to experiment with cave data and GIS.

File Converters. Here are some tools that can be used to convert cave files between different formats.

Garry Petrie's Version of Rosetta Stal - Will convert 11 different cave survey formats.

Electronic Surveying Tools. We are starting to see useful electronic survey gear.

COMPASS Related Pages.

COMPASS Users Group - Share questions and information with other COMPASS users.
COMPASS Users Web Pages - See what other people are doing with COMPASS

Miscellaneous.

British Cave Research Association (BCRA). - Includes Compass Points Magazine
NSS Home Page - (National (USA) Speleological Society) Home Page. Lots of Cave Related Information.
Bernie Szukalski Web Page. ESRI has been a strong supporter of cave-relative projects and Bernie has been the main driving force behind that support. This is a very nice web page with lots of interesting cave-related information.

Cave Book
I know this is a bit off the topic of survey software, but here is a book you might find interesting. Over a ten year period, three friends and I put together a book on the discovery and exploration of Lechuguilla Cave. The book begins with the digging project that opened the cave and covers 10 years of history from the early exploration to the nationally televised rescue in 1991. It also covers the people, personalities and politics that were an integral part of the story.
For more information, check out our web page at: http://www.deep-secrets.com

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