Article of the Month in 2020

FIG publishes each month the Article of the Month. This is a high-level paper focusing on interesting topic to all surveyors. This article can be picked up from an FIG conference or another event or it can be a paper written directly for this purpose.

• December 2020 is written by Lisette Mey, Netherlands And Laura Meggiolaro, Italy. Land Governance Lost in Translation - Exploring Semantic Technologies to Increase Discoverability of New Technologies & Data This paper is about the language and technology barriers there constraint to effectively exchange and learn from land data, information and technologies across the globe.

• November 2020 is written by Ola Øvstedal, Norway A method to estimate a best fit trajectory from multiple individual trajectories This paper proposes a method on how to estimate a best fit trajectory based on available individual trajectories. Occasional observational blunders or failure in following the same physical path are addressed through statistical testing. The precision of the estimated trajectory is quantified in form of standard deviations.

• October 2020 is written by Florian Thiery, Timo Homburg, Sophie Charlotte Schmidt, Germany, Martina Trognitz, Austria And Monika Przybilla, Germany SPARQLing Geodesy for Cultural Heritage – New Opportunities for Publishing and Analysing Volunteered Linked (Geo-)Data This paper gives a general introduction into the concept of Linked (Geo-)Data, followed by a Best Practice example of semantically modelled Ogam Stones in Wikidata.

• September 2020 is written by David Mitchell, Australia; Winnie Shiu, Hong Kong Sar; Stig Enemark, Denmark; And James Kavanagh, United Kingdom Blended Learning in Support of Life-long Learning for Surveyors While blended learning is challenging to implement it offers many benefits and, when carefully developed, provides a range of learning options that suit many student learning styles and approaches. The benefits in blended learning for life-long learning is enhanced if education institutions, government, industry and professional institutions work together to develop online learning opportunities.

• August 2020 is written by: Naa Lamkai Quaye-Ballard, Daniel Asenso-Gyambibi and Jonathan Quaye-Ballard, Ghana. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Topographical Mapping of Inaccessible Land Areas in Ghana: A Cost-Effective Approach This paper examines the suitability and accuracy of a topographical survey conducted with the combination of RTK-GPS instrument and a consumer grade UAV at an inaccessible tailings dam at Osino in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

• July 2020 is written by: Josip Križanović and Miodrag Roić Croatia. Formalisation of Cadastral System Data Dissemination Processes – Initial Studies This peer review paper should have been presented at the FIG Working Week 2020, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The aim of this paper is to explore the processes of cadastral system data dissemination regarding standardised and non-standardised uses of cadastral system data.

• June 2020 is written by: Asmae Azzioui, Moulay Hafid Bouhamidi, Mustapha Mouadine And Mohammed Ettarid, Morocco. Innovative Approach for a Reliable Mapping of the Morocco’s Solar Resource. This peer review paper should have been presented at the FIG Working Week 2020, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The paper is about how the current Moroccan energy policy aims to develop and promote renewable and clean energy.This article traces all the results of research and practical manipulations carried out within this project.

• May 2020 is written by: Ana Flávia Bastos, Brazil and D.Eng. Lia Bastos, Brazil. Quantitative analysis of microplastics in coastal sediment in beaches of Spain and Brazil. This peer review paper should have been presented at the FIG Working Week 2020, Amsterdam, Netherlands in the special session Mapping the Plastic. Based on the ESMARES Program methods, a comparative study of the amount of microplastics found on different beaches of the east coast of Spain, bathed by the Mediterranean Sea and the southern coast of Brazil, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean has been carried out.

• April 2020 is written by: Kari Strande, Norway. Comprehensive Databases for Seabed Environment This paper was presented at the FIG Working Week 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The article unique collaboration programme in Norway called MAREANO. The programme contribute to a knowledge based conservation and use of the resources at sea

• March 2020 is written by: Prosper Washaya & Minyi Li, China. China’s Geospatial information industry fights against COVID-19 This article describes how geospatial information is being used effectively in a crisis situation; in this case fighting the COVID19 virus in China.

• February 2020 is written by: Wioleta Krupowicz, Adrianna Czarnecka, Poland, Magdalena Grus, Netherlands  Possibilities of implementing crowdsourcing initiatives in rural development programmes in Poland. This paper was presented at the FIG Working Week 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The article presents the possibilities of implementation of the idea of crowdsourcing in rural development programmes in Poland

• January 2020 is written by Edi Meier, Inma Gutiérrez, Marco Baumann, Max Bosshard And Rainer Heeb, Switzerland detection of Service Pipes and the Risk of Collapsing Sinkholes at the Lake of Constance in Switzerland Using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). This paper was presented at the FIG Working Week 2019 in Vietnam. The paper describes how Ground Penetrating Radar is used to document the present underground condition of the water front of the harbour promenade in Arbon (Lake of Constance) in Switzerland. This nondestructive method gives as a result images of the subsurface structures as well as of installations like service pipes.