Photogrammetric Ichnology: State-of-the-art Digital Data Analysis Of Paleontological Resources In North America, Europe, Asia, And Africa Brent H. Breithaupt Wyoming State Office, Bureau of Land Management Neffra A. Matthews National Operations Center, Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior 2
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. DOI Bureau of Land Management 4
U.S. DOI Bureau of Land Management Manages 258 million surface acres 5
BLM lands comprise 13 percent of the total land surface of the United States and more than 40% of all land managed by the Federal Government.
Mission: Sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public Rangeland lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Economic Development Irreplaceable Resources Wild Horses And Burro Recreation Threatened or Endangered Species 7
Omnibus Public Land Management Act Paleontological Resources Preservation - Formal recognition of the importance of paleontological resources from Federal lands. - The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture shall manage and protect paleontological resources on Federal lands using scientific principles and expertise. - Agencies must develop appropriate plans for inventory, monitoring, and the scientific and educational use of paleontological resources. - Agencies must establish a program to increase public awareness about the significance of a paleontological resources.
Traditional Measuring and Mapping
Dinosaur Behavior Dinosaur Growth and Development
Photogrammetry The art, science, and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring, and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant energy and other phenomena. Stereo Photo Overlap Area
90 90 Landscape Portrait 270
SEMINOE RESERVOIR TRACKSITE, WYOMING Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation Pioneering Photogrammetric documentation was done of this unique pterosaur and sauropod tracksite. Well-preserved trackways of the quadrapedal walking behavior of pterosaurs preserved and intensively documented.
Solid Models
In 1998 Photogrammetry has rigorous requirements - A calibrated/metric Mapping Film Camera - Systematic Nader Stereoscopic Overlap of Photographs - Precise 3D coordinate control of the subject - Processing only on analytical stereoplotter designed for aerial photography completely manual process. Time from photo to terrain model: one footprint - approximately 1 week. -0.0251-0.0179-0.0174-0.0176 0.0019 6-0.018 6 0.0009-0.0036-0.0074-0.0163
In 2001 a technological breakthrough 3D Measuring and Modeling software (PhotoModeler) is used to calibrate and orient cameras. This turns the camera into a surveying instrument. Automated 3D terrain extraction is conducted on the aerialdigital photogrammetric workstation.
2001 Photogrammetric Documentation begins at the Twentymile Wash Dinosaur Tracksite, Utah TWENTYMILE WASH DINOSAUR TRACKSITE
When first surveyed in 1998 ~300 tracks were reported. After photogrammetric mapping over 1000 dinosaur footprint impressions and associated traces were mapped in 3D space.
Twentymile Wash is one of the first tracksites to be mapped solely using a photogrammetric aerial-digital workstation.
Trackway Analysis
2008 the Moccasin Mountain Tracksite, Utah is photographed from the ground and via helicopter Time from multiscale photos to terrain models: one tracksite - approximately 4 weeks.
PREHISTORIC TRACKWAYS NATIONAL MONUMENT, NEW MEXICO Early Permian Robledo Mountain Formation Newly (2009) designated BLM national monument containing a unique diversity of Permian life traces of international importance. Photogrammetric documentation was done of select tracks and trackways of amphibians, reptiles, and insects done both in the field and in museum collections.
TROTTERNISH PENINSULA, ISLE OF SKYE, SCOTLAND Middle Jurassic Kimalaug Formation Photogrammetric documentation of some of the first dinosaur footprints found in Scotland. Data normalized and used for correlations of tracks of similar age, morphology, and preservation in western North America.
2010 the Mill Canyon Road Dinosaur Tracksite, Utah is photogrammetrically documented Time from photos to terrain models: one track area less than 1 day.
Raptor Track Area
Algorithmic rendering created from 3D surface normal information
Algorithmic rendering created from 3D surface normal information
PARIA CANYON-VERMILION CLIFFS WILDERNESS AND VERMILION CLIFFS NATIONAL MONUMENT, ARIZONA AND UTAH Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone Known for its geologic beauty, these areas are considered some of the premier canyon backpacking destinations in the world. Dinosaur tracksites preserve unique behavioral and preservational features of a desert fauna only preserved by traces. Preliminary reconnaissance photodocumentation of select areas was initiated in these areas, which will provide baseline data for future ichnological work and management decisions.
UHANGRI DINOSUR MUSEUM, HAENAM, SOUTH KOREA Upper Cretaceous Ubangi Formation Photogrammetric documentation was done of the unique preservational morphology of herbivorous dinosaur footprints for identification of sauropod or ornithopod characteristics.
TOADSTOOL GEOLOGIC PARK, NEBRASKA Oligocene Brule Formation Photogrammetric documentation was done at one of the most diverse Tertiary mammal tracksites, containing one of the longest known mammalian trackways. Documentation also included photogrammetry of the original, degrading rubber molds from the site, helping to preserve some of the original ichnological data.
TRACKING TECHNOLOGY 2010 Advances in structure from motion and muti-view matching result in a proliferation of available softwares which can be used to process overlapping images and produce terrain models. Apple introduces the ipad. Image Master Modeler Software
StereoScan = FREE Works with a single pair of overlapping (66%) of photographs Outputs include 3D pdf Time from photos to terrain model: one track - 15 minutes max.
Thank you for funding and/or logistical support to the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, University of Wyoming, State of Wyoming, and all colleagues, volunteers, and resource managers who encouraged and helped facilitate the photogrammetric documentation of ichnological resources.