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Title: GPS SURVEYING METHODS APPLIED TO NUTRIENT LOSS DETERMINATION AT AGRICULTURAL WASTE SITES

Author
item Eigenberg, Roger
item Nienaber, John

Submitted to: American Society of Agri Engineers Special Meetings and Conferences Papers
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Site analysis is needed to determine nutrient movement associated with livestock waste. The evaluation of a waste managment site often requires locating and marking coring sites using labor intensive surveying methods. The advent of GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) systems has promise as a tool for simplifying the surveying task allowing more time and resources for analysis. The Biological Engineering Research Unit at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center has used a GPS system in surveying animal waste sites to determine nutrient movement. The one-person unit allows surveys and grid layouts to be done quickly and with capability to return to the sample points on a periodic basis without placement of a permanent reference marker at each site location. This report details the process of system integration of the hardware and software to the specific application of site preparation and layout as well as a comparison of GPS correction methods.

Technical Abstract: The potential for substantial changes in waste composition and possible environmental risks exists at each step in the management of livestock wastes. Site analysis is needed to determine nutrient movement associated with livestock waste. The advent of GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) surveying methods has promise as a tool for simplifying the surveying task allowing more time and resources for analysis. The Biological Engineering Research Unit at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center has used a GPS system in surveying animal waste sites to determine nutrient movement. The one-person unit allows surveys and grid layouts to be done quickly and with capability to return to the sample points on a periodic basis without placement of a permanent reference marker at each site location. This report details the process of system integration of the hardware and software to the specific application of site preparation and layout as well as a comparison of real-time differential correction and post processing of position data. Position correction comparisons at three different real-time receiver sites revealed that the mean values for maximum scatter at a site for post-processing of position data was 0.88 +/- 0.30 m while the mean value of maximum scatter for real-time differential correction at the same sites was 1.99 +/- 0.31 m.