Reconnaissance Technologies Used after the 2004 Niigata Ken Chuetsu, Japan, Earthquake
The Niigata Ken Chuetsu earthquake reconnaissance provided an opportunity to test several advanced data collection technologies, including light detection and ranging, global positioning system data linked to photos and video, very high resolution satellite imagery, geographic information systems, and Internet map servers. The experience gained showed that these technologies offer the engineering community valuable data both in the field and afterward if properly deployed. Information technology solutions should either aid in the reconnaissance itself or be easy to use in the field. Standards and best practices are needed for deploying advanced technologies within the challenging framework of field reconnaissance.