GIS Co-Registration
Definition
Assigning consistent spatial coordinates to all survey datasets so that anomalies from different instruments can be overlaid and compared at matching ground positions in geographic information system software.
- Purpose
- Align multiple survey datasets to shared coordinates
- Enables
- Overlay comparison across instruments
- Field
- Multi-method geophysical survey integration
- Tool
- GIS software
Common questions
Why is co-registration important when combining GPR, magnetometry, and resistivity data?+
Each instrument may log to its own local grid or slightly different GPS readings, so without co-registration, anomalies detected by different methods at the same physical spot can appear offset and be misread as separate features.
What can cause co-registration errors in a field survey?+
GPS positioning error, inconsistent control-point placement between survey passes, and grid distortion from uneven ground can all introduce misalignment between datasets.
How do investigators verify co-registration was done correctly?+
They typically check that known reference features or control points, visible in multiple datasets, align to within an acceptable tolerance before combining or interpreting the overlaid data.
Related terms
- Confidence Ranking
- A classification scheme that assigns each detected anomaly a confidence level based on how many independent methods detected it and how well...
- Decision Framework
- A structured protocol for selecting geophysical methods based on documented site characteristics (soil type, target depth, cultural noise) before fieldwork begins, with...
- False Positive
- A test result that indicates the presence of a target analyte when it is absent. In forensic serology this may mean incorrectly...
- Ground-Truthing
- The physical investigation (probing, test pitting, or full excavation) of a geophysical anomaly to determine whether it represents a genuine forensic target....
- Site Datum
- A fixed reference point, established by total station or RTK-GPS, to which all survey grid positions are tied. Ensures that anomaly positions...