EARTH SCIENCE INFORMATION CENTER

The Kentucky Geological Survey-Earth Science Information Center (KGS-ESIC) answers inquiries regarding the availability of current and historic map information, aerial photography, satellite imagery, geodetic control, and digital cartographic data. The office also answers questions about the availability of all types of earth-science information in Kentucky. The KGS-ESIC office is located in Room 104A on the first floor of the Mining and Mineral Resources Building adjacent to the KGS Publication Sales Office.

Resources available to the KGS-ESIC office for answering requests include a file of more than 5,700 microfiche indexes to aerial photography (available also on CD-ROM), satellite data (with an up-to-date, micro-image index), and historic maps (a microfilm file containing 37,400 historical topographic maps of the United States). Access to the USGS electronic data base of geographic names (GNIS) for Kentucky, which contains more than 30,000 place names used on Kentucky topographic maps, is available. Also, information is available about how to contact various USGS agencies for geophysical data, seismic data, gravity-anomaly information, magnetic data, and navigational information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority.

Close coordination between KGS-ESIC and the KGS Publication Sales Office makes it possible for many persons to obtain desired materials or information as the result of a single inquiry or visit to the Kentucky Geological Survey. However, in some cases it may be necessary to refer persons to another State or Federal agency, or private firm, as the source for a particular product.

More than 600 individual inquiries for information were answered by KGS-ESIC during the 1994-95 fiscal year. Of these requests, 36 percent were for map-related information, 15 percent were for geodetic control data, 14 percent were for aerial photography or space imagery, 4 percent concerned digital map products, and 31 percent were for information about available publications. Ordering assistance to obtain the desired materials was provided for many of the requests.

During the year, the KGS-ESIC representative participated in numerous activities to help make earth-science information available to the public. These activities included making presentations about topographic maps to students and professional groups, and working with the State Mapping Advisory Committee.