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Page Contents: Technical Tools of Real and Virtual Fieldwork for Scientific Inquiry in the Critical Zone

• What is the Critical Zone?
• Smartphone and Tablet Apps for Accessing Information About a Field Site
• Smartphone and Tablet Apps for Capturing Aspects of a Field Site
• Desktop software
• Web-based tools
• Hardware


What is the Critical Zone?

The Critical Zone is a living, breathing, constantly evolving boundary layer where rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms interact. These complex interactions regulate the natural habitat and determine the availability of life-sustaining resources, including our food production and water quality.

Interdisciplinary teams of scientists work at Critical Zone Observatories around the country to better understand the Critical Zone and the services it provides.

The tools listed on this page are part of a growing set of resources for learning and and teaching about the Critical Zone.


Technical tools of real and virtual fieldwork for scientific inquiry

While the pace of change makes listing technological tools a challenging and always incomplete task, we've found some tools especially useful. Descriptions, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the linked web page. Some tools have multiple competitors, and new tools emerge all the time. We expect that there are already superior tools to some of those we list here; and that new and better tools will emerge. We welcome your suggestions for additions to these lists.

Last Updated: February, 2019

Smartphone and Tablet Apps for Accessing Information About a Field Site

Smartphone and Tablet Apps for Capturing Aspects of a Field Site

A Critical Zone Tree at the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory (CZO). This is one of the most heavily instrumented trees in the world. Note that this image is an interactive Street View panorama. Use your mouse and the controls in the upper right corner of the image to view fullscreen, and to pan and zoom. Explore CZOs, including the Southern Sierra CZO, in Virtual Fieldwork Experiences here.

Desktop software

Web-based tools

Purisima boulder by dugganhaas on Sketchfab

Hardware

The hardware listed here also has associated software.

Google Earth Files Useful to a Range of VFEs