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To: COL Gary K. “Doc” Rogers, PE, PhD From: Mia Cunicelli and Ali Gagnon Course: CE 208 – Introduction to GIS Subject: Trans-Siberian Tunnel via Delorme XMap GIS Editor T:\Civil Engineering\CE 208X\3 Non-Text Assignments\8 My Siberian Empire\ Bering Strait Tunnel (03 18 14).doc Text: Delorme XMapGIS Editor Software Goals: Introduction to a 50-state database of USGS Digital Elevation Model (DEM) topographic map information for the purpose of map resource utilization, analysis, modeling in both two and three dimensions. Key Words: Modeling, analysis, design, demographics, map resources, topographic maps, writing skills, instruction following ability, analysis, 2-D versus 3- D conceptualization, JPEG versus BITMAP files, file size considerations, critical thinking, resolution, map symbols, bench mark, contour, latitude, longitude, elevation, coordinates, contour interval, degrees, minutes, seconds, meta data, digital raster graphics, pixel, digital elevation model, area, distance measuring, profiles, vertical exaggeration, view angle, and sources of error. Assigned: 03/18/14 Tuesday Due: 03/25/12 Tuesday HR: HG: Assignment: Little Diomede http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islands is on the United States side of the International Date Line, in the Bering Strait. It is on the route of a suggested Bering Strait Rail Tunnel, which would connect North America to Siberia. Provide an image of these islands along with information on climate, population, terrain, etc., for the region that encompasses said islands. Specific details are required with a paragraph, or more, for each subject. Diomede Islands consist of two islands, appropriately named Big Diomede and Little Diomede, in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. Big Diomede is territory of the Russians 1

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Page 1: Course:€¦  · Web viewSince the Bering Strait is so shallow, the Bering Strait crossing is a hypothetical bridge or tunnel between the Chukotka Peninsula in Russia and the Seward

To: COL Gary K. “Doc” Rogers, PE, PhD

From: Mia Cunicelli and Ali Gagnon

Course: CE 208 – Introduction to GIS

Subject: Trans-Siberian Tunnel via Delorme XMap GIS EditorT:\Civil Engineering\CE 208X\3 Non-Text Assignments\8 My Siberian Empire\Bering Strait Tunnel (03 18 14).doc

Text: Delorme XMapGIS Editor Software

Goals: Introduction to a 50-state database of USGS Digital Elevation Model (DEM) topographic map information for the purpose of map resource utilization, analysis, modeling in both two and three dimensions.

Key Words: Modeling, analysis, design, demographics, map resources, topographic maps, writing skills, instruction following ability, analysis, 2-D versus 3-D conceptualization, JPEG versus BITMAP files, file size considerations, critical thinking, resolution, map symbols, bench mark, contour, latitude, longitude, elevation, coordinates, contour interval, degrees, minutes, seconds, meta data, digital raster graphics, pixel, digital elevation model, area, distance measuring, profiles, vertical exaggeration, view angle, and sources of error.

Assigned: 03/18/14 TuesdayDue: 03/25/12 TuesdayHR:HG:

Assignment: Little Diomede http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islands is on the United States side

of the International Date Line, in the Bering Strait. It is on the route of a suggested Bering Strait Rail Tunnel, which would connect North America to Siberia. Provide an image of these islands along with information on climate, population, terrain, etc., for the region that encompasses said islands. Specific details are required with a paragraph, or more, for each subject.

Diomede Islands consist of two islands, appropriately named Big Diomede and Little Diomede, in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. Big Diomede is territory of the Russians and has been uninhabited by the civilian population since the Cold War. A small military presence still remains on the island although that is unconfirmed. Little Diomede Island is for census purposes a part of Nome, Alaska and a very small indigenous population of roughly 135 people as of 2011. The climate is much like Alaska and the area of Russia that is close. It is cold in the winter and cool in the summer. The elevation on the Little Diomede island goes from sea level to the 1600 ft over a total are of 2.8 sq miles. It’s terrain is similar to that of the Hawaiian Islands. The city in

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which the population resides is the only area without near vertical cliffs from the water. Around the city it is roughly a 40 degree slope. At the top of the Little Diomede it is relatively flat. In between the islands is the International Date Line and technically Little Diomede is 23 hours behind Bid Diomede Island.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Diomede http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islands#cite_note-3

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Research the history of the Bering Strait Crossing, and give a detailed overview, several paragraphs, here of what you find. Use multiple sources and insert pertinent images. Here is a starting point. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing

Since the Bering Strait is so shallow, the Bering Strait crossing is a hypothetical bridge or tunnel between the Chukotka Peninsula in Russia and the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. The strait is about 98-164 ft. in depth and is approximately 53 mi wide at its narrowest. If it existed, the bridge would connect Asia with North America. Since there are two islands in between the two continents, the Diomede Islands, three bridges could be constructed to connect them. The two bridges between the island and continent would be about 25 miles long each, and the bridge connecting the islands would be much shorter.

Many have suggested the creation of either a tunnel or bridge between the two continents. The first idea for the bridge came before the 20th century, when William Gilpin envisioned a “Cosmopolitan Railway.” However, in the future, all hopes of the bridge or tunnel were crushed when World War I and the Russian Revolution broke out. After World War II, the completion of the Alaska Highway brought back interest to the Bering Strait crossing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BeringBridge.jpg

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Berengia_-_present_day.gif

Is there a historic precedence for such a venture? Use multiple sources. Discuss in several paragraph detail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Land_Bridge

About 20,000-25,000 years ago, huge glaciers in the north locked up so much water that the oceans water levels were 300 ft or more lower than they are today. Since the water in the Bering Strait was already pretty shallow, this exposed the bottom of the ocean creating a trail known as the Bering Land Bridge. It was believed that this was how early humans crossed over to the America’s following game etc.

Before railroads, Europe and Asia traded via the Silk Road. The Eurasian Land Bridge, also known as the New Silk Road, is the rail system that moves people and products from Far East Russia to ports in Europe. This route consists of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the New Eurasian Land Bridge, which together create a transcontinental railroad. The Trans-Siberian Railroad was completed in 1916. From the 1960’s to early in the 1990’s, need for the railroad dwindled, however it has picked back up again recently. China’s railroads also link to the Trans-Siberian railroad in Mongolia and China. The rail connects with other countries in Central Asia as well, however it does not connect to Europe through south Asia.

Expansion of the Eurasian Land Bridge was proposed to include links to India, Burma, Thailand and Malaysia in South East Asia. The inclusion of a rail tunnel or bridge across the Bering Strait was also proposed in order to connect the Trans-Siberian Railroad to the North American rail system.http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/bering.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Land_Bridge

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_Trans-Siberian_railway.png

How does this proposed undersea tunnels compare with other similar undersea tunnels in the world (e.g. Chunnel, Seikan, Chesapeake, etc.) as to size, length, age, usage, etc? Discuss in several paragraph detail. Use multiple sources. http://www.gr8st8.com/main_pages/bering_tunnel.htm

Undersea tunnels are not as uncommon as one would think, there are X in the U.S. and the longest one every built is in China. The tunnel that connects England to Europe is underground and runs from Kent to the city of Calais. The project and projects similar to that have been proposed multiple times since the Napoleonic Era. It finally began construction in the mid-1980’s and opened in 1994. At its lowest point it is 250 ft deep and has a length of 31.4 miles. The Channel Tunnel, similar to the proposed Bering Tunnel, will be used primarily for the transportation of international freight. It has no road system but passenger commuter trains do travel on and off the island. The main problems have been fires that shut down the tunnels operation. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is a bridge and tunnel commuter system that connects Hampton Roads to Norfolk, Virginia. The entire bridge-tunnel system is 12 miles long with only 2 miles underwater. All of the previous underwater tunnels are short in length compared to the Bering Strait Tunnel. It would have to be roughly 64 miles in length. The proposed tunnel for an international freight system would cost about 35 billion dollars. The tunnel must also have rail that connects it to major cities or shipping hubs increasing the price tag by another $265 billion. The additional railroad lengths have been proposed to be another 6,000 miles (Whoa..). The Bering Tunnel itself is proposed to consist of 3 parallel tunnels, the two main tunnels will consist of two levels of traffic and the third will provide emergency access to the other tunnels. The three levels of traffic will include one or two lanes for automobiles, railway for cargo and passenger trains, and a level for airless Maglev Tube Transport. The project will take some time to complete, roughly 12-15 years. The Bering Strait Tunnel when compared to any of the current tunnels in use is a much bigger feat. It’s size in both length and diameter and cost

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will dwarf other construction projects. Theoretically it will carry much more traffic, freight, increase international trade and tourism, and provide alternative business travel when compared to any of the current underwater tunnel systems.

http:

//

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge_Tunnel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnel

h ttp://www.interbering.co

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Discuss the feasibility of such a tunnel, with carefully thought-out pro and con detailed arguments (e.g. technical, environmental, ethical, etc.). Use multiple sources, several paragraphs plus. It is possible to advocate for and against the proposed Bering Strait Tunnel system and accompanying railways. The proposed tunnel and railways could increase the shipping and international trade because of the possible decrease in cost. It would provide tourism for the areas that are currently hard to get to and make allow other areas to become more inhabitable (e.g. Eastern Russia, Upper Canadian Region, etc.) There is no engineering or technical reason why the tunnel could not be built although it would present certain engineering challenges. It would be more difficult in the winter to during the construction phase, but not impossible. The tunnel could improve relations between the US and Russia and cement the current peace we have with them.

The tunnel would be costly and though the cost would be shared between 2 to 4 countries the money still comes from taxpayers. The US is already heavily in debt and until we get it under control it just doesn’t make sense to invest billions of dollars when a return would not be seen for 20-30 years after its completed construction. There is a possibility of increased trade between the three super powers and of course Canada, the increase of import and export between could stabilize the economies. The Kremlin has already began with an investment in the Bering Strait Tunnel approving 99 billion dollars towards the project over the next 30 years. Canada, China, and the US need to follow in the footsteps. It will take some time and dedication but the tunnel could become a huge asset. The pros include cargo shipped by rail, lowering costs of shipping overall.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028854/99bn-Bering-Strait-tunnel-approved-Kremlin-paves-way-East-West-rail-link.html

Plan a route from Fairbanks to the edge of Siberia. Wonder what software you could use for this endeavor? Show the overall general route via a map view. Provide a cross section as well. Also, for a small section of your choosing, zoom in and show an area in more detail (e.g. where individual bridges and/tunnels may be necessary). Provide an approximate distance in miles for the overall route. Think about how railroads are routed around the world (e.g. along river valleys, through tunnels, across rivers, etc.). Mainline railroads are designed for grades less than 3% (e.g. 3 feet of rise or fall in 100 feet of horizontal travel). Assume that the tunnel alignment can surface at both Big and Little Diomede if necessary. A bridge or tunnel could connect the tunnel between these islands … your choice. Describe, discuss, and illustrate.

It is 650.63mi from Fairbanks, AK to the edge of Siberia using the most flat land and least amount of bridges or tunnels built possible. I chose to do a series of three bridges, using an island as the mid point and running bridges from Siberia to the island and from the island to Alaska. From there, the railroad goes straight through Alaska and in between a series of rivers and lakes so no unnecessary bridges need to be constructed. One more bridge will be necessary over a river before coming to Fairbanks, AK.

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What railroad transportable natural resources from Siberia would be most beneficial to the USA economy today? Think in terms of both demand and profit. Specify and discuss in multiple paragraph detail.The most important natural resources that could be imported from Siberia would be natural gas and oil. The Siberian region is packed full of the stuff. It is also packed full of metals and minerals: copper, aluminum, nickel, nitrogen fertilizers, and other oil products. All of these are in demand in the US but the most needed is crude oil. The US imports nearly $313 billion dollars’ worth of crude oil in 2012. The US uses nearly it to run the entire country, and it will increase our ability export goods and increase our intercontinental trade. The Siberian continent has had increase in population but the majority of the area remains unsettled. This makes it perfect for mining and oiling extraction operations. This could cause a demand and profit in the US, and although tourism could increase from Russia it is highly unlikely. It is more likely that US retirees would visit Siberia during the warmer months. http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2011/09/08/russia-reportedly-planning-to-build-tunnel-under-bering-strait/http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/siberia/br/sbr2_3.htmlhttp://useconomy.about.com/od/tradepolicy/p/Imports-Exports-Components.htmhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2011/09/08/russia-reportedly-planning-to-build-tunnel-under-bering-strait/

How long would it take for a train to make the trip, from the edge of Siberia to say Fairbanks? You will need a distance and a representative speed. Show your calculations and basis for same.650.63 mi from Fairbanks to the edge of Siberia135 mph speed of fast track trainequation: 650.63/135=4.819it will take 4.819 hours if the train does not make any stops and stays at a constant speed.

How much can a train carry? Give some relative comparisons to trucks (e.g. eighteen wheelers, barges, ships, etc.). How do trains compare cost wise to these other means of transporting our new found wealth home? Why are we today considering adding “train corridors” alongside interstates like I81 through the Great (a.k.a. Shenandoah) Valley of Virginia? How does the world transport cargo now and what trends can you see for the future? Discuss with separate paragraphs for each of the abovenoted questions. Insert pertinent images.

A freight train can carry one ton of freight of 500 miles with 1 gallon of diesel fuel. While an eighteen wheeler can carry 2 tons of weight 500 miles needing 100 gallons of diesel fuel. Trains are more limited in the places they can go when compared to freight train, but they can go more place than barges. Barges can carry 514 tons per mile per gallon of diesel fuel making them more efficient but not as far reaching as trains. When comparing the cost of diesel fuel for trucks and barges compared to their accessibility of inland, trains are the far better choice.

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Adding the train corridors alongside Interstate 81 could decrease the cost of shipping of goods to the poorer regions in western VA, it could increase trace and remove many of the 18 wheelers that clog up interstate 81. I see an increase of oil usage, demand for fresher goods as the US tries to increase the healthy eating. The US will also just see an overall increase of shipping as the population grows. The world transports cargo of fresh foods, oil and other electricity providing goods, and good for manufacturing. They most common goods are the crude oil and natural gas as they are in the highest demand. A majority of world cargo is transported across oceans by barges because they are able to traverse great distances with large volumes, usually taking seven days to cross the ocean. Airplanes do not ships as much freight even though they are faster due to the smaller size and higher cost to run them, Intercontinental trains transport a majority of goods in the world, in the US it is also dominated by tractor trailers. They clog up the roads and emit way more gasses than what a train emits.http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/05/how-efficient-is-a-freight-train/http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_miles_will_a_18_wheeler_get_per_tank_of_diesel_fuel?#slide=3http://transportationfortomorrow.com/final_report/volume_3_html/05_field_hearings/images/1106_memphis_test_bio_red_img_6.jpg

Describe Siberia in detail, and the pertinent demographics thereof? The following are some minimum suggestions: Who are the people(s)? What are the languages? What government? Who controls what? What are the natural resources and reserves? What exists in terms of transportation routes (e.g. road, river, rail, air, etc.). What is the size of Siberia? For example, you could insert a map here that compares Siberia to the United States, as a size and distance reference. What are the environmental conditions (e.g. temps, rainfalls, climates)? Is there any ocean front land available? See if you can dig a few more interesting facts and figures up. Use multiple sources. The following link may be helpful:https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/The people from this area are Russian. They mostly speak the Russian Language,

followed by Dolgang, German, Bashkir, Chuvash, and Chechen. The government type is a federation, their legal system is a civil law system, with judicial review of legislative acts. They have a legislative, executive, and judicial branch of government and their president is elected

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by popular vote and my serve a six-year term, they are also eligible to serve another following that term. In terms of agriculture, they produce grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables, fruits, beef and milk. In terms of natural resources, they export petroleum and petroleum products, coal, minerals, natural gas, metals, wood and wood products, and chemicals. In terms of transportation, Russia utilizes air planes, helicopters, pipelines, railways, road ways, waterways, merchant marine, and ports and terminals. Siberia is 17,098,242 sq km in area. The climate ranges from subarctic in Siberia to tundra in the north, it is humid in the continental and much of European Russia. The winters vary from frigid in Siberia to cool along the Black Sea coast and summers are cool along the Arctic coast and warm in the steppes. The terrain is much forest and tundra with some mountains along the southern border.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html

Describe Alaska in detail and the demographics thereof? Use multiple sources. Can you find any imagery that compares the size of Alaska to the “lower 48”? Insert here.Alaska has an estimated populations of over half of a million people. Most of the population live in Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks. It is the 47th most populous state in the US with the lowest population density. Native Alaskans make up 14.8% of the populations, with the highest ancestry being German for non-native Alaskans. Population in Alaska has grown 5.9% since 2000 and it is projected for growth to increase as the area becomes more livable.Alaska is largely unsettled; much of it is covered in dense forests and is considered an exclave of the US. This is because it is the connected to North America but not contiguous with the lower 48 states. It is the largest state at almost 590,000 square miles and much of the land is owned by the government. It has more than 3 million lakes and 100,000 glaciers. The climate in Alaska is cold but not as high in precipitation as one would expect. The summers can be warm reaching the 90F while the winters can be can cold and harsh reaching -60F.

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http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:0::NO::P3_FID:1785533http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?akketchttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/alaska/

Out of curiosity, what is the “big deal” about drilling for oil in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) in this time of escalating fuel prices? What is ANWR? Where is ANWR? Just exactly how large is ANWR, described or shown in a fashion that “John Q Public” would understand. Provide pro and con detailed discussion, several paragraphs plus, on this subject, as tied to the supposed record profits of oil companies in the last decade.

ANWR is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It was established to preserve the wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values of the Arctic area. It was established in 1960 and it expanded in 1980. There are four purposes of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). They are to conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats, to fulfill the international fish and wildlife treaty obligations of the United States, to provide the opportunity for continued subsistence uses by local residents, and to ensure water quality and necessary water quantity within the refuge.

The ANWR is also critical in helping to sustain the native Eskimo and Indian cultures. The Inupiat Eskimos in the village of Kaktovik and the Gwich’in Indian people of Arctic Village have lived in this area for centuries therefore their culture needs to be protected. It is located in northeastern Alaska and consists of 19,286,722 acres if land. It is also the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country.

Drilling for oil in ANWR has been debated since 1977 by political heads. The big controversy is over drilling for oil in what is know as the “1002” area of the costal plain of the refuge, in a 1,500,000 acre area. The area is called “1002” because of “Section 1002 of the ANILCA, which deferred a decision on the management of oil and gas exploration and development of 1,500,000 acres in the costal plain.” The debate is so large because of the amount of economically recoverable oil in this area against the harm drilling might cause to the natural wildlife.

When president Carter signed into law the ANILCA on December 2, 1980, the bill allowed drilling in ANWR, however it was not allowed without the approval of congress and the completion of an Environmental Impact Study (EIS). It also stated in section 1002 that no exploratory drilling was allowed. http://www.fws.gov/alaska/nwr/arctic/visitors.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_National_Wildlife_Refugehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Refuge_drilling_controversy

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http://www.birds-eye-view.alaska.edu/ch2/images/comparison/Map-US.gif

What about the oft’ forgotten Inuit’s of this northern region of the world? Where can they be found, what are their languages, and do we know anything about current populations? Who are their neighbors? Are there friendly neighbor relations, historically speaking? What is the life expectancy, male, female, average? Discuss in detail these demographic concepts and others. Use multiple sources, multiple paragraphs.Inuits are still found living in rural regions in Alaska, their rural population has decreased dramatically as many have opted to move towards cities. Inuits are typically found in Labrador, Quebec, above the treeline in Alaska and in Siberian Russia. (Eskimo is offensive to them). There homes are made of igloos in the winter and they would migrate in the summer. Today their homes are made of stable construction materials. The sleds they travel around on are made of animal bones and skins and they are pulled around on them in the winter. Their clothes are made from animal fur and skins. Before the 1940’s the Inuits had a very rural and traditional way of life but as the cold war started. The area became more densely populated and Inuits were forced to live in towns and abandon their way of live. Some still live in isolated societies but they are rare. Between 25,000 and 35,000 Inuits stil; reside in Alaska today, though the exact numbers are not certain. They speak Eskaleut as the most common language. The average life expectancy of Inuits can be found in the figure below. On average males live until they are 65 and women until they are almost 70. Inuits have a very high alcohol problem due to the introduction of alcohol in the 1950s. Before then the Inuit population did not have alcohol and they are genetically very susceptible to alcoholism. It has ravaged local populations and many of their local governments have made it illegal to

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have alcohol in the rural villages. It has extended the poverty of the inuit populations due to its crippling effects in the region.

They have developed alcohol problems from

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/polar/inuit_culture.htmlhttp://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Inuit.htmlhttp://www.ehatlas.ca/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/life-expectancy-inuit-world_0.jpg?itok=jnJ7UwnO

Out of curiosity, show the route of the Iditarod and give a detailed multiple paragraph overview of this most famous event, background, facts/figures, etc.

The Iditarod is a sled dog race that covers “1000 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer.” The terrain includes jagged mountains, sub zero temperatures, frozen rivers, thick forests, and tundra. The racers also endure longer than average hours of darkness and extreme winds that can cause loss of visibility. The race stretches from Anchorage, Alaska, to Nome, Alaska, on the Bering Sea coast.

People are fascinated with this race and come to watch from all over the world. Film crews film it, movies are based on it, journalists write about it, it is very well known and documented. The Mushers that participate come from all walks of life. They come from all different places and all different backgrounds and jobs. The mushers are supported by fans and volunteers that help to organize the event and man the headquarters.

The race is a tribute to Alaska’s history. It pays tribute to the role the sled dog plays and it pits man and animal against nature. The race is run on the Iditarod trail. This history of the trail is that it used to be a mail and supply route through a number of

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towns from Seward to Nome via dog sled. In 1925, part of that same trail became crucial as a life saving highway and Nome’s people were infected with Diphtheria. Dog sleds brought in the serum that cured the illness through this route. There were “two reasons for organizing the long-distance Iditarod Race: to save the sled dog culture and Alaskan huskies, which were being phased out of existence due to the introduction of snowmobiles in Alaska; and to preserve the historical Iditarod Trail between Seward and Nome.” http://iditarod.com/about/

Are we past the time of “empires”? Do any exist today? What are some of the famous empires (pick 3) and when they existed in history? List, describe, discuss in detail.I believe we are past the “Age of Empires” where a majority of the settled world is ruled by single political government. Today, the world is ruled by powers that agree not to fight. They are tied economically to each other and co-dependent on goods and tried. If any empires did exist today, it would be the US, China, or Russia. All have imposed their government, rules, and lifestyles on regions that did not initially associate with them. The most recent example of this would have to be the Crimean region of the Ukraine that was annexed into Russia. (Whether it was part of a vote or not)The Ottoman Empire had its prime in the 16th-17th century spanned three continents, including southeastern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. It lasted over six centuries with Constantinople being its capital city. It was considered the successor the Eastern Byzantine Empire with a government that a had civil and military administration that were completely separate. The Ottoman empire officially fell at the beginning of world War 1.The Byzantine Empire also known as the Roman Empire during the middle ages had the same capital as the Ottoman Empire. It existed over a thousand years (way longer than the US). It was one of the most powerful empires economically culturally and with its military forces. It fell after the Fourth Crusade when it broke into two parts Greek and Latin. Civil wars tore the empire apart and part of it eventually became the Ottoman Empire. The British Empire was the largest empire in history with more than 13 million square miles. It was on all of the worlds continents and controlled more than a quarter of the worlds population. The British Culture, way of life and language was forced onto people who lived in the settled regions. The fact that English language is now the second most common language spoken in the entire world can be attributed to the British Empire. It is easily the most influential Empire in history, though it did not survive the longest.In my humble opinion, the powers today have nothing on the empires listed above.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_empireshttp://listverse.com/2010/06/22/top-10-greatest-empires-in-history/

How has GIS-based imagery and/or tools aided your discussions within this assignment? Discuss with detail and in an organized manner.

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Page 16: Course:€¦  · Web viewSince the Bering Strait is so shallow, the Bering Strait crossing is a hypothetical bridge or tunnel between the Chukotka Peninsula in Russia and the Seward

GIS-based imagery has aided in this assignment in many ways. First, it helped with measuring approximate distances across vast locations. We were able to do this by finding the area needing to be measured on the map, and using the draw feature to draw an exact route or close estimate on the map, and the distance was shown under the route. The software also helped by showing the topography. The maps show every river, canyon, mountain, hill, etc. This helps because it is useful information to know when measuring distance or planning a route. The software helped with finding locations as well. The find tool was very useful because you could type in a location and the software would bring you right to a map of it. Another aspect of the software that was helpful was the 3D feature. This was great because it helped with the topography as well and allowed us to get a feel for the land. It was also really interesting to see and to be able to manipulate.

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Designed by: COL Gary K. Rogers, PE, PhD 01/29/04 Last Modified: COL Gary K. Rogers, PE, PhD 03/17/14

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