Geological researches have increased the utilization of tridimensional models in the last years in order to make possible visualization, parametrization and interpretation of data. The LIDAR technique allows to acquire a huge amount of georeferrenced data using a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS). Both fastness and accuracy are the main characteristics of this equipment. Its utilization in geological studies has started in the last decade (Bellian et al., 2002), but only in the last years the number of scientifi c articles has increased signifi cantly. The TLS acquires georeferrenced point clouds that can be converted in digital models after processing, especially digital outcrop models (DOM).

The discussions in the United States among LightSquared, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Global Positioning System (GPS) industry, Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Transportation (DoT) and users about the division of spectrum in the L-band should not be seen as just an internal US affair. The strength of both the camps, Telecom providers and the GPS industry indicate that this battle may easily expand to other parts of the world. For many, this battle was a surprise, particularly for a peaceful world like navigation, where discussions are more gentlemen like and either focused on which GNSS systems is the best, or on the backup of GNSS which is so vulnerable and where society cannot function anymore without GNSS. All this changed abruptly when LightSquared published plans to install 40,000 transmitters in a band adjacent to L1 band used by GPS. This led to numerous protests in the GPS industry and among its users as what has been published in many magazines. It is for us to see whether it is telecom versus GPS, or is there a sensible cooperation in reach?

The bottom line is that the LightSquared signals interfere with GPS, and LightSquared should not be allowed to proceed until the interference problems are resolved. To understand this perspective, some background is useful. The spectrum allocated to GPS for its L1 signal is from 1559 MHz to 1591 MHZ. This spectrum is shared by other Global Navigation Satellite Systems such as the EU’s Galileo, China’s Compass, and shortly also by Russia’s GLONASS, which uses the 1598 MHz to 1605 MHz band for its present signals. Basically, GNSS signals occupy the 1559 MHz – 1605 MHz band.

The economic and social development in the Sultanate of Oman during and after 1970 became the basis of assessment and planning to identify priorities of national development. For this, the role of geographic data to support sound decisionmaking has been considered important to support development programmes. Thus, the framework of dataset or the fundamental data in the Sultanate needs to clearly identify what constitutes the basic data used and produced by the government and private institutions.

The importance of good land governance to strengthen women’s land rights, facilitate land-related investment, transfer land to better uses, use it as collateral, and allow effective decentralization through collection of property taxes has long been recognized. The challenges posed by recent global developments, especially urbanization, increased and more volatile food prices, and climate change have raised the profile of land and the need for countries to have appropriate land policies.