As applications of geospatial technologies continuously break the disciplinary barrier, the need for books on these technologies to reach diverse audiences is greater than ever. The challenge, however, is to write a book on this complicated subject that incorporates the knowledge of multiple disciplines and makes it valuable for those who may or may not have diverse educational backgrounds, but require using these technologies. Most books on geospatial technologies target a specific audience. Contrary to this, Geographical Information Science tries to target three different audiences (users, students, and engineers) by using formats and languages comfortable to them. While this effort is laudable, maintaining the balance and attractiveness to all the three audiences is challenging. The author, Narayan Panigrahi, has accomplished this balancing act but with mixed outcomes. His computer science background is clearly seen in the structure and contents of the chapters. This book is another addition to the list of introductory GIS textbooks. The book focuses on topics that are generally required to be learned in an introductory GIS class. The author infuses mathematical equations and formulas throughout the book to explain GIS tasks. This is helpful for the student to learn the fundamentals of GIS rather than simply learning GIS software. Apart from the occasional typographical errors and incomplete sentences, the chapters are generally readable and contain several flowcharts, pictures and the book is moderately priced. Each chapter ends with study questions and references. The author has tried to organize the chapters in ‘input-processing-output model’ or ‘model-view-control process’ or ‘use case of information function’ formats. In... ... middle of paper ... ...regarded GPS – an indispensable part of GIS. Discussions on cartographic principles, commercial GIS software programs, satellite images, aerial photos, and geodatabases are some of the other conspicuous omissions in this book. There is an inconsistency in the depth of topics explored; for example map projections are explored in great depth, while vector topology is merely glossed over. These omissions and inconsistencies would in my opinion make this book marginally less beneficial to all the three audiences together. However, there is something for all them; structure for engineers, equations for engineers and students, and GIS concepts for students, engineers and users. This book will therefore be undeniably valuable if used to complement the material in some of the other fundamental GIS books in the discipline. It has merits, but there is room for improvement.
Ken Jennings was a map nerd from a young age himself, you will not be surprised to learn, even sleeping with an old creased atlas at the side of his pillow, most kids his age were cuddling with a trusted blanket- Jennings was not. As he travels the world meeting people of kindred spirits--map librarians, publishers, geocachers, and the engineers behind google maps. Now that technology and geographic unknowing is increasingly insulting us from the space and land around us, we are going to be needing these people more than ever. Mapheads are the ones who always know exactly where they are and...
The Global Positioning System we now use today was created in 1973 to be a more sophisticated and reliable option to all the former navigation systems that existed at the time. This was done so by combining old methods of location navigation and including new ideas from many different classified engineering design studies from the 1960s (The GPS, n.p). It took time to get the G...
Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space position of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually, but not exclusively, associated with positions on the surface of the Earth, and are often used to establish land maps and boundaries for ownership or governmental purposes. In order to accomplish their objective, surveyors use elements of geometry, engineering, trigonometry, mathematics, physics, and law.
Historical geographer JB Harley wrote an essay on Map Deconstruction in 1989, in which Harley argues that a map is more than just a geographical representation of an area, his theory is that we need to look at a map not just as a geographical image but in its entire context. Harley points out that by an examination of the social structures that have influenced map making, that we may gain more knowledge about the world. The maps social construction is made from debate about what it should show. Harley broke away from the traditional argument about maps and examined the biases that govern the map and the map makers, by looking at what the maps included or excluded. Harley’s “basic argument within this essay is that we should encourage an epistemological shift in the way we interpret the nature of cartography.” Therefore Harley’s aim within his essay on ‘Deconstructing the Map’ was to break down the assumed ideas of a map being a purely scientific creation.
The diverse nature of Geography has always attracted me to the subject, and the bridge it forms between the Arts and the Sciences reflects many of my interests. I am greatly enjoying the work which I am doing for the A level syllabus, on both the human and physical sides of the course, and would like to continue to study in both these fields. Geography gives the opportunity to accumulate a valuable range of skills, and I particularly enjoy the variety of analytical, numerical, bibliographical and research skills which I am called upon to use. The study of Geography will enable me to consider complex interactions between the human and physical environments, and the scope for useful research within the subject is very appealing. I have attended a number of Geographical Association lectures organised by my local branch, and look forward to taking responsibility for my own work in response to such stimulus.
Plummer, C.C., McGeary, D. & Carlson, D.H., 2000: Physical Geoloy. Updated eigth ed..Mcgraw-Hill Companies, Inc., NY. 81-82,88-89.
Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) is one of the fastest growing technologies today. This field covers anything and everything that can be mapped, anything from weeds to urban sprawl, if it can be mapped, G.I.S. can be used. G.I.S. uses computers to store, analyze, and show data collected about a given topic(Kennedy 1), (Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). G.I.S. basically turns a computer into an atlas(Kennedy 1). With all this information available, how can it help the field of agriculture? G.I.S. has been used to track the spread of noxious weeds, grasshoppers, soil types, and various other factors, which help in agriculture.
GIS has an ability to convert diverse and complex amounts of data into more simple and easy to-read and access maps and information. With the rapid expansion and development of the Internet and World Wide Web, the Web-GIS (web geographical information system) has become more popular (Kou-gen et al, 2000). By using Internet GIS applications, users may view, analyze and download spatial information from anywhere at desired time. Web-GIS has an emphasis on analysis and processing of project specific geospatial data (Schuble, 1990).
GIS is regarded as an advanced technology that integrates other kinds of know-how using geographical data or information. The concept is a very powerful and effective technology, as it allows geographers to utilize their data and techniques in a way that merges traditional methods, including map overlay analysis, with more advanced modern methods to produce improved systems (Mavoa, Witten, McCranor & O’Sullivanc 2012, p. 17). Through GIS, geographers and engineers can effectively model, map, query, and evaluate large quantities of information kept in a single database. GIS is gaining popularity in road transportation where it provides effective and valuable expertise and equipment for managing vehicles during traffic. The technology provides a means for managing road transport by way of spatial reference systems, especially where roads form a convoluted transportation network (Razzak, Khan & Jalal 2011, p. 641).
Geographers plan new communities, decide where new highways should be placed, and establish evacuation plans. Computerized mapping and data analysis is known as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a new frontier in geography. Spatial data is gathered on a variety of subjects and input onto a computer. GIS users can create an infinite number of maps by requesting portions of the data to plot.
Humans have used maps since ancient times; they have been the tool of explorers, politicians, armies, and navigators. Throughout recorded history, we can see endless examples of maps being used to depict a part of the earth, giving people a visual illustration of their surroundings. While maps are useful in finding out where a place is, they are merely a representation. In the late 19th century, a French photographer named Felix Tournachon decided to use a recent invention, the camera, to create a new kind of map. Using a hot-air balloon, Tournachon hoisted his camera into the sky and took a photograph of the ground. What resulted was the first known remotely sensed image of the earth’s surface, a simple photograph showing a birds-eye view of the photographer’s surroundings (NASA). The advent of this new technology revolutionized not only map-making, but the way humans see the earth. Where once there were only drawings of where a place is, now it was possible to not only see where a place is,...
De, Blij Harm J., and Peter O. Muller. Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts. New York: J. Wiley, 1997. 340. Print.
Cartography has existed for thousands of years. From the early days of tribes marking off where their best hunting grounds are, to the modern day of mapping flight paths, cartography has evolved and developed in various ways to what it is today. There are now technologies that allow for people to design maps in ways never imagined before. Computer programmes exist that allow for different types of data to be stored so that accurate representations can be formed. It has been said that, “Maps are pictures of the world’s land surface, showing its features, resources and the way it has been developed.” (Bondi, et al., 1977)
GIS is an emerging method of data storage and interpretation. GIS is, simply put a database. It is many tables of data organized by one common denominator, location. The data in a GIS system is organized spatially, or by its physical location on the base map. The information that is stored in the database is the location and attributes that exist in that base map, such as streets, highways, water lines, sewers, manholes, properties, and buildings, etc. each of these items don’t just exist in the database, the attributes associated with the item is also stored. A good example of this would be a specific sewer line, from and arbitrary point A to a point B. Ideally, the sewer line would be represented graphically, with a line connecting the two points or something of the like. When one retrieves the information for that line in particular, the attribute data would be shown. This data would include the size of pipe, the pipe material, the upper invert elevation, the downstream invert elevation, the date installed, and any problem history associated with that line. This is the very gist of what a GIS system is.
Agriculture is the science of farming, cultivating land, breeding, feeding and other products. GIS has proven to play a huge role in Agriculture as it has increased the production and reduced cost for farmers worldwide. GIS has enabled farmers to examine, measure and monitor many conditions on there farm which makes it quite powerful. An example of the use of GIS in Agriculture is in an article named More Crop per Drop, this article describes that during the late 1990s professor Wim Bastiaanssen developed and algorithm to display the surface energy balance which would help calculate the crop water consumption. This would allow farmers to determine the precise amount of water needed to sustain a healthy plant life in any part of the world