Basics of GIS: Outline

1. Basics of GIS: Outline What�s a GIS Teaching GIS Applications Myths Some interesting problems

2. Simple Definition GIS = Maps in Computers The simplest definition of a Geographic Information System is that it is �Map in Computers�. Many of you might us simple GIS programs e.g. the programs that allow you to find the best route between different locations (e.g. your house in Palm Bay to a hotel in Jacksonville). These programs are not �full GIS�s� because you cannot manipulate or edit the data.The simplest definition of a Geographic Information System is that it is �Map in Computers�. Many of you might us simple GIS programs e.g. the programs that allow you to find the best route between different locations (e.g. your house in Palm Bay to a hotel in Jacksonville). These programs are not �full GIS�s� because you cannot manipulate or edit the data.

3. Smart Maps Clicking on Site 104 causes the results of the analysis (stored in the database) to be displayed.Clicking on Site 104 causes the results of the analysis (stored in the database) to be displayed.

4. What Is GIS - a Brief Introduction Different mapping systems: Electronic atlases Thematic mapping systems Street-based mapping systems GIS: all these things + much more analysis, import/export, combination of different data, dynamic map update, etc

5. How GIS Works Link map features to tables of attributes Access the attributes for any map feature Locate any feature from its attributes Manage sets of features & attributes as themes or objects

6. Integrate Sources

7. Geographic Database

8. Exploring Relationships Based on geographic location and proximity, GIS makes connections between activities Looking at data geographically can often suggest new insights, explanations These connections are often unrecognized without GIS, but can be vital to understanding and managing activities and resources E.g., we can link pollution sources with disease patterns

9. Combining data sets

10. Information about �where� allows us to combine heterogeneous data sets

11. Space as an indexing system

12. Projections Example: The Mercator projection has straight meridians & parallels that intersect at right angles, as opposed to the Robinson projection. Mercator preserves area only at the equator and at two standard parallels equidistant from the equator. The Mercator projection is often used for marine navigation as all straight lines on the map are lines of constant azimuth. Any one projection cannot simultaneously preserve all these qualities of the world: shape, area, direction, and distance.

13. This is what happens when projections mix! Notice the boundary lines do not line up Points that are placed on the wrong projection will be misaligned as well

14. What does it mean �doing GIS�? Using the tools of GIS to solve a problem Helping to build the tools Adding to existing geographic information technologies Helping to invent or develop new ones Studying the theory and concepts that lie behind GIS and the other geographic information technologies Studying the societal context of geographic information The legal context Issues of privacy, confidentiality Economics of geographic information it might mean using the tools of Geographic Information Systems to solve a problem such as those in the previous examples a GIS project might have the following stages: define the problem acquire the software (and the hardware?) acquire the data clean the database perform the analysis interpret and present the results or it might mean helping to build the tools adding to existing geographic information technologies helping to invent or develop new ones or it might mean studying the theory and concepts that lie behind GIS and the other geographic information technologies thus GIS = Geographic Information Science a different way of decoding the acronym 'GIS' more discussion follows Goodchild (1992) discusses what a GIScience might be in detail Forer and Unwin (1997) add a fourth variant is a third way of decoding 'GIS' = Geographic Information Studies are studies of the societal context of geographic information the legal context issues of privacy, confidentiality economics of geographic information it might mean using the tools of Geographic Information Systems to solve a problem such as those in the previous examples a GIS project might have the following stages: define the problem acquire the software (and the hardware?) acquire the data clean the database perform the analysis interpret and present the results or it might mean helping to build the tools adding to existing geographic information technologies helping to invent or develop new ones or it might mean studying the theory and concepts that lie behind GIS and the other geographic information technologies thus GIS = Geographic Information Science a different way of decoding the acronym 'GIS' more discussion follows Goodchild (1992) discusses what a GIScience might be in detail Forer and Unwin (1997) add a fourth variant is a third way of decoding 'GIS' = Geographic Information Studies are studies of the societal context of geographic information the legal context issues of privacy, confidentiality economics of geographic information

15. Components and Contexts of GIS social and cultural context institutional context transformations operations representation measurement another approach: acquisition-input-storage-retrieval-analysis-output-presentation-use

16. GIS in Higher Education ESRI list of GIS programs: http://gis.esri.com/university/onlinedb.cfm GIS Programs in Higher Education: http://www.directionsmag.com/education/ Geography departments worldwide: http://geowww.uibk.ac.at/geolinks/ Directory of graduate schools, GIS programs: http://www.gradschools.com/listings/menus/geoinfosys_menu.html

17. GIS Curriculum - 1 UCSB (http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/programs/ugrad_courses.htm ) Geog 12 - Maps and Charts, 4.0, Clarke Geog 13 - Introduction to Computing in Geography, 2.0, Staff Geog 115A - Geographic Photo Interpretation, (T), 4.0, Estes Geog 115AL - Laboratory in Geographic Photo Interpretation, (T), 1.0, Estes Geog 115B - Geographic Remote Sensing Techniques, (T), 4.0, Mertes Geog 115BL - Lab in Geographic Remote Sensing Techniques, (T), 1.0, Mertes Geog 115C - Intermediate Geographic Remote Sensing Techniques, (T), 4.0, Mertes Geog 115CL - Laboratory in Intermediate Geographic Remote Sensing Techniques, (T), 1.0, Mertes Geog 118 - Production Cartography, (T), 4.0, Clarke Geog 128 - Analytical and Computer Cartography, (T), 4.0, Staff Geog 136 - Remote Sensing of the Oceans, (G=T, U=T), 4.0, Washburn Geog 138 - Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere: An Introduction, (T), 4.0, Gautier Geog 151 - Computational Methods for Watershed Analysis, (T), 5.0, Mertes Geog 172 - Introduction to Geographical Data Analysis, (T), 3.0, Montello Geog 172L - Laboratory in Introductory Geographical Data Analysis, (T), 2.0, Montello Geog 176A - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, (T), 4.0, Goodchild, Clarke Geog 176B - Technical Issues in Geographic Information Systems, (T), 4.0, Goodchild, Clarke Geog. 176BL - Lab in Geographic Information Systems I, (T), 1.0, Goodchild, Clarke Geog 176C - Applications of GIS Technology, (T), 4.0, Goodchild, Clarke Geog 176CL - Lab in Geographic Information Systems II, (T), 1.0, Goodchild, Clarke Geog 181 - Spatial Database Modeling For Geographic Phenomena, (T), 4.0, T. Smith Geog 184A - Introduction to Cartographic Programming, (T), 4.0, Staff Geog 184B - Advanced Cartographic Programming, (T), 4.0, Staff

18. GIS Curriculum - 2 SDSU: http://typhoon.sdsu.edu/ GEOG 380 Map Investigation GEOG 381 Map and Graphic Methods GEOG 385 Spatial Data Analysis GEOG 484 Geographic Information Systems GEOG 488 Remote Sensing of Environment GEOG 581 Cartographic Design GEOG 582 Automated Cartography GEOG 584 Geographic Information System Applications II GEOG 585 Quantitative Methods in Geographic Research GEOG 588 Intermediate Remote Sensing of Environment GEOG 682 Advanced Automated Cartography GEOG 683 Advanced Geographic Information Systems GEOG 685 Advanced Quantitative Methods in Geography GEOG 688 Advanced Remote Sensing GEOG 780 Seminar in Techniques of Spatial Analysis

19. Applications

20. Redistricting

21. Emergency services, disaster recovery

22. Floodplain mapping

23. Regulation implementation & enforcement

24. Smart growth

25. Police and fire deployment

26. Intelligent demographics

27. www.realtor.com

29. Spatial integration of distributedmultiscale data

30. Use of Ontologies to Link Features

32. Myths

33. Some Myths About GIS GIS provides an �objective� approach to information Data may be different� methods may be different� Similar GIS for the same area will lead to similar conclusions and policy recommendations Attitudes may be different� Digital geographic data are accurate Well� and there are so many ways to measure data quality Better information will make better decisions Another �top 5�� and another� . 6 myths! Technical issues are fundamental in GIS

34. Summary of annual hazardous waste crossing the U.S./Mexico border during 1995-1997 (tons/yr)

35. Some Interesting ProblemsSemanticTechnicalStatistical

36. sometimes, the distinction between discrete and continuous is not very clear

37. Objects versus Fields Object view�empty space littered with objects� (points, lines or areas) Field viewvalue is defined for every location

38. Objects

39. Fields

40. AUTOCORRELATION Land Use Maps Example Categorical maps: inherently autocorrelated Degree of autocorrelation depends on resolution

41. MAUP - Modifiable Areal Unit Problem  Group of problems: Scale (The larger the unit of aggregation, the larger, on average, is the correlation between two variables) Aggregation (Taylor and Johnston (1979) in The geography of elections obtained a +0.44 correlation between rural non-farm voting for Nixon in 1960 using Census nine-region division and a -0.22 correlation using the four-region division) Openshaw, Taylor 1979: A million or so correlation coefficients: three experiments with the modifiable areal unit problem How to solve MAUP (Openshaw, 1983): ...it is not likely that solution exists that would allow the use of traditional techniques ...the simplest is to pretend that it doesn't exist ...the most convenient solution - to accept that zoning systems are independent of the phenomena they are used to report

42. Ontologies in GIS Operational uses of ontology, in: Edge-matching Planar enforcement Generalization �

43. Next� Now (Reza): History Software review COFFEE BREAK!! 2:45 � meeting in the lab, Rm. 116 (Reza) ArcMap, VirtualCampus 3:45 � moving back to the auditorium (Ilya) spatial data/representation/data structures/mapping 4:15 (Reza) Projections/georeferencing/ArcReader