Post on 28-Mar-2015
Introduction to Spatial Computing
Dr. Doug Oetter, Associate ProfessorDept. of History, Geography, and Philosophy
Friday, November 12, 201012:30-3:30A&S 2-54
Geospatial Science
• Study of the spatial aspects of terrestrial and geographic datasets through scientific methods involving software and analysis
Why Make Maps on a Computer?
• Digital storage• Easy to update• Easy to add information• Accurate• Simple to adapt for
multiple users and multiple media
Map Making Methods
• Draw by hand• Adapt from another source• Pre-made, editable map software
– Cartesia & Adobe Illustrator• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
– Complete spatial database for mapping and geographic inquiry
Geographic Information
Systems
• Hardware– Digitizer, computer,
plotter– Global Positioning
Satellite• Software
– Grass, MapInfo, ArcView, ArcGIS
• Data– Analog data (maps,
tables, images)– Digitial data (shapefiles,
coverages, grids, raster images)
• Users– Training is available!
• Methods
Geospatial Project
Problem Definition
Outline study area
Data AcquisitionGenerating data from your field
work
Capture data online
Pre-processing
Spatial Analysis and ModelingGeoprocessing
Data analysis
Complex geographic solutions
PresentationMaps, graphics, tables
1. Problem Statement
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a guided-design pedogogical style based on the assumption that students are motivated to solve real-world problems and will actively work to acquire the knowledge needed to solve them. – Present the problem statement. Introduce an "ill-structured"
problem or scenario to students. They should not have enough prior knowledge to solve the problem. This simply means they will have to gather necessary information or learn new concepts, principles, or skills as they engage in the problem-solving process.
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/teacher/teacherout.html
2. Data Acquisition
• Resource List– List what is needed. Presented with a problem,
students will need to find information to fill in missing gaps. A second list is prepared under the heading: "What do we need to know?" These questions will guide searches that may take place on-line, in the library, and in other out-of-class searches.
Maps
• Use maps as source information• Paper maps can be converted to digital
U. S. Government
Public Clearinghouses
Private Sources
Online Geographic Data Sources
Data Sources- U. S. Government
• Bureau of Land Management• Dept. of Commerce Census Bureau
– Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing system (TIGER)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (formerly NIMA)• U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service
– National Wetlands Inventory
• U. S. Forest Service• U. S. Geological Survey
– Water Resources – National Land Cover Data– The National Map
Government Imagery Sources
• AVIRIS • Eurimage • GLCF • NASA • MODIS • Radarsat • USGS
– Earth Explorer – EROS Data Center – GLOVIS
Public Clearinghouses
• National Atlas • State Depositories
– Georgia • International Data
– Center for International Earth Science Information (CIESIN)
– Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE)
Private Data Sources
• EarthSat • Geography Network • GIS Data Depot• Ikonos • Quickbird• SPOT • Terraserver
Global Positioning Satellites
• GPS Satellite devices
Location on Globe
- Parallels of latitude- Meridians of longitude
Grid Coordinate System
- Points are defined with X,Y coordinates- UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)
- UTM Zone 17 N, 291800 E, 3662300 N
Collecting Geographic Data
• Collect any type of data required– Be sure to capture location using a coordinate
system– Think points, lines, and polygons– Think ‘surface of the Earth’
• Coordinated capture system– Linking camera to GPS unit using time stamps– http://hercules.gcsu.edu/~doetter/geo/kmz/Lower_Oconee_River.kmz
Excel
• Spreadsheets allow data organization– Columns for field (thematic) data– Rows for records (events)
WEATHERDate Time Latitude Longitude Altitude Location Wind Speed Wind Direction Air Temperature Barometric Pressure
Questions?
3. Spatial Analysis
GIS Software Providers
• ESRI– ArcView– Arc/INFO– ArcGIS
• GeoMedia• MapInfo• GRASS
Google Earth
• http://hercules.gcsu.edu/~doetter/geo/google_earth.html• http://na.unep.net/atlas/google.php
ArcGIS• ArcGIS Desktop Software– ArcView—data
visualization, query, and analysis capabilities
– ArcEditor—a powerful data creation and editing environment
– ArcInfo—the professional GIS of choice for data automation, geoprocessing, and analysis
• Server Software– ArcSDE—the gateway for
managing spatial data in a commercial database management system (DBMS)
Getting Started with ArcMap• Toolbars• Table of
Contents• Data View• Layout View
Exploring Data
• Load in Georgia map document– ga_data.mxd
• Pan• Zoom• Legend• Attribute tables• Attribute query
Using Digital Imagery
• Digital Raster Graphs– Scanned and geo-
registered USGS topographic maps
• Digital Orthophotographs– Geo-registered aerial
photographs
Loading GPS Data• Input each location to
a new shapefileOR• Make X, Y, ID table in
Excel• Export to .dbf format• Add file to ArcView as
a table• In View, Add Event
Theme• Convert event theme
to Shapefile and saveOR• Have your GPS unit do
it automatically!!
Geoprocessing
• Reprojection• Measurement• Clip• Buffer• Union• Intersect• Attribute Query• Location Query
Questions?
4. Presentation
• Present and support the solution. As part of closure, teachers may require students to communicate, orally and/or in writing, their findings and recommendations. The product should include the problem statement, questions, data gathered, analysis of data, and support for solutions or recommendations based on the data analysis.
Map Production
• Basic map elements– Title– Scale– Legend– Orientation– Metadata
Geographic Visualization
• http://hercules.gcsu.edu/~doetter/geo/Baldwin_Cultural_Tour.kmz
ESRI ArcScene
Google Earth
Questions?