Geography of Canada Mr. Hartley Geography & Technology.

Geography of CanadaMr. Hartley

Geography & Technology

Geography & Technology

1. Geographic Information Systems

2. Global Positioning System

3. Aerial Photographs

4. Satellite Imagery

Geographic Information Systems

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a technology that manages, analyzes, and displays geographic data.

• Essentially, GIS is maps on computers. Each characteristic of the Earth’s surface is mapped on a layer which can be viewed independently, or in combination with other layers.

• GIS can analyze data in many ways:


Attribute Information:What is it?

Species: OakHeight: 15mAge: 75 Yrs

Location Information: Where is it?

51°N, 112°W

Source: ESRI Canada, WhatsGIS.ppt

GIS – Locations and Attributes

• GIS software links the location data and the attribute data:

Source: ESRI Canada, What’s GIS.ppt

GIS – Locations and Attributes

• GIS software can answer questions about our world:

What provinces border Saskatchewan?

Spatial Questions:

What provinces have more than 1.5 million people?

Attribute Questions:


GIS – Asking Questions

GIS – Why Use It?

Support for decision-making based on spatial data:

• Visual representation of data• Maintenance, manipulation of data• Analyze information of geographic areas• Produce customized cartographic products

• Is it safe to dig here?

A proposed excavation, identified by address, is compared to pipelines in the area using Geotechnology.


GIS – Real World Uses

• What is the fastest route to the Hospital?

Geotechnology can choose the fastest route to a hospital. The GIS can take into account traffic and other impediments.


GIS – Real World Uses

Global Positioning System

• The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a "constellation" of 24 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their location.

• The location accuracy is anywhere from 50 to 1 metres for most equipment.

• In the 1990s, accuracy could be pinpointed to within one metre with special military-approved equipment. Today that is true on most cellular devices.

How does it work?

• The GPS receiver calculates position by timing the signals sent by the satellites high above the Earth.

• These devices are used in military, aviation, marine, and consumer products.

• Most devices are mobile; the early ones did not display maps.


• A hand-held GPS unit


• An in-dash GPS unit

Aerial Photographs

• Using the photographs of the Earth taken by airplanes, you can see the world in 3D using a stereoscope.

Aerial Photographs

• Google Earth is a computer program (that you can download for free!) that shows aerial photographs in a digital format, with a general purpose map on top.

www.earth.google.com

Satellite Imagery

• Satellite images are also pictures of the Earth taken from high above, but these electronic images (instead of photographs) cover very large areas but show less detail.– Landsat (American) and uses sunlight and heat

reflected from the Earth’s surface to create images– SPOT (European) and similar to Landsat, but it can

create 3D images of the surface.– RADARSAT (Canadian) and uses radar signals (or

microwaves) instead of sunlight and heat, so it can be used at any time of day or night.

Landsat Program

• Landsat 7 was launched on April 15, 1999.

• Providing up to date and cloud free images.

• It was designed to last 10 years, and has the capacity to collect 500+ pictures per day

• Used for global change research and applications in agriculture, cartography, forestry, regional planning, etc.

Landsat

SPOT

• Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre is based out of France.

• Designed to improve knowledge and management of the earth as well as human activities.

• SPOT offers a higher resolution than most other satellites. (2.5 to 5m)

RADARSAT

• The first, RADARSAT-1 was launched in 1995.

• Created in Canada to provide earth observation data worldwide.

• Sends radar (microwave) signals to earth and then records them when reflected back.

RADARSAT

Geography of Canada Mr. Hartley Geography & Technology.

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