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

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Basics of GIS: Outline• What’s a GIS

• Teaching GIS

• Applications

• Myths

• Some interesting problems

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Simple Definition

GIS = Maps in Computers

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Smart Maps

Site Number Bacteria

104 50

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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

“a system of hardware, software, data, people, organizations and institutional arrangements for collecting, storing, analyzing, and disseminating information about areas of the earth (Dueker and Kjerne, 1989)

Use of geography to integrate information from different sources

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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

• Integrate sources: - Primary sources - Secondary sources

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Integrate Sources

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Aerial Imagery

Elevation

Geodetic Control

Boundaries

Surface Waters

Transportation

Land Ownership

Thematic DataThematic DataFramework DataFramework Data

Soils

Sewer Lines

Water Lines

Landcover

Wetlands

Flood Zones

Geographic Database

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

Pollution Sources Leukemia Cases

Combining data sets

Information about “where” allows us to combine heterogeneous data sets

11Overlaying images and vector markup fromdifferent sources (UCLA LONI, Paxinos Atlas)

SMARTAtlas

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Use of Ontologies to Link Features

Structures on slices color coded by relationships contained in the UMLS

S.M.A.R.T. Atlas usesUnified Medical Language System (UMLS) to query across multiple data sources and explore spatial relationships across brainslices indifferent coordinate systems (eg,across species)

+

+

+

++

Settlements

Admin.Units

Reference Grid

Rivers

LongitudeLa

titud

e

Space as an indexing system

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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.

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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

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Components and Contexts of GISComponents and Contexts of GIS

• social and cultural context• institutional context• transformations• operations• representation• measurement

another approach:

acquisition-input-storage-retrieval-analysis-output-presentation-use

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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

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GIS Curriculum - 1UCSB (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

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GIS Curriculum - 2SDSU:

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

University of Washington•258: Maps and GIS•360: Principles of Cartography•458: Map Sources and Errors•460: Geographical Information System Analysis•461: Urban Geographic Information Systems•463: Geographic Information Systems Workshop•465: Analytic Cartography

Western Michigan University

•375: Intro to GIS•582: Remote Sensing of the Environment•566: Field Geography•567: Computerized Geodata Handling and Mapping•569: Geographic Information System

The NCGIA Core Curriculum in GIScience

San Diego Supercomputer Center

National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure

Applications

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RedistrictingRedistricting

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Emergency services, disaster recovery

Emergency services, disaster recovery

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Floodplain mappingFloodplain mapping

Hurricane Floyd

100 year flood

500 year flood

Flooding in Greenville

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Regulation implementation & enforcement

Regulation implementation & enforcement

Hog lagoons in and out of the floodplainHog lagoons in and out of the floodplain

100 year flood

Hurricane Floyd

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Smart growthSmart growth

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Police and fire deploymentPolice and fire deployment

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Intelligent demographicsIntelligent demographics

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www.zillow.com

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Visualization

• Video File on disk

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BIRN uses ESRI’s ArcMAPto align and analyze biologicalimages and vectorsegmentations of the brain, which can be retrieved from multiple spatial data servers (including ArcIMS servers) maintained by partner universities.

High-resolution brain image generated at NCMIR, UCSD, is registered to stereotaxic coordinates and overlaid with anatomical features and markup from Paxinos and Watson mouse brain atlas

Studying mouse models of human disease

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Some Myths About GISSome 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• More myths!

• Technical issues are fundamental in GIS

San Diego Supercomputer Center

National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure

Some Interesting ProblemsSemanticTechnicalStatistical

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Forest

Non-Forest

reality GIS representation

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

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Objects versus Fields• Object view

“empty space littered with objects” (points, lines or areas)

• Field viewvalue is defined for every location

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CB

BA

C AB

Points Lines Polygons

Objects

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200240

260

180200

270

170 220

250130

Raster grid Regular point grid

Irregular points Contour lines

Fields

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AUTOCORRELATION Land Use Maps Example

• Categorical maps: inherently autocorrelated• Degree of autocorrelation depends on resolution

BB = 36BW = 15WW = 9N = 6 X 6 = 36P(BW) = 0.25

BB = 146BW = 41WW = 77N = 12 X 12 = 144P(BW)=0.15

– if areas of polygons: Area = Lim(N*S), where N - number of cells, S - size of a cell, S -->0 autocorrelation extremely positive

– if counts of polygons no adjacent polygons with the same value autocorrelation extremely negative

In vector database:

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History of GISDecade Milestones for computer-based GIS

1960’s - Canada Geographic Information System (CGIS) developed: national land inventory pioneered many aspects of GIS- Harvard Lab for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis: pioneered software for spatial data handling- US Bureau of Census developed DIME data format- ESRI founded

1970’s - CGIS fully operational (and still operational today)

- First Landsat satellite launched (USA)

- USGS begins Geographical Information Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) to manage and analyze large land resource databases and Digital Line Graph (DLG) data format

- ERDAS founded

- ODYSSEY GIS launched (first vector GIS)

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History of GIS

Decade Milestones for computer-based GIS

1980’s - ESRI launches ARC/INFO (vector GIS)

- GPS became operational

- US Army Corp of Engineers develop GRASS (raster GIS)

- MapInfo founded

- First SPOT satellite launched (Europe)

- IDRISI Project started (GIS program)

- SPANS GIS produced

- National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) established in USA-TIGER/Line digital data - First GIS textbooks

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History of GISDecade Milestones for computer-based GIS

1990’s - MapInfo for Windows, Intergraph, Autodesk, others- ESRI produces ArcView and ARCGIS- $7+ billion industry

2000’s - Internet becomes major delivery vehicle- More than 1 million active users

Evolution of GIS Software

• Sub-routine libraries (60s/70s)• Libraries of small programs (sub-routines)• Required advanced programming skills

• Tool box with CLI (70s/80s)• Basic package with Command Line Interface• Required advanced technical skills

• Task-oriented system (90s/00s)• Graphical User Interface (GUI)• Customization capabilities to create specific-purpose

applications

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User Interface Applications

Geographic Tools

Data AccessSpatial

ReferenceVector

DataManager

Raster

Output

Editing

Analysis

CustomizationDisplay

Translation

Functionality Architecture

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Number ofUsers

CostInternetViewer

ComponentHand-heldDesktop

Professional

Functionality

GIS Software Classification

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Major Product Families  Autodesk ESRI Intergraph MapInfo Smallworld

Viewer AutoCAD LT

ArcReader GeoMedia Viewer ProViewer Custom

Desktop World ArcView GeoMedia MapInfo Professional

Spatial Intelligence

Profess-ional

AutoCAD / Map

ArcEditorArcInfo

GeoMedia Pro MapInfo Professional

Smallworld GIS

Hand-held OnSite ArcPad IntelliWhere MapXtend Scout

Database Server

GIS Server ArcSDE Uses Oracle Spatial

SpatialWare Part of Smallworld GIS

Component In several products

MapObjects, ArcObjects

Part of GeoMedia MapX, MapJ Part of Smallworld GIS

Internet MapGuide ArcIMS,ArcGIS Server

GeoMedia Web Map, GeoMedia Web Enterprise

MapXtreme, MapXSite

Smallworld Internet Applic- ation Server

CAD AutoCAD Map

In several products

In several products

In several products

Part of Smallworld GIS

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ArcGISPlatformArcGISPlatform

Extension Products

Server Products

Spatial Analyst

3D Analyst

Geostatistical Analyst

MrSID Encoder

ArcPress

StreetMap USA

Files

ArcSDE

DBMSGateway

DBMS

Coverages

ArcIMS

InternetServices

Desktop Products

ArcEditor

ArcView

ArcInfo

The ArcGIS Desktop

ArcGIS Server

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0 1000000 2000000 3000000

Users

Internet

Viewer

Component

Hand-held

Desktop

Professional

Type of Software System

GIS Market

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Open Source GIS

• Software Listings• http://www.freegis.org/• http://www.opensourcegis.org/

• GIS Software• Grass: http://grass.ibiblio.org/• Geotools: http://www.geotools.org/

• Map Servers• UMN Map Server:

http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/index.html• Geoserver: http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOS/Home