Topic 1

Geographic Information Systems

and
Spatial Data Management

Expected Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the Topic students will be able to:
develop familiarity with various applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data management, acquire knowledge of modeling and managing spatial data, develop the know-how of designing Spatial Database, use and apply GIS software tools for practical problems,

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Outline for Topic 1:

1. 2. Introduction to GIS Geographic Data & GIS

3.
4.

Modeling Geographic Data and Spatial Analysis

Spatial Databases and Spatial Queries

Methods:
Lecture in Class Lab on ArcGIS Project (report and demonstration)

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Reference Books:
1. Geographic Information Systems and Science: P. A. Longlry, M. F. Goodchild, D. J. Maguire, D. W. Rhind, John Wiley, 2003. Spatial Databases: With Application to GIS; P. Rigaux, M. Scholl, A. Voisard, Morgan Kaufmann. 2002.

2.

3.
4. 5.

An Introduction to Geographical Information Systems, Heywood, Ian etal., 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, 2002.
Spatial Databases: A Tour, Shashi Shekhar, Sanjay Chawla, Prentice Hall, 2003. Fundamentals of Spatial Information Systems Academic Press, by Robert Laurini & Derek Thompson, March 1992,
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Chapter 1: Introduction to GIS

1.1 What is GIS?
1.2 Application Domains 1.3 Positioning on Earth

1.1 What is GIS?

Spatial Data:
Spatial: any thing pertaining to the concept of space, place, and location. Spatial Data: Data that have some form of spatial or geographical reference that enables entities to be located in two- or three-dimensional space.

Any information about the location and shape of, and relationships among, geographic features.
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Geography
is concerned with the location or spatial variation in both physical and human phenomena on the earths surface -Martin Kenzer, 1989.
is the study of earth as the home of people
Yi-Fu Tuan, 1991.

is the study of the patterns and processes of human (built) and environmental (natural) landscapes, where landscapes comprise real (objective) and perceived (subjective) space. Gregg Wassmansdorf, 1995.
http://geography.about.com/library/misc/blquote.htm

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 Geographic Information System (GIS) is a system that uses geographically referenced data (spatial data) as well as non-spatial data and includes operations to support spatial data analysis with a common purpose of: decision-making, and

Managing data:
For Example:- use of land, resources, transportation, oceans or any spatially distributed entities,

the connection between the elements of the system is geography (e.g. location, proximity, spatial distribution)
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GIS: Contd
can be seen as a system of hardware, software and procedures designed to support, capture, manage, manipulate, analyze, model and display a spatiallyreferenced data for solving complex planning and management problems.

although many other computer programs can use spatial data (e.g. AutoCAD and statistical packages), GISs include the additional ability to perform spatial operations and analysis.

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GIS: Contd
GIS provides a method to visualize or display spatial data. GIS integrates spatial and other kinds of data within a single system, GIS allows access to administrative records - property ownership, tax files, utility cables and pipes - via their geographical positions.

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GIS-Summary
Specialized computer systems to process Geographical Information (exists since the early1970s),
Techniques to input geographical information, converting information in to digital formats, Techniques of storage and query for geographic information, Methods for automated analysis of geographical data: search for patterns, combine different kinds of data, make measurements, find optimum sites or routes, and a host of other tasks, Techniques for display of data in the form of maps, images, etc.

Capabilities for output of results in the form of numbers, tables, and maps.
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Structure of a GIS
Application layers

Data analysis subsystem Data acquisition subsystem DB querying and management subsystem Mapping subsystem

Geographic database

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GIS is a convergence of technological fields

GIS has been called an "enabling technology" because of the potential it offers for the wide variety of disciplines which must deal with spatial data, each discipline provides some of the techniques which make up GIS,

many of these disciplines emphasize data collection - GIS brings them together by emphasizing integration, modeling and analysis , as an integrating field of these disciplines, GIS often claims to be the science of Spatial Information,
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Contributing Disciplines and Technologies:

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Geography Cartography Remote Sensing Photogrammetry Surveying Geodesy Statistics Operations Research Computer Science Mathematics Civil Engineering
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Cartography
concerned with the display of spatial information,

deals with the design of maps, which is an important source of input data for GIS and the main form of output from GIS,
computer cartography (also called "digital cartography", "automated cartography") provides methods for digital representation and manipulation of maps and their methods of visualization,

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Remote Sensing
remote sensing includes techniques for data acquisition and processing anywhere on the globe at low cost, consistent update potential, images from space and the air are major source of geographical data, interpreted data from a remote sensing system can be merged with other data layers in a GIS,

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Photogrammetry
the process of making maps or scale drawings from photographs, especially aerial photographs, the process of making precise measurements by means of photography,

is the source of most data on topography (ground surface elevations) used for input to GIS,

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Surveying
the measurement of dimensional relationships, as of horizontal distances, elevations, directions, and angles, on the earth's surface especially for use in locating property boundaries, construction layout, and mapmaking. provides high quality data on positions of land boundaries, buildings, etc

Geodesy
the geologic science of the size and shape of the earth, source of high accuracy positional control for GIS
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Statistics
the science of collection, organization, interpretation and analysis of numerical data, many models built using GIS are statistical in nature, many statistical techniques are used for analysis, statistics is also important in understanding issues of error and uncertainty in GIS data,

Operations Research
the use of mathematical or statistical analysis of a process or an operation, it is used in making decisions. many applications of GIS require use of optimizing techniques for decision-making
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Computer Science
computer-aided design (CAD) provides software, techniques for data input, display and visualization, representation, particularly in 3 dimensions, advances in computer graphics provide hardware, software for handling and displaying graphic objects and techniques of visualization, database management systems (DBMS) contribute methods for representing data in digital form, procedures for system design and handling large volumes of data, particularly access and update, Artificial Intelligence (AI) uses the computer to make choices based on available data in a way that is seen to emulate human intelligence and decision-making - computer can act as an "expert" in such functions as designing maps, generalizing map features,

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Mathematics
branches of mathematics, such as geometry and graph theory are used in GIS system design and analysis of spatial data,

Civil Engineering
deals with the design and construction of public works, such as bridges or dams, and other large facilities

GIS has many applications in transportation, urban engineering, etc. Hence, borrows techniques of civil engineering.
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1.2 Application Domains

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. urban planning environmental planning rural and forestry planning marine applications transportations natural resources Earth sciences / geology archaeology real estate management Defense, etc

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Reading Assignment - I
Specify what a GIS can do in the different domains listed above,

Identify the duty of a Computer professional in each of the domains,

Explore the features of:
Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/ Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/ Google Sky: http://www.google.com/sky/

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