Geographical Information Systems

Geog 481/506                                                                                                  Tu Th 3:30-4:50pm
Fall 2011                                                                                                          Fillmore 170

Instructor: Ling Bian                                                                                          LabA: Tue:   5-6:20pm, W145, Chunyuan diao
Office: 120 Wilkeson                                                                                        LabB: Thur:  6:30-7:50pm, W145, Tong Sun
Office hours: Tu Th 2-3pm  or by appt.                                                             LabC: Fri:  10-11:20am, W145, Tong Sun

Definition of GIS

1. Significance of GIS
The "W" questions:
Where, what, when, why, how, who, what if...
GIS shows "what" are "where", and helps us think other "W"s

GIS integrates various information and allows us to see the "whole"

GIS is used by a wide range of disciplines
It changed the way we operate
It opened many opportunities

- A few facts
NCGIA/NSF grants
GIS programs in government agencies
GIS contracts
GIS conferences, journals, and professional societies

http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/
http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu

2. What is a GIS
- An early effort, Ian McHarg, 1969.

- A process oriented definition
A GIS is a computer-based system that provides for the collection, storage, analysis, and display of geo-referenced data.

- A problem-solving oriented definition
A decision support system involving the integration of spatially referenced data in a problem solving environment.

- Data, information, knowledge, intelligence

- GISystems and GIScience
   GISystems refers to software and hardware, and is used as a tool to support other research
   GIScience refers to the particular field of scientific study

3. Related fields
- Manual cartography
 

- DBMS (Data base management system)
 

- CAD (Computer-aided drafting)
 

- Computer Mapping

- AM/FM (Automated Mapping/Facility Management)
 

- LIS (Land information system)
 

- GIS
 

4. Typical spatial questions
1. Where is object A?
2. Where is A in relation to place B?
3. How many occurrences of type A are there within distance D of B?
4. What is the value of function Z at position X?
5. How large is B (area, perimeter, count of inclusions)?
6. What is the result of intersecting various kinds of spatial data?
7. What is the path of least cost, resistance, or distance along the ground from X to Y along pathway P?
8. What is at point X1, X2?
9. What objects are next to objects having certain combinations of attributes?

5. Readings: Chpt 1