Geographical Information Systems

Dr Nigel Trodd

Your aim is

to understand the main features of GIS

You will be able to identify technologies for handling geospatial

data recognise GIS functions assess the relationship between GIS & other

geospatial technologies

What is

GIS?

a GIS is...

a system to capture, store, check, integrate, manipulate, analyse and display data which are spatially referenced to the Earth.

DoE 1987

a GIS is NOT a GIS if it lacks tools to....

capture store check integrate manipulate analyse display

…spatially referenced data

GI technologies... analogue cartography

Capture

Store

Check

Integrate

Manipulate

Analyse

Display

CAD db IP

Capture

Store

Check

Integrate

Manipulate

Analyse

Display

CAD db IP

Capture

Store

Check vector only non-spatial

Integrate project based

Manipulate

Analyse non-spatial raster only

Display

…and GIS?

Capture

Store

Check

Integrate

Manipulate

Analyse

Display

times are changing...

ESRI products 1982-2004ESRI products

ArcGIS Explorer

ArcGIS Desktop

ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Server

ArcPadArcGIS for:Windows MobileBlackberry (Freeance)iOS

Wireless Location based devices

Internet Web-GIS

Database Desktop GIS

Spatial analysis

Geostats, distributed models

Multimedia extensions

Specialist apps

time

…some things never change

ALL GIS store, check & integrate geospatial data– spatial referencing system– Topology

ALL GIS manipulate & analyse geospatial data– Query– spatial operations

ALL GIS display geospatial data– select layers– pan, zoom

Bibliography Clark MJ, 1992. The GIS Survival Guide, GeoData Institute, Southampton. Cowan DJ, 1988. GIS versus CAD versus DBMS. What are the differences ?

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, November. Department of the Environment, 1987. Handling Geographic Information. Report of

the Committee of Enquiry chaired by Lord Chorley. HMSO, London. Ehlers M et al., 1987. Integration of remote sensing with GIS: a necessary

evolution. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 55, 1619-27. Longley PA, Goodchild, MF, Maguire, DJ & Rhind DW (eds.), 1999.

Geographical Information Systems: Principles, Techniques, Management and Applications. New York: Wiley.

Maguire DJ, 1991. An overview and definition of GIS. In Maguire DJ, Goodchild MF & Rhind DW (eds.) GIS: Principles and Applications. Longman: London, 9-20

Wright DJ, Goodchild MF & Proctor JD, 1997. Demystifying the persistent ambiguity of GIS as 'tool' versus 'science‘, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 87, 346-362. http://dusk.geo.orst.edu/annals.html