CE 413 Introduction to GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS Dr

CE 413 Introduction to GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS Dr. Ahmet Çizmeli METU GGIT Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies Fall 2008 acizmeli@metu. edu. tr

Introduction to GIS Information systems Geographic information What is GIS? Components of the modern GIS applications Advantages of GIS Today

Information systems Life on earth = Problems • Making the decision of living a life on earth implies the challenge of facing problems; • Various types of problems with varying intensities: some are recurrent, some are unexpected, some are mortal, some are insignificant to bother etc. . . ; • In order to survive on the planet earth, we have to learn to deal with problems. HOW do we do this? • Making observations, analyzing data, making decisions

Information systems : Some definitions • Data : Facts, numbers, words, images, measurements of a set of variables. • Information Systems : A system of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in an organization, and it includes the organization's manual and automated processes • Decision Support System (DSS) : A DSS is an interactive software-based system intended to help decision makers compile useful information from raw data, documents, personal knowledge, and/or business models to identify and solve problems and make decisions.

Geographic information systems (GIS) In order to start solving problems, we will have to ask questions. A great majority of problems we encounter will have us ask the following question : what is where? • Where ? The geographic location on earth; • What ? Characteristics of attributes. A GIS helps us answer the question : “what is where? ”

GIS : spatial or geographic? “Spatial” may have to do with any reference frame : Medical images are referenced to human body; Engineering drawings are referenced to a mechanical object; Architecture drawings are referenced to a building; “Geographic” has to do with the Earth : Its two-dimensional surface; Its three-dimensional atmosphere, oceans, sub-surface; Geographic data should be “georeferenced”. Hence the term “geospatial”.

Geographic information systems (GIS) With the use of GIS software, we create a conceptual and computerized model of the earth. The logical steps are : • Collecting data; • Organizing data; • Making abstractions (models) of real-life processes that interact with collected data; • Analyzing model results; • Making conclusions; • Making decisions.

Geographic information systems (GIS) A geographic information system should contain : • Data precise and accurate enough for our needs; • Data covering the right geographical area; • Data describing the attributes of interest; • Relevantly organized data; • Data at the required scale of analysis.

Geographic information systems (GIS) Various ways of defining GIS : • A GIS is a computer system, which can collect, store and analyze spatial (geographic) data; • GIS is a collection of computer hardware, software and users to make up a system, which collects, stores, manipulates and displays spatial information about the earth; • “ A GIS is a computer based system that provides the following four sets of capabilities to handle geor-eferenced data: 1. input; 2. data management (data storage and retrieval); 3. manipulation and analysis; 4. output “ (Aronoff, 1989);

Geographic information systems (GIS) Other terms traditionally used for GIS: • Land Information System • Spatial Information System • AM/FM-Automated Mapping and Facilities Management • Geo-Information System • Land Resources Information System • Resource Information System • Spatial Data Management and Analysis System • Spatial Data Handling System • Environmental Information System • Image Based Information System • Multipurpose Cadastre

Components of a GIS depends on the integration of three aspects of computer technology : Software for manipulating, displaying & plotting data; Database management system (graphic & nongraphic data); Algorithms and techniques for spatial analysis.

Components of a GIS

Components of a GIS

Components of a GIS DBMS Graphical capabilities Spatial analysis tools

Components of a GIS Software : Software developers prepare programs (or packages) to capture, store and analyze geographic data in two parts : core package application package Core Package : graphic processing function; database management functions; basic cartographic and geographic analysis utilities. Application Packages : They are specially prepared to solve certain problems : prepared by manufacturer by the order of user; prepared by a third party for the user; prepared by user with macro language of the software;

Components of a GIS

Components of a GIS Two main categories for softwares : Commercial software Open-source software Commercial Software Closed source; This is the traditional business model; Developed only one company or organization ; Some many popular (and best? ) software commercial software; Professional-grade support is usually available from the vendor; The vendor has the last word on the development strategies;

Components of a GIS Open-Source Software Free; Anyone can use it. Comes with the source code. Anyone can modify it. Relatively less complex software; Support is usually available from the other users; Users develop it collaboratively over the internet; The development strategies are decided by the users; Integration with other similar software is seamless thanks to open standards.

Components of a GIS Open. Source Software Free Redistribution : The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software; Source Code : The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well; Derived Works : The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software; No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups; No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor : The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor; License Must Not Restrict Other Software : The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software; License Must Be Technology-Neutral.

Components of a GIS Some examples for commercial GIS softwares: Arc/Info(ESRI), Microstation(Intergraph), Map. Info, Small. World, CARIS, etc. . . Some examples for open source GIS softwares: Grass, Quantum GIS, u. Dig, open. JUMP, etc. . . A comparison of the most popular GIS software available today :

Components of a GIS data have two important elements: geographic (spatial) element attribute (non-geographic) element

Components of a GIS

Components of a GIS data quality Accuracy : how often data will be correct? Precision : fineness of the scale; Time : over what period of time? Currency : how recently the data were collected? Coverage : portion of the area where data are available. GIS data is organized in layers.

Components of a GIS data layers A data layer consists of logically related geographic features and their attributes. Why do we segragate geographic data into separate layers ? To simplify the combination of features; To perform manipulation and analysis on multiple data sets; To let a smaller scale database lead to a larger scale database showing more detail.

Components of a GIS Layered municipal spatial data : Basemaps / topographic maps; Cadastral maps (lot boundaries, parcel boundaries, easement and right-of-way); Urban planning maps; AM/FM data (sewer system, water system, electricity, communication); Street network data (road centerlines, intersections, lights, trees, …); Area data (demographic, tax rate, school district, emergency response, …); Environmental data (soil map, flood plain maps, noise level map, streams, water bodies, parks, …). . .

Components of a GIS

Typical advantages of GIS Why Develop a GIS? Increased productivity; Reduced costs; Preparation for future competition. Typical Benefits : Better management and Cost Benefits : planning; Faster responses; Middle/long-term data preserving; Reduced costs; Better service; Improved system maintenance. Cost reductions; Cost avoidance; Increased revenue.

GIS costs Costs of GIS change tremendously due to: system size; configuration; level of sophistication. Capital costs : initial database, software, hardware; implementation. Operating costs : personnel training and support; hiring new personnel if necessary or changing location; overhead, maintenance, utilities, supplies.

GIS costs ~ 30 % of total cost hardware + software and maintenance of software newer versions may cost more than the older; ~ 70 % of total cost database prepare yourself or have it prepared by others; buy from others; update.

GIS costs Database costs : ground surveys, aerial photography, topographic mapping; preparation of property maps, facility records etc. ; purchase of satellite images and high-resolution vector data; preprocessing/quality control labor costs. Despite all these costs, GIS is still advantageous as compared with other information systems. . .

Components of a GIS Functional Components of a GIS include: Data input and conversion Various data formats on the market today; Data management The way one organizes data makes the whole difference; Data processing Data alone means little. Process-it to give it a value; Data analysis and modelling Results have to be analyzed and interpreted; Data output Results and conclusions have to be communicated with others.

Components of a GIS data is characterized by : Data elements : Points, lines, polygons, raster images; Data structure : Graphic elements (points, lines, polygons) linked to related data tables; Data attributes : Ancillary data; Data location : Provided by coordinates and map projections; Topology : Provided by the core GIS engine;

Components of a GIS Data characteristics : Storage format, geometry, editing capabilities, extent, georeferencing, attributes

Components of a GIS Traditional (desktop) GIS design

Components of a GIS Contemporary components : Geospatial (Conversion) Libraries : GDAL, OGR, FDO, Geo. Tools Computer networks : Internet, LAN, WAN; World Wide Web : Web services; GML : XML-based Geography Markup Language; WMS, WFS, WCS : Web {Map, Feature, Coverage} services. Open standards for exchange of data carried over HTTP.

Components of a GIS Internetworked GIS designs of today

Components of a GIS Architecture of modern GIS : At the beginner's level, there is usually little consideration for the reuse of the data / software / algorithms / people in the middle/long term; This lack of data/experience sharing often creates duplicates, making project management evermore challenging with time; Some modern GIS applications of today may involve hundreds or thousands of users getting connected to a central GIS server over the WWW.

Components of a GIS Modern GIS architectures: Common GIS standards, software code reuse, centralized database management systems are examples among the many modern tools available to the scientific community today. The use of such tools for the development of interoperable long-term GIS systems introduces the concept of : Societal GIS implementations.

Components of a GIS Societal GIS : An example to such a societal design is in the state of Qatar, joining more than 16 departments in the use of a nationwide GIS : http: //www. gisqatar. org. qa/ Although not the best spatial application around, this system can be counted is among the pioneers in data standardization.

Components of a GIS There exists three key parts of a GIS : The user interface; Geospatial tools (functions, algorithms); The data management sytem.

Components of a GIS The (graphical) user interface : Displays data on the screen; Accepts input from the user; Executes geospatial functions according to the user input; Helps edit, change, transform data; Redraws data on screen or on paper;

Components of a GIS The graphical user interface

Components of a GIS Geospatial tools (functions, algorithms) : Measure distances, calculate areas; Combine maps of the same area; Help users judge on the suitability of areas for different purposes; Help users make decisions about real-world operations; Help making predictions on future.

Components of a GIS Geospatial tools

Components of a GIS Geospatial tools

Components of a GIS Geospatial tools

Components of a GIS The data management sytem : Can be a spatial or non-spatial DBMS; Accepts (spatial) queries from the user; Executes queries, gather resulting data; Rearranges data according to user's need; Returns parts of the database to the core engine; Speeds-up the search of relevant data; Helps to keep inventories of what is where;

Components of a GIS The data management sytem :

Components of a GIS The data management sytem :

Components of a GIS There are four major types of GIS architecture : According to the specific needs of the project, one may use : Desktop; Client-server; Centralized desktop; Centralized server.

Components of a GIS Desktop GIS : The traditional design; Network of standalone GIS running on standalone computers, each using its own data; Another similar configuration is when the whole data file is being served on the network.

Components of a GIS Client-server : The data is being served by a central DBMS server; Only the part of data related with the DBMS Query is returned to the client; More than one client can use a copy of the same data; Each client use its own copy of the core spatial analysis routines.

Components of a GIS Centralized desktop : Similar to the previous client-server model; Thin client PCs serve only for data visualization; The core spatial routines and the application server are on a central server; Remote machines have full access of the GIS software that runs on the server; The central database management system may be on a different server.

Components of a GIS Centralized server : Used in larger projects; Thin and thick clients on the same server altogether; Even simple web browsers can serve as a client; For larger projects, the workload may be distributed over more than one GIS server;

Components of a GIS Example of a thin client : A stripped-down version of GRASS running on Sharp Zaurus; Connected to the internet through WAP/GPRS; Perfect for field sampling campaigns or LBS (Locationbased services); GIS on handheld computers is the future of the Geospatial computing

More information on GIS Various information sources on GIS : Internet portals and data repositories Books Magazines and journals Conferences

Magazines and internet portals on GIS om/ (Slovenia-based Geo-enabled website); pository of some free GIS tools); / (Open. Source GIS initiative hosting many projects); GIS section of the Open. Source software repository SWIK) A GIS portal by ESRI, developers of the famous Arc. GIS) mag. com/ (A portal about Geospatial Technologies at large) http: //www. gisuser. com/ (Portals with articles, tutorials, job announcements m/ (A starting point for various types of info on GIS)

Magazines and internet portals on GIS http: //www. opengeospatial. org/ (Non-profit consortium developing Open. Standards); http: //geoconnexion. com/ (Magazine and internet portal); file: ///D: /OCW/ahmet_cizmeli_ders_icerigi/CE 413/%20 h ttp: //www. geoplace. com (Portal of the publishers of the Geo. World magazine); http: //www. gisdevelopment. net/ (India-based portal specialized in Asian trends); http: //www. geocomm. com/ (A starting point for beginners. Mostly commercial tools).

Scientific journals on GIS • Annals of the Association of American Geographers; • Cartography and Geographic Information Systems; • Computers and Geosciences; • Geographical Analysis; • International Journal of Geographical Information Science; • ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing; • Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing; • . . . • many other journals and magazines. . .

Books on GIS Aronoff, S (1989). Geographic Information Systems: A Management Perspective. WDL Publications, Ottawa, Canada; Burrough, P A (1986). Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment, Clarendon, Oxford; Burrough and Mac. Donel. (1998) Principles of Geographical Information Systems, Oxford University Press; Maguire, D. J. , M. F. Goodchild and D. W. Rhind, 1991. Geographical Information Systems, Longman Scientific and Technical, Essex; Mac. Guire et al (1999) Geographical Information Systems, Longman Scientifical & tecnichal; Korte, G. B. (2001) The GIS Book: How to Implement, Manage, and Assess the Value of Geographic Information Systems, ONWORD Press;

Conferences on GIS Applied Geography Conference : The Applied Geography Conferences have provided a forum for the exchange and critique of ideas related to the application of geographic concepts, analytical techniques, data, and methods since 1978. ESRI : ESRI hosts several annual conferences including the International User Conference and Education User Conference Geospatial World : Sponsored by the Intergraph Geo. Spatial Users Community and Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions, Geospatial World is an international forum for training, networking, and industry insight. GIScience : Held every even year (2004, 2006, etc. ), GIScience brings together scientists from academia, industry, and government to analyze progress and to explore new research directions. The conference program aims to attract leading GIScience researchers from all fields to reflect the interdisciplinary breadth of GIScience,

Conferences on GIS GITA : Geospatial Information Technology Industry Conferences and Events NACIS : Annual meeting of the North American Cartographic Information Society SCGIS : The Society for Conservation Geographic Information Systems hosts an annual conference to discuss and promote local and global conservation of natural and cultural resources. URISA : The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association hosts a major annual conference and several other specialized conferences throughout the year

Some GIS Application Areas

GIS Applications GIS can be applied in any area, since questions below exist in any subject : Location : What is at …. . ? Condition: Where is it ? Trend : What has changed since … ? Routing : What is the best way … ? Pattern : What special patterns exist. . . ? Model : What if … ?

GIS Applications Some of the regular tasks achieved with a GIS : • Within a targeted environment, identification of locations meeting specific criteria; • Exploration of spatial and other relationships among data sets within that environment; • Display of the selected environment both graphically and numerically either before or after analysis.

GIS Applications Formal disciplines GIS are based on : Remote Sensing Geodesy Photogrammetry Surveying Cartography Computer science Mathematics Statistics

GIS Applications Disciplines making use of GIS: Geodesy and geomatics Civil Engineering Geology Geophysics Petroleum City and region planning Mining Criminology • Oceanography • Agriculture • Biology • Environmental sciences • Ecology • Geography • Sociology • Archaeology • Anthropology

GIS Applications Areas of application : Business : Geo. Business; Census, elections; Surveying and mapping; Map and database publishing; Public health and safety (hospital, police, fire…); Real estate information management;

GIS Applications Areas of application : Municipal Applications (infrastructure, . . . ); Engineering Applications; Forest Development and Management/Erosion and deforestation; Agriculture and land use, harvest prognoses;

GIS Applications Areas of application : Environmental applications (vegetation, pollution, . . . ); Hydrology, water pollution (drainage patterns, water catchments, …); Geology (DTM, fault-line detection, mineral detection); Transportation, vehicle tracking, navigation systems, . . .

GIS Applications Areas of application : Regional development and planning; Oil operations; Military applications; Archeology; Education and research;