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GIS SP

GIS is a system for linking location data to descriptive attribute data. It allows users to analyze spatial relationships and patterns. GIS represents real world features in digital form as vector data (points, lines, polygons) or raster data (a grid of cells). It stores spatial data in layers that can be combined and analyzed to solve spatial problems and answer questions about locations and attributes. GIS has many applications in fields like environmental management, utilities, healthcare, transportation and education.

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73 views21 pages

GIS SP

GIS is a system for linking location data to descriptive attribute data. It allows users to analyze spatial relationships and patterns. GIS represents real world features in digital form as vector data (points, lines, polygons) or raster data (a grid of cells). It stores spatial data in layers that can be combined and analyzed to solve spatial problems and answer questions about locations and attributes. GIS has many applications in fields like environmental management, utilities, healthcare, transportation and education.

Uploaded by

tonykallada
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Geography and Technology

• Geography has become a high tech


discipline
– Satellite Imagery
– Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
– Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
What is GIS?

• Geographic Information Systems

• Consists of hardware, software, spatial data, and


people

• GIS links:
• Spatial information (where things are) &
• Attribute information (what things are)
GIS – Describing Our World

We can describe any


element of our
world in two ways:
Attribute Information:
What is it?
Location Information:
Where is it? Species: Oak
Height: 15m
Age: 75 Yrs
Condition:
Good
51°N, 112°W
Spatial and Attribute Data
• Spatial data (where)
– specifies location
– stored in a shape file, geodatabase or similar geographic file

• Attribute (descriptive) data (what, how much, when)


– specifies characteristics at that location, natural or human-created
– stored in a data base table

GIS systems traditionally maintain spatial and attribute data


separately, then “join” them for display or analysis
– for example, in ArcView, the Attributes of … table is used to link a
shapefile (spatial structure) with a data base table containing attribute
information in order to display the attribute data spatially on a map
GIS - Links Datasets

• GIS software links the


location data and the
attribute data:
GIS - Analysis

• GIS software can answer questions Attribute Questions:


about our world:
What provinces have more
than 1.5 million people?
Spatial Questions:

What provinces border


Saskatchewan?
GIS - Analysis

• GIS can analyze data in many ways:


How GIS works

• In a GIS, different types of


information are represented
as separate map layers

• Each layer is linked to


descriptive information

• Layers are combined to


make a map
What can GIS do?

Population
Biodiversity
Geology
Land Use
Environmental
Considerations
Data structure for spatial data in GIS

• The features of the real world are


depicted either as vector data or as
raster data in GIS

• Features are depicted

– in vector data layers as points, lines,


and polygons

– In the raster database as cells or zones


of cells.
Vector and Raster

• Continuous surfaces can be represented


using the grid or raster data Model in which a
mesh of square cells is laid over the
landscape and the value of the variable
defined for each cell.

• A point in a vector representation can be


approximately transformed to a single cell in a
raster representation.

• A vector line can be approximately


transformed to a sequence of raster cells
lying along that line, and a vector polygon can
be approximately transformed to a zone of
raster cells overlaying the polygon area.
Raster data model
Raster and Vector Models
Raster Model
• area is covered by grid with (usually) equal-sized, square cells
• attributes are recorded by assigning each cell a single value based on the majority feature (attribute) in the cell, such as
land use type.
• Image data is a special case of raster data in which the “attribute” is a reflectance value from the geomagnetic
spectrum
– cells in image data often called pixels (picture elements)
Vector Model
The fundamental concept of vector GIS is that all geographic features in the real work can be represented either as:
• points or dots (nodes): trees, poles, fire plugs, airports, cities
• lines (arcs)
(arcs):: streams, streets, sewers,
• areas (polygons)
(polygons):: land parcels, cities, counties, forest, rock type

Because representation depends on shape, Arc View refers to files containing vector data as shape files
Environmental
Utilities
Healthcare / Public Safety
Natural Resource Management
Public Works
Business
Transportation / Logistics
Education

• School mapping and


redistricting
• Enrollment analysis
• Facilities management
• School transportation
• Staff/student location
analysis
• School safety

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