Showing papers in "Cartography and Geographic Information Science in 2014"
TL;DR: This article analyses geo-located Twitter messages in order to uncover global patterns of human mobility and reveals spatially cohesive regions that follow the regional division of the world.
Abstract: Pervasive presence of location-sharing services made it possible for researchers to gain an unprecedented access to the direct records of human activity in space and time. This article analyses geo...
634 citations
TL;DR: This work presents a weighted multi-attribute matching strategy based on multiple attributes of Points of Interest from the Location-based Social Network Foursquare and the local directory service Yelp, and outlines how the established POI matches can be stored as Linked Data on the Semantic Web.
Abstract: To a large degree, the attraction of Big Data lies in the variety of its heterogeneous multi-thematic and multi-dimensional data sources and not merely its volume. To fully exploit this variety, however, requires conflation. This is a two-step process. First, one has to establish identity relations between information entities across different data sources; and second, attribute values have to be merged according to certain procedures that avoid logical contradictions. The first step, also called matching, can be thought of as a weighted combination of common attributes according to some similarity measures. In this work, we propose such a matching based on multiple attributes of Points of Interest (POI) from the Location-based Social Network Foursquare and the local directory service Yelp. While both contain overlapping attributes that can be used for matching, they have specific strengths and weaknesses that make their conflation desirable. For instance, Foursquare offers information about user check-in...
82 citations
TL;DR: This review paper decomposes movement into its spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal movement parameters, and provides a systematic and comprehensive classification of different movement similarity measures used in geographic information science.
Abstract: In geographic information science, a plethora of different approaches and methods is used to assess the similarity of movement. Some of these approaches term two moving objects similar if they shar...
77 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the difference between expert and novice map users is considered, and the results show that the users' attentive behavior is influenced by deviating colors, as their attention is drawn to it.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to gain better understanding of the way map users read and interpret the visual stimuli presented to them and how this can be influenced. In particular, the difference between expert and novice map users is considered. In a user study, the participants studied four screen maps which had been manipulated to introduce deviations. The eye movements of 24 expert and novice participants were tracked, recorded, and analyzed (both visually and statistically) based on a grid of Areas of Interest. These visual analyses are essential for studying the spatial dimension of maps to identify problems in design. In this research, we used visualization of eye movement metrics (fixation count and duration) in a 2D and 3D grid and a statistical comparison of the grid cells. The results show that the users’ eye movements clearly reflect the main elements on the map. The users’ attentive behavior is influenced by deviating colors, as their attention is drawn to it. This could also influence the users...
70 citations
TL;DR: This article identifies four pre-conditions for the emergence of collective intelligence and then examines the extent to which collectively generated mapping systems satisfy these conditions.
Abstract: Collective intelligence is the idea that under the right circumstances collections of individuals are smarter than even the smartest individuals in the group, that is a group has an “intelligence” ...
64 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify and characterise variations of human activity, specifically changes in intensity and similarity, in urban environments, to provide insights into the social component of those eminently human activities.
Abstract: Identifying and characterizing variations of human activity – specifically changes in intensity and similarity – in urban environments provide insights into the social component of those eminently ...
62 citations
TL;DR: This article presents research that implements a fully automated workflow to generalize a 1:50k map from 1:10k data, the first time that a complete topographic map has been generalized without any human interaction.
Abstract: This article presents research that implements a fully automated workflow to generalize a 1:50k map from 1:10k data This is the first time that a complete topographic map has been generalized without any human interaction More noteworthy is that the resulting map is good enough to replace the existing map Specifications for the automated process were established as part of this researchReplication of the existing map was not the aim, because feasibility of automated generalization is better when compliance with traditional generalizations rules is loosened and alternate approaches are acceptable Indeed, users valued the currency and relevancy of geographical information more than complying with all existing cartographic guidelines The development of the workflow thus started with the creation of a test map with automated generalization operations The reason for the test map was to show what is technologically possible and to refine the results based on iterative users’ evaluation The generalizatio
61 citations
TL;DR: Whether there is a “dominant” paradigmatic approach in GIScience is questioned and a need for adopting a multiparadigmatic view is identified to accommodate the multifaceted nature of space, spatial representations, and the societal implications of geospatial information.
Abstract: Despite the fact that the field of GIScience has been around for two decades, there is still little agreement as to the exact contents and boundaries of the field. Many authors have dedicated sever...
50 citations
TL;DR: A new approach for a citizen-orientated framework of spatial planning that aims at integrating participatory community work into existing decision-making structures is presented, using a social geoweb platform (the GeoCitizen platform) that combines geo-web technologies and social media in one single tool.
Abstract: Over the last years, geospatial web platforms, social media, and volunteered geographic information (VGI) have opened a window of opportunity for traditional Public Participatory GIS (PPGIS) to usher in a new era. Taking advantage of these technological achievements, this paper presents a new approach for a citizen-orientated framework of spatial planning that aims at integrating participatory community work into existing decision-making structures. One major cornerstone of the presented approach is the application of a social geoweb platform (the GeoCitizen platform) that combines geo-web technologies and social media in one single tool allowing citizens to collaboratively report observations, discuss ideas, solve, and monitor problems in their living environment at a local level. This paper gives an account of an ongoing participatory land-zoning process in the Capital District of Quito, Ecuador, where the GeoCitizen platform is applied in a long-term study.
44 citations
TL;DR: This paper builds on the concept of geons as a strategy to represent and analyze latent spatial phenomena across different geographical scales (local, national, regional) incorporating domain-specific expert knowledge.
Abstract: The design of methods and tools to build adequate representations of complex geographical phenomena in a way that spatial patterns are emphasized is one of the core objectives of GIScience. In this...
40 citations
TL;DR: Despite the critical shortcoming of viewing programming as learning how to use a suite of programming libraries, Mapping in the Cloud remains a front-runner for web-based mapping texts and will likely find itself in the hands of many students in web-mapping courses and cartographers interested inweb- based mapping.
Abstract: This book is a combined effort between the editors, authors, and ArchaeoLandscapes Europe, an organization self-described as “established to support the development of aerial approaches and remote ...
TL;DR: This paper addresses the challenge of visualizing marine spatial data in web-based applications through a 4D visualization concept, focusing on usability criteria, performance parameters, the required implementation effort, and delivering a breath of spatial information that supports decision-making on multiple levels.
Abstract: For marine logistics and maintenance of extensive and expensive marine engineering projects in the coastal zone, it is essential that institutions provide the public with relevant information in an...
TL;DR: The volunteer response to the Haitian earthquake represents a paradigm shift in emergency response and victim empowerment that has been repeated in numerous natural and man-made disasters around the world, this study suggests the need for more research on the quality of the categorization (i.e., attribute data) of volunteered emergency data.
Abstract: This research project examines the geographic data produced by volunteers via the Ushahidi web platform in response to the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. Volunteers translated messag...
TL;DR: A new, automated geospatial overlay method in a topologically enabled (multi-scale) framework is presented, addressing some of the basic concepts of object-oriented data modeling such as classification, generalization, and aggregation.
Abstract: Traditional geographic information system (GIS)-overlay routines usually build on relatively simple data models. Topology is – if at all – calculated on the fly for very specific tasks only. If, fo...
TL;DR: In this article, a method for calibrating the analysis scale of DTA to field assessments is presented. But, this method is used to calibrate land-surface derivatives of relative elevation, profile curvature, and slope gradient in the context of the commonly used field description of hillslope position.
Abstract: Digital terrain analysis (DTA) provides efficient, repeatable, and quantified metrics of landscape characteristics that are important to the Earth sciences, particularly for detailed soil mapping applications. However, DTA has not been field tested to the extent that traditional field metrics of topography have been. Human assessment of topography synthesizes multiple parameters at multiple scales to characterize a landscape, based on field experience. In order to capture the analysis scale used by field scientists, this study introduces a method for calibrating the analysis scale of DTA to field assessments. This method is used to calibrate land-surface derivatives of relative elevation, profile curvature, and slope gradient in the context of the commonly used field description of hillslope position. For a topographically diverse landscape in MI, USA, a peak in agreement between field assessment and DTA was found at field equivalent distances of 135 m for relative elevation, 63 m for profile curvature, a...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors integrated a multiagent system (MAS) that simulates the behaviors of land-use stakeholders with regard to their choices of specific locations, with a genetic algorithm (GA) that simultaneously evaluates and optimizes land use configurations to meet various regional development objectives.
Abstract: China is facing the pressures of both rapid economic development and environmental protection, and land-use allocation optimization is an important way to manage the conflicts between these pressures and to achieve sustainable development. Optimization of land-use allocation is a nonlinear multiobjective spatial optimization problem, and a purely local simulation model or global optimization model is insufficient to solve it. It is essential to bridge the gap between the two models through the combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches. This study integrates a multiagent system (MAS) that simulates the behaviors of land-use stakeholders with regard to their choices of specific locations, with a genetic algorithm (GA) that simultaneously evaluates and optimizes land-use configurations to meet various regional development objectives. The model is expected to achieve the optimization of land use in terms of the composition and spatial configuration. Caidian District, Wuhan, China, was chosen as the stu...
TL;DR: Extensions to the basic stroke-mesh algorithm were developed, significantly improving the selection result with real-world, large test databases, and two extensions include external feature classes, ensuring accessibility of points of interest and appropriate network density representation in settlement areas, respectively.
Abstract: The road network is an essential feature class in topographic maps and databases. Road network selection for smaller scales forms a prerequisite for all other generalization operators and is thus a fundamental operation in the overall process of topographic map and database production. The objective of this paper was to develop an algorithm for automated road network selection from a large-scale (1:10,000) to a medium-scale database (1:50,000). The project was pursued in collaboration with swisstopo, the national mapping agency of Switzerland. Three algorithms (a stroke-based, a mesh-based, and a combined stroke-mesh algorithm) were implemented from the literature and analyzed using swisstopo’s large-scale TLM3D spatial database, with requirements set forth by expert cartographers. Initial experiments showed that the combination algorithm performed best, yet still it could not meet all requirements. Therefore, extensions to the basic stroke-mesh algorithm were developed, significantly improving the select...
TL;DR: The findings suggest that for qualitative comparisons of “constant uncertainty” in thematic maps, noise annotation lines can be used for up to six uncertainty levels, and the “large noise width, coarse grain” design that was most successful is proposed.
Abstract: Noise annotation lines are a promising technique to visualize thematic uncertainty in maps. However, their potential has not yet been evaluated in user studies. In two experiments, we assessed the ...
TL;DR: The recent literature in cartography and geographic information science Cartography and Geographic Information Science: Vol 40, AutoCarto 2012 Research Symposium, pp 363-381 as discussed by the authors, is a recent survey of Cartography, Geographic Information, and Information Science.
Abstract: (2013) Recent literature in cartography and geographic information science Cartography and Geographic Information Science: Vol 40, AutoCarto 2012 Research Symposium, pp 363-381
TL;DR: In this paper, a new method using self-organizing maps (SOMs) for the selection of hydrographic model generalization was developed, where the most suitable attributes of the stream objects are used as input variables to the SOM.
Abstract: In this study, we develop a new method using self-organizing maps (SOMs) for the selection of hydrographic model generalization. The most suitable attributes of the stream objects are used as input variables to the SOM. The attributes were weighted using Pearson’s chi-square independence test. We used the Radical Law to determine how many features should be selected, and an incremental approach was developed to determine which clusters should be selected from the SOM. Two drainage patterns (dendritic and modified basic) were obtained from the National Hydrography Datasets of United States Geological Survey at 1:24,000-scale (high resolution) and used in order to derive stream networks at 1:100,000-scale (medium resolution). The 1:100,000-scale stream networks, derived in accordance with the proposed approach, are similar to those in the original maps in both quantity and visual aspects. Stream density and pattern were maintained in each subunit, and continuous and semantically correct networks were obtained.
TL;DR: Yunnan has the largest number of ethnic groups in China, and its rich set of multiethnic toponyms has earned itself a nickname of “museum of toponyms” as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Yunnan has the largest number of ethnic groups in China, and its rich set of multiethnic toponyms (place names) has earned itself a nickname of “museum of toponyms”. The objectives of this study ar...
TL;DR: A measure of family connectedness is introduced that summarizes the dynamic relationships in a family network by taking into account the distance, time, and the relationship between each pair of individuals that reflects changing demographic processes such as migration and population growth.
Abstract: Understanding the structure and evolution of family networks embedded in space and time is crucial for various fields such as disaster evacuation planning and provision of care to the elderly. Computation and visualization can potentially play a key role in analyzing and understanding such networks. Graph visualization methods are effective in discovering network patterns; however, they have inadequate capability in discovering spatial and temporal patterns of connections in a network especially when the network exists and changes across space and time. We introduce a measure of family connectedness that summarizes the dynamic relationships in a family network by taking into account the distance (how far individuals live apart), time (the duration of individuals’ coexistence within a neighborhood), and the relationship (kinship or kin proximity) between each pair of individuals. By mapping the family connectedness over a series of time intervals, the method facilitates the discovery of hot spots (hubs) wh...
TL;DR: In this article, a method of modeling pathways that integrates major factors (land, sea, and culture) that would be in play while considering medium-to-long-distance travel in the Aegean is presented.
Abstract: Least cost path applications can be a powerful tool for understanding connectivity across a landscape. A limitation to this method is its difficulty in integrating terrestrial, marine, and cultural factors – all of which would have been at play in the prehistoric Aegean. This study looks at a method of modeling pathways that integrates major factors (land, sea, and culture) that would be in play while considering medium- to long-distance travel in the Aegean. This test case explores the possible relationships between proposed routes for communication and identified coastal sites with parameters modeled in geographic information system that affect travel in cultural, marine, and terrestrial contexts. The methods presented have significance beyond the Late Bronze Age Aegean. The development of a methodology that incorporates marine, cultural, and terrestrial environments provides a mechanism by which specific hypotheses regarding complex communication routes may be addressed in regions of the world where th...
TL;DR: The integrated technique presented here is applicable to all-terrain vehicle navigation where a continuous raster surface and discrete vector networks need to be considered simultaneously in order to find least-cost paths.
Abstract: The problem of finding the least-cost path from a source point to a destination point can be dealt with by routing across a continuous surface or routing along a discrete network. The solutions within these two contexts are linked to the use of a raster- or a vector-based least-cost path algorithm. This study presents a technique which integrates raster- and vector-based least-cost path algorithms for determining the least-cost path across a continuous raster surface with discrete vector networks. The technique incorporates ancillary vector data sets that are required to examine the travel cost at each link, connections between nodes, and the representation of intersecting links in the discrete vector network into raster-based least-cost path analysis. The integrated technique presented here is applicable to all-terrain vehicle navigation where a continuous raster surface and discrete vector networks need to be considered simultaneously in order to find least-cost paths. This paper describes the concept b...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the effect of projected impacts of climate change on climate impact perceptions elicited by standard climate change mapping techniques and found that people discount projected impacts that they see as spatially or temporally remote, and instead perceive impacts as local, concrete, immediate, and situated in a well-understood frame of reference.
Abstract: People discount projected impacts of climate change that they see as spatially or temporally remote. To overcome this, climate change outreach must communicate impacts as local, concrete, immediate, and situated in a well-understood frame of reference. Spatial-analog mapping may meet this challenge: by drawing on people’s experience of existing climates, this technique matches a locality’s projected climates with present-day climates of other localities. However, analog maps’ effect on climate impact perceptions has not been compared with the effect on climate impact perceptions elicited by standard climate change mapping techniques. Accordingly, this study considers whether residents of Centre Region, Pennsylvania, who are shown spatial-analog maps for future Centre Region temperatures, perceive impacts as more salient than do residents shown the same temperature-change information directly using color-banded isallotherm maps. It also considers how responses differ when this information is presented usin...
TL;DR: Whether choropleth maps linked with parallel coordinates help people understand the locations of vulnerable places and the factors making these places vulnerable and whether sparklines that imitate the polylines from a parallel coordinate plot support the understanding of the information provided in that plot are investigated.
Abstract: Our study has three objectives. We want to investigate (1) whether choropleth maps linked with parallel coordinates help people understand the locations of vulnerable places and the factors making these places vulnerable, (2) whether sparklines that imitate the polylines from a parallel coordinate plot support the understanding of the information provided in that plot, and (3) whether a multiple-view geovisualization approach might be intuitive and useful also for nonexperts. Although we base our work on the functionalities available in the tool called ‘ViewExposed,’ we intend to outline more general conclusions on whether multiple linked views facilitate the understanding of multivariate spatial characteristics. An empirical study with 53 individuals was conducted to obtain insights on these objectives. Our task-based assessment considered the ways in which participants understood the dynamic linking capabilities. Some of the key findings are as follows: (1) even nonexpert users are able to use parallel ...
TL;DR: This study is devoted to the development of spacing and alignment rules for effective design of legends shown on screens, based upon Gestalt laws and Bumstead's rules.
Abstract: Legends are important for understanding maps. Legend design is a part of map design and forms an important topic of cartographic research. Most research on legend design concentrates on the development of techniques rather than the development of basic principles. This study is devoted to the latter topic. Particularly, attention is paid to the development of spacing and alignment rules for effective design of legends shown on screens (computer monitors and tablet screens). Based upon Gestalt laws and Bumstead’s rules, a set of spacing and alignment rules is developed. Experimental evaluations are conducted, and the results indicate that a legend designed with proper consideration of the spacing and alignment rules is much more effective and efficient than ordinary legends.
TL;DR: Control methodologies based on lines are used to detect the type of positional errors which affect a spatial database (SDB) and more concretely the presence of systematic errors.
Abstract: In this paper, we use control methodologies based on lines to detect the type of positional errors which affect a spatial database (SDB) and more concretely the presence of systematic errors. The methodology involves determination of the displacement vectors between the lines and a graphical and statistical study of the components obtained. The graphical analysis enables the detection of spatial patterns of displacement; the presence or absence of systematic errors is then confirmed by statistical analysis. We have applied this method to detect systematic errors on a set of lines with introduced displacements, rotations and scale changes. The results show the viability of the method. All the bias effects introduced were detected, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The detection method has the potential to minimize the effects of such displacements in the SDBs.
TL;DR: In this paper, an easy-to-use method to measure rectangularity R, ellipticity E, and orientation O is developed, and a new rectangularity vs. ellipticity index, REi, is defined.
Abstract: Quantitative measures of polygon shapes and orientation are important elements of geospatial analysis. These kinds of measures are particularly valuable in the case of lakes, where shape and orientation patterns can help identifying the geomorphological agents behind lake formation and evolution. However, the lack of built-in tools in commercial geographic information system (GIS) software packages designed for this kind of analysis has meant that many researchers often must rely on tools and workarounds that are not always accurate. Here, an easy-to-use method to measure rectangularity R, ellipticity E, and orientation O is developed. In addition, a new rectangularity vs. ellipticity index, REi, is defined. Following a step-by-step process, it is shown how these measures and index can be easily calculated using a combination of GIS built-in functions. The identification of shapes and estimation of orientations performed by this method is applied to the case study of the geometric and oriented lakes of the Llanos de Moxos, in the Bolivian Amazon, where shape and orientation have been the two most important elements studied to infer possible formation mechanisms. It is shown that, thanks to these new indexes, shape and orientation patterns are unveiled, which would have been hard to identify otherwise.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extended earlier work on visualizing parameter estimates for spatial analysis and applied the principles of geographical weighting of descriptive statistics to the development and computation of geographically weighted quantile graphs.
Abstract: This article extends earlier work on visualizing parameter estimates for spatial analysis. Robust parameters are those that are resistant to outliers, and so are order-based rather than moment-based in their derivation. The principles of geographical weighting of descriptive statistics are reviewed and applied to the development and computation of geographically weighted quantile graphs. The principles are also applied to the development and mapping of robust geographically weighted regression models. The robust statistics and parameters developed in this article are especially useful for visual exploratory data analysis because they provide local information in two contexts: with respect to spatial proximity and with respect to proximity in the quantiles of the variable of interest. The suitability of the results for visualization in maps and quantile plots is demonstrated.