Scribd
Upload
69 views13 pages

CVL 203 Gis

This document discusses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and provides details about GIS functions, data types, formats, and analytical functions. GIS is defined as a system for collecting, storing, manipulating, and analyzing spatially referenced data and displaying the results. Spatial data can be in vector format (points, lines, polygons) or raster format (pixels, grid cells). Non-spatial data provides descriptive attributes. GIS allows users to perform tasks like proximity analysis, logical operations, and natural resource management. Metadata is also discussed as important for preserving and documenting geospatial data over time.

Uploaded by

Majd Kl
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
69 views13 pages

CVL 203 Gis

This document discusses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and provides details about GIS functions, data types, formats, and analytical functions. GIS is defined as a system for collecting, storing, manipulating, and analyzing spatially referenced data and displaying the results. Spatial data can be in vector format (points, lines, polygons) or raster format (pixels, grid cells). Non-spatial data provides descriptive attributes. GIS allows users to perform tasks like proximity analysis, logical operations, and natural resource management. Metadata is also discussed as important for preserving and documenting geospatial data over time.

Uploaded by

Majd Kl
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

Fall 2021

CVL-203
CVL-203: Principles and Practice of Geomatics

Prepared By:
Eng. Mohamad Dabol

1
GIS (Geographic Information System)
GIS Definition:

A system of hardware, software and data for collecting, storing, manipulating, and
spatially analyzing “geo-referenced” data and displaying information resulting
from those processes.

GIS functions:

1) Collect and store information based on its spatial location


2) Identify locations within a targeted environment that meet specific criteria
3) Explore relationships among data sets within that environment
4) Collect information for making decisions about that environment
5) Display the selected environment both graphically and numerically.

2
The GIS system can give us the data in layers such as: floodplains, wetlands, land
cover (forest, dessert…) and soil types.

G layer is the reference layer while H layer is the composite layer.

GIS Vs LIS
The LIS (Land Information System) focus on land records data while the GIS focus
on a wider range of data such as: topology, soil types, land cover, hydrology, and
depth to ground water.

Because the LIS concentrates on smaller portion of data, it is considered as a


subset of the GIS.

The data should be collected to build a database. This the most expensive part in
implementing the GIS (60%-80% of the total cost)

Types of data:
1. Spatial data
2. Nonspatial data

Spatial Data (Graphic data)


Represents the natural and geographical data with lines or symbols on
maps or by images on photographs.

3
Spatial data objects:

The spatial data consist of the following objects:

1. Points: define single geometric locations (houses, wells, bridges…)


2. Lines and strings: lines are obtained by connecting points and strings are
obtained by connecting two or more lines (roads, streams, fences...)
3. Interior areas: consist of the continuous space within three or more
connected lines or strings that form a closed loop. (Governmental areas,
parcels of landownership, land cover…)
4. Pixels: tiny squares that represent the smallest elements into which a
digital image is divided. The size of pixels is specified by (dpi) dots per
inch.
5. Grid cells: geographical elements (usually squares). They similar to pixels
but we assign a numerical value to each cell. Each number will represent
a different feature.

4
Types of spatial data formats:
1. Vector format: Consists of combination of points, lines, strings and interior
areas.
2. Raster format: Consists of combination of pixels and grid cells

1. Vector Format

Example:

5
Another example:

2. Raster Format

In the raster format, a point is replaced with a single grid cell, a line is replaced by
a sequence of adjacent grid cells having the same code, and an interior area is
replaced by a group of identically coded grid cells.

Therefore, it should be appreciated that in general the raster method yields a


higher level of accuracy than the vector method.

Note that smaller size of pixels or grid cells yields a higher level of accuracy
(resolution) but larger volume of data as well.

The raster format is more common to be used in GIS because of the higher
accuracy, many data are already available in raster format (aerial photos or
satellite images) and it is easy to be collected and stored in computers.

6
Topology:
Topology is a branch of mathematics that describes how spatial objects are
related to each other. It does not describe the absolute size, shapes, and
dimensions of the objects. It describes the objects relative relationships.

Topology components:
1. Nodes: similar to (points) define the beginnings and endings of chains, or
the intersecting of chains
2. Chains: are similar to lines (or strings) and are used to define the limits of
certain areas or the boundaries
3. Polygons: are similar to interior areas. They defined as closed loops that
consist of a series of connected chains.

7
Topology relationships:
1. Connectivity
Specifying which chains are connected at which nodes.

2. Direction

Defining a “from node” and a “to node” of a chain.

3. Adjacency

8
Indicating which polygons are adjacent on the left and which are adjacent on
the right side of a chain.

4. Nestedness

Identifying what simple spatial objects are within a polygon.

9
Non-Spatial data (Descriptive data)
Nonspatial data are usually alphanumeric and provide information such as color
texture, quantity, quality, and value of features

In our previous example: forest, marsh, grasslands and streams

Other example for a bridge: The owner, pavement type, number of lanes, lane
widths…

Conversion between vector and raster formats:

1. From vector to raster


Three methods:
a. Predominant coding
b. Precedence coding
c. Center point coding

10
2. From raster to vector

The result will create straight lines (not very accurate) so we need line
smoothing by computers.

11
Important considerations when using GIS
1. Type of data to be obtained
2. The necessary format (vector or raster)
3. The reference coordinate system
4. The required accuracy

Metadata
defined as “data about data,” describes the content, quality, condition, and other
characteristics about geospatial data.

It is an expensive procedure, but it will preserve the data and keep it for future
uses.

GIS analytical functions


1) Proximity analysis

Creating new points, lines and polygons

a. Point buffering also known as radius searching


b. Line buffering creates new lines or polygons along established lines
c. Polygon buffering : creates new polygons around an existing polygon

2) Boundary operations
Study the topological relationships (adjacency, connectivity….)

3) Spatial joins

Overlaying or putting the data into layers

12
4) Logical operations

Keep records. For example, a city can construct a GIS database that contains the
time streetlights are installed and their rated life. The manager can then query
the system to show all lights that have passed their rated life cycle and schedule
maintenance personnel to replace these lights.

5) Others

- performing map scale changes

- changing the reference coordinate system

-rotating the reference grid

-changing the contour interval used to represent elevations

-Land use planning

-Natural resource mapping and management

- population distribution

1. -Route selection for highways, rapid transit systems, pipelines,


transmission lines, etc.

13

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy