Applied Geography

Archive for the ‘Geography’ Category

Critical Incident Management and Geographically-based Systems

In GIScience, Geography on August 31, 2010 at 10:35 am

International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, Vol. 1, Issue 3, 2010

David Webb and David Hoffpauir

“In the United States there is a strong dependence on decentralized policing services, distributed by thousands of police departments. As a primary police professional development management institute in the United States, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) identified that there existed a paucity of management development opportunities for police command staff engaged in critical incident management. This paper describes how LEMIT met this challenge and became a leading U.S. institute in this exciting field of operation.”

New Health Informatics Research Chair/Health Informatics Institute Scientific Director for Algoma University

In ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography on August 30, 2010 at 8:49 am

Algoma University, in conjunction with ESRI Canada, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicola Shaw as Health Informatics Research Chair and Scientific Director for the Health Informatics Institute. In her role, Dr. Shaw will build on the health informatics (HI) research and potential that exists in Algoma region.

Dr. Nicola (Nikki) Shaw comes to the Health Informatics Institute from the University of Alberta, where she was named the first Research Chair of Health Informatics in Western Canada. Her expertise in applied health informatics positions her well to capitalize on the innovative HI solutions existing in the region. She will be looking to facilitate significant local, national and international research and collaboration in health informatics. She will undertake fundamental and applied research that enables health system innovation, as well as improved and more efficient patient-centered care.

Dr. Shaw received her Post-Graduate Certification in Health Research Methods at the University of Central Lancashire, UK 2001; PhD Health Informatics (University of Central Lancashire in collaboration with Oxford University Postgraduate Medical Education & Training, UK) 1997; Professional Certificate from the Market Research Society (UK) 1995; BSc (Hons) Business Information Systems with Management from the University of Central Lancashire, UK in 1994; and her HND in Business Information Technology from the University of Central Lancashire, UK in 1992.

She is a Fellow of the British Computing Society (FBCS), a Chartered Information Technology Professional (CITP) and a Registrant Level 3 (Highest) of the UK Council for Health Informatics Professionals (UKCHIP).

She is an Expert Advisor to Canada Health Infoway and has just completed her term on the Advisory Board for the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She has undertaken several pan-Canadian research studies in collaboration with Canada Health Infoway, the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute related to the use of Electronic Medical/Health Records in Canada. She is an invited member of the COACH Privacy & Security Committee which prepares the Canadian Guidelines for the Protection of Health Information bi-annually. She currently holds over $11 million in research funding.

Dr. Shaw was recruited to Canada in 2003 by the University of British Columbia where she was a Research Scientist with the Centre for Healthcare Innovation & Improvement at the Child and Family Research Institute in Vancouver. In April 2006, Dr. Nicola Shaw was appointed as the first endowed Research Chair of Health Informatics in Western Canada. As part of the Integrated Centre for Care Advancement through Research (iCARE), Dr. Shaw’s appointment was created in partnership between the former Capital Health and the University of Alberta.

Dr. Shaw’s published work includes two books on technology in primary care; the 2004, Canadian edition is entitled, “Computerization and Going Paperless in Canadian Primary Care.” and has become a recommended text for many physician offices undergoing transition to electronic medical records.

With an applied social research focus Dr. Shaw’s research interests concentrate on developing an understanding around the implementation, use, and sharing of medical records.

“Health informatics is an important emerging field that has provided valuable benefits to our community through advancements in health care,” said Dr. Richard Myers, President, Algoma University. “Dr. Shaw’s expertise will help us expand our research capacity and further develop and implement best practices in this area, as well as position Algoma University as a knowledge leader in health care.”

The research chair is funded for five years through support from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), ESRI Canada and Algoma University. The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) worked in partnership with Algoma University on the development of this project. SSMIC’s strong relationship with ESRI Canada helped facilitate their contribution to the project, and SSMIC also collaborated with the National Institutes of Health Informatics (NIHI) to support and develop this initiative. Health informatics is an important sector for development in SSMIC’s strategic plan. As a result, SSMIC recognizes the need to bring in academic researchers, such as the health informatics research chair, to help further the work of local researchers in health informatics.

“Sault Ste. Marie has achieved significant success in applying health informatics to address community health goals, including improving access to services and preventing the spread of disease,” said Alex Miller, president, ESRI Canada. “We are proud to support Dr. Shaw in building on the city’s success in leveraging geospatial technologies to advance health research and improve the health of all Canadians.”

“It’s important to continue developing the intellectual property and technology sector in Sault Ste. Marie, which is why our government provided $684,200 to support innovative health care technology research at Algoma University,” said David Orazietti, MPP. “Investing in research that will improve patient care is essential to enhancing our health care system and it assists our city in attracting and retaining talented individuals such as Dr. Shaw, who will help position the university as a leader in health informatics.”

Dr. Shaw will build a health informatics research program based on the community’s strengths, pursue an active research program and teach one to two courses per year during her tenure as research chair. The research program will focus on the area of Primary Care Informatics and will engage local expertise in the applications of geospatial technologies, health system management and serious games for health, e.g., for training, health promotion and rehabilitation. Academically, the health informatics research chair is important in helping Algoma University pursue the development of educational programs and research projects that will contribute to the health informatics cluster.

[Source: Algoma University press release]

International Leaders Stress the Importance of Spatial Data Strategies for Improved Government Delivery

In GIS, Geography, SDI on August 27, 2010 at 11:58 am

Carlos Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, Governor of the State of Guerrero, Mexico and the former mayor of Acapulco spoke of the poverty within his state. Demographic data he showed put his state near the bottom of most statistics in basic services. Most support comes from the federal government but by the time the state uses funds to pay for basic services and debt finance, little is left to support services for the people.

The state of Guerrero is using GIS for land registry for property tax assessment as well as to inventory of public buildings such as schools, health centres, and other government buildings. The gain his government has reaped by using GIS comes in the form of additional income which he has turned back into building new schools and health facilities.”

Other key third world countries are already seeing financial benefits from utilising GIS. If Africa does not follow this lead, millions may be lost in potential revenue that could assist in building much need basic services in rural areas.

IQPC’s Spatially Enabled Government Southern Africa will provide practical knowledge on the systems and strategies needed for effective use of GIS systems. Held in Johannesburg South Africa, from 27 – 30 September 2010, the event will bring together international speakers as well as local to share best-practise in GIS case studies and applications.

This is your opportunity to exchange best-practices and practical solutions that can be implemented to improve service delivery and integrated planning.

Attendees will benefit from four days of industry-leading presentations and exclusive workshops. Industry experts who will be sharing their knowledge include: DEFRA, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Department of Basic Education, Department of Health, Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Land, Settlement and Rehabilitation –Namibia, Ministry of Lands – Department of Surveys – Kenya, Municipal Demarcation Board, City of Cape Town, State Information Technology Agency and The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development – Tanzania.

For more information, visit http://www.spatiallygovernment.co.za

[Source: IQPC Middle East press release]

Geospatial Technology: Curricular Keystone of Applied Geography

In Education, GIS, Geography on August 26, 2010 at 6:29 am

International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2010

Richard Boehm and Audrey Mohan

“Research into the nature and function of curricular matters in applied geography has provided an opportunity to assess the penetration and relative importance of geospatial technology to the discipline of geography. Departments of Geography with degree programs in applied geography were surveyed to find out how important geospatial technology was in the preparation of students for meaningful jobs and careers. The Applied Geography Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) was also surveyed about the value of geospatial technology, as was the 95 academic programs that listed applied geography as a “program specialty” in the AAG Guide to Geography Programs in the Americas. There was a uniform agreement across these various groups that geospatial technology occupied an extremely important position in their overall course offerings, and if you are watching the workplace, such courses are not only sensible but offer critical employable skills for students upon graduation. It is widely known that geospatial technology education and training require a large commitment of departmental resources, including faculty lines, equipment expenditures, space, and technical support. A geography department and its university’s administration have to understand these unique requirements and allocate resources, more akin to a computer science department than a traditional academic unit. This reality is of immediate importance to geography departments because almost one quarter of all academic jobs advertised in geography over the last six years have been in the broad area of geospatial technology. A final conclusion to this research is a policy matter that suggests geography departments take a strong proprietorial position toward providing education in geospatial technology because other disciplines and training programs see opportunities in a rapidly expanding workplace skill and they are aggressively pursuing a niche of their own.”

Geographic Disparities in Cancer Survival and Access to Care: Ovarian Cancer in Kentucky

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on August 25, 2010 at 7:05 am

International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2010

Mary Gordinier and Carol Hanchette

“From 1995-2005, ovarian cancer accounted for 2.7% of new cancer cases diagnosed among women in Kentucky and was responsible for 4.7% of female cancer deaths in the state. The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 45% for all stages combined. Multiple studies document a survival advantage for women with gynecologic malignancies when treated by a gynecologic oncologist. The authors used Kentucky Cancer Registry data for the years 1995-2005, geocoded to 5-digit ZIP code, to examine the hypothesis that ovarian cancer survival is higher among patients receiving treatment in areas where gynecologic oncologists practice. Their hypothesis was confirmed. A secondary goal of the study was to identify geographic areas of the state with lower overall access to care. Contrary to the expected pattern of low access to care in the Appalachian region of the state, their analysis indicated that access to successful treatment is a greater issue in the western portion of Kentucky.”

Bringing Geography to the Practice of Analyzing Crime Through Technology

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on August 19, 2010 at 6:22 am

National Institute of Justice discussion paper NCJ 230757, June 2010

Ronald Wilson and Timothy Brown

“In 1997, NIJ established the Crime Mapping Research Center (CMRC), with a focus on using geographic information systems to visualize crime data and understand spatial patterns of criminal activity. CMRC’s efforts were intended to enhance crime analysis by State and local law enforcement and other criminal justice organizations. In 2002, NIJ transformed CMRC into the Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) program. This program focuses on integrating spatial statistics into the measurement of geographic crime patterns. When the program was expanded into NIJ’s Office of Science and Technology (OST), it began examining emerging technologies that would be key tools in crime analysis. Much of what the MAPS program does is called “crime mapping,” which involves more than plotting crime locations. Crime mapping is usually coupled with the use of a geographic information system (GIS), which is a tool for visualizing and manipulating geographic data used to prepare data for statistical analysis, as well as to display the output from analysis. The current use of spatial analysis in the study of crime has been aided by the development of computer GIS software, which is a dominant tool for analyzing crime data. Over the past few years, the MAPS program has funded several geospatial technology research projects intended to advance the collection and geographical analysis of crime data. Four of these projects are briefly described in this report. The report concludes with suggestions for future research and technology related to spatial analysis.”

Spatio-temporal Analysis of Precipitation and Temperature Distribution over Turkey

In Environmental Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on August 12, 2010 at 7:08 am

ISPRS XXXVIII

P. A. Bostan and Z. Akyürek

“In this study, mean annual precipitation and temperature values observed at 225 meteorological observations over Turkey are used to disclose spatial distribution of mean annual precipitation and temperature values. Data components were obtained from the Turkish State Meteorological Service for 34 years period (1970-2003). The basic objectives of the study are: to infer the nature of spatial variation of precipitation and temperature over Turkey based on meteorological observations and to model the pattern of variability of these data components by using secondary variables extracted from SRTM and river network. Modeling the spatial distribution of data sets is implemented with Co-kriging (COK), Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) techniques with using secondary variables such as elevation, aspect, distance to river, roughness, drop (elevation differences between station and grid), sdgrid (standard deviation of 5*5 km grid), and plan-profile curvature. Correlations among the listed variables were analyzed and highly correlated ones were removed from the analysis. The study found a presence of high spatial non-stationary in the strength of relationships and regression parameters. The co-kriging interpolation method gave strong relationship for temperature (r2= 0.823) but comparatively weak relationship for precipitation (r2= 0.542). OLS method resulted with lower relationships for temperature (r2= 0.68) and for precipitation (r2= 0.3). The highest adjusted r2 values were obtained with GWR method; 0.96 for temperature and 0.66 for precipitation.”

Can We Predict Earthquakes with GPS Data?

In Environmental Science, Geography on August 11, 2010 at 8:35 am

International Journal of Digital Earth, Volume 3, Issue 1 March 2010 , pages 83 – 90

Shunji Muraia

“Prediction of earthquakes using GPS remains an unsolved but important problem. Pre-signals in terms of changes in triangular networks of GPS Stations were examined for many large earthquakes in Japan and in other Asian regions. I discovered that the occurrence and location of an earthquake can be predicted with pre-signals found in GPS data analysis. However, more research is required to predict how many days after the pre-signals an earthquake will occur.”

New Book: Mapping Species Distributions: Spatial Inference and Prediction

In Books, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on August 11, 2010 at 7:47 am

“Maps of species’ distributions or habitat suitability are required for many aspects of environmental research, resource management and conservation planning. These include biodiversity assessment, reserve design, habitat management and restoration, species and habitat conservation plans and predicting the effects of environmental change on species and ecosystems. The proliferation of methods and uncertainty regarding their effectiveness can be daunting to researchers, resource managers and conservation planners alike. Franklin summarises the methods used in species distribution modeling (also called niche modeling) and presents a framework for spatial prediction of species distributions based on the attributes (space, time, scale) of the data and questions being asked. The framework links theoretical ecological models of species distributions to spatial data on species and environment, and statistical models used for spatial prediction. Providing practical guidelines to students, researchers and practitioners in a broad range of environmental sciences including ecology, geography, conservation biology, and natural resources management.”

New Map Shows Estimates of the Global Population at Risk of Plasmodium Vivax Malaria

In Geography, Science, Social Science on August 6, 2010 at 11:32 am

A new evidence-based global distribution map of Plasmodium vivax malaria, published August 3 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, is used to estimate that 2.85 billion people lived at risk of infection with this parasite in 2009. The map, created as part of the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), a multinational research collaboration funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust, reviews a host of information that challenges the dogma that P. vivax transmission is absent through large swathes of Africa and uses novel methods – including new global maps of the protective Duffy negativity blood condition – to estimate global populations at risk.

The study concludes that of the almost 3 billion people exposed to some risk of P. vivax transmission in 2009, 91% of them live in Central and South East Asia. Importantly, more than half of those exposed to this risk live in areas where P. vivax malaria transmission is extremely low or unstable and where prospects of sustained control and elimination are relatively good.

The authors used the most recent obtainable P. vivax case-reporting data for all malaria-endemic countries in efforts to classify risk into three classes: malaria free, unstable, and stable. Risk areas were further refined using temperature and aridity data based upon their relationship with parasite and vector bionomics. Medical intelligence was used to modify risk in specific areas where transmission was reported as absent (e.g., large urban areas and malaria-free islands). The human population at risk under each level of transmission was then derived by combining the categorical risk map with a high-resolution population surface adjusted to 2009 and a global map of Duffy negativity prevalence. Duffy negativity is the absence of the Duffy blood-group antigen in red blood cells, which translates into partial protection against infection with P. vivax. A high Duffy negativity prevalence in a population indicates increased protection against P. vivax infection, and vice versa.

“This study represents the first step in our efforts to provide the malaria control and research community with an evidence-based cartography of P. vivax malaria,” says co-author Dr. Simon Hay of the University of Oxford. “We can now focus on trying to model the endemicity of the disease to provide more detailed global burden estimates, although this is complicated by the unusual biology of P. vivax“.

Co-author Dr Carlos Guerra adds: “New evidence shows that P. vivax malaria is not as benign as was thought, and yet, as our study shows, remains the most widespread form of human malaria. Understanding where transmission of this parasite occurs at the global scale is fundamental in planning strategies for the control of this debilitating, and often lethal, disease”.

Further information about the Malaria Atlas Project can be found at www.map.ox.ac.uk.

Guerra CA, Howes RE, Patil AP, Gething PW, Van Boeckel TP, et al. (2010) The International Limits and Population at Risk of Plasmodium vivax Transmission in 2009. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 4(8): e774.

[Source: University of Oxford press release]

Exploring Place through User-generated Content: Using Flickr to Describe City Cores

In GIScience, Geography, Social Science on August 6, 2010 at 8:42 am

Journal of Spatial Information Science, Number 1 (2010), pp. 21-48

Livia Hollenstein and Ross Purves

“Terms used to describe city centers, such as Downtown, are key concepts in everyday or vernacular language. Here, we explore such language by harvesting georeferenced and tagged metadata associated with 8 million Flickr images and thus consider how large numbers of people name city core areas. The nature of errors and imprecision in tagging and georeferencing are quantified, and automatically generated precision measures appear to mirror errors in the positioning of images. Users seek to ascribe appropriate semantics to images, though bulk-uploading and bulk-tagging may introduce bias. Between 0.5–2% of tags associated with georeferenced images analyzed describe city core areas generically, while 70% of all georeferenced images analyzed include specific place name tags, with place names at the granularity of city names being by far the most common. Using Flickr metadata, it is possible not only to describe the use of the term Downtown across the USA, but also to explore the borders of city center neighborhoods at the level of individual cities, whilst accounting for bias by the use of tag profiles.”

Digital Earth: Decadal Experiences and Some Thoughts

In Environmental Science, Geography, Social Science on August 4, 2010 at 8:18 am

International Journal of Digital Earth, Volume 3, Issue 1 March 2010 , pages 31 – 46

H. D. Guo, Z. Liu, and L. W. Zhu

“The understanding that mankind should reasonably exploit and utilize earth resources and effectively protect the planet on which we live, is now widely accepted. However, effective actions can only be conducted if we better understand and visualize the earth. To meet this need, digital earth science and technology have been put forward and developed. This paper introduces the evolution and development process of digital earth, and presents an overview by reviewing and analyzing the 1999 and 2009 Beijing Declaration on Digital Earth, the scientific and commercial digital earth systems, global and regional digital earth research, and some existing platforms of digital earth science. It also presents some thoughts about digital earth’s future development.”

National Geographic Society and Esri Agreement Helps Broaden the Geographic Story

In ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography on August 3, 2010 at 7:26 am

The National Geographic Society has signed a nonprofit site license (NSL) agreement with Esri that allows expansion of the geographic information system (GIS) user base within the society and improves public access to geographic data. The NSL gives the National Geographic Society unlimited deployments of ArcGIS software, thereby providing greater support of the society’s goal of increasing and diffusing geographic knowledge.

“Our relationship with Esri and use of its products over the years has helped us more effectively utilize GIS technology in our cartographic workflow and analysis,” says Charles Regan, vice president and general manager, National Geographic Maps. “This new agreement will provide our staff with even greater access to GIS applications and data, allowing us to better incorporate geographic information into our storytelling.”

Esri has worked with the National Geographic Society for more than 25 years and has provided solutions for robust analysis of geographic data.

National Geographic Society will use the NSL to

  • Improve efficiency in data sharing.
  • Reduce GIS maintenance and support costs.
  • Deploy ArcGIS on more desktops and give employees greater access to GIS applications and data.
  • Enable more people to use spatial data and analysis to effectively tell stories.

The National Geographic Society will deploy Esri’s ArcGIS Server technology both on the premises and in the cloud. These Web-enabled applications are being designed to help the public have a more in-depth and interactive experience with geographic information.

“Historically, the National Geographic Society has been preeminent in using geography to tell compelling, dramatic, and engaging stories,” notes Jack Dangermond, president of Esri. “The society has gone far beyond the service of delivering maps and data. It uses GIS as an education tool to describe the cultures, landscapes, and environments of our world. This NSL affirms Esri’s support of the National Geographic Society’s work and continues our longstanding relationship, respect, and appreciation of the many education projects it provides the world.”

National Geographic uses ArcGIS for a wide range of data production, cartography, publishing, and analysis tasks. Staff often queries and combines datasets to create statistics and graphs for National Geographic maps, Web sites, and magazine articles. For example, National Geographic’s FieldScope application uses ArcGIS to enable students and citizen scientists to compute watersheds and flow paths on the fly. This helps them understand how water flows to and from their locations. In addition, ArcGIS Server enables LandScope America, an online resource for land protection that is a collaborative project of NatureServe and National Geographic Society, to publish hundreds of conservation map layers at multiple scales and extents. LandScope America also uses ArcGIS Server to make available thousands of geotagged articles, photos, and videos.

[Source: Esri press release]

Space-Time Integration in Geography and GIScience

In GIScience, Geography, Modeling, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on August 2, 2010 at 6:56 am

AAG Newsletter of the Association of American Geographers, July/August 2010

Doug Richardson

“Every year, the Association of American Geographers (AAG) identifies a particularly timely or relevant set of themes to feature during its Annual Meetings. Last year an over-riding theme was climate change, for example, and previous years have included featured sessions on topics on as human rights, landscape and literature, sustainable development in Africa, geography of water, and many other topics.

“Among several special themes at its upcoming Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 12- 16, 2011, will be multiple sessions focused on the research status, recent advances and research needs of space-time integration, modeling and analysis in geography and GIScience. This special set of invited papers will feature many leading GIScience researchers from Asia and Europe as well nas from other regions of the world, and will form a three-day high-profile symposium within the AAG Annual Meeting.”

Trajectories of Land Use Change in Europe: A Model-based Exploration of Rural Futures

In Geography, Modeling, Social Science on July 28, 2010 at 8:16 am

Landscape Ecology 25(2): 217-232

Peter H. Verburg, Derek B. van Berkel, Anne M. van Doorn, Michiel van Eupen, and Harm A. R. M. van den Heiligenberg

“Land use change is characterized by a high diversity of change trajectories depending on the local conditions, regional context and external influences. Policy intervention aims to counteract the negative consequences of these changes and provide incentives for positive developments. Region typologies are a common tool to cluster regions with similar characteristics and possibly similar policy needs. This paper provides a typology of land use change in Europe at a high spatial resolution based on a series of different scenarios of land use change for the period 2000–2030. A series of simulation models ranging from the global to the landscape level are used to translate scenario conditions in terms of demographic, economic and policy change into changes in European land use pattern. A typology developed based on these simulation results identifies the main trajectories of change across Europe: agricultural abandonment, agricultural expansion and urbanization. The results are combined with common typologies of landscape and rurality. The findings indicate that the typologies based on current landscape and ruralities are poor indicators of the land use dynamics simulated for the regions. It is advocated that typologies based on (simulated) future dynamics of land change are more appropriate to identify regions with potentially similar policy needs.”

Sensitivity of River Discharge to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

In Environmental Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis on July 27, 2010 at 7:54 am

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 37, 2010

Philip J. Ward, Wisse Beets, Laurens M. Bouwer, Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts, and Hans Renssen

“El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has significant impacts on streamflows around the world. While many studies have assessed correlations, an assessment of the magnitude of this impact is lacking, and little is known of ENSO’s impact on extreme discharges. We use a daily discharge dataset to provide a global assessment of the sensitivity of annual mean and flood discharges to ENSO, and a gridded climate dataset to assess the global impact of ENSO on precipitation and temperature. We find that, on average, for the stations studied ENSO has a greater impact on annual high-flow events than on mean annual discharge, especially in the extra-tropics. The quantification of ENSO impacts provides relevant information for water-management, allowing the identification of problem areas and providing a basis for risk assessments.”

Geostatistical Analysis of Karst Landscapes

In GIS, Geography, Imagery, Statistics on July 23, 2010 at 6:27 am

Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 15, 2010

Omar Al-Kouri, Husaini Omar, Mohammed Abu-Shariah, Ahmad Rodzi Mahmu, and Shattri Mansor

“Nowadays, geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing are emerging as powerful techniques widely applicable in natural resource management and development virtual models. Recent developments in remote sensing, aerial photography and GIS make it possible to detect changes and devise strategies based on these changes. The study focuses on using aerial photography for the detection of changes and effects of mining on geomorphology using the ArcGIS9 extension, Geostatistical Analyst. In addition, the distinctive surface topography of karst landscapes can be characterized in order to compare them with non-karst landscapes, and to determine geological and/or climatic conditions that are responsible for the observed terrain of Kinta Valley Limestone formation at Perak, Malaysia. Geostatistical analyses of the karstic terrain are used in order to distinguish between karst and non-karst area and karst area to observe the variation from the deterministic sample. In contrast, if the range is less, that means the average distance between two points that are similar in height is less and therefore there is more variation in the area. The average range for karst area is 435, while the average range for non-karst area is 690 meters. The difference between the major range and minor range which indicates the degree of anisotropy is more for the karst area and this is an indicator of more variation in spatial structure and autocorrelation of the karst elevation.”

Esri Map Book Encapsulates 25 Years of GIS Development

In Books, ESRI, Geography on July 22, 2010 at 2:17 pm

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Volume Includes Comparative Historic Maps

Esri has published volume 25 of its popular Map Book series. This commemorative edition includes a “then and now” section that compares similar maps from the 25-year period, making it of particular interest to cartographers, geographic information system (GIS) professionals, and geography students.

“This year’s map book marks a milestone,” says Jack Dangermond, Esri president. “For a quarter of a century, this publication has chronicled the rapid evolution of GIS and celebrated the achievements of GIS users in a wide range of industries. This volume republishes a selection of maps printed in early editions of Esri Map Book. It is shown with similar maps made with current ArcGIS software and illustrates how far we’ve come.”

Including more than 100 full-color maps, the annual Esri Map Book showcases the most creative and compelling and best-designed maps presented at the annual Esri International User Conference Map Gallery exhibition. Each map includes a description indicating how it was produced and used.

Esri Map Book, Volume 25 (ISBN-13: 978-1-58948-254-8, 120 pages, $24.95), is available at online retailers worldwide, at www.esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit www.esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options, or visit www.esri.com/distributors to contact your local Esri distributor. Interested retailers can contact Esri Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.

[Source: Esri press release]

The Digital Earth: 12 Years Later

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Spatial Analysis, Visualization on July 21, 2010 at 9:02 am

Vice President Al Gore delivered a forward-looking speech titled “The Digital Earth: Understanding our Planet in the 21st Century” at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on 31 January 1998.  Regardless of how you feel about Al Gore, every geospatial professional should read this once in a while – to both congratulate ourselves on how much progress we’ve made, and remind us there is still work to be done.

“A new wave of technological innovation is allowing us to capture, store, process and display an unprecedented amount of information about our planet and a wide variety of environmental and cultural phenomena. Much of this information will be “georeferenced” – that is, it will refer to some specific place on the Earth’s surface.

“I believe we need a “Digital Earth”. A multi-resolution, three-dimensional representation of the planet, into which we can embed vast quantities of geo-referenced data.”

You can read Gore’s complete speech here [PDF]

For a good overview of what’s happened in the last 12 years, see Digital Earth on Wikipedia

The Framework of a Geospatial Semantic Web-based Spatial Decision Support System for Digital Earth

In Environmental Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis on July 19, 2010 at 8:18 am

International Journal of Digital Earth, Volume 3, Issue 2 June 2010 , pages 111 – 134

Chuanrong Zhang; Tian Zhao; and Weidong Li

“While significant progress has been made to implement the Digital Earth vision, current implementation only makes it easy to integrate and share spatial data from distributed sources and has limited capabilities to integrate data and models for simulating social and physical processes. To achieve effectiveness of decision-making using Digital Earth for understanding the Earth and its systems, new infrastructures that provide capabilities of computational simulation are needed. This paper proposed a framework of geospatial semantic web-based interoperable spatial decision support systems (SDSSs) to expand capabilities of the currently implemented infrastructure of Digital Earth. Main technologies applied in the framework such as heterogeneous ontology integration, ontology-based catalog service, and web service composition were introduced. We proposed a partition-refinement algorithm for ontology matching and integration, and an algorithm for web service discovery and composition. The proposed interoperable SDSS enables decision-makers to reuse and integrate geospatial data and geoprocessing resources from heterogeneous sources across the Internet. Based on the proposed framework, a prototype to assist in protective boundary delimitation for Lunan Stone Forest conservation was implemented to demonstrate how ontology-based web services and the services-oriented architecture can contribute to the development of interoperable SDSSs in support of Digital Earth for decision-making.”

Towards Real-Time Geodemographics: Clustering Algorithm Performance for Large Multidimensional Spatial Databases

In GIS, GIScience, Geography on July 19, 2010 at 6:50 am

Transactions in GIS, Volume 14 Issue 3, June 2010, p 283-297

Muhammad Adnan, Paul A Longley, Alex D Singleton, and Chris Brunsdon

“Geodemographic classifications provide discrete indicators of the social, economic and demographic characteristics of people living within small geographic areas. They have hitherto been regarded as products, which are the final “best” outcome that can be achieved using available data and algorithms. However, reduction in computational cost, increased network bandwidths and increasingly accessible spatial data infrastructures have together created the potential for the creation of classifications in near real time within distributed online environments. Yet paramount to the creation of truly real time geodemographic classifications is the ability for software to process and efficiency cluster large multidimensional spatial databases within a timescale that is consistent with online user interaction. To this end, this article evaluates the computational efficiency of a number of clustering algorithms with a view to creating geodemographic classifications “on the fly” at a range of different geographic scales.”

A Geographical Population Analysis of Dental Trauma in School-children Aged 12 and 15 in the City of Curitiba, Brazil

In GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on July 14, 2010 at 7:31 am

BMC Health Services Research, 2010, 10:203doi

Max L Carvalho, Samuel J Moyses, Roberto E Bueno, Silvia Shimakura, and Simone T Moyses

“Background: The study presents a geographical analysis of dental trauma in a population of 12 and 15 year-old school-children, in the city of Curitiba, Brazil (n = 1581), using a database obtained in the period 2005-2006. The main focus is to analyze dental trauma using a geographic information system as a tool for integrating social, environmental and epidemiological data.

“Methods: Geostatistical analysis of the database and thematic maps were generated showing the distribution of dental trauma cases according to Curitiba’s Health Districts and other variables of interest. Dental trauma spatial variation was assessed using a generalized additive model in order to identify and control the individual risk-factors and thus determine whether spatial variation is constant or not throughout the Health Districts and the place of residence of individuals. In addition, an analysis was made of the coverage of dental trauma cases taking the spatial distribution of Curitiba’s primary healthcare centres.

“Results: The overall prevalence of dental trauma was 37.1%, with 53.1% in males and 46.7% in females. The spatial analysis confirms the hypothesis that there is significant variation in the occurrence of dental trauma, considering the place of residence in the population studied (Monte Carlo test, p=0,006). Furthermore, 28.7% of cases had no coverage by the primary healthcare centres.

“Conclusions: The effect of the place of residence was highly significant in relation to the response variable. The delimitation of areas, as a basis for case density, enables the qualification of geographical territories where actions can be planned based on priority criteria. Promotion, control and rehabilitation actions, applied in regions of higher prevalence of dental trauma, can be more effective and efficient, thus providing healthcare refinement.”

The History and Development of the Theory and Practice of Cybercartography

In Geography, Social Science on July 9, 2010 at 7:48 am

International Journal of Digital Earth, Volume 3, Issue 1 March 2010 , pages 2 – 15

D.R. Fraser Taylor and Stephanie Pyne

“This paper describes the development of cybercartography since the introduction of the term in 1997. Although the origins of cybercartography were largely conceptual in nature, the evolution of cybercartography to date has been an iterative process reflecting the creative interplay between theory and practice. A major step forward was made in 2002 when the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre at Carleton University received a $2.5 million grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to explore the utility of cybercartography to what was described as the New Economy. By 2006, the interaction between theory and practice had led to considerable advances in cybercartography as a holistic, location-based concept and two new cybercartographic products, the Cybercartographic Atlas of Antarctica and the Cybercartographic Atlas of Canada’s Trade with the World, were produced. Between 2006 and 2009, cybercartography was further developed as a result of interaction with indigenous communities, especially in Canada’s north and new interactive atlases such as the Kitikmeot Place Names Atlas and the Community Atlas of Arctic Bay were created in cooperation with the communities involved. The Nunaliit Cybercartographic Atlas Framework, built using open source software and open specifications and standards, was developed to facilitate direct input to these atlases. Cybercartography is now entering a new phase in both theory and practice building on a recently completed prototype atlas of Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge.”

P-DBSCAN: A Density Based Clustering Algorithm for Exploration and Analysis of Attractive Areas Using Collections of Geo-tagged Photos

In GIScience, Geography on July 7, 2010 at 6:55 am

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference and Exhibition on Computing for Geospatial Research & Application, Washington, D.C., 2010

Slava Kisilevich, Florian Mansmann, and Daniel Keim

“The rapid spread of location-based devices and cheap storage mechanisms, as well as fast development of Internet technology, allowed collection and distribution of huge amounts of user-generated data, such as people’s movement or geo-tagged photos. These types of data produce new challenges for research in different application domains. In many cases, new algorithms should be devised to better portray the phenomena under investigation. In this paper, we present P-DBSCAN, a new density-based clustering algorithm based on DBSCAN for analysis of places and events using a collection of geo-tagged photos. We thereby introduce two new concepts: (1) density threshold, which is defined according to the number of people in the neighborhood, and (2) adaptive density, which is used for fast convergence towards high density regions. Our approach is demonstrated on the area of Washington, D.C.”

First Detailed National Map of U.S. Land-cover Vegetation Released

In Environmental Science, Geography on June 14, 2010 at 9:31 am

The most detailed national vegetation U.S. land-cover map to date was released today by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The map will enable conservation professionals to identify places in the country with sufficient habitat to support wildlife.

The map, produced by the USGS Gap Analysis Program (GAP), can be viewed online and downloaded for free.

“These data are critical for determining the status of biodiversity, as baseline data for assessing climate change impacts, and for predicting the availability of habitat for wildlife,” said John Mosesso, Gap Analysis Program Manager. “Large datasets of this type are extremely important to land and wildlife managers because they allow for analysis and planning across extensive geographic areas.”

The GAP national land cover data, based on the NatureServe Ecological Systems Classification, is the most detailed, consistent map of vegetative associations ever available for the United States and will help facilitate the planning and management of biological diversity on a regional and national scale.

GAP’s mission is to keep common species common by providing information on the status of native species. The creation and dissemination of the national landcover dataset and online map viewer furthers that goal by putting crucial information into the hands of conservation professionals. Information about land cover is a key component of effective conservation planning and the management of biological diversity.

Landcover Map Portrays Complex Data

The final version of the landcover map contains 551 Ecological Systems and modified Ecological Systems (the modified ecological systems represent 32 land use classes which depict developed and/or disturbed land cover classes). The map combines data from previous GAP projects in the Southwest, Southeast, and Northwest United States with recently updated California data. For areas of the continental United States where ecological system-level GAP data has not yet been developed, data from the LANDFIRE project compiled by Landscope was used. This allows for the construction of a seamless representation of ecological system distributions across the continental United States.

The map also meets natural resources agencies’ need for a way to characterize land cover. Finally, the new map furthers the mission of GAP to promote conservation by providing state, regional, and national assessments of the conservation status of land cover types to resource managers, planners, and policy makers who can use the map and its underlying data to make informed decisions.

Online Map Viewer Shows Data at Multiple Scales

The online map viewing interface has been designed to allow users to explore land cover data at three levels of complexity. Level 1 contains eight classes: grassland, shrubland, forest, aquatic, sparse and barren, recently disturbed, riparian, and human land use. Level 2 contains 43 classes, and incorporates information on elevation and climate. Level 3 contains the full 583 classes. This online tool facilitates exploration of ecological system distribution patterns at multiple scales and allows users to calculate statistics on the types of vegetation occurring within a mapping zone, a state, or a county.

As part of the USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) — a collaborative program coordinated by the USGS to provide increased access to data and information on the nation’s biological resources — GAP data and associated analytical tools have been used in hundreds of applications, from basic research to comprehensive state wildlife plans, and from education projects in schools to ecoregional assessments of biodiversity.

GAP has developed land cover data since the 1980s — initially on a state-by-state basis and more recently on a regional basis. The national land cover map provides seamless coverage across political boundaries, facilitating its use by governmental agencies, researchers, conservation organizations and others.

[Source: USGS press release]

UNH Scientist to Estimate Pre-Columbian Amazonian Population using Satellite Imagery

In Geography, Imagery, Social Science on June 10, 2010 at 8:58 am

University of New Hampshire tropical ecologist Michael Palace has been awarded a $364K grant from NASA’s Space Archeology program to estimate the population of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin lowlands by means of satellite remote sensing technology.

Currently, population estimates vary widely – from 500,000 to 10 million – and are the subject of much controversy and debate. Among other things, knowing with more accuracy how many people might have impacted the rainforest through agriculture and development prior to European contact will help scientists understand how the Amazon Basin might withstand current pressures from deforestation, selective logging, and development.

Palace, a research assistant professor at the Complex Systems Research Center (CSRC) within the Institute for the Study or Earth, Oceans, and Space, is an expert in using satellite-borne imagery to study various aspects of tropical forests. In this project he will use hyperspectral imagery taken by NASA’s Hyperion sensor onboard the Terra satellite.

The Hyperion camera “sees” in 242 spectral bands of light, allowing scientists to identify the chemical makeup of tree leaves, which in turn is related to nutrients in the underlying soil. The more nutrient-rich leaves or specific groups of tree species seen by Hyperion will be the signature for what Palace is looking for – Amazonian black earths – sites containing soil rich in organic matter, charcoal, and nutrients and frequently associated with large accumulations of potsherds and other artifacts of human origin.

Also known as “terra preta” soils, they were created hundreds of years ago when indigenous populations slowly burned trees to make soil equivalent to “biochar,” which is extremely efficient at storing carbon and nutrients and provides fertile, productive farmland.

“There are terra preta sites all over the Amazonian basin, particularly near rivers, but no one really knows their whole distribution,” says Palace, who will collaborate with Mark Bush, an ecologist from the Florida Institute of Technology, and Brazilian archeologist Eduardo Neves of the University of San Paulo. Also collaborating on the project are Stephen Hagen, a research scientist at Applied GeoSolutions of Newmarket who received his Ph.D. at UNH, and former CSRC faculty member Rob Braswell, now at Atmospheric Environmental Research, Inc. of Lexington, Mass.

Having identified terra preta sites in the Hyperion imagery, the researchers will then build a model to “scale up” the data and identify the location of other sites across the entire Amazon landscape. Says Palace, “This will allow archeologists to go to these sites and determine if they are indeed terra preta. We should then be able to accurately estimate the indigenous population prior to colonial contact.”

At six million square kilometers, the Amazon basin contains the largest continuous rainforest in the world and constitutes 40 percent of what remains of this ecotype. Current scientific knowledge of the forest views its past as pristine with little human influence. If Palace’s research indicates there was a large population of indigenous peoples using the forest to maintain a highly productive agricultural system, it is likely that Amazonian forest vegetation was significantly altered and may be thought of as a cultural artifact, resilient to human disturbance and not an undisturbed forest.

NASA’s little-known space archeology program is getting its share of headlines primarily through research being conducted in South and Central America, including recent work that uncovered one of the largest Mayan cities in Belize.

[Source: University of New Hampshire press release via All Points Blog/Directions magazine]

Comparison of Different Interpolation Techniques to Map Temperature in the Southern Region of Eritrea

In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Statistics on June 9, 2010 at 8:50 am

13th AGILE International Conference on Geographic Information Science 2010, Guimarães, Portugal

Mussie G. Tewolde, Teshome A. Beza, Ana Cristina Costa, and Marco Painho

“Temperature and rainfall vary markedly throughout Eritrea, from hot desert in the east to a mild, subhumid climate in the highlands (Wolfe et al., 2008). Prediction and understanding of the spatial variation of climate data, particularly temperature, is important to many agricultural and economic sectors for planning and management activities (Moral, 2009). This is especially important in Eritrea where agriculture provides 12.4% of the gross domestic product, and 80% of the population are involved in farming and herding (Wolfe et al., 2008).

“Several studies have demonstrated that various spatial interpolation techniques perform differently depending on the type of attribute, geometrical configuration of the samples, spatial resolution, world region, etc. (Martínez-Cob, 1996; Goovaerts, 2000; Haberlandt, 2007). Hence, selecting the best interpolation technique for each particular situation is a key factor. The major objective of this study is to assess the spatial variability of annual average temperature in the southern region of Eritrea by comparing different interpolation procedures. The temperature data were minterpolated using a deterministic method (Inverse square distance) and three geostatistical methods (Ordinary, Universal and Simple kriging). The performance of the different techniques was compared through error statistics computed using Jackknife cross-validation.”

Is the Spatial Distribution of Mankind’s Most Basic Economic Traits Determined by Climate and Soil Alone?

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on June 8, 2010 at 10:06 am

PLoS ONE 5(5): May 5, 2010

Jan Beck and Andrea Sieber

“Several authors, most prominently Jared Diamond (1997, Guns, Germs and Steel), have investigated biogeographic determinants of human history and civilization. The timing of the transition to an agricultural lifestyle, associated with steep population growth and consequent societal change, has been suggested to be affected by the availability of suitable organisms for domestication. These factors were shown to quantitatively explain some of the current global inequalities of economy and political power. Here, we advance this approach one step further by looking at climate and soil as sole determining factors.”

Eigenplaces: Analysing Cities Using the Space – Time Structure of the Mobile Phone Network

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on June 8, 2010 at 8:36 am

Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 2009, volume 36, pages 824 ^ 836

Jonathan Reades, Francesco Calabrese, and Carlo Ratti

“Several attempts have already been made to use telecommunications networks for urban research, but the datasets employed have typically been neither dynamic nor fine grained. Against this research backdrop the mobile phone network offers a compelling compromise between these extremes: it is both highly mobile and yet still localisable in space. Moreover, the mobile phone’s enormous and enthusiastic adoption across most socioeconomic strata makes it a uniquely useful tool for conducting large-scale, representative behavioural research. In this paper we attempt to connect telecoms usage data from Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) to a geography of human activity derived from data on commercial premises advertised through Pagine Gialle, the Italian `Yellow Pages’. We then employ eigendecomposition–a process similar to factoring but suitable for this complex dataset–to identify and extract recurring patterns of mobile phone usage. The resulting eigenplaces support the computational and comparative analysis of space through the lens of telecommuniations usage and enhance our understanding of the city as a `space of flows’.”

Ocean of Information: Fusing Aggregate & Individual Dynamics for Metropolitan Analysis

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on June 7, 2010 at 8:37 am

International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, Proceeding of the 14th international conference on Intelligent user interfaces, Hong Kong, China, 2010

Mauro Martino, Francesco Calabrese, Giusy Di Lorenzo, Clio Andris, Liu Liang, and Carlo Ratti

“In this paper, we propose a tool to explore human movement dynamics in a Metropolitan Area. By analyzing a mass of individual cell phone traces, we build a Human-City Interaction System for understanding urban mobility patterns at different user-controlled temporal and geographic scales. We solve the problems that are found in available tools for spatio-temporal analysis, by allowing seamless manipulability and introducing a simultaneous\multi-scale visualization of individual and aggregate flows. Our tool is built to support the exploration and discovery of urban mobility patterns and the daily interactions of millions of people. Moreover, we implement an intelligent algorithm to evaluate the level of mobility homophily of people moving from place to place.”

Kansas Geological Survey Recognizes Outstanding Students

In ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography on June 7, 2010 at 7:11 am

Five University of Kansas students received outstanding achievement awards from the Kansas Geological Survey, based on KU’s West Campus.

Nathan Corbin, an undergraduate in geology, was the recipient of the Norman Plummer Outstanding Student Award. A technical research assistant in the Survey’s Exploration Services Section, Corbin helped develop a geophysical system for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will be used to differentiate rock layers and other features near the earth’s surface. Corbin is from Lecompton, Kansas. Norman Plummer was a Survey employee from 1936 to 1969.

Terri Woodburn, a doctoral student in geology, was the recipient of the Lee C. and Darcy Gerhard Field Research Student Award. She is involved with a program to map the geology of Kansas counties and has coauthored a number of the maps, including maps of Ford, Morton, Hodgeman, Gray, Edwards, Pawnee, Jewell, Norton, Republic, Reno, and Doniphan counties. Woodburn is from Platte City, Missouri, and has a Master’s degree in geography from KU. The award is named after the Survey’s director from 1987 to 1999 and his wife.

Scott Klopfenstein, a master’s student in geography, was the recipient of the Jack Dangermond/ESRI Geospatial Technologies Student Award. As a graduate research assistant Klopfenstein integrates data on playas (small, intermittent lakes in the High Plains) into the Survey’s hydrography data set, uses aerial imagery to identify perennial and intermittent water features, and helps with map design and development. Klopfenstein is from Lawrence, Kansas, and received a Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from KU. The award was established by Jack Dangermond, president of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., (ESRI) to recognize student accomplishments in the application of geospatial technologies.

Sarah Kreitzer, a master’s student in hydrogeology, was the recipient of the Frank C. Foley Groundwater Student Travel Award. She has produced maps and diagrams illustrating groundwater availability and changes in groundwater levels in the Ogallala aquifer of western Kansas and assists with other projects as a graduate research assistant in the Survey’s Geohydrology Section. Kreitzer is from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The award, named after the Survey’s director from 1954 to 1970, will provide funding for her to attend the annual conference of The Geological Society of America this fall in Denver, where she will present the results of her work.

Laura Murphy, a doctorate student in anthropology (geoarcheology), was the recipient of the William W. Hambleton Student Research Award. She has participated in an endowed Survey program looking for evidence of early humans in the central Great Plains, particularly at the Burntwood Creek Rock Shelter in Rawlins County. Other projects she has been involved with include a study of landscape evolution in the High Plains and the program to map the geology of Kansas counties. Murphy, who has a Master’s degree from KU, is from Massilon, Ohio. William W. Hambleton was the Survey’s director from 1970 to 1986.

The Kansas Geological Survey studies and provides information on the state’s geologic resources and hazards, particularly ground water, oil, natural gas, and other minerals. It employs approximately 25 students.

The recipients were presented cash awards and certificates in a mid-May ceremony.

[Source: Kansas Geological Survey news release]

Reconstructing Population Density Surfaces from Areal Data: A Comparison of Tobler’s Pycnophylactic Interpolation Method and Area-to-Point Kriging

In GIScience, Geography, Statistics on May 24, 2010 at 9:36 am

Geographical Analysis, Volume 42 Issue 1  (January 2010) p 78-98

Eun-Hye Yoo, Phaedon C. Kyriakidis, Waldo Tobler

“We compare Tobler’s pycnophylactic interpolation method with the geostatistical approach of area-to-point kriging for distributing population data collected by areal unit in 18 census tracts in Ann Arbor for 1970 to reconstruct a population density surface. In both methods, (1) the areal data are reproduced when the predicted population density is upscaled; (2) physical boundary conditions are accounted for, if they exist; and (3) inequality constraints, such as the requirement of non-negative point predictions, are satisfied. The results show that when a certain variogram model, that is, the de Wijsian model corresponding to the free-space Green’s function of Laplace’s equation, is used in the geostatistical approach under the same boundary condition and constraints with Tobler’s approach, the predicted population density surfaces are almost identical (up to numerical errors and discretization discrepancies). The implications of these findings are twofold: (1) multiple attribute surfaces can be constructed from areal data using the geostatistical approach, depending on the particular point variogram model adopted—that variogram model need not be the one associated with Tobler’s solution and (2) it is the analyst’s responsibility to justify whether the smoothness criterion employed in Tobler’s approach is relevant to the particular application at hand. A notable advantage of the geostatistical approach over Tobler’s is that it allows reporting the uncertainty or reliability of the interpolated values, with critical implications for uncertainty propagation in spatial analysis operations.”

Geostatistical Analysis of County-Level Lung Cancer Mortality Rates in the Southeastern United States

In Geography, Social Science, Statistics on May 21, 2010 at 6:29 am

Geographical Analysis, Volume 42 Issue 1  (January 2010) p 32-52

Pierre Goovaerts

“The analysis of health data and putative covariates, such as environmental, socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral, or occupational factors, is a promising application for geostatistics. Transferring methods originally developed for the analysis of earth properties to health science, however, presents several methodological and technical challenges. These arise because health data are typically aggregated over irregular spatial supports (e.g., counties) and consist of a numerator and a denominator (i.e., rates). This article provides an overview of geostatistical methods tailored specifically to the characteristics of areal health data, with an application to lung cancer mortality rates in 688 U.S. counties of the southeast (1970–1994). Factorial Poisson kriging can filter short-scale variation and noise, which can be large in sparsely populated counties, to reveal similar regional patterns for male and female cancer mortality that correlate well with proximity to shipyards. Rate uncertainty was transferred through local cluster analysis using stochastic simulation, allowing the computation of the likelihood of clusters of low or high cancer mortality. Accounting for population size and rate uncertainty led to the detection of new clusters of high mortality around Oak Ridge National Laboratory for both sexes, in counties with high concentrations of pig farms and paper mill industries for males (occupational exposure) and in the vicinity of Atlanta for females.”

Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Teaching Geospatial Disciplines

In GIS, Geography, Imagery on May 17, 2010 at 8:32 am

ASPRS 2009 Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, March 9-13, 2009

Eugene Levin, Robert Liimakka, and Stephen Curelli

“The latest developments in small unmanned air vehicle (SUAV) technologymake it possible to utilize SUAV platforms in geospatial disciplines research and teaching processes. Michigan Technological University is implementing a number of remotely controlled aircraft platforms in its photogrammetry course. The Surveying Engineering Program is working on a SUAV suite configuration that will make the following hands-on labs possible: project planning and potential accuracy analysis, implementation of project waypoints into the SUAV operational control unit, auto-pilot flight control over calibration sites and test-objects, and processing of gathered UAV imagery on softcopy photogrammetric workstations. The initial SUAV is equipped with autopilot and can carry up from 1 to 11 pounds of payload, and is currently fitted with a 7.1MP non-metric camera. Students use surveying grade GPS equipment to prepare calibration sites. Work on processing of the obtained datasets encompasses: bundle block adjustment, image co-registration, mosaicking, and finally feature extraction from UAV imagery. Comparison of the results obtained from the SUAV to respective results obtained from traditional aerial photogrammetry will provide an excellent opportunity for research investigation directed at accuracy and applicability of SUAV imagery for specific projects. Practical hands-on experience with SUAV control and imagery provides students a unique opportunity to participate in ongoing development and research activities in the geospatial science and industry.”

The Geography of Criminal Law

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on May 14, 2010 at 7:40 am

Cardozo Law Review, Vol. 31, No. 3, 2010, Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law Research Paper No. 1570599

Adam Benforado

“When Westerners explain the causes of actions or outcomes in the criminal law context, they demonstrate a strong tendency to overestimate the importance of dispositional factors, like thinking, preferring, and willing, and underestimate the impact of interior and exterior situational factors, including environmental, historical, and social forces, as well as affective states, knowledge structures, motives, and other unseen aspects of our cognitive frameworks and processes. One of the situational factors that we are particularly likely to overlook is physical space – that is, landscapes, places, natures, boundaries, and spatialities. Our shortsightedness comes at a great cost. Spatial concerns shape legal structures, order interactions, and influence behavior.

“To understand these dynamics, this Article establishes the foundation for a new spatial analysis of criminal law. By casting a wide net and capturing data across a diverse set of fields, this Article uncovers unappreciated but vital parallels, connections, and patterns concerning the ways in which physical space – and the meanings that we attach to spatial elements – affect (1) the proximate decision to commit a crime, (2) the likelihood a given person will become a criminal, (3) the experience of victimization, (4) the way in which policing is conducted, (5) what a crime is and how it is prosecuted, and (6) the consequences of being convicted.

“As the first Article in a broader project, this systematic spatial analysis provides the basis for future work dedicated to understanding the origins of our criminal system and assessing whether our current legal structures – from the laws on the books to the practices of police officers to our approaches to punishment – align with our societal needs and values, and, thus, whether the structures we have in place ought to be changed. Instead of building its normative conclusions on geographical analysis alone, the project employs the lens of the mind sciences – including social psychology, social cognition, evolutionary psychology, and related fields – to investigate and explain identified spatial dynamics. This research offers the best hope for unlocking, among other concerns, why our justice system has focused on physically isolating criminals from society; why laws are frequently structured around protecting the physical boundaries of the body, home, and community; why more police shootings occur in certain areas than others; and why we have spatially-embedded laws that become inoperative when an individual leaves a jurisdiction. “

Spatial Analysis of Selected Manufacturing and Service Sectors in China’s Economy using County Employment Data for 1990 and 2000

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on May 14, 2010 at 7:34 am

Regional Studies, 1360-0591, First published on 25 February 2010

Dean M. Hanink ; Avraham Y. Ebenstein ;Robert G. Cromley

“This paper provides a comparative analysis of the spatial distribution of employment in forty-one economic sectors in China in 1990 and in 2000. Sectors are approximately split between manufacturing and services. Spatial distributions of employment by sector are analysed at the county level, and relative sectoral specialization at the county level is also considered. Manufacturing and service clusters are identified in both years using factor analysis, and the resulting factor scores are used in mapping their spatial extent. In general, geographical concentration in Chinese manufacturing accelerated between 1990 and 2000, while services became more spatially uniform in their distribution.”

Regnum Francorum Online – Interactive Maps and Sources of Early Medieval Europe 614-918

In Geography, Social Science, Visualization on May 14, 2010 at 6:56 am

New Technologies and Interdisciplinary Research on Religion: 2010 Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA) Conference, Harvard University


Evaluating the Relative Environmental Impact of Countries

In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on May 12, 2010 at 8:06 am

PLoS ONE, 01 May 2010, Volume 5, Issue 5, e10440

Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Xingli Giam, and Navjot S. Sodhi

“Environmental protection is critical to maintain ecosystem services essential for human well-being. It is important to be able to rank countries by their environmental impact so that poor performers as well as policy ‘models’ can be identified. We provide novel metrics of country-specific environmental impact ranks – one proportional to total resource availability per country and an absolute (total) measure of impact – that explicitly avoid incorporating confounding human health or economic indicators. Our rankings are based on natural forest loss, habitat conversion, marine captures, fertilizer use, water pollution, carbon emissions and species threat, although many other variables were excluded due to a lack of country-specific data. Of 228 countries considered, 179 (proportional) and 171 (absolute) had sufficient data for correlations. The proportional index ranked Singapore, Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Thailand, Bahrain, Malaysia, Philippines and Netherlands as having the highest proportional environmental impact, whereas Brazil, USA, China, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, India, Russia, Australia and Peru had the highest absolute impact (i.e., total resource use, emissions and species threatened). Proportional and absolute environmental impact ranks were correlated, with mainly Asian countries having both high proportional and absolute impact. Despite weak concordance among the drivers of environmental impact, countries often perform poorly for different reasons. We found no evidence to support the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis of a non-linear relationship between impact and per capita wealth, although there was a weak reduction in environmental impact as per capita wealth increases. Using structural equation models to account for cross-correlation, we found that increasing wealth was the most important driver of environmental impact. Our results show that the global community not only has to encourage better environmental performance in less-developed countries, especially those in Asia, there is also a requirement to focus on the development of environmentally friendly practices in wealthier countries.”

Applying Geostatistical Analysis to Crime Data: Car-Related Thefts in the Baltic States

In Geography, Social Science, Statistics on May 12, 2010 at 6:52 am

Geographical Analysis, Volume 42 Issue 1  (January 2010) p 53-77

Ruth Kerry, Pierre Goovaerts, Robert P. Haining, and Vania Ceccato

“Geostatistical methods have rarely been applied to area-level offense data. This article demonstrates their potential for improving the interpretation and understanding of crime patterns using previously analyzed data about car-related thefts for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 2000. The variogram is used to inform about the scales of variation in offense, social, and economic data. Area-to-area and area-to-point Poisson kriging are used to filter the noise caused by the small number problem. The latter is also used to produce continuous maps of the estimated crime risk (expected number of crimes per 10,000 habitants), thereby reducing the visual bias of large spatial units. In seeking to detect the most likely crime clusters, the uncertainty attached to crime risk estimates is handled through a local cluster analysis using stochastic simulation. Factorial kriging analysis is used to estimate the local- and regional-scale spatial components of the crime risk and explanatory variables. Then regression modeling is used to determine which factors are associated with the risk of car-related theft at different scales.”

Jordan Romero Uses GIS to Share Everest Experience

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Visualization on May 10, 2010 at 7:05 am

Mapping Web Site Shows Location, Weather, Photos, and Tweets

Thirteen-year-old Jordan Romero partnered with ESRI to share his Mount Everest climb with the world via geographic information system (GIS) technology. The Jordan Romero Web site features an ESRI GIS mapping application that integrates Web services to track Romero’s journey. The application lets the public see Team Romero’s location in near real time, explore daily tracks, view distance and elevation statistics, and browse weather and route information. The application also gives geographic context to social media—for example, Flickr photos and Twitter posts from the team throughout the trip.

ESRI is mapping the expedition with a lightweight, user-friendly Web application that uses the ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight/WPF and data from ArcGIS Online. The API is used to deliver live information from other Web services. This includes the latest GPS messages from SPOT (updated as frequently as every 10 minutes), current elevation and distances from ArcGIS Server, daily weather forecasts from meteoexploration, and social media streams. ArcGIS Online provides the map layers and imagery of the 29,035-foot mountain and surrounding area.

“I know technology is saving lives every day, and in this case, it does make our team safer and in contact with rescue and even friends and family,” says Romero. “I also appreciate that now my generation is going to experience better technology. To think my peers are watching my every step; I am so grateful. And perhaps through this technology, I’m actually going to inspire some kids to get out and set some big goals and dreams.”

Team Romero and ESRI have created a single and comprehensive solution to track, map, and show up-to-date information about the climb, so the rest of the world can see Romero’s progress at the top of the world. Educators are using the tool in the classroom, leveraging the application to make it easy and fun to learn about the feat and experience it right along with Romero.

Romero has already climbed six of the “Seven Summits,” the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents. He is striving to become the youngest person ever to summit Everest, beating the current record by three years. Team Romero left for Everest on April 5 and is planning to summit sometime this month. Romero is joined by his father, Paul Romero, and stepmom Karen Lundgren. The three have achieved all six summits together. There are several interpretations of the “Seven Summits,” so Romero is also intending to tackle Antarctica’s Vinson Massif in December 2010.

More information about Romero is available at www.jordanromero.com. Click Live on Everest to see where the climbers are now.

[Source: ESRI press release]

Digital Atlas of Roman and Medieval Civilization

In Geography, Social Science, Visualization on May 6, 2010 at 7:05 am

New Technologies and Interdisciplinary Research on Religion: 2010 Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA) Conference, Harvard University

Geostatistical Analysis of Rainfall

In GIS, Geography, Statistics on May 4, 2010 at 1:33 pm

Geographical Analysis, Volume 42 Issue 2 (April 2010) p 136-160

David I. F. Grimes and Eulogio Pardo-Igúzquiza

“Rainfall can be modeled as a spatially correlated random field superimposed on a background mean value; therefore, geostatistical methods are appropriate for the analysis of rain gauge data. Nevertheless, there are certain typical features of these data that must be taken into account to produce useful results, including the generally non-Gaussian mixed distribution, the inhomogeneity and low density of observations, and the temporal and spatial variability of spatial correlation patterns. Many studies show that rigorous geostatistical analysis performs better than other available interpolation techniques for rain gauge data. Important elements are the use of climatological variograms and the appropriate treatment of rainy and nonrainy areas. Benefits of geostatistical analysis for rainfall include ease of estimating areal averages, estimation of uncertainties, and the possibility of using secondary information (e.g., topography). Geostatistical analysis also facilitates the generation of ensembles of rainfall fields that are consistent with a given set of observations, allowing for a more realistic exploration of errors and their propagation in downstream models, such as those used for agricultural or hydrological forecasting. This article provides a review of geostatistical methods used for kriging, exemplified where appropriate by daily rain gauge data from Ethiopia.”

Lining Up Data in ArcGIS: A Guide to Map Projections

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on April 27, 2010 at 7:20 am

Lining Up Data in ArcGIS: A Guide to Map Projections, a new reference guide from ESRI Press, helps resolve the problem of aligning disparate map projections with geographic information system (GIS) technology. Designed for beginning and advanced ArcGIS practitioners, this book offers best practice techniques for identifying and creating accurate map projections and coordinate systems. It covers technical information ranging from procedures used to identify unknown map projections to the creation of custom projections for unique data alignment. While written specifically for users of ArcGIS, this book is a guide for anyone working with map projections, coordinate systems, and data conversion.

“I have found that data misalignment is one of the biggest issues faced by GIS users,” says author Margaret M. Maher, a specialist in projections and data conversion in ESRI’s Support Services department. “While understanding coordinate systems can be a challenge, I believe that this book is filled with practical techniques that will demystify the process.”

Lining Up Data in ArcGIS: A Guide to Map Projections (ISBN: 9781589482494, 200 pages, $24.95) is available at online retailers worldwide, at www.esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit www.esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options, or visit www.esri.com/distributors to contact your local ESRI distributor. Interested retailers can contact ESRI Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.

[Source: ESRI press release]

Scientists Discover Underwater Asphalt Volcanoes

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on April 27, 2010 at 5:46 am

Impressive landmarks hidden for 40,000 years rise from sea-floor

About 10 miles off the Santa Barbara coast, at the bottom of the Santa Barbara Channel, a series of impressive landmarks rise from the sea floor.

They’ve been there for 40,000 years, but have remained hidden in the murky depths of the Pacific Ocean–until now.

They’re called asphalt volcanoes.

High-resolution bathymetry shows extinct asphalt volcanoes on the sea-floor off California. Credit: Dana Yoerger, WHOI

Scientists funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and affiliated with the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), University of California at Davis, University of Sydney and University of Rhode Island, have identified the series of unusual volcanoes.

The largest of these undersea Ice Age domes lies at a depth of 700 feet (220 meters), too deep for scuba diving, which explains why the volcanoes have never before been spotted by humans, says Don Rice, director of NSF’s Chemical Oceanography Program, which funded the research.

“They’re larger than a football-field-long and as tall as a six-story building,” says David Valentine, a geoscientist at UCSB and the lead author of a paper published on-line this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. “They’re massive features, and are made completely out of asphalt.”

Valentine and colleagues first viewed the volcanoes during a 2007 dive on the research submersible Alvin. Valentine credits Ed Keller, an earth scientist at UCSB, with guiding him and colleagues to the site.

“Ed had looked at some bathymetry [sea floor topography] studies conducted in the 1990s and noted some very unusual features,” Valentine says.

Based on Keller’s research, Valentine and other scientists took Alvin into the area in 2007 and discovered the source of the mystery.

Using the sub’s robotic arm, the researchers broke off samples and brought them to labs at UCSB and WHOI for testing.

In 2009, Valentine and colleagues made two more dives to the area in Alvin. They also conducted a detailed survey of the area using an autonomous underwater vehicle, Sentry, which takes photos as it glides about nine feet above the ocean floor.

“When you ‘fly’ Sentry over the sea floor, you can see all of the cracking of the asphalt and flow features,” says Valentine. ”All the textures are visible of a once-flowing liquid that has solidified in place.

“That’s one of the reasons we’re calling them volcanoes, because they have so many features that are indicative of a lava flow.”

Tests showed that these aren’t your typical lava volcanoes, however, found in Hawaii and elsewhere around the Pacific Rim.

Using a mass spectrometer, carbon dating, microscopic fossils, and comprehensive, two-dimensional gas chromatography, the scientists determined that the structures are asphalt. They were formed when petroleum flowed from the sea-floor about 30,000-40,000 years ago.

Chris Reddy, a scientist at WHOI and a co-author of the paper, says that ”the volcanoes underscore a little-known fact:  half the oil that enters the coastal environment is from natural oil seeps like the ones off the coast of California.”

The researchers also determined that the volcanoes were at one time a prolific source of methane, a greenhouse gas.

The two largest volcanoes are about a kilometer apart and have pits or depressions surrounding them. These pits, according to Valentine, are signs of “methane gas bubbling from the sub-surface.”

That’s not surprising, he says, considering how much petroleum was flowing there in the past.

“They were spewing out a lot of petroleum, but also lots of natural gas,” he says, “which you tend to get when you have petroleum seepage in this area.”

The discovery that vast amounts of methane once emanated from the volcanoes caused the scientists to wonder if there might have been an environmental impact on the area during the Ice Age.

“It became a dead zone,” says Valentine. “We’re hypothesizing that these features may have been a major contributor to those events.”

While the volcanoes have been dormant for thousands of years, the 2009 Alvin dive revealed a few spots where gas was still bubbling.

“We think it’s residual gas,” says Valentine, who added that the amount of gas is so small it’s harmless, and never reaches the surface.

Other co-authors of the paper are Christopher Farwell, Sarah C. Bagby, Brian A. Clark, and Morgan Soloway, all of UCSB; Robert K. Nelson, Dana Yoerger, and Richard Camilli of WHOI; Tessa M. Hill, UC Davis; Oscar Pizarro, University of Sydney; and Christopher N. Roman, University of Rhode Island.

[Source: NSF Press Release]

Space–Time Geostatistics for Geography: A Case Study of Radiation Monitoring Across Parts of Germany

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on April 26, 2010 at 7:32 am

Geographical Analysis, Volume 42 Issue 2, Pages 161 – 179, Published Online 13 Apr 2010

Gerard B. M. Heuvelink and Daniel A. Griffith

“Many branches within geography deal with variables that vary not only in space but also in time. Therefore, conventional geostatistics needs to be extended with methods that estimate and quantify spatiotemporal variation and use it in spatiotemporal interpolation and stochastic simulation. This article briefly summarizes the main concepts of space–time geostatistics. Kriging in space and time can be done in much the same way as it is in a purely spatial setting. The main difficulties are in defining a realistic stochastic model that is assumed to have generated data and in characterizing and estimating the space–time correlation of that model. This article uses a model-based geostatistical approach to characterize space–time variability. The space–time variable of interest is treated as a sum of independent stationary spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal components, which leads to a sum-metric space–time variogram model. Methods are illustrated with a case study of space–time interpolation of monthly averages of detected background radiation for a 5-year period in four German states.”

Research Shows Additional Liquor Outlets Add To Drunken Incidents

In Geography, Modeling, Social Science, Statistics on April 23, 2010 at 8:20 am

As many communities throughout New Zealand continue to protest about the number of liquor outlets opening in their neighbourhood, researchers have for the first time come up with a model that relates the level of alcohol-related harm to the number of liquor outlets.

The research was carried out by the Population Studies Centre (PSC) at Waikato University. It was commissioned and funded by the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC), and supported by Manukau City Council.

An initial database of liquor licensees was obtained from Manukau City Council in January 2009. Data for selected indicators of social harm were obtained from the New Zealand Transport Agency (traffic crashes), Counties Manukau District Health Board (accident and emergency event data, and alcohol-related admissions to Middlemore Hospital), and New Zealand Police (police attendances) for the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

The model used statistical methods to relate the level of liquor outlet density to a range of events such as police callouts, emergency room admissions, and motor vehicle accidents, while also taking into account the effects of population density and social deprivation. Individual models for each type of event as well as an integrated model of all events were constructed, and the results were similar between the two methods. Data on the events covered the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, while outlet density was measured based on a survey conducted in January 2009.

Several key results were found relating to the characteristics of alcohol sales in Manukau City. First, on-licence outlets (bars, clubs, restaurants and cafes) were most dense in areas with good transport links, such as town centres, and in areas with high amenity value. This is because these outlets cater to consumers who are looking for a destination at which to drink, or where drinking is incidental to some other activity such as eating a meal.

Second, off-licence outlets (alcohol retailers, supermarkets and bottle stores) tended to locate in areas of high social deprivation and high population density. Higher off-licence density was in turn associated with lower alcohol prices and longer opening hours.

The researchers found that in Manukau the addition of a single extra off-licence was associated with an extra 60 to 65 police events or incidents in the year to June 2009. Each additional club or bar was associated with an extra 98 to 101 police events or incidents, while each additional restaurant or café was associated with an extra 24 to 29 police events or incidents.

ALAC Chief Executive Officer Gerard Vaughan said in order for local body planning to effectively address ways to minimise alcohol-related harm, information about the impact of liquor outlets on local areas was needed. “We have now for the first time a New Zealand model that can be used by local authorities to show the impacts of extra liquor outlets.”

Mr Vaughan said the Law Commission was due to release its recommendations to Government on reforming New Zealand’s alcohol laws next week. “Options being considered by the Commission to recommend to Government include widening the grounds for refusing liquor licences to include things like outlet density.

“If the law is changed to allow density to be raised as grounds for refusing a liquor licence, evidence will still need to be produced of the harms that might result. This model provides the important evidence base for decisions on licensing at a local level.”

Waikato research associate Dr Michael Cameron said although the Manukau results were specific to that area, the model that had been developed could be used in other areas to determine what impact extra liquor outlets would have on a district.

The research showed higher liquor outlet density of both on and off-licences was associated with higher numbers of total police events.

In particular, off-licence density was associated with higher levels of anti-social behaviour, drug and alcohol offences, family violence, property abuse, property damage, traffic offences and motor vehicle accidents.

Density of clubs and bars was associated with higher levels of anti-social behaviour, dishonesty offences, drug and alcohol offences, property abuse, property damage, sexual offences, traffic offences, and violent offences.

Density of restaurants and cafes was associated with higher levels of dishonesty offences, property abuse, traffic offences, and motor vehicle accidents.

Total police events were based on all police attendances recorded in the New Zealand Police database from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. (A police attendance may not necessarily lead to anyone being charged with an offence.)

Manukau City Council Senior Policy analyst Paul Wilson said the research supported what the community had been telling the council and could be used to inform the new Auckland Council on how alcohol-related harm could be addressed.

For more information or comment please contact ALAC CEO Senior Communications Advisor Lynne Walsh on 021 369 081 or ALAC CEO Gerard Vaughan on 021 549 848; Waikato research associate Dr Michael Cameron on 07 8585082; Manukau City Council Communications Advisor Sharleen Pihema on 09 262 8900 ext 8650.

Questions and Answers

Why was the research commissioned?
There has been significant recent debate over the impact of liquor outlets on communities in New Zealand. This has arisen in part because of the liberalisation of the sale of alcohol following the Sale of Liquor Act 1989, which allowed the sale of wine in supermarkets and grocery outlets and led to a substantial increase in the number of outlets supplying alcohol.

In February 2008, there were 494 active liquor licences in Manukau City – compared with just 148 in 1990. Substantial increases in the number of both on- and off-licence liquor outlets have been matched with an escalation in the level of community unease about alcohol-related harm. Of particular concern are the more vulnerable communities of Manukau City, in which the high density of liquor outlets relative to other parts of the city is a notable feature.

If residents are opposed to an extra liquor outlet, why do they not appeal to the Liquor Licensing Authority?
Under the 1989 Sale of Liquor Act the grounds for opposing an extra liquor outlet are limited. Significant issues such as social impact and the number of outlets in an area are not grounds for refusing an application. However, the Law Commission is currently carrying out a review of New Zealand’s liquor laws and in an issues paper discussing options round licensing applications, the Commission has put forward options including allowing licences to be refused on grounds such as outlet density, The options being considered are:

  • No change
  • Change the law to allow the licensing decision-maker to refuse licences on wider grounds than at present, for example, on grounds that:
    • the overall social impact of the licence is likely to be detrimental to the well-being of the local or broader community, taking into account matters such as the site of the proposed premises, the density and type of other premises in the area, and the health and social characteristics of the local population;
    • granting the licence would be inconsistent with the object of the Act;
    • the amenity, quiet or good order of the locality would be lessened by the granting of the licence.
    • the licence would be inconsistent with the relevant local alcohol policy.
  • Allow the licensing decision-maker to impose any licence condition it considers appropriate for the purpose of reducing alcohol-related harm.
  • Widen the category of persons who can object to a licence application.
  • Specifically authorise medical officers of health to report on all types of licences and licence renewals.
  • Better define and strengthen the criteria for suitability of licence applicants.
  • Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the process for notifying the public of licence applications.

When will decisions on the Law Commission’s review of New Zealand’s liquor laws be made public?
The Law Commission is expected to report back to Government next week.

How did you develop the model?
The model takes a snapshot of information related to liquor outlets and measures of social harm for the Manukau region for the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. The model is not concerned with comparisons with earlier time periods.

The model uses regression analysis, a technique used to understand how a variable changes (such as total police events; these are often called the outcome variables or dependent variables) when another variable changes (such as the number of liquor outlets; these are often called explanatory variables). The technique describes how the variables are associated (i.e. an increase of X liquor outlets is associated with an increase of Y total police events) but it does not necessarily imply causality.

In this study there were a number of outcome variables examined including the total number of police events, A&E admissions and hospital discharges and more specific measures relating to anti-social behaviour, dishonesty related offences, drug and alcohol related offences, family violence, property abuse, property damage, traffic offending and motor vehicle accidents, sexual offending and violent offending. Liquor outlets were the explanatory variable involved and they were divided into off-licence premises, and two categories of on-licence premises (clubs/bars and restaurants/cafes).

Regression techniques take into account the effect of other variables that could impact on the dependent variable (such as total police events) by accounting for or controlling for their effects, such as keeping the effect of other explanatory and control variables fixed. Spatial regression techniques are used when the variables of interest are spatial such as based on or affected by geography (for example all variables in this study were based on rates involving census area units) and where nearby spatial areas (in this case census area units) may influence each other and the variables of interest. Different spatial analysis techniques were used to deal with different types of spatial dependence when they were found to exist in the analyses. A number of different variants of the model were also tried to check how different model assumptions influenced the findings.

Can this model be applied to other areas?
The modeling approach employed can be used in any area where appropriate data are available.

Would it produce the same results in other areas?
The quantitative results would be different as our research has shown that the links between outlet density and alcohol-related harms are highly context-specific. However, it is likely that similar results would be obtained in some areas.

How accurate is the model?
The model is robust to a number of alternative specifications. In other words, if we try the model different ways, we get results that are broadly similar.

Does it produce a direct causal link?
Models of this nature are unable to definitively prove causality. This is not unusual – to determine causality we would need to conduct a controlled experiment. However, we can say that the observed associations between the variables are strong, statistically robust, and consistent with theory.

What other New Zealand literature is there on outlet density?
The New Zealand literature on the impacts of liquor outlets is limited, but has grown recently. Kypri et al. (2008) found a significant positive relationship between outlet density and drinks per typical drinking day among tertiary students at six university campuses, as well as a measure of alcohol-related problems. No significant differences in the effects were noted between Maori and New Zealand Europeans, but the effects were larger for off-licence outlets. Huckle et al. (2008) found a significant positive effect of outlet density on how much was consumed on a typical drinking occasion among Aucklanders aged 12-17 years, but no significant effect on either the frequency of drinking or frequency of intoxication.

A copy of the research is available at www.alac.org.nz

[Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand press release]

Mastering Map Scale: Balancing Workloads using Display and Geometry Change in Multi-scale Mapping

In GIScience, Geography on April 22, 2010 at 7:25 am

GeoInformatica, Volume 14, Number 2 / April, 2010

Cynthia A. Brewer and Barbara P. Buttenfield

“This paper builds on a body of European research on multiple resolution data bases (MRDBs), defining a conceptual framework for managing tasks in a multi-scale mapping project. The framework establishes a workload incorporating task difficulty, time to complete a task, required level of expertise, required resources, etc. Project managers must balance the workload among tasks with lower and higher complexity to produce a high quality cartographic product on time and within budget. We argue for increased emphasis on the role of symbol design, which often carries a lower workload than multi-scale mapping based primarily on geometry change. Countering expectations that combining symbol change with geometry change will increase workloads, we argue that in many cases, integration of the two can reduce workloads overall. To demonstrate our points, we describe two case studies drawn from a recent multi-scale mapping and database building project for Ada County, Idaho. We extend the concept of workload balancing, demonstrating that insertion of Level of Detail (LoD) datasets at intermediate scales can further reduce the workload. Previous work proposing LoDs has not reported empirical assessment, and we encourage small and large mapping organizations to contribute to such an effort.”

USGS Awards $2.7 Million in Stimulus Funding to Improve the Detection of Changes in the Earth’s Crust

In Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography on April 20, 2010 at 7:25 pm

The U.S. Geological Survey has awarded $2.7 million in cooperative agreements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the University of California, Berkeley; Central Washington University; University of California, San Diego; and UNAVCO, Inc., to improve networks that detect minute changes in the earth’s crust caused by faulting in earthquake-prone regions.

Monitoring these small changes (undetectable except through the methods of advanced geodesy) is an integral part of assessing the likely rate of large earthquakes. For optimal performance in real time, many existing monitoring stations need modern sensors and improved communication systems. Funds provided through six cooperative agreements will improve monitoring capabilities by replacing obsolete sensors that may be more than 10 years old and by upgrading communications so that real-time data streams are more reliable or possible for the first time. These funds will create or preserve jobs relating to contract work and equipment manufacturing.

“These improvements in advanced geodesy will enhance the ability of the U.S. Geological Survey and its cooperators to monitor in real-time how strain is building across hazardous faults,” said David Applegate, senior science advisor for earthquake and geologic hazards.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year included $3 billion to the Department of the Interior. Of that amount, $140 million in funding is being used by the USGS to fund projects meeting Recovery Act goals

The Recovery Act funds are part of a stimulus package that is an important component of the President’s plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under the Recovery Act, Interior is making an investment in conserving America’s timeless treasures — our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage — while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.

“With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department’s economic recovery projects. The public can follow the progress of each project on RECOVERY.GOV and on the Department of the Interior, Recovery Investments website. Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely with Interior’s Inspector General and ensure that the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility and transparency set by President Obama.

[Source: USGS press release]

Spatializing Social Networks: Using Social Network Analysis to Investigate Geographies of Gang Rivalry, Territoriality, and Violence in Los Angeles

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on April 20, 2010 at 7:12 am

Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 1467-8306, Volume 100, Issue 2, First published 2010, Pages 307 – 326

Steven M. Radil; Colin Flint; and George E. Tita

“Social network analysis is an increasingly prominent set of techniques used in a number of social sciences, but the use of the techniques of social network analysis in geography has been challenged because of a perceived lack of geographic nuance or consideration of spatialities of context in social networks. The concept of social position and the associated technique of structural equivalence in social network analysis are explored as a means to integrate two different kinds of embeddedness: relative location in geographic space and structural position in network space. Using spatialized network data, this article compares the geography of rivalry relations that connect territorially based criminal street gangs in a section of Los Angeles with a geography of the location of gang-related violence. The technique of structural equivalence uses the two different spatialities of embeddedness to identify gangs that are similarly embedded in the territorial geography and positioned in the rivalry network, which aids in understanding the overall context of gang violence. The technique demonstrated here has promise beyond this one study of gang crime as it operationalizes spatialities of embeddedness in a way that allows simultaneous systematic evaluation of the way in which social actors’ positions in network relationships and spatial settings provide constraints on and possibilities for their behavior.”

A New Method for Determining the Population with Walking Access to Transit

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on April 19, 2010 at 7:05 am

International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Volume 24, Issue 3 March 2010 , pages 347 – 364

S. Biba;  K. M. Curtin; G. Manca

“The use of geographic information systems in determining transit service areas has not progressed far beyond simple buffering operations even though there is widespread capability to analyze network walking distances in conjunction with demographic, cadastral, and land-use data sets. This article presents a method for determining the population with walking access to bus stop locations using the spatial and aspatial attributes of parcels and the network distances from parcels to bus stop locations. This parcel-network method avoids the well-known and unrealistic assumptions associated with the existing methods and reduces overestimation of the population with access to transit, resulting in improved spatial precision and superior inputs to transit service decision-making processes. Comparisons of the parcel-network method, the buffer method, and the network-ratio method are made in a study area within the Dallas metropolitan area. The novel integration of cadastral data with network analysis in our method holds promise for research in many areas of geographic information science.”

Global Urban Land-use Trends and Climate Impacts

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Social Science on April 12, 2010 at 7:42 am

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 1, Issue 1, October 2009, Pages 89-95

Karen C Seto and J Marshall Shepherd

“In 2008, the global urban population exceeded the nonrural population for the first time in history, and it is estimated that by 2050, 70% of the world population will live in urban areas, with more than half of them concentrated in Asia. Although there are projections of future urban population growth, there is significantly less information about how these changes in demographics correspond with changes in urban extent. Urban land-use and land-cover changes have considerable impacts on climate. It has been well established that the urban heat island effect is more significant during the night than day and that it is affected by the shape, size, and geometry of buildings as well as the differences in urban and rural gradients. Recent research points to mounting evidence that urbanization also affects cycling of water, carbon, aerosols, and nitrogen in the climate system. This review highlights advances in the understanding of urban land-use trends and associated climate impacts, concentrating on peer-reviewed papers that have been published over the last two years.”

China’s Spatial-temporal Pattern of Population and Energy

In Environmental Science, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on April 6, 2010 at 8:00 am

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2009 – Vol. 31

Xiao-Wei Ma

“Irregular development among regions is one of the fundamental realities of China, especially in social and economic progress. Moreover, there is no exception in the development of population and energy. In this paper, we explore the characteristics of the seven most prominent patterns of regional population–energy development distribution. Furthermore, analysis is made of problems associated with sustainable population–energy development. The concluding section identifies policy implications for sustainable regional population–energy development.”

Analysis of Shoreline-Changes Based on the Geometric Representation of the Shorelines in the GIS Database

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on April 5, 2010 at 5:57 am

International Journal of Geography and Geospatial Information Science, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

Tarig A. Ali

“In this paper, the relationship between shoreline-changes and shoreline-curvature has been studied based on the representations of shorelines in the GIS database using a new concept called shoreline-segment orientation. This method determines shoreline-curvature based on the angular deviation of each shoreline segment from its neighbors and also from the line that connects the shoreline’s nodes; introducing two types of orientations local and global. Six shorelines in the study area mapped over 28-years have been used to study the relationship. Average shoreline-changes have shown higher correlation with local shoreline curvature than with global. Results also suggest that concave shoreline-segments experience more erosion than convex and straight ones.”

Mapping Rurality: Analysis of Rural Structure in Turkey

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on April 1, 2010 at 12:42 pm

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2009 – Vol. 8, No.2/3/4 pp. 130 – 157

Aliye Ahu Gulumser, Tuzin Baycan-Levent, and Peter Nijkamp

“The aim of this study is to describe the rural structure of Turkey on the basis of various rural indicators. The data and information used for evaluation of rurality are based mainly on the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) data. Factor analysis, one of the well-known multidimensional techniques is deployed to evaluate rural structure of Turkey while using geographical information system (GIS) based software ArcGIS to map out Turkey’s rurality based on the results of factor analysis. The results of the study show that Turkey is dominantly rural in terms of traditional meaning of rurality while stressing on divergences and differences between Turkey’s provinces. On the other hand, according to the results of the study, in terms of new definition of rural areas as a part of tourism sector, Turkey does not have a dominant rural character.”

Review of Climate and Cryospheric Change in the Tibetan Plateau

In Climate Change, Geography on April 1, 2010 at 7:22 am

Environmental Research Letters, Volume 5, Number 1, 2010

Shichang Kang , Yanwei Xu , Qinglong You , Wolfgang-Albert Flügel , Nick Pepin, and Tandong Yao

“The Tibetan Plateau (TP), with an average elevation of over 4000 m asl and an area of approximately 2.5 × 106 km2, is the highest and most extensive highland in the world and has been called the ‘Third Pole’. The TP exerts a huge influence on regional and global climate through thermal and mechanical forcing mechanisms. Because the TP has the largest cryospheric extent outside the polar region and is the source region of all the large rivers in Asia, it is widely recognized to be the driving force for both regional environmental change and amplification of environmental changes on a global scale. Within China it is recognized as the ‘Asian water tower’. In this letter, we summarize the recent changes observed in climate elements and cryospheric indicators on the plateau before discussing current unresolved issues concerning climate change in the TP, including the temporal and spatial components of this change, and the consistency of change as represented by different data sources. Based on meteorological station data, reanalyses and remote sensing, the TP has shown significant warming during the last decades and will continue to warm in the future. While the warming is predominantly caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions, changes in cloud amount, snow-albedo feedback, the Asian brown clouds and land use changes also partly contribute. The cryosphere in the TP is undergoing rapid change, including glacier retreat, inconsistent snow cover change, increasing permafrost temperatures and degradation, and thickening of the active layer. Hydrological processes impacted by glacial retreat have received much attention in recent years. Future attention should be paid to additional perspectives on climate change in the TP, such as the variations of climate extremes, the reliability of reanalyses and more detailed comparisons of reanalyses with surface observations. Spatial issues include the identification of whether an elevational dependency and weekend effect exist, and the identification of spatial contrasts in temperature change, along with their causes. These issues are uncertain because of a lack of reliable data above 5000 m asl.”

Understanding the Changing Planet: Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences

In Books, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on March 31, 2010 at 6:09 am

New book from the Committee on Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences in the Next Decade, National Research Council:

“From the oceans to continental heartlands, human activities have altered the physical characteristics of Earth’s surface. With Earth’s population projected to peak at 8 to 12 billion people by 2050 and the additional stress of climate change, it is more important than ever to understand how and where these changes are happening. Innovation in the geographical sciences has the potential to advance knowledge of place-based environmental change, sustainability, and the impacts of a rapidly changing economy and society.
“Understanding the Changing Planet outlines eleven strategic directions to focus research and leverage new technologies to harness the potential that the geographical sciences offer.”

Identifying Spatial Patterns of Recovery and Abandonment in the Post-Katrina Holy Cross Neighborhood of New Orleans

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on March 30, 2010 at 7:43 am

Cartography and Geographic Information Science, Volume 37, Number 1, January 2010 , pp. 45-56(12)

Curtis, Andrew; Duval-Diop, Dominique; Novak, Jenny

“The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is still being felt by many neighborhoods of New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast. As these communities struggle to recover, academia has been forced to acknowledge that there is little known or theorized about the spatial processes of recovery, especially at the fine scale. As a result this paper will investigate how post-disaster landscape characteristics can be extracted from spatial video data for neighborhoods of New Orleans. These will be turned into a statistical surface using analytical approaches more commonly applied in spatial epidemiology. Spatial patterns of abandonment and recovery will be identified that can be used as a basis for a next round of causative investigation. The paper finds that by using the spatial overlap of four different analyses involving two different data input locations and two filter sizes, the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans does indeed reveal areas with higher rates of recovery, and continuing abandonment. However, even within these areas, spatial heterogeneity can be found. This paper uses Google Street View to mirror spatial video data collected in participatory collaborations with New Orleans community groups so that readers can replicate the methods presented here for other neighborhoods of New Orleans.”

Semantic-based Pruning of Redundant and Uninteresting Frequent Geographic Patterns

In GIScience, Geography on March 29, 2010 at 10:08 am

GeoInformatica, Volume 14, Number 2 / April, 2010

Vania Bogorny, Joao F. Valiati, and Luis O. Alvares

“In geographic association rule mining many patterns are either redundant or contain well known geographic domain associations explicitly represented in knowledge resources such as geographic database schemas and geo-ontologies. Existing spatial association rule mining algorithms are Apriori-like, and therefore generate a large amount of redundant patterns. For non-spatial data, the closed frequent pattern mining technique has been introduced to remove redundant patterns. This approach, however, does not warrant the elimination of both redundant and well known geographic dependences when mining geographic databases. This paper presents a novel method for pruning both redundant and well known geographic dependences, by pushing semantics into the pattern mining task. Experiments with real geographic databases have demonstrated a significant reduction of the total amount of patterns and the efficiency of the method.”

Clark Labs and Conservation International Partner to Develop REDD-Specific Tools within IDRISI Taiga’s Land Change Modeler Application

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on March 29, 2010 at 7:13 am

Clark Labs and Conservation International (CI) have recently signed a contract to partner in the application of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) baselines as well as the co-design and development of REDD-specific functionality within the Land Change Modeler application in the IDRISI Taiga GIS and Image Processing system. Clark Labs and CI’s Science and Knowledge Division (formerly the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science) have shared a long-standing collaborative relationship in the testing, application and improvement of spatial modeling tools for REDD projects.

The technical issues of REDD–carbon accounting, additionality, baseline or “business as usual,” leakage and permanence—are complex and require sophisticated tools. Currently, IDRISI Taiga and its Land Change Modeler is the only integrated modeling solution to address many aspects of REDD projects. The Land Change Modeler application was developed by Clark Labs in cooperation with Conservation International in a prior contract to address land cover change and its impacts on biodiversity. Clark Labs, with close collaboration from Conservation International, will enhance the current tools with additional functionality and an automated workflow.

“Conservation International is a major player in the development of REDD projects throughout the world,” stated Stefano Crema, Research Associate at Clark Labs. “Our relationships with organizations such as CI are extremely valuable, as they inform and optimize our development of robust analytical and modeling tools to solve complicated and multi-faceted problems.”

The first step in implementing a REDD project at the site or national level is to estimate the deforestation and/or degradation baseline, i.e., the expected future rate and distribution of change if a REDD project or policy is not employed. Conservation International has worked with the World Bank, CATIE (Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza) and Clark Labs in the development of the first and second version of the baseline method for the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund, and it is currently under review by the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) Program for approved methods. Following IPCC guidelines, application of the method requires not only the generation of a precise map of historical deforestation and biomass estimates, but also spatial modeling of the expected future trends of deforestation, a step accomplished using GIS modeling tools. In the case of the BioCF method submissions to VCS, the IDRISI Taiga software was utilized.

Dr. Marc Steininger, Scientific Director of Habitat Monitoring and Climate Change Mitigation Science and Knowledge division of Conservation International explained, “Clark has created a state-of-the-art tool for modeling future land-use change, a key need for assessing future emissions and a requirement for setting emissions baselines for REDD projects.” IDRISI Taiga currently allows for the calibration, validation and creation of maps of expected future deforestation trends, a fairly complex process.

The purpose of this contract between Clark Labs and Conservation International is to design a REDD tool within the Land Change Modeler application of IDRISI to guide the user through the steps of baseline development and directly produce tables and graphics necessary for reporting. This new tool will greatly reduce the time and cost in the development of a deforestation baseline, which many regard as the most challenging technical hurdle in  project development for many prospective REDD projects. The project will also include case studies, testing in different REDD scenarios and production of user guidelines. The tool will be co-designed by CI and Clark Labs. CI will provide all case study data for testing the tool.

“Conservation International greatly values its professional collaboration with Clark Labs,” stated Dr. Steininger. “Their long history of providing low-cost, high capacity analysis tools and training is a testament to their dedication to helping international organizations better manage natural resources and conserve biodiversity.”

It is hoped that the results of this collaboration will allow for wider adoption of REDD project development from the carbon and climate community by providing a more accessible approach to the complex technical challenges.

[Source: Clark Labs press release]

Assessing the Vulnerability of Asian Megadeltas to Climate Change Using GIS

In Books, Climate Change, GIS, Geography, Social Science on March 23, 2010 at 8:15 am

In Coastal Systems and Continental Margins, Volume 13: Coastal and Marine Geospatial Technologies, 2010

Colin D. Woodroffe

“Susceptibility of Asian megadeltas to climate change, including sea-level rise, is investigated using GIS. The Indus, Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna, Irrawaddy, Chao Phraya, Mekong, Red, Pearl, Changjiang, and Huanghe deltas began to form around 6000 years ago and have prograded since. The surface topography of active and abandoned delta plains is examined using digital terrain models derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data and channel morphology is investigated using radar imagery. After delta plains are abandoned they become increasingly dominated by tidal processes. Population density is estimated using gridded world population data but highly variable local microtopography and uncertainty regarding future climate changes preclude detailed vulnerability analysis.”

Using Spatial Analysis to Prioritize Pedestrian Safety Interventions and Describe Geographic Trends in Pedestrian Safety

In Geography, Spatial Analysis on March 22, 2010 at 8:18 am

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2010, Paper #10-4049

“This paper illustrates the application of several geospatial and analytical tools to the problem of prioritizing pedestrian and other safety improvements in New York City, describes the process used to analyze crashes in New York City, then describes the application of spatial analysis to the problem of contextual project evaluation. An analysis was conducted of the change in pedestrian crashes from the 1992-1996 period to the 2002-2006 period using the kernel density technique. Pedestrian crashes in New York City were found to have decreased in severity and frequency from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, but these changes were not evenly distributed across New York City Low-density residential and commercial areas did not experience consistent improvements, except at the locations of major NYCDOT safety implementations, e.g. Queens Boulevard.”

Small Area Estimation of Sparse Disease Counts using Shared Component Models

In GIS, Geography, Modeling, Spatial Analysis on March 17, 2010 at 6:58 am

Health & Place, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 25 February 2010

Arul Earnest, John Beard, Geoff Morgan, Douglas Lincoln, Richard Summerhayes, Deborah Donoghue, Therese Dunn, David Muscatello, and Kerrie Mengersen

“In the field of disease mapping, little has been done to address the issue of analysing sparse health datasets. We hypothesised that by modelling two outcomes simultaneously, one would be able to better estimate the outcome with a sparse count. We tested this hypothesis utilising Bayesian models, studying both birth defects and caesarean sections using data from two large, linked birth registries in New South Wales from 1990 to 2004. We compared four spatial models across seven birth defects: spina bifida, ventricular septal defect, OS-atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, cleft lip and or palate, trisomy 21 and hypospadias. For three of the birth defects, the shared component model with a zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) extension performed better than other simpler models, having a lower Deviance Information Criteria (DIC). With spina bifida, the ratio of relative risk associated with the shared component was 2.82 (95% CI: 1.46-5.67). We found that shared component models are potentially beneficial, but only if there is a reasonably strong spatial correlation in effects for the study and referent outcomes.”

GIS-based Modeling of Drought and Historical Population Change on the Canadian Prairies

In GIS, Geography, Modeling, Social Science on March 15, 2010 at 7:51 am

Journal of Historical Geography, Volume 36, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 43-56

Robert McLemana, Sam Herolda, Zoran Reljica, Mike Sawadaa, and Daniel McKenney”

This article describes the development of a GIS-based model of historical drought and population change in western Canada, designed to support qualitative field research into drought adaptation and migration. The model combines digitized census data and recently available modeled historical climate data at a 10 km2 grid cell scale and can be used to generate maps of ‘hotspots’ where historical declines in rural populations may be associated with extended periods of heat and lack of precipitation. The results suggest a promising avenue for expanding and refining GIS-based modeling of historical human–climate interactions to support qualitative research and to potentially serve as a stepping stone toward forecasting future risk areas of drought-related migration in continental dryland areas.”

Assessing the Context of Health Care Utilization in Ecuador: A Spatial and Multilevel Analysis

In Geography, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on March 15, 2010 at 7:39 am

BMC Health Services Research, 2010, 10:64

Daniel F Lopez-Cevallos and Chunhuei Chi

“Background: There are few studies that have analyzed the context of health care utilization, particularly in Latin America. This study examines the context of utilization of health services in Ecuador; focusing on the relationship between provision of services and use of both preventive and curative services.

“Methods: This study is cross-sectional and analyzes data from the 2004 National Demographic and Maternal & Child Health dataset. Provider variables come from the Ecuadorian System of Social Indicators (SIISE). Global Moran’s I statistic is used to assess spatial autocorrelation of the provider variables. Multilevel modeling is used for the simultaneous analysis of provision of services at the province level with use of services at the individual level.

“Results: Spatial analysis indicates no significant differences in the density of health care providers among Ecuadorian provinces. After adjusting for various predisposing, enabling, need factors and interaction terms, density of public practice health personnel was positively associated with use of preventive care, particularly among rural households. On the other hand, density of private practice physicians was positively associated with use of curative care, particularly among urban households.

“Conclusions: There are significant public/private, urban/rural gaps in provision of services in Ecuador; which in turn affect people’s use of services. It is necessary to strengthen the public health care delivery system (which includes addressing distribution of health workers) and national health information systems. These efforts could improve access to health care, and inform the civil society and policymakers on the advances of health care reform.”

Natural Earth: Free Vector and Raster Map Data at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m Scales

In GIS, Geography on March 15, 2010 at 7:20 am

“Natural Earth is a public domain map dataset available at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m scales. Featuring tightly integrated vector and raster data, with Natural Earth you can make a variety of visually pleasing, well-crafted maps with cartography or GIS software.

“Natural Earth was built through a collaboration of many volunteers and is supported by NACIS (North American Cartographic Information Society), and is free for use in any type of project.”

Epidemiologic Mapping of Florida Childhood Cancer Clusters

In GIS, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on March 9, 2010 at 7:58 am

Pediatric Blood & Cancer, Volume 54 Issue 4, Pages 511 – 518, 2010

Raid Amin, PhD, Alexander Bohnert, Laurens Holmes, PhD, DrPH, Ayyappan Rajasekaran, PhD, and Chatchawin Assanasen, MD

“Background: Childhood cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related mortality for children. Whereas, improvement in care has dramatically increased survival, the risk factors remain to be fully understood. The increasing incidence of childhood cancer in Florida may be associated with possible cancer clusters. We aimed, in this study, to identify and confirm possible childhood cancer clusters and their subtypes in the state of Florida.

“Methods: We conducted purely spatial and space-time analyzes to assess any evidence of childhood malignancy clusters in the state of Florida using SaTScanTM. Data from the Florida Association of Pediatric Tumor Programs (FAPTP) for the period 2000-2007 were used in this analysis.

“Results: In the purely spatial analysis, the relative risks (RR) of overall childhood cancer persisted after controlling for confounding factors in south Florida (SF) (RR = 1.36, P = 0.001) and northeastern Florida (NEF) (RR = 1.30, P = 0.01). Likewise, in the space-time analysis, there was a statistically significant increase in cancer rates in SF (RR = 1.52, P = 0.001) between 2006 and 2007. The purely spatial analysis of the cancer subtypes indicated a statistically significant increase in the rate of leukemia and brain/CNS cancers in both SF and NEF, P < 0.05. The space-time analysis indicated a statistically significant sizable increase in brain/CNS tumors (RR = 2.25, P = 0.02) for 2006-2007.

“Conclusions: There is evidence of spatial and space-time childhood cancer clustering in SF and NEF. This evidence is suggestive of the presence of possible predisposing factors in these cluster regions. Therefore, further study is needed to investigate these potential risk factors.”

Mapping Data Shape Community Responses To Childhood Obesity

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on March 5, 2010 at 8:22 am

Health Affairs, 29, no. 3 (2010): 498-502

William M. Sage, Matthew Balthazar, Steven Kelder, Susan Millea, Stephen Pont, and Mohan Rao

“ Geographic information system (GIS) mapping can help communities visualize the health of their neighborhoods and identify opportunities for improvement. In Austin, Texas, Children’s Optimal Health, a nonprofit association, used GIS to map the prevalence of obesity among middle school children and to identify contributory factors. The maps indicated that obesity is a problem in all Austin middle schools. Two neighborhoods outside downtown Austin have particularly high concentrations of overweight and obese students. Maps also showed that the neighborhoods have different proportions of fast-food outlets, grocery stores selling fresh produce, green recreation space, and students failing cardiovascular testing. The mapping exercise spurred community groups to propose obesity interventions tailored to each neighborhood.”

  • More information

Spatial-Temporal Combination of Variables for Monitoring Changes in Metropolitan Areas

In Geography, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on March 4, 2010 at 6:54 am

Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy, Volume 3, Number 1 / March 2010

Gustavo Garcia Manzato and Antônio Nélson Rodrigues da Silva

“The objective of this exploratory study is to present a new method for monitoring the dynamic changes of functional urban regions (FURs) or metropolitan areas (MAs) boundaries throughout time. The suggested approach is based on two elements: the population density and an index of transportation infrastructure supply, which are analyzed in two ways. First, we carry out exploratory analyses of those variables separately. Next, the variables are combined using spatial analysis and spatial modeling techniques. A case study in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, shows that the proposed methodology can be particularly useful for urban and regional planning in developing countries, because it stresses the relationship between land-use and transportation supply. So, given the evidence that urban and regional development is strongly influenced by the level of transportation infrastructure supply, the approach can be further improved if considering other elements of transportation infrastructure, such as airports, railways, ports, as well as additional factors which may have effects on land use patterns such as distribution of services and jobs where data is available.”

“Ocean Globe” Highlights Use of GIS in Mapping Ocean Floor

In Books, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on March 2, 2010 at 10:46 am

New Book from ESRI Press Details Advances in Bathymetry

Ocean Globe from ESRI Press examines bathymetry from its early history through today’s use of geographic information systems (GIS) and other technologies to map the ocean floor. With contributions from oceanographers, explorers, and historians, this new book is a valuable resource for those interested in coastal management, seafloor mapping, and marine biology.

The anthology addresses how recent developments in bathymetry and seafloor mapping are applied to animal migrations, coral reef growth, tsunami forecasts, coastal ecosystems, aquatic farming, whale habitats, and more. In addition, the book includes a special appendix on the history of seafloor mapping—from early line-and-sinker methods to multibeam sounding.

“Our perception of the ocean floor has expanded through the use of GIS tools and geospatial applications,” writes Joe Breman, editor of the anthology. “The more we know about the underwater environment, so seldom visited by most people, the more our lives will benefit above ground.”

The book also explains how advances in technology and mapping in a server-based GIS environment enable the improved collaboration and sharing of methods and data. In her foreword, oceanographer Dawn J. Wright notes that Ocean Globe will help reveal the ocean depths within the new paradigm of server-based GIS, “where we not only show maps and visualizations, but more importantly the actual data and methods used to create those maps.”

Ocean Globe (ISBN: 9781589482197, 294 pages, $64.95) is available at online retailers worldwide, at www.esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit www.esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options or contact your local ESRI distributor. For a current distributor list, visit www.esri.com/distributors. Interested retailers can contact ESRI Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.

A Spatial Analysis of the Demographic and Socio-economic Variables Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in Calgary (Canada)

In Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis on March 2, 2010 at 8:03 am

Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy, Volume 3, Number 1 / March 2010

Stefania Bertazzon, Scott Olson, and Merril Knudtson

“The association between cardiovascular disease and a pool of demographic and socioeconomic variables is analyzed, for a large Canadian city, by means of multivariate spatial regression analysis. The analysis suggests that the spatial dependence observed in the disease prevalence is driven by the spatial distribution of senior citizens. A spatially autoregressive specification on a pool of solely socio-economic variables produces a model whose main predictors are family status, income, and educational attainments. This model can provide an effective analytical tool to support policy decisions, because it identifies a set of socioeconomic, not simply demographic predictors of disease. These socio-economic variables can be targeted by social policies much more effectively than demographic variables. A further analytical step recombines the significant explanatory variables based on their spatial patterns. Thus the model is used to identify areas of social and economic concern, and to enable the initiation of specifically localized preventative health measures. Owing to its generality, the method can be applied to other conditions and to analyze multivariate relationships involving not only socioeconomic variables, but also environmental factors.”

New GIS Best Practices e-Book: 125 Years of Topographic Mapping at USGS

In ESRI, GIS, GIScience, Geography on March 2, 2010 at 7:50 am

Download the free e-book [PDF]

Impact of Sports Arenas on Land Values: Evidence from Berlin

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on March 2, 2010 at 7:47 am

The Annals of Regional Science, Volume 44, Number 2 / April, 2010

Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt and Wolfgang Maennig

“This paper develops a hedonic price model explaining standard land values in Berlin. The model assesses the impact of three multifunctional sports arenas situated in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg which were designed to improve the attractiveness of their formerly deprived neighbourhoods. Empirical results confirm expectations about the impact of various attributes on land values. Sports arenas have significant positive impacts within a radius of about 3,000 m. The patterns of impact vary, indicating that the effective impact depends on how planning authorities address potential countervailing negative externalities.”

Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R

In Books, GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on March 1, 2010 at 8:05 am

“Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R is divided into two basic parts, the first presenting R packages, functions, classes and methods for handling spatial data. This part is of interest to users who need to access and visualise spatial data. Data import and export for many file formats for spatial data are covered in detail, as is the interface between R and the open source GRASS GIS. The second part showcases more specialised kinds of spatial data analysis, including spatial point pattern analysis, interpolation and geostatistics, areal data analysis and disease mapping. The coverage of methods of spatial data analysis ranges from standard techniques to new developments, and the examples used are largely taken from the spatial statistics literature. All the examples can be run using R contributed packages available from the CRAN website, with code and additional data sets from the book’s own website.

“This book will be of interest to researchers who intend to use R to handle, visualise, and analyse spatial data. It will also be of interest to spatial data analysts who do not use R, but who are interested in practical aspects of implementing software for spatial data analysis. It is a suitable companion book for introductory spatial statistics courses and for applied methods courses in a wide range of subjects using spatial data, including human and physical geography, geographical information systems, the environmental sciences, ecology, public health and disease control, economics, public administration and political science.

“The book has a website where coloured figures, complete code examples, data sets, and other support material may be found: http://www.asdar-book.org.”

Crowd Sourcing for Updating National Databases, 8 – 9 September 2010, Bern, Switzerland

In Conferences, Geography on February 25, 2010 at 6:14 am

8 – 9 September 2010, Bern, Switzerland

“Based upon the promising result of the 1st EuroSDR Workshop on Crowd Sourcing for Updating National Databases, held at the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Wabern, Switzerland on August 20-21, 2009, we invite you to participate in this follow up symposium.

“The symposium aims at strengthening the collaboration of the (National) Mapping and Cadastral Agencies (NMCA), the research communities and companies in the field of user generated contents, which is identified as an important and valuable input in map or GEOdata updating procedures, contents generation and interactions with the users. The symposium should help overcome the lack of experience, knowledge of interaction schemes, of techniques, of legal aspects and of production process integration aspects. The symposium topics are focussed on volunteered GEOdata aspects (not vernacular geography or data mining topics).”

Coastal-Change and Glaciological Map of the Palmer Land Area, Antarctica: 1947 to 2009

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on February 24, 2010 at 7:50 am

By Jane G. Ferrigno, Alison J. Cook, Amy M. Mathie, Richard S. Williams, Jr., Charles Swithinbank, Kevin M. Foley, Adrian J. Fox, Janet W. Thomson, and Jörn Sievers

“Reduction in the area and volume of the two polar ice sheets is intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting rise in sea level could severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Antarctica is Earth’s largest reservoir of glacial ice. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet would cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m), and the potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). The mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is highly complex, responding differently to different climatic and other conditions in each region (Vaughan, 2005). In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is known to be thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. The mass balance of the East Antarctic ice sheet is thought by Davis and others (2005) to be positive on the basis of the change in satellite-altimetry measurements made between 1992 and 2003.

“Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation’s (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the cryospheric coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) images (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images), RADARSAT images, aerial photography, and other data where available, to compare changes that occurred during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I-2600) (Williams and others, 1995; Swithinbank and others, 2003a,b, 2004; Ferrigno and others, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and in press; and Williams and Ferrigno, 2005) (available online at http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov).”

Satellite Observations Help Assess Future Earthquake Risk in Haiti

In Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on February 12, 2010 at 7:16 am

Startling images of ground motion in Haiti during the recent earthquake are helping scientists understand the risk of aftershocks and even the possibility of a major new earthquake

According to the new data, the earthquake rupture did not reach the surface—unusual for an earthquake this size. More importantly, the images confirm that only the western half of the fault segment that last ruptured in 1751 actually ruptured in the current earthquake. “We’re still waiting for the other shoe to drop,” says Tim Dixon, professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science.

The images reveal other startling facts, “Given the plate tectonic setting scientists expected mainly sideways motion, yet there was a large amount of vertical motion during the earthquake,” says Falk Amelung, professor of geology and geophysics at Rosenstiel School. “This explains how such a relatively small rupture was able to generate such a large earthquake.”

The data shows the earthquake occurred on or near the Enriquillo Fault, where most scientists suspected but until now did not have enough evidence to prove it. “This is a relief, because it shows that our current ideas about the tectonics of the area are correct,” Amelung said.

Dixon is looking at every bit of evidence to try to understand the possibility of another major quake hitting Port au Prince in the near future.  “There’s a reasonable probability of another large quake, similar to the January 12 event, striking Port au Prince within the next 20 to 30 years,” Dixon says. “I’d like to see them re-locate critical infrastructure such as government buildings, schools and hospitals, farther north out of the danger zone.”

In 1986, at the dawn of the GPS age, scientists from the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Lab, including Dixon began, a set of geodetic measurements on the island of Hispaniola.  A decade later, those measurements would reveal that the Enriquillo fault in southern Haiti was a significant earthquake hazard.  “In a very real sense, those early measurements set the stage for our current understanding of this dangerous fault zone.  Scientists have been studying this fault and others on the island, ever since,” Dixon says.

Shimon Wdowinski and Guoqing Lin, professors of geology and geophysics at RSMAS; Fernando Greene, graduate student at RSMAS and Sang-Hoon Hong,  post-doctoral research scientist at RSMAS and at Florida International University also contributed to the analysis of the new images.

The work of RSMAS in active tectonics is supported by NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP). Other institutions involved in the analysis of the images included JAXA (the Japanese Space Exploration Agency) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.

[Source: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami press release]

‘Supra-glacial Lakes’ are the Focus of a New Penn State Study

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on February 11, 2010 at 9:33 am

Rising temperatures on the Greenland ice sheet cause the creation of large surface lakes called supra-glacial lakes. Now a Penn State geographer will investigate why these lakes form and their implications.

NASA awarded Derrick Lampkin, assistant professor of geography, almost $300,000 over three years to look at these lakes.

“Learning where lakes are, how they form, and how that changes through the melt season can help us really understand a lot about important processes that control how the Greenland ice sheet responds to warming,” Lampkin said.

Supra-glacial lakes form when melting water collects in pools in the lower levels of the ice sheet in melt or ablation zones. These lakes drain rapidly through cracks in the ice channeling water to beneath the ice sheet, affecting how ice sheets move and how pieces calve off into the ocean.

Researchers assumed that the influence of basal structure — the structure under the ice at the base — controls where lakes form on the surface, but the magnitude and degree of this influence are not well known, according to Lampkin. It is important to determine how surface processes and basal conditions interact to shape the ice sheet topography.

Lampkin’s work will complement other research by glaciologists at Penn State, such as Richard Alley and Sridhar Anandakrishan, in understanding how ice sheets work and contribute to sea level. He will look at a variety of existing information, including altimeter data, to create surface topography. He will model the temperatures under the ice and, using existing ice-penetrating radar data, create the basal topography. He will also look at ten years worth of high-resolution LandSat images to map lake features.

“This is an exciting time for the study of the world of ice, but unfortunately the public is not always aware of why this type of work is important,” Lampkin said.

In an effort to involve the public in the investigation of ice sheets, Lampkin has proposed an outreach program to create Facebook and iPhone applications that will allow users to map the locations of supra-glacial lakes using high-resolution satellite imagery.

The Facebook and iPhone applications will present users with pre-selected satellite imagery and a tutorial on how to spot the supra-glacial lakes. Lampkin said users who map the locations could receive some sort of incentive through points or rewards for another Facebook game.

According to Lampkin, it is important to track the development of the supra-glacial lakes, because they form and drain quickly. More people mapping these lakes will give researchers more data to learn about them. In addition, if members of the public are able to map the lakes, they might feel they have a personal stake in the study of climate change science.

“The more the public is involved and informed, the more they will understand how climate science is conducted and may be more willing to support these research efforts,” he said. Additionally, participation of this type may be the very spark to encourage a young mind to one day become an ice scientist.

[Source: Penn State press release]

Using Satellite Imagery to Identify Active Magma Systems in East Africa’s Rift Valley

In Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on February 11, 2010 at 8:15 am

Surface deformation of four active volcanoes captured on InSAR underscore possibility for human hazard, potential of geothermal resources

A team from the University of Miami, University of El Paso and University of Rochester have employed Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images compiled over a decade to study volcanic activity in the African Rift. The study, published in the November issue of Geology, studies the section of the rift in Kenya.

“The Kenyan Rift volcanoes are part of a larger Great Rift Valley complex that extends all the way from Mozambique to Djibouti; their presence in East Africa attests to the presence of magma reservoirs within the Earth’s crust,” said Lead Author Dr. Juliet Biggs, Rosenstiel Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Miami. “Our study detected signs of activity in only four of the 11 volcanoes in the area — Suswa, Menengai, Longonot and Paka — all within the borders of Kenya.”

Small surface displacements, which are not visible to the naked eye, were captured using InSAR, a sophisticated satellite-based radar technique. Using images from European Space Agency satellites ERS and Envisat, the team was able to detect the smallest ((<1 cm) of surface displacements at a very high resolution. From 1997 – 2000 they discovered that the volcanoes at Suswa and Menengai subsided 2 – 5 cm, and between 2004 and 2006 the Longonot volcano experienced uplift of ~9 cm.  However, the most dramatic uplift unfolded at Paka, which had uplift of ~21 cm during a nine month period in 2006-2007.  This pulse of  activity was preceded by transient uplift and subsidence at a second source, associated with the magma flow through the complex underground plumbing system. Overall the events were short in duration and episodic rather than continuous, which means discrete pulses of magma were arriving at the crust, similar to a stop valve that is being turned on and off intermittently.

“The fact that these areas are so close to a major metropolitan area pose a challenge in terms of a large volcanic or seismic event” says co-author Cindy Ebinger. Suswa, Menengai and Longonot are all located in densely populated areas within 100 km of Nairoibi.

The study also provides insight as to the geothermal potential of the region. Kenya was the first African country to build geothermal energy plants to generate this renewable, environmentally friendly alternative to coal and oil.  The impact of harnessing such a resource could provide an important economic engine for the region.

Geothermal energy is generated by drilling deep holes into the Earth’s crust, pumping cold water through one end so by the time it resurfaces it is steam, which is then used to fuel a turbine, which in turn drives a generator, and creates power.

“This study demonstrates the potential for using InSAR to measure active magmatic and tectonic phenomena in Africa, allowing us to watch the processes by which continents break apart” says lead author Juliet Biggs, who has just begun a 2-year project at the Univeristy of Oxford, funded by the European Space Agency, to map the pattern of volcanic activity, dike intrusion and active faulting along the whole of the East African Rift.

[Source: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami press release]

The Application of Geostatistics in Grain Size Trend Analysis: A Case Study of Eastern Beibu Gulf

In Geography, Statistics on February 10, 2010 at 7:07 am

Journal of Geographical Sciences, Volume 20, Number 1 / February, 2010

Fei Ma, Yaping Wang, Yan Li, Changjiang Ye, Zhiwei Xu, and Fan Zhang

“There are 71 surface sediment samples collected from the eastern Beibu Gulf. The moment parameters (i.e. mean size, sorting and skewness) were obtained after applying grain size analysis. The geostatistical analysis was then applied to study the spatial autocorrelation for these parameters; while range, a parameter in the semivariogram that meters the scale of spatial autocorrelation, was estimated. The results indicated that the range for sorting coefficient was physically meaningful. The trend vectors calculated from grain size trend analysis model were consistent with the annual ocean circulation patterns and sediment transport rates according to previous studies. Therefore the range derived from the semivariogram of mean size can be used as the characteristic distance in the grain size trend analysis, which may remove the bias caused by the traditional way of basing on experiences or testing methods to get the characteristic distance. Hence the results from geostatistical analysis can also offer useful information for the determination of sediment sampling density in the future field work.”

University of Arizona Developing a New GeoDesign Curriculum

In Design, GIS, Geography on February 8, 2010 at 9:14 am

The College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (CALA) at The University of Arizona is “developing a number of new and important programs that will build on CALA’s tradition of excellence including sustainable real estate development, responsible property investment, and the new field of Geodesign.

“Creation of a new Design Curriculum. CALA has become a national educational leader in the new field of Geodesign. Geodesign combines the rich geographic digital mapping and data base power of Geographic Information Systems with the three dimensional imaging and modeling capabilities of Building Information Modeling. Together, these tools will allow architects, landscape architects, and planners of the future to design in 3-D at the landscape scale while assessing multi-dimensional impacts and implications of design alternatives.”

Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges: Start with Science

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on February 6, 2010 at 8:55 am

The President’s FY 2011 Budget Proposal for the USGS

In a fiscally responsible budget that emphasizes cost containment, management efficiencies and program savings, the President’s proposed $1.1 billion budget for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in fiscal year 2011 reflects his commitment to use science as the basis for natural resource management decisions.

“Science is a cornerstone for sound decision making,” said Marcia McNutt, USGS director. “Today’s complex, interrelated natural resource issues—such as climate change, energy conservation and development, and water quality and availability—demand that policy makers and managers start with timely, unbiased science. The President’s budget supports that vital perspective.”

Because of the significant role USGS plays in climate change monitoring and adaptation, energy, ecosystems, and other priorities, the 2011 budget represents an increase of $21.6 million from the FY 2010 enacted level. Major USGS program increases proposed are summarized below. For more detailed information on the President’s proposed USGS FY 2011 budget, visit the FY 2011 Budget and Related Information Web site.

New Energy Frontier
$3.0 million

The USGS will work closely with Department of the Interior bureaus to provide the scientific information needed to make decisions concerning permitting, implementing, and operating wind facilities on public lands by using USGS research, modeling, and monitoring to assess the ecological impacts to fish and wildlife. In 2011, USGS efforts will begin in the Great Plains and offshore Cape Cod region and will work toward developing an assessment methodology that can be applied nationwide.

Climate Change Adaptation
$11.0 million

Management and policy decisions made in response to climate change impacts must be informed by science. The USGS will continue to assist the Department of the Interior in the development of regional climate science centers that provide climate change impact data and analysis geared to the needs of the fish and wildlife management community, in partnership with other Federal, State, university and other non-governmental partners. Additionally, the USGS will continue to assess biological carbon sequestration options and develop decision-support tools through the USGS Global Change program.

WaterSMART
$9.0 million

Water shortages and water-use conflicts have become more commonplace in many areas of the United States. Water is essential to the economic security of individual communities and the economic vitality and environmental health of our nation as a whole. The USGS will begin an assessment of the availability and use of water resources in the United States in FY 2011. The information will provide tools to address a new set of water resource challenges, including aging infrastructure, rapid population growth, depletion of groundwater resources, water quality impairments associated with land uses, and climate variability.

Treasured Landscapes: The Chesapeake Bay
$3.6 million

President Obama issued an Executive Order in May 2009 directing Federal agencies to use their expertise and resources to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. The USGS will support restoration strategies by providing tools and science for assessing climate change impacts and adaptation, for conserving landscapes, and for restoring habitats, fish and wildlife, in partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.

Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards
$4.0 million

The USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project in Southern California will continue to support emergency planning by developing earthquake early warning capabilities and conducting impact analysis of environmental, human-health and ecosystem responses to earthquakes and other hazards. This project will be expanded into the coastal communities of Alaska, and the USGS will invest in earthquake, tsunami and volcano science to support community planning in the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, the USGS proposes to add a volcanic earthquake detection role to the USGS National Earthquake Information Center, which will provide critical early warning to give observatories and affected communities time to plan and prepare for an eruption.

Landsat Data Continuity
$13.4 million

Scientists, educators and the general public around the globe use USGS Landsat data for a wide array of activities ranging from supporting disaster relief efforts to making agricultural crop assessments to identifying sites for cell phone towers. The USGS will accommodate ground-system requirement changes for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission associated with moving the Operational Land Imager to a free-flying satellite and the addition of a Thermal Infrared Sensor on board the spacecraft. These activities are required to meet the mission launch in December 2012.

Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning
$4.0 million

The Department of the Interior has substantial coastal and ocean resource management responsibilities and a critical role in implementing the Administration’s National Ocean Policy. USGS mapping, monitoring and research provide information to assess the status and vulnerability of ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources. The USGS will engage with other Department of the Interior bureaus and Federal agencies to make available an information framework that provides critical information for coastal and marine planning.

[Source: USGS press release]

Reducing Foreclosures and Environmental Impacts through Location-Efficient Neighborhood Design

In Design, Geography, Social Science on February 5, 2010 at 8:59 am

…from the Natural Resources Defense Council…

“While the nation continues to grapple with a troubling housing market and a rash of mortgage defaults, new research has emerged drawing a direct link between “location efficiency”—a measure of the transportation costs in a given area—and mortgage foreclosure rates. The study shows that factors such as neighborhood compactness, access to public transit, and rates of vehicle ownership are key to predicting mortgage performance and should be taken more seriously by mortgage underwriters, policymakers, and real estate developers. With transportation costs accounting for roughly 17 percent of the average American household’s income—and the ongoing foreclosure crisis still garnering much attention—the need for better land use planning and better lending practices has never been more clear. NRDC recommends changes both to planning-related policies and mortgage underwriting procedures that can reduce transportation costs and risk of foreclosure while offering significant environmental benefits.”

Call for Contributions: Spatial Cognition 2010, Mt. Hood, Oregon

In Conferences, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis on February 5, 2010 at 8:11 am

Resort at the Mountain, Mt. Hood, Oregon
15-19 August 2010

“Spatial Cognition is concerned with the acquisition, organization, utilization, and revision of knowledge about spatial environments, be it real or abstract, human or machine. Spatial Cognition comprises research in very different scientific fields insofar as they are concerned with cognitive agents in spatial environments, such as robotics, artificial intelligence, linguistics, cognitive science, and philosophy. The aim of this research is to help humans to solve spatial tasks and to improve their spatial skills. Research issues in the field range from the investigation of human spatial cognition to mobile robot navigation, including aspects such as wayfinding, spatial planning, spatial learning, representations of space, map comprehension, and communication of spatial information.”

  • More information

San Francisco State University Launches New Masters Program in Geographic Information Sciences

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography on February 3, 2010 at 10:14 am

…from Golden Gate Express…

“SF State’s department of geography and human environmental studies is launching a new masters program in geographic information sciences (GIS) this fall – the only one of its kind in the Bay Area.

“”Working in GI science is one of the professions opening up now,” Ellen Hines, associate professor in the department, said. “There’s a job growth in the profession.” Launching the new program was discussed for several years, but faculty officially worked on it for two years.”

GEO Announces Call for Participation in GEOSS Pilot

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Imagery on February 2, 2010 at 6:04 am

The Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC®) announces a Call for Participation (CFP) in Phase 3 of the GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) Architecture Implementation Pilot (AIP) issued by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). The CFP documents are available at: http://earthobservations.org/geoss_call_aip.shtml.

AIP-3 will build on previous project phases and is coordinated with other GEO Tasks. Specific areas of emphasis for AIP-3 include increasing the capacity for GEOSS to support Societal Benefit Areas; building on the AIP Service Architecture and the GEOSS Common Infrastructure; and increasing availability of data in GEOSS in accordance with the GEOSS Data Sharing Guidelines. AIP-3 will be conducted in 2010 with support to the Earth Observation Summit, November 2010.

The AIP-3 CFP invites GEO Members and Participating Organizations to participate in activities involving: registering components and services; testing of services; and participating in refinement of Societal Benefit Area scenarios to guide testing, demonstrations and operations of the identified interoperable services.

CFP responses are requested by 3 March 2010. Organizations responding to the CFP should plan to attend the kickoff workshop to begin development of AIP-3 to be held 11-12 March 2010, at the European Space Agency facility in Frascati, Italy.

Discussion and clarification of the CFP will be the topic of several teleconferences before the Kickoff Workshop. Agenda and logistics for these teleconferences are posted at http://www.ogcnetwork.net/AIPtelecons.

The point of contact for the AIP task is George Percivall percivall@opengeospatial.org.

The OGC® is an international consortium of more than 385 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC Standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled. Visit the OGC website at http://www.opengeospatial.org.

GEO (Group on Earth Observations) is a voluntary partnership of 124 governments and international organizations, launched in response to calls for action by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and by the G8 (Group of Eight) leading industrialized countries. GEO is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. See http://earthobservations.org/about_geo.shtml.

[Source: OGC press release]

Animals Populated Madagascar by Rafting There

In Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis on January 29, 2010 at 1:06 pm

…from Purdue University News Service…

“How did the lemurs, flying foxes and narrow-striped mongooses get to the large, isolated island of Madagascar sometime after 65 million years ago?

“A pair of scientists say their research confirms the longstanding idea that the animals hitched rides on natural rafts blown out to sea.

“The raft hypothesis has always been the most plausible, says Anne Yoder, director of the Duke University Lemur Center. She specializes in using molecular biogenetic techniques and geospatial analysis to examine the evolutionary history of Madagascar. But Ali and Huber’s study now puts hard data behind it, says the Duke professor of biology, biological anthropology and anatomy.”

Groundwater Rights in Mexican Agriculture: Spatial Distribution and Demographic Determinants

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on January 29, 2010 at 8:53 am

The Professional Geographer, Volume 62, Issue 1 February 2010 , pages 1 – 15

Christopher A. Scott;  Sandy Dall’erba; Rolando Diacuteaz Caravantes

“Groundwater use intensity and aquifer depletion increase from south to north with decreasing rainfall and increasing economic activity in Mexico. To heighten scholarly understanding and offer new insights that strengthen policy responses to aquifer depletion, we analyze the spatial distribution of agricultural groundwater use from irrigation well titles in 2,429 municipalities and its relation to agricultural surface water and population employed in agriculture. Exploratory spatial data analysis reveals spatial dependence among all three variables implying that policy initiatives to address intensive groundwater use must be targeted at clusters of aquifers and municipalities.”

Darkness on the Edge of Town: Mapping Urban and Peri-Urban Australia Using Nighttime Satellite Imagery

In Geography, Imagery on January 29, 2010 at 8:41 am

The Professional Geographer, Volume 62, Issue 1 February 2010 , pages 119 – 133

Paul C. Sutton; Andrew R. Goetz; Stephen Fildes; Clive Forster; Tilottama Ghosh

“This article explores the use of nighttime satellite imagery for mapping urban and peri-urban areas of Australia. A population-weighted measure of urban sprawl is used to characterize relative levels of sprawl for Australia’s urban areas. In addition, the expansive areas of low light surrounding most major metropolitan areas are used to map the urban-bush interface of exurban land use. Our findings suggest that 82 percent of the Australian population lives in urban areas, 15 percent live in peri-urban or exurban areas, and 3 percent live in rural areas. This represents a significantly more concentrated human settlement pattern than presently exists in the United States.”

Mapping Change in Large Networks

In Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Social Science on January 29, 2010 at 8:20 am

Rosvall M, Bergstrom CT

PLoS ONE 5(1): e8694. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008694, January 27, 2010

“Change is a fundamental ingredient of interaction patterns in biology, technology, the economy, and science itself: Interactions within and between organisms change; transportation patterns by air, land, and sea all change; the global financial flow changes; and the frontiers of scientific research change. Networks and clustering methods have become important tools to comprehend instances of these large-scale structures, but without methods to distinguish between real trends and noisy data, these approaches are not useful for studying how networks change. Only if we can assign significance to the partitioning of single networks can we distinguish meaningful structural changes from random fluctuations. Here we show that bootstrap resampling accompanied by significance clustering provides a solution to this problem. To connect changing structures with the changing function of networks, we highlight and summarize the significant structural changes with alluvial diagrams and realize de Solla Price’s vision of mapping change in science: studying the citation pattern between about 7000 scientific journals over the past decade, we find that neuroscience has transformed from an interdisciplinary specialty to a mature and stand-alone discipline.”

Ecoregion Prioritization Suggests an Armoury Not a Silver Bullet for Conservation Planning

In Environmental Science, Geography on January 28, 2010 at 6:53 am

Funk SM, Fa JE

PLoS ONE 5(1): e8923. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008923, January 27, 2010

“In the face of accelerating species extinctions, map-based prioritization systems are increasingly useful to decide where to pursue conservation action most effectively. However, a number of seemingly inconsistent schemes have emerged, mostly focussing on endemism. Here we use global vertebrate distributions in terrestrial ecoregions to evaluate how continuous and categorical ranking schemes target and accumulate endangered taxa within the IUCN Red List, Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE), and EDGE of Existence programme. We employed total, endemic and threatened species richness and an estimator for richness-adjusted endemism as metrics in continuous prioritization, and WWF’s Global200 and Conservation International’s (CI) Hotspots in categorical prioritization. Our results demonstrate that all metrics target endangerment more efficiently than by chance, but each selects unique sets of top-ranking ecoregions, which overlap only partially, and include different sets of threatened species. Using the top 100 ecoregions as defined by continuous prioritization metrics, we develop an inclusive map for global vertebrate conservation that incorporates important areas for endemism, richness, and threat. Finally, we assess human footprint and protection levels within these areas to reveal that endemism sites are more impacted but have more protection, in contrast to high richness and threat ones. Given such contrasts, major efforts to protect global biodiversity must involve complementary conservation approaches in areas of unique species as well as those with highest diversity and threat.”

Ghost Peaks Emerge from Antarctic Ice

In Geography, Imagery on January 27, 2010 at 9:22 am

…from National Geographic…

“Hidden miles beneath the surface of an ice sheet (shown in blue), the so-called ghost peaks in the middle of Antarctica are finally coming into view, researchers announced last month.

“Ground-penetrating radar results from 2008 and 2009 have made possible the most detailed images yet (such as the one above) of the Gamburtsev Mountains—and it’s a surprisingly serrated range, the experts say.”

Mapping Whose Reality? Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and “Wild Science”

In GIS, Geography, Science on January 26, 2010 at 8:48 am

Public Understanding of Science, Vol. 15, No. 4, 411-434 (2006)

Sally L. Duncan

“In taking the landscape-scale view increasingly demanded of natural resource management, scientific assessments make considerable use of geographic information systems (GIS) maps to convey the research findings they develop. Public interaction with scientists over natural resource management issues is therefore frequently mediated by such maps, which can directly influence how the landscape is viewed, and how science findings are communicated and understood. Analysis of the Coastal Landscape Analysis and Modeling Study (CLAMS) project in western Oregon reveals that GIS maps play a significant role in how we frame and address natural resource management issues. They can support the role of privileged knowledge as held by the map makers, typically scientists, and may reinforce it by the de facto “map tyranny” that gives primacy to scientific worldviews. But they can also enable broader kinds of inquiry through multiple frames of reference, enhancing story-making opportunities for stakeholders. Which of these trajectories is followed is affected by resource availability and new perceptions of responsibility, each of which reflects social power structures. The CLAMS case study suggests that map user/non-scientists appear less likely to be victims of “map tyranny” the more familiar they are with the technology. Accordingly, they become more likely to push for usable results from it, and more confident about engaging their own knowledge with that of the map maker/scientists.”

Managing Water Across Borders

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on January 25, 2010 at 10:08 am

…from The New Nation…

“Several key analytical tools are being developed that enable sharper analysis of transboundary water interaction. These include great improvements in data gathering and through increased use of GIS; the Transboundary Water Interaction NexuS (TWINS) that allows us to work with the dual nature of co-existing conflict and cooperation; continued improvement and expansion of education and capacity-building; and the Transboundary Water Opportunity (TWO) analytical method. Through methodological consideration of crucial areas of interaction, the application of the TWO analysis to the Nile, Jordan and SADC rivers points to potential opportunities that few had previously thought possible.”

Volcanic Hazard Map Produced for Island of Gran Canaria

In Environmental Science, Geography on January 20, 2010 at 8:51 am

…from ScienceBlog…

“Spanish and French researchers have defined the age, location, size and geochemistry of the volcanoes of Gran Canaria during the Holocene, 11,000 years ago, in order to draw up a map of volcanic hazards for the island. The research shows that the area of greatest volcanic activity is one of the most heavily populated areas in the north east of the island, which has suffered 24 eruptions over the period studied.

“The team of French and Spanish scientists led by researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the “Jaume Almera” Institute of Earth Sciences (CSIC, Barcelona) combined the data from previous studies with the results of analysis of 13 new radiocarbon ages in order to gain an understanding of the history of the island and predict the areas to be struck by future volcanic eruptions.”

Remapping the World’s Population: Visualizing Data using Cartograms

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on January 15, 2010 at 6:37 am

…from the Winter 2010 issue of ArcUser…

“The Worldmapper project has successfully produced a series of maps to visualize data concerning a range of issues facing the modern world based on the idea of density-equalizing maps. With this approach, ArcGIS 9.3 plays a crucial role as an interface to convert suitable raster datasets and produce updated cartograms. The data is converted using ArcMap’s ArcToolbox, while the cartograms were calculated using a geoprocessing tool available from ESRI’s ArcScripts site. The final visualization was performed in ArcMap. This article introduces and evaluates further new mapping approaches that move depictions beyond their simple descriptive form. It gives an insight into these new developments, focusing on subnational-level data that has, until now, been neglected.”

ORNL’s Budhendra Bhaduri Named to Mapping Science Committee of the National Academy of Sciences

In GIS, Geography, Science on January 14, 2010 at 11:45 am

…from knoxnews.com…

“Budhendra Bhaduri, leader of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Georgraphic Information Science & Technology Group, will serve a three-year term on the Mapping Science Committee of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council.

“The committee oversees the council’s studies that provide info and advice on issues pertaining to geospatial science, technology and policy, according to ORNL.

“More information on the committee is available here.”

NGA Visiting Scientist Fellowship Program Accepting Applications

In GIS, Geography, Science on January 14, 2010 at 6:37 am

“The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is looking to select undergraduates, postgraduate students or faculty members to provide technical support for research and development activities. NGA conducts work in the areas of remote sensing, sensors and signatures, geodesy and geophysics, and geospatial analytic techniques. These include work in automated image analysis, spectral exploitation, gravitational and geomagnetic modeling, subsurface geophysical sensor applications, human computer interfaces, neuroscience, information technology, and other related subjects.

“This appointment may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Signal extraction and exploitation from overhead imagery.
  • Testing algorithms, evaluating and developing analytical techniques, analyzing data and physical models, and other R&D work commensurate with the applicant’s background and experience;
  • Working closely with NGA data, with NGA scientists and other outstanding scientists in the NGA environment, and with NGA analysts;
  • Planning and executing original research; and
  • Assembling a corpus of evaluated ground-truth data.

“Several appointments are available at NGA sites or mutually agreeable facilities.”

A Hybrid Approach for Land Use/Land Cover Classification

In Geography, Imagery on January 13, 2010 at 2:40 pm

GIScience & Remote Sensing, Volume 46, Number 4 / October-December 2009

Yanbing Tang, Clifton W. Pannell

“Atlanta has continuously changed its physical landscape as well as its socioeconomic appearance over the past decades. A hybrid image processing approach, which integrated unsupervised, supervised, and spectral mixture analysis (SMA) classification methods, was used to identify urban land use/land cover changes over a decade (from 1990 to 2000) in the Atlanta metropolitan area. During this process, SMA was proven to be an effective analytical approach for characterizing mixed feature areas, such as a metropolitan area. According to accuracy assessment, the classification results were acceptable.”

Genetics + Lifestyle + Environment = Risks: Can Geographic Information Keep You Healthy?

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on January 13, 2010 at 8:51 am

…from the Winter 2010 issue of ArcUser…

“The value of GIS in enhancing response to emergencies, such as wildfires or hurricanes, is widely recognized. However, this technology can also play a lifesaving role in responding to catastrophes on a more personal level.

“At TEDMED 2009, the Technology, Entertainment, and Design in Medicine conference, ESRI global marketing manager for health and human services Bill Davenhall recounted how this was brought home to him by a heart attack in 2001 that hit him so forcefully and unexpectedly that he referred to it as “a train wreck.”

“In his presentation Can Geographic Information Keep You Healthy? Davenhall suggested that a patient’s geographic (or place) history should routinely be considered by physicians when diagnosing and treating patients.”

The Spatial Patterns of Adverse Health Effects of Ozone Pollution on Childhood Respiratory Diseases in Urban Houston

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on January 6, 2010 at 6:38 am

Annals of GIS, Volume 15, Issue 2 December 2009 , pages 127 – 140

Shing Lin; Yongmei Lu

“This paper reports on the investigation of the spatial patterns and variations of adverse health effects of ozone pollution on childhood respiratory diseases in Houston, Texas. The study period is June to September of 2001. No significant global relationship exists between ozone pollution and prevalence of childhood respiratory diseases. However, geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis reveals spatially varied adverse health effect. With the guidance from GWR results, the association between ozone pollution and childhood respiratory disease prevalence is proved to be significant in three sub-regions. Moreover, spatial regression analysis suggests the presence of spatial dependence of the prevalence of childhood respiratory diseases.

“The spatial variation of the relationship between ozone pollution and childhood respiratory disease prevalence indicates health effects of confounding or intervening factors. The spatial dependency of disease prevalence is related to both the spatial patterns of pollution and those of confounding factors. The findings call for future investigation to examine the factors that might be working together with or against ozone pollution when health effects are concerned. For health practice and management, a set of neighborhood-specific policy, practice, and resource allocation strategies need to be developed to minimize the adverse health effects of ozone pollution.”

Directory of GIS Conference Proceedings

In Conferences, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Imagery, Modeling, Science on January 5, 2010 at 1:01 pm

[Source: ESRI GIS Bibliography,  http://training.esri.com/campus/library]

AAG Annual Meetings
2007 2002 2000 1999 1998 1995 1993 1991 1990 1989 1987 1978 1971 1970 1969

ACM CIKM Proceedings
2003 2002 2001

ACM Symposium on Advances in Geographic Information Systems
2006 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

ACM/IEEE-CS Proceedings
2002

ACSM/ASPRS Proceedings
2002 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1985 1982

Advances in Spatial Databases (SSD)
1995 1993

AGI Conferences
1997

ASPRS Proceedings
2006 2001 2000 1998 1995 1994

ASPRS/ISPRS Proceedings
2003 2002

Association of Geographic Information Laboratories Europe (AGILE)
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

AutoCarto Proceedings
2008 2006 2005 1997 1995 1993 1991 1989 1987 1986 1983 1979 1975

COSIT Proceedings
2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 1997 1995 1993 1992

Earth Observation & Geo-Spatial Web and Internet Workshop (EOGEO)
1998

ESRI Education User Conferences
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

ESRI European User Conferences
2006 2003 2002 1999 1998 1997 1996

ESRI International User Conferences
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989

ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summits
2009 2008 2007 2006

European Conference on Geographical Information Systems (EGIS)
1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

European GIS Education Seminar (EUGISES)
2004 2002 2000

Geo-Spatial Education
2000

GeoComputation
2003 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

GeoTec
2006

GIS Planet
2005

GIS/LIS Proceedings
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986

GIScience
2004 2002 2000

GITA
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

Harvard Library of Computer Graphics Mapping Collection
1981 1980 1979

Harvard Papers on Geographic Information Systems
1978

ICA abstracts
2007 2006 2005 2003 2001 1999 1997 1989

IEEE Proceedings
1997

Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling
2000 1996 1993

International Federation of Surveyors
2007 2006 2005 2002

International Symposia on Spatial Data Handling
2004 1994 1992 1990 1988 1986 1984

Interop ’99
1999

Symposia on Geographic Information Systems for Transportation (GIS-T)
1998 1996 1995 1994

Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA)
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1967

URISA GIS in Addressing
2007 2006 2005 2004 2000

URISA GIS/CAMA Technologies
2004

URISA Integrating GIS and CAMA
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

URISA IT/GIS in Public Works
2004 2002 2001

URISA Public Participation GIS (PPGIS)
2005 2004 2003

The New York City Open Accessible Space Information System Cooperative

In GIS, Geography on January 5, 2010 at 7:54 am

“The New York City Open Accessible Space Information System Cooperative (OASIS) is a partnership of more than 30 federal, state, and local agencies, private companies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations to create a one-stop, interactive mapping and data analysis application via the Internet to enhance the stewardship of open space for the benefit of New York City (NYC) residents.

“A community-based undertaking, local organizations design and test the first city wide, web-based, open space mapping resource for NYC. OASIS facilitates and focuses the delivery of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) resources to provide timely and accurate information about the green infrastructure of NYC.”

Interactive Map: Tracking Anchorage Grizzly Bears

In Environmental Science, Geography, Visualization on January 4, 2010 at 1:21 pm

…from the Anchorage Daily News…

From 2005 to 2007, 11 grizzly bears in Anchorage were captured and fitted with radio collars that transmitted their locations. Follow their travels through the town.

University of New Mexico Graduate Research Opportunity in Historical Geography

In Education, Geography on January 4, 2010 at 8:48 am

The Department of Geography at the University of New Mexico is seeking to hire a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) in Historical Geography, starting Fall 2010. GRAs are expected to be enrolled full-time in the MS in Geography program. Some of the specific research projects the GRA will be working on include:

  • Historical transitions in New Mexico’s water resource management funded by the National Science Foundation. This research examines the ways local New Mexican communities responded to federal and territorial/state initiatives for centralized water management in the early 20th century. Data sources include district court cases, newspaper publications, and archival materials.
  • Development of hydrological science in the arid West funded by the National Science Foundation. This research examines the rhetorical, cultural, and structural development of hydrology as a “science” for irrigation in the late-nineteenth-century American West, focusing on the ways water engineers and water administrators represented their work. Data sources include government documents, newspaper publications, and personal papers of water engineers.
  • Cartography and expertise in water management funded by the National Science Foundation. This research examines the role of cartography in early 20th-century water management in New Mexico. Data sources include government documents, district court cases, and personal papers of water engineers.

Qualified applicants should have an undergraduate degree in Geography, History, or related field, with strong research and writing skills. Interest in natural resource management and experience with archival materials is also desirable. The GRA position consists of a competitive monthly stipend, including tuition waiver and benefits. Those interested in the position should apply to the MS program in Geography and indicate that they would like to be considered for the GRA position in Historical Geography. Application deadline to be considered for Fall 2010 is February 1, 2010.

Applications materials can be accessed at www.unm.edu/grad/admissions/admissions.html.

Details on the Department of Geography and the MS program in Geography can be found at http://geography.unm.edu .

More details on these specific research projects can also be found at
www.unm.edu/~mdlane.

For more information, contact:

Maria Lane, Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
Bandelier West Room 111, MSC01 1110
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
E-mail: mdlane@unm.edu
Tel: (505) 277-1752

Texas Students Use GIS to Track H1N1 Flu

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on December 31, 2009 at 5:45 am

…from the Winter 2009/2010 issue of ArcNews…

Last April, when the spread of H1N1 (swine) flu began, students in Texas watched with a vested interest. The Texas Education Agency made recommendations to reschedule or cancel area and state-level competitions in an effort to limit student travel and minimize contact. With events approaching, like prom, spring concerts, and even graduation ceremonies, students waited as local school districts made careful decisions. Some districts halted student travel and others canceled school classes for a period of weeks.

Lubbock Independent School District GIS teacher Penny Carpenter knew GIS tools would be used to monitor and inform the public of the flu’s pandemic potential, and she saw a unique opportunity for her students. Philosophically, Carpenter motivates students with relevant real-world topics, and the reality of H1N1 flu had certainly captured her students’ attention. They found maps of countries and states with confirmed flu cases but none of Texas counties. Because the outbreak originated in Mexico, students looked to the border towns for reported infections, and that is when geographic inquiry began: Where were the counties in Texas with confirmed H1N1 flu cases?

Evaluating Indiana Bat Summer Habitat on Surface Coal Mine Sites in Southwestern Indiana Using Remote Sensing

In Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on December 30, 2009 at 10:41 am

Shunfu Hu, Michael J. Starr, Randall Pearson, Department of Geography, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

“Indiana bat is among first endangered species list by the federal government due to fragmentation or the loss of its summer habitat. Forest canopy, certain degree of “patchiness”, and summer roosting sites (i.e., snags) appear to be key elements in habitat quality for the Indiana bat. This paper presents a methodology of evaluating Indiana bat summer habitat on or near surface coal mine sites in southwestern Indiana. Three levels of evaluation on Indiana bat summer habitat were performed using remotely sensed data. Level 1 evaluation was based on Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) satellite imagery with 30-meter spatial resolution to obtain a general idea of land use and land cover in the study area, which helps to eliminate areas with low bat habitat potential (e.g., urban and agricultural areas). Level 2 evaluation was based on QuickBird satellite imagery with 2.44-meter spatial resolution, which enables us to identify the characteristics of forest canopy such as edges and patchiness and to again eliminate areas with low bat habitat potential (e.g., low patchiness or immature forest). Level 3 evaluation was based on high resolution digital aerial multispectral imagery with a spatial resolution of 0.323-meter (1 foot), which enables us to identify a much greater detail (e.g., individual trees). It is anticipated that the three levels of evaluation of Indiana Bat summer habitat will allow us to develop a “suitability index” that can be used to better assess and monitor Indiana summer habitat.”

Source: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Applied Geography Conference, October 28-31, 2009.

125 Years of Topographic Mapping at the USGS

In GIS, Geography on December 30, 2009 at 9:08 am

…from ArcNews…

  • Read Part 2 - From the Dawn of Digital to The National Map

3D Geological Mapping: An Inescapable Evolution for National Geological Surveys

In Geography on December 30, 2009 at 6:43 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Catherine Truffert

“According to EuroGeoSurveys, the European Geological Surveys association, “Geological spatial data and models describe the solid Earth’s surface and subsurface on-shore and off-shore, its nature, structure, properties, dynamics and evolution over time; including its related (geo)resources and (geo) hazards”. This illustrates a modern vision of the core mission that National Geological Surveys have to accomplish.”

Summer Institute on Geographic Information Science: Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space

In Conferences, Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science, Social Science on December 29, 2009 at 10:09 am

5 – 9 July 2010

“Almost 20 years ago, from July 8 to 20, 1990, 60 researchers gathered for two weeks at Castillo-Palacio Magalia in Las Navas del Marques (Avila Province, Spain) to discuss cognitive and linguistic aspects of geographic space. This meeting was the start of successful research on cognitive issues in geographic information science, produced an edited book , and led to a biannual conference (COSIT), a refereed journal (Spatial Cognition and Computation), and a substantial and still growing research community.

“It appears worthwhile to assess the achievements and to reconsider the research challenges twenty years later. What has changed in the age of computational ontologies and cyber-infrastructures? Consider that 1990 the web was only about to emerge and the very first laptops had just appeared! The 2010 meeting will bring together many of the original participants, but is open to others, and invites contributions from all who are researching these topics. Early-career scientists, engineers, and humanists working at the intersection of cognitive science and geographic information science are invited to help with the re-assessment of research needs and approaches.

“The meeting will compare the research agenda laid out in the 1990 book with achievements over the past twenty years and then turn to the future: what are the challenges today? What are worthwhile goals for basic research? What can be achieved in the next 20 years? What are the lessons learned?

“The meeting will be held again in the Castillo-Palacio Magalia (http://magalia.mcu.es), a historic castle about two hours by train from Madrid, in the hills towards Avila, with a nice climate in summer. The comprehensive services in the Castillo will foster intense contacts and fruitful exchanges among the participants. The meeting will be single track, with a mix of longer and shorter presentations to stimulate discussion.”

Building on Geological Models — The Vision of an Environmental Modelling Platform

In Environmental Science, Geography, Modeling on December 29, 2009 at 10:07 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Holger Kessler, Diarmad Campbell, Jon Ford, Jeremy Giles, Andrew Hughes, Ian Jackson, Denis Peach, Simon Price, Hans-Georg Sobisch, Ricky Terrington, and Ben Wood

“Geological Survey Organisations (GSOs) were originally founded to produce an inventory of the earth’s resources to inform governments and support construction and primary industries. Therefore, their initial emphasis was on finding construction material, metalliferous minerals, and hydrocarbons. Throughout the 20th Century, the focus shifted towards aggregates, water, and more recently to environmental concerns such as waste, reuse of post-industrial contaminated land, climate change, and biodiversity.”

Top Ten Posts of 2009

In Climate Change, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Statistics on December 29, 2009 at 7:42 am

Top ten GISandScience.com posts of 2009 based on number of page views:

  1. Spatial Statistics, Geostatistics, and GIS: Free Training Available
  2. Accuracy of iPhone Locations: A Comparison of Assisted GPS, WiFi, and Cellular Positioning
  3. A Farewell Chat with David Maguire, ESRI’s Chief Scientist
  4. Top Nine Favorite Innovations in ArcGIS
  5. Integrating GIS with Models: A Bibliography
  6. What Would Happen if the Earth Stopped Spinning?
  7. GIS and Climate Change Resources
  8. California Governors’ Global Climate Summit 2: September 30 – October 2, 2009
  9. Agent-Based Modeling and GIS
  10. Aggregated Live Feeds in ArcGIS

NASA Visualization of 2009 Antarctic Ozone Hole

In Climate Change, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Video, Visualization on December 29, 2009 at 6:30 am

Watch the video

Post-doctoral Research Associate, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Geographical & Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow

In Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling on December 28, 2009 at 8:33 am

“We seek a post-doctoral researcher with experience in limnological biogeochemical research to join the Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences’ Earth Surface Dynamics research group. This position is working with Dr. Susan Waldron, Prof. Michael Bird (University of St. Andrews) and Amazonica colleagues, in applying field, laboratory and GIS modelling methods to quantify carbon effluxes from freshwater systems in the Amazon basin.

“Due to the nature of this project and its location please read the job description fully to make sure it is appropriate for you.

“This post has funding until 11.01.2013

“Further information or informal enquiries can be made to Dr. Susan Waldron (Susan.Waldron@ges.gla.ac.uk), Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ.

“Apply online at www.glasgow.ac.uk/jobs

“If you are unable to apply online please contact us on 0141 330 3898 for an application pack.

“Closing Date: 29 January 2010″

Scientists Map Speed of Climate Change

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on December 28, 2009 at 7:14 am

…from LabSpaces.net…

“From beetles to barnacles, pikas to pine warblers, many species are already on the move in response to shifting climate regimes. But how fast will they—and their habitats—have to move to keep pace with global climate change over the next century? In a new study, a team of scientists including Dr. Healy Hamilton from the California Academy of Sciences have calculated that on average, ecosystems will need to shift about 0.42 kilometers per year (about a quarter mile per year) to keep pace with changing temperatures across the globe. Mountainous habitats will be able to move more slowly, since a modest move up or down slope can result in a large change in temperature. However, flatter ecosystems, such as flooded grasslands, mangroves, and deserts, will need to move much more rapidly to stay in their comfort zone—sometimes more than a kilometer per year. The team, which also included scientists from the Carnegie Institute of Science, Climate Central, and U.C. Berkeley, will publish their results in the December 24 issue of Nature. “

3D Down-Under — What are the Australians up to in 3D Hydrogeology

In Environmental Science, Geography, Science on December 28, 2009 at 6:46 am

….from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Bruce Gill, Don Cherry, Xiang Cheng, Jon Fawcett, and Mark Reid

“Water shortage is common in much of Australia. With the vast majority of the continent classed as semi arid (an overall average of 455mm rainfall per year) and the tropical north having monsoonal rains and long dry seasons, groundwater provides an essential buffer for many parts of the country. In recent years though, rainfall has been significantly below average, especially across the south east of the continent, which has affected vast areas of Australia’s most important agricultural production region. The Murray Darling Basin, (which occupies 1/7th of the continent) supported average annual consumptive water use of 11,000 GL (to 1997), but last year, had fallen to less than half. This year, heading in to spring, the 22,600 GL of upstream basin storage is sitting at only 23% of capacity.”

GeoDesign Summit: Preliminary Presentation Schedule

In Conferences, Design, ESRI, GIS, Geography on December 23, 2009 at 7:44 am

The world’s first GeoDesign Summit will be held 06-08 January 2010 at ESRI in Redlands, California. The summit will be a gathering of pioneering professionals and academics involved in transforming technology, engineering, and planning in a rapidly changing world.  The presentation schedule below is preliminary and is subject to change.  For more information on the GeoDesign Summit, visit www.GeoDesignSummit.com.

Day 1 (Wednesday, 06 January 2010):

Opening statement by Jack Dangermond

Tom Fisher: What is GeoDesign and Why Its Time has Come

Will Rogers: GeoDesign in Conservation Planning: Stakeholder Driven Geoprocessing through Greenprinting

Mike Goodchild: Spatial by Design: Understanding the Special Role of GIS

Kim Tanzer, Visualizing complex systems: The role the National Academy of Environmental Design in advancing evidence-based design research

Lightning Talks: (view abstracts)

  • Geodesign: Fundamental Principals and Routes Forward
  • Participatory GeoDesign
  • Site Selection for Solar-Electrical Powerplants from a regional level to a Community location using GIS processing – and scetching tools
  • GeoDesign in environmental analysis and planning: an example
  • GeoWeb 2.0
  • 3D Visualizations of Cyber Security Events
  • GeoGames – Board Game Metaphors for GIS
  • Landscape Design with Tangible GIS
  • Lessons learn from geodesign applications by communities and farmers employing GIS and relational databases in landscape planning and management
  • GeoDesign Utilization in a Participatory Land Use Planning Process
  • Ge@Design: a multimedia design studio for geospatial collaboration

Day 2 (Thursday, 07 January 2010):

Carl Steinitz: Complexity, collaboration and scale in geographic design and planning

Ron Stoltz; Karen Hanna: Conceptualizing Geo-Design in the University Curriculum

Chris Overdorf and Grant Jones: Private Stewardship Networks: GIS Tools that Promote Conservation Corridors

Lightning Talks: (view abstracts)

  • Geospatial Campaign Design for COIN Civil Affairs
  • Real-time, sketch-based GIS database updates to support crisis command and mobile resource deployment.
  • Object-Oriented Diagrams in Geo-Design
  • Practical Considerations for Integrating BIM and GIS
  • Building Interior Space Optimization and GIS/RDBMS Space Management tools
  • Site Engineering Design – Live start to finish using ArcPad
  • Using GIS to Facilitate the Design of a Sustainable City
  • Building high fidelity 3D landscapes in a design charrette setting with participants using GIS, CityScape, and Augmented Reality
  • Open Exchange for Semantically Rich City Models

Progress in 3D Geological Mapping in the Eastern Prairies of Canada and the USA

In Geography, Modeling, Video on December 22, 2009 at 7:26 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Greg Keller, Gaywood Matile, and Harvey Thorleifson

“Increasing demand for groundwater and hydrocarbons have been the two main drivers for 3D mapping in Manitoba. In order to satisfy these demands, and to broaden our knowledge of the subsurface, the Manitoba Geological Survey has been working toward a provincial 3D model by developing regional and detailed models, as well as protocols and methodologies for model construction. Early in 2000, after years of data compilation, the first of Manitoba’s 3D models was built. This hydrostratigraphic model, built with funding from the National Geoscience Mapping Program (NATMAP), covered the 200 km by 230 km Winnipeg area of southeastern Manitoba. Subsequently, Paula Kennedy of the University of Manitoba completed a groundwater-flow model based upon this data, proving its feasibility for groundwater modeling (Kennedy and Woodbury, 2005). The model has since been extended northward to include the Lake Winnipeg basin and is currently being extended westward to complete all of the southern Manitoba Phanerozoic terrane south of 55° North Latitude. The southwest Manitoba model will include bedrock units derived from the recently completed Williston Basin architecture and hydrocarbon potential project 3D model which was funded by the federal (Canada) Targeted Geoscience Initiative (TGI). This cooperative model was created using high quality drill data from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan. A regional scale model was recently created using data from the Atlas of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) (Mossop and Shetsen, 1994). It was built using digitized structure contours, and covers Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Future modeling will include further cooperation with both Minnesota and North Dakota in order to produce the Red River Valley 3D geological model. This model will connect the existing Manitoba models with the 3D geological model of groundwater-bearing strata in the Fargo-Moorhead region. Early in 2009, the first step was taken toward this end by creating a cross-border seamless Quaternary map covering the study area. Finally, a new project on the hydrocarbon potential of the Hudson Bay and Foxe basins has been initiated. This project is part of the new Geological Survey of Canada northern Geoscience of Energy and Minerals program (GEM). One of the planned products is a 3D model of the Hudson Bay Lowland (HBL) area of northern Manitoba.”

Symbolizing Trees in ArcGIS: Randomly Varying the Tree Symbol Size

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on December 22, 2009 at 7:13 am

…from the ESRI Mapping Center blog…

“On large scale maps, you will often see that the symbols used to represent trees are all one size. As we know from our own real-world experience, tree crowns (i.e., the tops of trees formed by their leaves and branches) are different sizes, so a more realistic representation would be to vary the tree symbol size slightly to account for this natural variation.

“Although we know that the height, trunk diameter, and crown diameter all vary depending on the amount of sunlight and water a tree gets, what age it is, and where it is planted (to name a few variables), what if none of this information is available to create variation in your tree symbols? What can you do in ArcMap to at least show cartographically varying crown sizes for your symbolized trees? This blog entry describes a method to symbolize trees using point symbols that give the impression of varied tree crown sizes.”

Online Access, Visualization, and Analysis of Canadian Groundwater Data

In Environmental Science, Geography, Visualization on December 21, 2009 at 6:51 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

David Sharpe, Boyan Brodaric, Eric Boisvert, Charles Logan, and Hazen A.J. Russell

“Online access to Canadian groundwater information is being realized through the groundwater information network (GIN). GIN is an evolving collaboration of six provincial agencies, several conservation authorities, along with a federal facilitating agency. Groundwater information is provided via Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)-compliant Web services (WMS, WFS) and Groundwater Markup Language (GWML). The exposed data reside in custodial provincial databases and they are combined dynamically into a seamless virtual database using the Web services and GWML.

“GIN can serve a range of client applicationsthat are able to utilize WMS/WFS data sources. Two Web-based portals have been developed and will shortly be made available to a wide range of users. The first is a data access portal that allows comprehensive discovery, viewing, and download of water well data from GIN. The second is an analysis portal that allows for 2-D and 3-D map interrogation, visualization, and statistical reporting of user selected data. It also provides a number of features previously available only in sophisticated Geographic Information Systems (GIS). These features include: location searching, summary statistics, thematic mapping, time-series analysis, and the graphic display of well logs (e.g., water levels, materials, and well construction) that can be manipulated and analyzed in a 3-D perspective view.

“Standardized data fields (e.g., well log lithologic codes) allow for ease and more consistent analysis of aquiferaquitard structure, water level, and other trends (e.g., gradients) that traverse provincial boundaries. Wider use of the data via GIN is revealing issues related to data content, structure, and systems as well as groundwater data completeness, consistency, and location accuracy.”

Quote of the Day

In Geography, Quotes on December 18, 2009 at 9:02 am

“Maps are 100% content.”

–Edward Tufte

New California Tsunami Inundation Maps Released

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on December 18, 2009 at 8:55 am

On Thursday, December 17, 2009, representatives from the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), the California Geological Survey (CGS) and other state, federal, and local government officials participated in a press event to launch the newly updated California Tsunami Inundation Maps. Held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA, and coinciding with the American Geophysical Union Conference, this media event provided all contributors opportunity to discuss the value of such maps in the area of emergency preparedness, and the value of the partnership between these agencies and Tsunami Research Center at the University of Southern California, which also contributed to producing the maps.

“California’s coast is subject to tsunamis from both local offshore earthquakes and underwater landslides, and distant sources, such as the 1964 Alaskan quake that spawned a deadly tsunami in Crescent City – it’s important to educate the public, and prepare them for the very real possibility of a tsunami emergency” said Cal EMA Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen.

This collaborative group, known as the California Tsunami Program, works closely with local government emergency planners to provide assistance and guidance to help prepare communities for the next tsunami. For more than two years specialist have been developing and modeling offshore earthquake and submarine landslide scenarios in order to identify the potential tsunami inundation for each coastal community.

“These maps show the maximum inland inundation as a product of the 40 different tsunami scenarios we looked at for California,” states Rick Wilson from CGS who was the state scientific lead on the project.

The resulting 130 maps, which are based on the most up-to-date methodologies, cover vulnerable areas along the California coast, about 50% of the state’s 840 mile-long coastline. These maps also encompass approximately 90% of the coast from Santa Barbara to the Mexico border, and 100% of the San Francisco Bay Area, the first time the state has developed tsunami inundation maps inside the Bay.

Funded through the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, the state program has worked with county and city emergency managers to help incorporate these tsunami inundation maps into their emergency response plans. The finalized maps are now available to the public through the Cal EMA and CGS websites.

[Source: California Emergency Management Agency press release]

Rainfall Variability and Trends in Semi-arid Botswana: Implications for Climate Change Adaptation Policy

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on December 18, 2009 at 8:45 am

Applied Geography, 2009.10.007

Nnyaladzi Batisani and Brent Yarnal.

“Rainfall variability is an important feature of semi-arid climates, and climate change is likely to increase that variability in many of these regions. An understanding of rainfall variability and trends in that variability is needed to help vulnerable dryland agriculturalists and policymakers address current climate variation and future climate change. The goals of this paper are to examine this climatic phenomenon in semi-arid Botswana, to investigate these results for signs of climate change, and to explore the policy implications for climate adaptation. To reach these goals, the paper determines rainfall variability and monthly and annual trends in that variability. The results agree with earlier work showing gradients in rainfall and rainfall variability across Botswana. The results also identify a trend towards decreased rainfall throughout the nation, which is associated with decreases in the number of rainy days. Both the drying trend and decrease in rainy days agree with climate change projections for southern Africa. The paper discusses policies that the government could adopt to help its farmers adapt to climate change.”

Mapping Urban Areas on a Global Scale: Which of the Eight Maps Now Available is More Accurate?

In Geography, Imagery on December 18, 2009 at 7:35 am

International Journal of Remote Sensing, Volume 30, Issue 24 2009 , pages 6531 – 6558

David Potere;  Annemarie Schneider;  Shlomo Angel; Daniel L. Civco.

“Eight groups from government and academia have created 10 global maps that offer a ca 2000 portrait of land in urban use. Our initial investigation found that their estimates of the total amount of urban land differ by as much as an order of magnitude (0.27-3.52 times106 km2). Since it is not possible for these heterogeneous maps to all represent urban areas accurately, we undertake the first global accuracy assessment of these maps using a two-tiered approach that draws on a stratified random sample of 10 000 high-resolution Google Earth validation sites and 140 medium-resolution Landsat-based city maps. Employing a wide range of accuracy measures at different spatial scales, we conclude that the new MODIS 500 m resolution global urban map has the highest accuracy, followed by a thresholded version of the Global Impervious Surface Area map based on the Night-time Lights and LandScan datasets.”

Association of American Geographers’ “Geography, Climate Change, and the Copenhagen Negotiations” Blog

In Climate Change, Geography on December 18, 2009 at 7:25 am

Check out the Association of American Geographers’ “Geography, Climate Change, and the Copenhagen Negotiations” blog, where AAG representatives Mike Urban, Mark Cowell, and M. Anwar Sounny-Slitine share their observations on the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Visualizing U.S. Bank Failures, 2008-2009

In Geography, Video, Visualization on December 17, 2009 at 9:13 am

Visualizing Bank Failures ( 2008-2009 ) from Computational Legal Studies on Vimeo.

GIS Specialist, Health Geomatics Laboratory, Dalhousie University

In Education, GIS, Geography, Social Science, Statistics on December 17, 2009 at 9:05 am

“We seek a full-time GIS Specialist to support ongoing requirements of the Health Geomatics Laboratory and the Elizabeth May Chair office in the Faculty of Science at Dalhousie University. The GIS Specialist will work on a variety of health geomatics research projects, develop web-based mapping products, and assist with the administration and coordination of research and outreach activities. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research team with expertise in environmental science, epidemiology, health geography, GIS, GPS, and spatial statistics.”

Cash for Clunkers: A Dynamic Map of the Cash Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS)

In Geography, Video, Visualization on December 16, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Cash for Clunkers: A Dynamic Map of the Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) from Computational Legal Studies on Vimeo.

Do Geologic Mapping Programs in the U.S. as Presently Constituted Meet Pressing Societal Needs?

In Geography on December 16, 2009 at 1:18 pm

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

E. Donald McKay III

“Is geological mapping in the U.S. being done in the places and using approaches that produce appropriate, timely, geologic information to meet the Nation’s most pressing needs? If not, we must refine our methods and accelerate our timetable to make the needed products more relevant and available.

“Ongoing federally funded geologic mapping in the United States is producing maps of good quality. Mapping advisory committees at the state level help direct projects into areas where need is significant. Mapping programs are chronically underfunded. Where more conventional geologic mapping is needed, more money would help address map production shortfalls immediately. But, funding is only part of the problem. There are places where conventional maps and conventional approaches to geologic mapping fall short of meeting societal needs. There, the content of a conventional geologic map is simply insufficient to capture the salient geologic features needed to support decisions regarding pressing societal issues. In those locations and situations, mapping methods need to be refined, approaches adjusted, and products tailored to meet the needs of society.”

2010 O’Reilly Where 2.0 Conference: 30 March to 01 April 2010, San Jose, California

In Conferences, GIS, Geography on December 16, 2009 at 12:37 pm

“Now in its sixth year, the Where 2.0 conference is where developers tip base and building location technology intersect with the companies and entrepreneurs seeking location applications, platforms and hardware to gain a competitive advantage. In the O’Reilly conference tradition, Where 2.0 presents leading trends rather than persecute them.

“If 2.0, you will find tools to map the source, reality mining, open standards for data and tracking Web services, and sensors for location information. Let’s learn how the established geo industry is reacting to the first companies to make money from their geo-spatial based projects. There is no better place to meet the people behind mashups, the people behind the platforms, and the people of the future of geospatial. Join us in case of 2.0 to debate and discuss what is achievable now and what is lurking below the radar. Where 2.0 2010 includes a full day of workshops followed by two days of plenary sessions with a unique combination of high-level speeches with great players, lightning talks, panel discussions, demonstrations, product launches, Q & A time, and much more . The most innovative and interesting people in this area appear on the stage, and stay around to debate and discuss with other conference attendees off stage.”

Contribution of Geophysics to Geological Models

In Geography, Modeling on December 15, 2009 at 8:08 pm

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Helga Wiederhold, Reinhard Kirsch, and Wolfgang Scheer

“The near surface underground of the North European Basin (Belgium, The Netherlands, parts of Germany, Denmark, and Poland) is mainly composed of gravel, sand, till, and clay of Quaternary and Tertiary origin. Although originally more or less horizontally layered, disturbances of the layer sequence by glacial tectonics (especially deep erosional valleys) and uplift of salt domes are frequent (Figure 1). This can lead to complicated underground structures which make the correlation between boreholes difficult or impossible. Therefore, geophysical measurements are an essential tool for the construction of geological models.”

The Role of Geological Modeling in a Web-based Collaborative Environment

In Geography, Modeling, Spatial Analysis on December 10, 2009 at 8:22 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Keith Turner and Frank A D’Agnese

“Over the past two decades, a series of sophisticated three-dimensional modeling technologies have been developed to address the need for a precise definition of subsurface conditions (Turner, 1991). Because geological modeling requires the extension of traditional GIS methods (Turner, 2000; 2006), the modeling process remains technically challenging. In 2001, during a conference sponsored by the European Science Foundation, four major impediments to the greater use of subsurface geological modeling by a broad spectrum of users were identified (Rosenbaum & Turner, 2003). These constraints were: (1) a lack of 3D/4D mathematical, cognitive, and statistical spatial tools, (2) a lack of cheap modeling tools designed for the shallow subsurface that can be operated without specialist personnel, (3) the inability of models to depict natural variability of geological systems, and (4) a shortage of case histories. By 2008, these constraints had been largely overcome with the use of new modeling software and techniques and, importantly, with an understanding of the needs of the client (Kessler, et al., 2008).”

Jack Dangermond in UNEP Climate Action 2009: “Climate Change Is a Geographic Problem…”

In Climate Change, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on December 8, 2009 at 3:07 pm

…in Climate Action 2009…

Climate Change Is a Geographic Problem That Requires a Geographic Solution

By Jack Dangermond, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.

“Geography is a fundamental science that helps us describe the natural and human systems of our planet. Geography is central to studying systems that contribute to and are influenced by climate change. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology gives you a comprehensive understanding of complex systems so that you can make informed, actionable decisions. People use GIS to view and manage information about geographic places, analyze geographic relationships, and model geographic processes. GIS is the foundational technology that lets local, regional, and global organizations collect, manage, and analyze a myriad of physical, biological, and cultural data describing the Earth. It is proving to be very useful for climate change modeling, decision support, policymaking, prediction, response, and adaptation.”

Fragments of the City: Stanford’s Digital Forma Urbis Romae Project

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on December 8, 2009 at 8:54 am

…in the Proceedings of the Third Williams Symposium on Classical Architecture, Journal of Roman Archaeology suppl., 2005…

David Koller, Jennifer Trimble, Tina Najbjerg, Natasha Gelfand, Marc Levoy

“In this article, we summarize the Stanford Digital Forma Urbis Project work since it began in 1999 and discuss its implications for representing and imaging Rome. First, we digitized the shape and surface of every known fragment of the Severan Marble Plan using laser range scanners and digital color cameras; the raw data collected consists of 8 billion polygons and 6 thousand color images, occupying 40 gigabytes. These range and color data have been assembled into a set of 3D computer models and high-resolution photographs – one for each of the 1,186 marble fragments. Second, this data has served in the development of fragment matching algorithms; to date, these have resulted in over a dozen highly probable, new matches. Third, we have gathered the Project’s 3D models and color photographs into a relational database and supported them with archaeological documentation and an up-to-date scholarly apparatus for each fragment. This database is intended to be a public, web-based, research and study tool for scholars, students and interested members of the general public alike. Fourth, these digital and archaeological data, and their availability in a hypertext format, have the potential to broaden the scope and type of research done on this ancient map by facilitating a range of typological, representational and urbanistic analyses of the map, some of which are proposed here. In these several ways, we hope that this Project will contribute to new ways of imaging Rome.”

An Agenda for Development of Vertically Georeferenced, Web-optimized, Subsurface Information

In Environmental Science, Geography on December 8, 2009 at 8:35 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

Harvey Thorleifson

“Geological mapping is an essential service provided by geological survey agencies at the federal and state/provincial level. The mapping represents an authoritative prediction regarding the composition, structure, and origin of sediments and rocks, based on observations and inferences backed by research on material, process, and history. This spatial accounting is needed to support the progress of research and societal applications related to energy, minerals, water, climate change, waste disposal, construction, and hazards.”

Quote of the Day

In Geography, Quotes on December 8, 2009 at 8:29 am

“Geography is Destiny in Medicine.”

–Jack Lord, MD

Post Doctoral Research Scientist, Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets

In Climate Change, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on December 7, 2009 at 10:58 am

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) located at the University of Kansas is a Science and Technology Center established by the National Science Foundation in 2005. Its mission is to understand and predict the role of ice sheets in sea level change.

CReSIS is currently inviting applications to fill a post-doctoral position in geophysical data management and processing of CReSIS field data.

Required Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Geography, Geosciences, or related field.
  • Proficient in the use of GIS software tools as evidenced by applicable coursework or work history.
  • Strong written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and publications.

More information

Mapping Locally Complex Geologic Units in Three Dimensions: The Multi-point Geostatistical Approach

In Environmental Science, Geography, Statistics on December 7, 2009 at 7:57 am

…from the 2009 Three-Dimensional Geologic Mapping Workshop held by the Illinois State Geological Survey…

G. Phelps and A. Boucher

“Multi-point geostatistics offers a way to map locally complex geology in three dimensions. The resulting maps are not unique; rather, many alternative maps are created, each conforming to known geology and expected geologic unit shape. The maps can incorporate important geologic characteristics, such as a general change in unit orientation across a basin and vertical continuity between units. The alternative 3D geologic maps, when viewed together, provide estimates of the geologic variability of the region, and can lead directly to estimates of uncertainty for process models that are built upon the 3D geology, such as flow and transport models.”

GIS and West Nile Virus: A Bibliography

In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science, Social Science on December 3, 2009 at 9:05 am

Alborino, G.  2003.  Halton Region’s West Nile Virus Information System.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2003. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc03/abstracts/a1107.pdf

Bangs, C. 2003.  GIS-enabled Surveillance System for West Nile Virus Neurological Syndromes.  ESRI Health Conference Proceedings 2003. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/health03/papers/pap3035/p3035.htm

Bauer, C., and Gallagher, T.  2003.  The Incorporation of GIS Into a Local Mosquito Control Program.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2003. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc03/p0371.pdf

Clennon, J., Kitron, U., Lippold, A., McTighe, T., Norris, D., and Ruiz, M.  2004.  West Nile Virus in Illinois—2001 and 2002.  ESRI Map Book Volume 19. 

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/health1.html

Conrad, E.  2001.  Tracking Mosquitoes Technology.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2001. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc01/professional/abstracts/a563.html

Conrad, E.  2001.  Tracking Diseases with GIS.  ArcUser July – September 2001. 

http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0701/wnvirus.html

Egbert, M.  2004.  Web-Based Disease Tracking: A West Nile Virus Example.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2004. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap1131.pdf

ESRI.  2005.  Mobile GIS Enhances Prevention and Response for Texas County.  ArcUser April – June 2005. 

http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0405/wnv.html

ESRI.  2009.  HL7 and Spatial Interoperability Standards for Public Health and Health Care Delivery.  ESRI White Paper January 2009. 

http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/hl7-spatial-interoperability.pdf

Fraser, M., Mak, S., Furnell, A., and Henry, B.  2008.  Using Surveillance of Mosquito Populations to Assess Larval Mosquito Control.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2008. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1284.html

Gibbs, K.  2004.  Comprehensive GIS Application for West Nile Virus Surveillance.  ESRI Health Conference Proceedings 2004. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/health04/papers/pap3018.pdf

Hailey, C.  2005.  GIS for Integrated Pest Management.  ESRI Health Conference Proceedings 2005. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/health05/docs/hailey_harriscountytexas_hug_2005.pdf

Hamer, G., Kitron, U., Goldberg, T., Brawn, J., Loss, S., Ruiz, M., Hayes, D., and Walker, E. 2009.  Host Selection by Culex pipiens Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus Amplification.  Am J Trop Med Hyg, Feb 2009. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19190226

Harten, H., and Piaskoski, A.  2008.  West Nile Virus Surveillance.  ESRI Health Conference Proceedings 2008. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/health08/docs/mapgallery/c0000515.pdf

Henriques, W., and Raziano, T.  2004.  Using Geospatial Technology for Public Health Preparedness.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2004.

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/abstracts/a2112.html

Leblond, A., Sandoz, A., Lefebvre, G., Zellerc, H., and Bicout, D.J. 2007.  Remote sensing based identification of environmental risk factors associated with West Nile disease in horses in Camargue, France .  Preventive Veterinary Medicine Volume 79, Issue 1, 16 April 2007. 

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TBK-4MKTXMW-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=82c667eeb6d509101865c4248b646f19

Minter, M.  2005.  Developing a GIS-Based West Nile Virus Infection Model.  ArcUser January – March 2005. 

http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0205/west_nile1of2.html

Nielsen, C., Armijos, M., Wheeler, S., Carpenter, T., Boyce, W., Kelley, K., Brown, D., Scott,  T., and Reisen, W.  2008.  Risk Factors Associated with Human Infection during the 2006 West Nile Virus Outbreak in Davis, a Residential Community in Northern California.  Am J Trop Med Hyg, Jan 2008. 

http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/full/78/1/53

Rochlin, I., Ginsberg, H., and Campbell, S.  2009.  Distribution and Abundance of Host-seeking Culex Species at Three Proximate Locations with Different Levels of West Nile Virus Activity.  Am J Trop Med Hyg, Apr 2009. 

http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/4/661

Ruiz, M., Brown, W., and Clennon, J.  2006.  Weather Conditions and West Nile Virus in Illinois.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2006. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc06/papers/abstracts/a1458.html

Shuai, J.  2006.  Integrated Real-Time West Nile Virus Surveillance Pilot in Canada.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2006. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc06/papers/abstracts/a1075.html

Stoto, M., Cheung, I., Estrada, L., Foster, V., Mele, L., and Smith, M.  2001.  Coordinated Regional Surveillance for West Nile Virus in Metropolitan Washington.  ESRI Health Conference Proceedings 2001. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/health01/papers/hc01_p02d/hc01_p02d.ppt

Villa, P.  2004.  Fight the Bite With GIS.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2004. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc04/docs/pap2021.pdf

Wilbur, B., and Mundt, J.  2007.  Vector Borne Disease Surveillance using ArcWeb Services.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2007. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/papers/pap_1100.pdf

Wraight, K, and Arnold, N.  2005.  West Nile in Washtenaw.  ESRI International User Conference Proceedings 2005. 

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc05/abstracts/a2059.html

Winters, A., Eisen, R., Lozano-Fuentes, S., Moore, C., Pape, W., and Eisen, L.  2008.  Predictive Spatial Models for Risk of West Nile Virus Exposure in Eastern and Western Colorado.  Am J Trop Med Hyg, Oct 2008. 

http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/full/79/4/581

Winters, A., Staples, J., Ogen-Odoi, A., Mead, P., Griffith, K., Owor, N., Babi, N., Enscore, R., Eisen, L., Gage, K., and Eisen, R.  2009.  Spatial Risk Models for Human Plague in the West Nile Region of Uganda.  Am J Trop Med Hyg, Jun 2009. 

http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/6/1014

A Method for Investigating Population Declines of Migratory Birds Using Stable Isotopes: Origins of Harvested Lesser Scaup in North America

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on December 2, 2009 at 8:52 am

…from PLOSone…

Keith A. Hobson, Michael B. Wunder, Steven L. Van Wilgenburg, Robert G. Clark, Leonard I. Wassenaar

“Elucidating geographic locations from where migratory birds are recruited into adult breeding populations is a fundamental but largely elusive goal in conservation biology. This is especially true for species that breed in remote northern areas where field-based demographic assessments are logistically challenging.

“Here we used hydrogen isotopes (δD) to determine natal origins of migrating hatch-year lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) harvested by hunters in the United States from all North American flyways during the hunting seasons of 1999–2000 (n = 412) and 2000–2001 (n = 455). We combined geospatial, observational, and analytical data sources, including known scaup breeding range, δD values of feathers from juveniles at natal sites, models of δD for growing-season precipitation, and scaup band-recovery data to generate probabilistic natal origin landscapes for individual scaup. We then used Monte Carlo integration to model assignment uncertainty from among individual δD variance estimates from birds of known molt origin and also from band-return data summarized at the flyway level. We compared the distribution of scaup natal origin with the distribution of breeding population counts obtained from systematic long-term surveys.

“Our analysis revealed that the proportion of young scaup produced in the northern (above 60°N) versus the southern boreal and Prairie-Parkland region was inversely related to the proportions of breeding adults using these regions, suggesting that despite having a higher relative abundance of breeding adults, the northern boreal region was less productive for scaup recruitment into the harvest than more southern biomes. Our approach for evaluating population declines of migratory birds (particularly game birds) synthesizes all available distributional data and exploits the advantages of intrinsic isotopic markers that link individuals to geography.”

Geospatial Information Scholar Honored by Regional Science Association International

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Social Science, Statistics on December 2, 2009 at 8:25 am

Dr. Daniel Griffith, Ashbel Smith Professor of Geospatial Information Sciences in UT Dallas’ School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, has been elected a fellow of the Regional Science Association International. He is one of only two Texas researchers to receive the honor.

Griffith has spent his career studying the Earth and how locations affect how we live. Because his research is global in scope, it’s appropriate that he was honored by an organization whose members work in countries throughout the world.

To have his life’s work recognized and applauded by his colleagues in regional science was a great tribute, Griffith said.

“I was very flattered,” he said. “This was one of my career goals.”

Griffith was one of 11 scientists honored this year. He and Dr. James LeSage of Texas State University are the first Texas-based academics to be named fellows. The group has elected about 50 fellows since the program’s inception in 2001.

Griffith is a past president of the North American branch. He came to UT Dallas from the University of Miami in 2005.

His research focuses primarily on spatial statistics, quantitative urban and economic geography, and applied statistics. He looks at economic and cultural data collected by governments and analyzes the influence of location and geographic features. Griffith teaches courses at UT Dallas about spatial statistics, geographic information sciences research design, mathematical statistics and spatial organization.

Griffith is the author of 15 books and has received many honors. He was selected as a Fulbright research fellow, a Guggenheim fellow and was elected a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences. He is editor of Geographical Analysis and is a steering committee member of the International Geographical Union’s Commission of Modeling Geographical Systems.

Griffith received his plaque in November during the North American Regional Science Association annual meeting in San Francisco. The international organization has about 4,000 members worldwide.

The group’s scholars are interested in the regional effects of economic and social change. They take a multidisciplinary approach and use the latest quantitative methods and technologies to develop new models for impact assessment.

[Source: UT Dallas news release]

Movebank: An Online Data Repository and Community for Animal Tracking and Photo Monitoring

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on December 1, 2009 at 9:10 am

“Thousands of Biologists collect animal movement data but there are no tools to save or compare these. Most data are used once and then disappear into a filing cabinet.  Movebank facilitates long-term comparisons of these data making it possible to address pressing questions such as the effects of global climate change and human-caused landscape change.  It also compliments new technologies for collecting data in real-time by providing live interaction and alerts.”

Movebank Community Web Site

“We are are an open community with the common interest of remotely monitoring organisms in their habitats. We are biologists and engineers engaged in a dialog across disciplines and backgrounds. We hope this web site will serve as a venue to further communication among the diverse parties interested in the development and deployment of technologies for gathering data on free-ranging organisms.”

Mapping Loneliness

In Geography, Social Science on December 1, 2009 at 8:46 am

…from ScienceNews…

“A graphical representation of the social network of Framingham, Mass., shows lonely people clustering at the periphery of the network. Each point represents a person (greater loneliness from yellow to green to blue) and lines between points indicate types of relationships (red for siblings and black for friends and spouses).”

Why we need to improve geographic literacy

In GIS, Geography, Science on December 1, 2009 at 8:27 am

…from the Kansas City Star…

“Year after year surveys reveal that only 37 percent of young Americans know where Iraq is and a large minority cannot locate the Pacific Ocean on a map.

“Like clockwork, commentators then write how horrible it is that America is so geographically illiterate. While it is true that geographic ignorance is a big problem, these commentators do geography no favors.

“Geography has long been thought of as merely the memorization of places. This is how it is taught by many schools.

“The notion that geography is just a memory game and not a science led some of the nation’s finest educational institutions including Harvard University to stop teaching geography in the 1940s and 1950s. Geography has been in exile ever since.”

The Geography of Air Pollution: Where are Pregnant Women and their Children at Risk?

In Environmental Science, Geography on December 1, 2009 at 8:27 am

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Institute of the Environment, UCLA

Beate Ritz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair, UCLA Department of Epidemiology will present “Air Pollution Impacts on Pregnant Women, Infants and Children”.

John Balmes, M.D., Professor of Medicine, UC San Francisco will present “Policy Approaches to Protect Communities from the Health Effects of Local Pollution”.

Don Beck and Ravi Shankar: A Brief History of the Imaginary Map

In Geography on November 30, 2009 at 10:31 am

…from MungBeing…

“Nobody really knows why there is no patron saint of cartographers. Even the meanest human professions have one: criminals can turn to St. Dismas and drug addicts to St. Kolbe for comfort, but nobody offers the honest, hardworking cartographer solace against the misfortunes of an inaccurately drawn coastline or a spilled ink pot. Not so for navigators (and how far would they get without a map?) who have no less than four patron saints, including the queen of hearts of the patron saint deck, the Virgin Mary herself, and the indefatigable St. Francis Xavier who, in between conducting 40,000 baptisms, managed to find time to dine with head-hunters, raise the dead, and calm the occasional storm. It appears a patron has been set aside for every profession imaginable — except for cartography.

So spare a thought for the younger sibling of cartographers, the ‘fantasy cartographer’, who draws maps not of our real world, but of imaginary places. The chances of this small community of ever being bestowed their own patron saint must be smaller than the finest dot of a crow’s quill pen, although as this brief history of this obscure subculture of mapping shows, there are no shortage of candidates for the Patronus Sanctus Mappi Imago, or Patron Saint of the Fantasy Mapper.

In the beginning there was really no distinction between fantasy and factual cartography at all. Our understanding of the Earth and everything on it was sketchy to the point that beyond the next village, geographical fact often merged into fantasy. Blank spaces on maps are not good for the cartographer’s business, so to provide money’s worth to their customers, cartographers filled out the empty spaces on their maps with invented countries and fantastical creatures, including that old standby margin filler: ‘Here be Dragons’. Factual and fantasy cartography diverged in the 18th Century when exploration and map-making greatly improved and more reliable information edged the unicorns, gryphons, and dragons towards the borders of modern maps until they disappeared altogether. But during the same period, the birth of the mass produced printed picture created a large demand from a still largely illiterate population for illustrations of popular stories, including maps of fictional places. The public was keen to see an illustration of Dante’s nine circles of Hell (perhaps thinking that by memorizing a street map of Hades they could find their way out if they were unfortunate enough to be cast there in the afterlife) or the journey of Christian in ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ — a road map to salvation which if followed meant that Dante’s map would not be required.”

Ethnographic maps built using cutting-edge technology may help Amazon tribes win forest carbon payments

In Climate Change, GIS, Geography, Social Science on November 30, 2009 at 10:09 am

…from mongabay.com…

“A new handbook lays out the methodology for cultural mapping, providing indigenous groups with a powerful tool for defending their land and culture, while enabling them to benefit from some 21st century advancements. Cultural mapping may also facilitate indigenous efforts to win recognition and compensation under a proposed scheme to mitigate climate change through forest conservation. The scheme—known as REDD for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation—will be a central topic of discussion at next month’s climate talks in Copenhagen, but concerns remain that it could fail to deliver benefits to forest dwellers.

“Much of the Amazon rainforest remains occupied by tribal groups. While few of these live as conjured in the imagination, the state of the forests in their territories is a testament to their approach to managing lands. But like the Amazon itself, these groups face new pressures from the outside world. For the indigenous, the lure of urban culture is strong—cities seem to offer the promise of affluence and the conveniences of an easy life. But in leaving their forest homes indigenous peoples are usually met with a stark reality: the skills that serve them so well in the forest don’t translate well to an urban setting. The odds are stacked against them; they arrive near the bottom of the social ladder, often not proficient in the language and customs of city dwellers. The lucky ones may find work in factories or as day laborers and security guards, but many eventually return to the countryside. Some re-integrate into their villages, others return in a completely different capacity than when they departed. They may join the ranks of miners and loggers who trespass on indigenous lands, ferreting out deals that pit members of the same tribe against each other in order to exploit the resources they steward. As tribes are fragmented, and forests fall, indigenous culture—and the profound knowledge contained within—is lost. The world is left a poorer place, culturally and biologically.”

Gamma Theta Upsilon: The International Geographic Honor Society

In Geography on November 30, 2009 at 9:09 am

“Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) is an international honor society in geography. Gamma Theta Upsilon was founded in 1928 and became a national organization in 1931. Members of GTU have met academic requirements and share a background and interest in geography. GTU chapter activities support geography knowledge and awareness.

“GTU’s Goals are:

“1. To further professional interest in Geography by affording a common organization for those interested in the field.

“2. To strengthen student and professional training through academic experiences in addition to those of the classroom and laboratory.

“3. To advance the status of Geography as a cultural and practical discipline for study and investigation.

“4. To encourage student research of high quality, and to promote an outlet for publication.

“5. To create and administer funds for furthering graduate study and/or research in the field of Geography.

“6. To encourage members to apply geographic knowledge and skills in service to humankind.”

Quote of the Day

In Geography, Quotes on November 30, 2009 at 8:47 am

“The map is not the territory.”

–Alfred Korzybski

The Spatial History Project at Stanford University

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on November 30, 2009 at 8:08 am

“The Spatial History Project at Stanford University a part of the Bill Lane Center for the American West, is made possible by the generous funding of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

“The project brings together scholars working on projects at the intersection of geography and history using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in their research. While enthusiastic about GIS, which offers a common framework for this research, the Spatial History Project is gearing up to move beyond GIS, to create tools to harvest useful information from large heterogeneous datasets of maps, images, and texts, and create dynamic, interactive digital visualizations for analyzing and representing change over space and time.

“The primary research projects within the Spatial History Project include:

  • How the West Was Shaped — Richard White’s project is developing a large database and computer graphics tools to study and represent visually how people’s experience of space and time was dramatically shaped by railroads in the North American West in the 19th century.
  • Terrain of History — Zephyr Frank’s collaboration with colleagues with colleagues at Brown University and the Cecult team at UNICAMP, Brazil has been supported by the Stanford Humanities Center.
  • Critical Habitat — Jon Christensen’s research grew out of his work with an interdisciplinary team supported by the Woods Institute for the Environment to study the feasibility of reintroducing the Bay checkerspot butterfly to the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, where it went extinct locally in 1997.

More information

Scanned Historic City Maps added to Harvard Geospatial Library

In GIS, Geography on November 30, 2009 at 7:36 am

The Harvard Geospatial Library (HGL) is collection of 6,799 worldwide and regional geographic data layers, scanned historic maps and associated descriptive information that can be searched mapped and downloaded for use for use with your GIS software.

Additional items recently added to HGL include scanned historic maps of the following cities: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Madison, Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Quebec City; Louisbourg, Halifax and Port Royal (Nova Scotia); Mexico City, Havana, Dublin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Copenhagen, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Moscow, Jerusalem, Beijing, and Tokyo. Also recently added to HGL is a global oil pipeline data created by the Center for Geographic Analysis.

Tool Kits in Regional Science: Theory, Models, and Estimation

In Books, Geography, Modeling, Spatial Analysis on November 30, 2009 at 7:30 am

“Regional Science is now more than 50 years old; in the last two decades, significant advances in methodology have occurred, spurred in large part by access to computers. The range of analytical techniques now available is enormous; this books provides a sampling of the toolkit that is now at the disposal of analysts interested in understanding and interpreting the complexity of the spatial structure of sub- national economies. The set of tools ranges from the more traditional (input-output) to new developments in computable general equilibrium models, nonlinear dynamics, neural modelling and innovation.”

Archaeologists Publish Online Map of Contested Sites in Middle East

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on November 25, 2009 at 8:50 am

…from the UCLA Newsroom…

“A team of archaeologists from UCLA, USC, Israel and Palestinian territories has developed the first map detailing Israeli archaeological activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem – much of it never publicly disclosed.

“The fully searchable online map, which serves as a window into thousands of years worth of archaeological sites in the Holy Lands, has won the 2009 Open Archaeology Prize from American Schools of Oriental Research, the main organization for archaeologists working in the Middle East.”

Capt. Charles Moore Last Night at ESRI

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on November 24, 2009 at 8:07 am

University of Nebraska Geography Profs.: Fewer Counties Mean Less Spending

In Education, Geography on November 23, 2009 at 8:29 am

…from KearneyHub.com…

“A study conducted by University of Nebraska at Kearney geography professors Paul Burger and Jason Combs examined the possibility of having 28 counties in the state.

“Nebraska currently has 93 counties. “We’re looking at what’s the feasibility here given a geographical perspective, the current county seats, the population settlement pattern, transportation networks, how might it look, what would it cost taxpayers, and then posing the question: Are there any services or functions that could be improved in such a way?” Burger said.

“The study, which was released Wednesday by the Omaha-based Platte Institute for Economic Research, says Nebraska counties were established during pioneer days when citizens rode horses to the county seat and home within the same day.

“Burger and Combs found that proximity is no longer a priority because technology has changed.”

Graduate Research Assistantships at Ohio University for Study of Local Knowledge and Climate Change Adaptation in Tanzania

In Climate Change, GIS, Geography, Social Science on November 23, 2009 at 7:08 am

Department of Geography, Ohio University

Two two-year research assistantships at the M.A. level are available through a new project on local knowledge and climate change adaptation in Tanzania supported by the National Science Foundation’s Geography and Spatial Science (GSS) Program. The project – Linking Local Knowledge and Local Institutions for the Study of Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change: Participatory GIS in Northern Tanzania – investigates the myriad ways in which human, social, and institutional capital enable households and communities to draw on local knowledge and outside specialist knowledge to moderate the negative effects of greater climatic instability on rural livelihoods.

In addition to completing required courses for the M.A. program over two academic years (2010-2011 and 2011-2012), the successful candidates will contribute to an international interdisciplinary research project. We expect applicants to develop a thesis project that contributes to the project’s research objectives.

One graduate research assistant will work on the development of online multimedia applications derived from a participatory GIS. Background or interest in cartography and web-based mapping is desirable.

A second research assistant will work with the research team on the implementation of the project’s participatory field methodology and
contribute to data analysis. The student’s interests should be focused on environment- development interactions (e.g., the dynamics of resource access, political, environmental or cultural-linguistic dimensions of local knowledge systems, gendered aspects of climate change adaptation). Proficiency in Kiswahili or interest in learning Kiswahili at Ohio University is a plus.

The assistantships include two academic years of tuition waiver and stipend for students enrolled in the Geography M.A. program. Additional support is available for student field research activities in Tanzania.

Eligible students may also apply for a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship from OU’s Center for African Studies: http://www.internat ionalstudies. ohio.edu/ app-info/ flas.html

The Ohio University Department of Geography is a dynamic department with 150 undergraduate majors and a graduate program that has expanded to 25. Faculty in the department offer coursework and conduct research on topics that bring together the Earth’s human and physical components and focus on issues from local to global scales. Graduate students also benefit from the resources of Ohio University’s Center for African Studies, a National Resource Center (NRC) for Africa, which creates additional opportunity for the interdisciplinary study of African languages, societies, and environments.

The application deadline is February 15 for Fall 2010 admission.

For more information regarding the application procedure, consult the department and Graduate College websites: http://www.ohio. edu/geography& http://www.ohio. edu/graduate/ ).

For more information about the assistantships, contact Tom Smucker smucker@ohio. edu.

Map of the Day: Influenza Vaccine Inventory by Health District

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Map of the Day, Social Science on November 23, 2009 at 6:55 am

…from the ESRI Map Book Volume 1: GIS in State Government…

Nebraska Health and Human Services System

“The state of Nebraska conducts annual surveys of influenza activity in the state. There are multiple tools in place to collect and report data about health status related to influenza activity.

“During the current vaccine shortage and the shortage that occurred last year, the state of Nebraska used the Health Alert Network to communicate with providers and public health departments. Various automated surveys, fax surveys, and phone calls helped determine vaccine supply, antiviral supply, and vaccine need across the state. Many of these data sources were integrated into GIS and printed as maps for public health communication purposes and for data analysis by public health professionals.

“The map shows the number of doses of flu vaccine interpolated by the population by health district. The product is the number of doses per resident.”

Washington Post: ‘Augmented Reality’ Fuses Your World and the Web

In Geography on November 20, 2009 at 8:44 am

… from the Washington Post…

“The cameras on some new phones don’t show the world as you’ve known it.

“Instead of just viewing the usual landscape of people, places and things on their screens, you see circles, rectangles and icons floating on top of the scenery. Tap one to display a snippet of Internet data about whatever lies behind that tag. As you look around, the view on the phone’s display shifts accordingly, presenting new shortcuts to whatever the Web knows about your surroundings.

“The concept goes by the name “augmented reality,” and it’s been quietly bringing one of the Internet’s hokiest promises to a mainstream audience.”

Cellphone App to Make Maps of Noise Pollution

In Citizen Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on November 20, 2009 at 8:23 am

…from New Scientist…

“Cellphones could soon be used to fight noise pollution – an irony that won’t be lost on those driven to distraction by mobile phones’ ringtones.

“In a bid to make cities quieter, the European Union requires member states to create noise maps of their urban areas once every five years. Rather than deploying costly sensors all over a city, the maps are often created using computer models that predict how various sources of noise, such as airports and railway stations, affect the areas around them.

“Nicolas Maisonneuve of the Sony Computer Science Laboratory in Paris, France, says that those maps are not an accurate reflection of residents’ exposure to noise. To get a more precise picture, Maisonneuve’s team has developed NoiseTube, a downloadable software app which uses people’s smartphones to monitor noise pollution. “The goal was to turn the mobile phone into an environmental sensor,” says Maisonneuve.”

Better World Maps, Drawn by Volunteers

In Citizen Science, GIS, Geography on November 20, 2009 at 8:16 am

…from Sci-TechToday.org…

“People have been contributing to digital maps for some time, building displays of crime statistics or apartment rentals. Now they are creating and editing the underlying maps of streets, highways, rivers and coastlines. That is changing the dynamics of an industry that has been dominated by a handful of digital mapping companies.”

Research Challenges to Understanding, Predicting, and Restoring Landscape Changes Identified

In Books, Climate Change, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on November 19, 2009 at 7:57 am

Nine research challenges and four research initiatives that are poised to advance the study of how Earth’s landscapes change were unveiled today in a new report by the National Research Council.  These challenges and initiatives could open the path to resolving environmental issues, from coastal erosion to landslides, by helping predict how processes such as wind, ice, water, tectonics, and living organisms drive changes in the Earth’s surface.

The development of new analytic and computing technologies and the heightened demand for scientific guidance in decision making concerning future landscape transformation and restoration have propelled research in Earth surface processes over the past two decades.  However, significant questions remain unanswered, which are addressed in these challenges and initiatives.

What does our planet’s past tell us about its future? The surface of the Earth records its own evolution, which scientists can examine through evidence in ice cores, sediments, and landforms.  Accelerating the ability for researchers to tap into that record could help determine how the surface environment alters through time and how it may change in the future.

How do geopatterns on Earth’s surface arise and what do they tell us about processes? From repeated patterns on sand dunes to similar shapes of barrier islands, myriad land patterns at all scales can be seen on the planet’s surface.  Scientists have found that these geopatterns often emerge spontaneously, evolve over time, and are resilient, as unstable patterns do not last for long periods.  Geopatterns provide a template for understanding many Earth surface processes, which could help scientists predict how the surface will respond to natural and human-induced changes.

How do landscapes influence and record climate and the movement of large pieces of the Earth’s crust? One of the advances in the earth sciences is the recognition of interactions between climate and the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates.  For example, in mountain ranges developed from converging tectonic plates, prevailing winds may force clouds, rain, and glaciers to remain on one side of the range, which could increase erosion.  Such concentrated erosion draws more rock upward from within the Earth, increasing the height of the range and further affecting local climate patterns.  Scientists are searching to quantify the interactions and feedbacks among landscapes, tectonics, climate, and life.  For instance, how much could climate change increase rainfall, which in turn would increase the frequency of erosion from landslides?

How does the biogeochemical reactor of the Earth’s surface respond to and shape landscapes on local to global scales? The chemical erosion and weathering of bedrock and soil are among the least understood of the geological processes.  They are often major factors in how landscapes change because of their effects on climate, groundwater and river chemistry, strength of rocks, erosion, and availability of nutrients in soils.  Gaining insight into the nutrient cycle essential to both living organisms and climate, for example, will allow scientists to address the effects of human-induced changes to land and groundwater.

What are the transport laws that govern the evolution of the Earth’s surface? Quantitative approaches are needed to define how and at what rates a process like erosion can shape the landscape.  Significant progress has been made in developing and applying mathematical formulas known as “transport laws” to gauge the rate at which soil is transferred or a river can cut through bedrock.  Nonetheless, scientists still need to establish the transport laws for processes such as landsliding, transport and deposit of mud, and glacial and chemical erosion.

How do ecosystems and landscapes co-evolve? Living organisms strongly influence the form and pace of surface erosion, and they control the nutrient cycle with simultaneous effects on climate, hydrology, erosion, and topography.  Coordinated efforts to identify connections among life forms, surface processes, and landscapes are under way at various field observatories.  However, greater knowledge is needed to develop predictive models and perform experiments that explore the causes, effects, rates, and magnitudes of life-landscape interactions.

What controls landscape resilience to change? Some areas of Earth’s surface are more vulnerable than others to change.  For example, polar and glacial regions are nearing or are in a state of flux predicted to continue with global warming.  Scientists need to better understand how rapid and abrupt changes occur and the factors and processes that make landscapes resilient to these changes.

How will Earth’s surface evolve in the new era? The term “Anthropocene” has been suggested to describe a new era in which humans have become dominant.  Understanding, predicting, and adjusting to changing landscapes increasingly altered by humans constitute pressing challenges, and science is far from developing a general theory of coupled human-natural systems.

How can science contribute to a sustainable Earth surface? With increasing scientific knowledge of the causes and long-term effects of human-induced changes to land, a consensus has emerged that at least some of these disrupted landscapes can and should be restored or redesigned.  Researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public have recently begun to examine the success and limitations of past restoration efforts.  Earth surface scientists can contribute to these efforts and provide guidance in future decisions regarding natural and managed landscapes.

In addition, the report proposes four research initiatives, derived from the nine challenges, to provide promising pathways for scientific guidance on issues related to planning, mitigation, and response to changes in the Earth’s surface now and in the future.  The four research areas would delve into understanding interacting landscapes and climate, the co-evolution of ecosystems and landscapes, quantitative reconstruction of landscape dynamics across time scales, and the future of landscapes in the Anthropocene.

Copies of Landscapes on the Edge are available from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu.  Reporters may obtain a copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above).

[Source: National Academies press release]

NASA Invites Citizen Scientists to Help Improve Map of Mars

In Citizen Science, Geography, Planetary GIS on November 18, 2009 at 9:31 am

Are you bored working on Open StreetMap?  Are you submitting basemap corrections to Google and increasingly finding yourself thinking “there has to be more to life than this”?  Well NASA has a new way for you to volunteer your time to not just make the world a better place, but make the solar system a better place.

NASA and Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash., have collaborated to create a Web site where Internet users can have fun while advancing their knowledge of Mars.

Drawing on observations from NASA’s Mars missions, the “Be a Martian” Web site will enable the public to participate as citizen scientists to improve Martian maps, take part in research tasks, and assist Mars science teams studying data about the Red Planet.

“We’re at a point in history where everyone can be an explorer,” said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “With so much data coming back from Mars missions that are accessible by all, exploring Mars has become a shared human endeavor. People worldwide can expand the specialized efforts of a few hundred Mars mission team members and make authentic contributions of their own.”

Participants will be able to explore details of the solar system’s grandest canyon, which resides on Mars. Users can call up images in the Valles Marineris canyon before moving on to chart the entire Red Planet. The collaboration of thousands of participants could assist scientists in producing far better maps, smoother zoom-in views, and make for easier interpretation of Martian surface changes.

By counting craters, the public also may help scientists determine the relative ages of small regions on Mars. In the past, counting Martian craters has posed a challenge because of the vast numbers involved. By contributing, Web site users will win game points assigned to a robotic animal avatar they select.

With a common goal of inspiring digital-age workforce development and life-long learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, NASA and Microsoft unveiled the Web site at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles this week. The site also beckons software developers to win prizes for creating tools that provide access to and analysis of hundreds of thousands of Mars images for online, classroom and Mars mission team use.

“Industry leaders like NASA and Microsoft have a social responsibility as well as a vested interest in advancing science and technology education,” said Walid Abu-Hadba, corporate vice president of the Developer and Platform Evangelism Group at Microsoft. “We are excited to be working with NASA to provide new opportunities to engage with Mars mission data, and to help spark interest and excitement among the next generation of scientists and technologists.”

To encourage more public participation, the site also provides a virtual town hall forum where users can expand their knowledge by proposing Mars questions and voting on which are the most interesting to the community. Online talks by Mars experts will address some of the submitted questions. Other features include interactive tools for viewing Martian regions and movies about people who study Mars in diverse ways.

“Mars exploration inspires people of all ages, and we are especially eager to encourage young people to explore Mars for themselves,” said Charles Elachi, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “We are delighted to be involved in providing the creative opportunity for future explorers to contribute to our understanding of Mars.”

“The beauty of this type of experience is that it not only teaches people about Mars and the work NASA is doing there, but it also engages large groups of people to help solve real challenges that computers cannot solve by themselves,” said Marc Mercuri, director of business innovation in the Developer and Platform Evangelism Group at Microsoft.

The Mars Exploration Program is managed by JPL for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

To enroll as a virtual Martian citizen and start exploring, visit http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov

[Source: NASA press release]

Geography Awareness Week: How Much Water is in the Ocean?

In Climate Change, Geography, Science on November 18, 2009 at 7:47 am

…from Science Daily…

“The calculation of variations in the sea level is relatively simple. It is by far more complicated to then determine the change in the water mass. A team of geodesists and oceanographers from the University of Bonn, as well as from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences and the Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Sciences, two centres of the Helmholtz Association, have now, for the first time succeeded in doing this. The researchers were able to observe short-term fluctuations in the spatial distribution of the ocean water masses. Their results are, amongst others, important for improved climate models.

“In order to determine the ocean volume in a certain region, one only needs to know, in addition to the topography of the seabed, the height of the sea level. For this purpose, researchers have long been resorting to gauging stations and satellite altimetric procedures. The ocean mass depends, however, not only on the volume, but also on the temperature and on the salt content. Water expands when heated. Warm water, thus, weighs less than the same quantity of cold water.”

The World is Much Smaller than Many Think

In ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography, Science on November 17, 2009 at 9:17 am

…from Yahoo!…

“Some people have suggested the world is getting smaller, but the majority overestimate its size ten-fold, according to new research.

“A survey of 2,000 adults found the average estimate for the distance around the equator was more than 300,000 miles, when it is actually 25,000.

“The public also appears to overestimate the extent of scientific knowledge, according to the poll. One in five thought further scientific fieldwork was unnecessary and half believed exploration was more commonly linked to television documentaries than new discoveries.

“The research, commissioned by ESRI (UK), a provider of geographic information systems technology, suggested fewer people were inspired by tales of classic explorers.”

Free U.S. Earth Imagery Sharpens Shared View of Global Challenges

In Citizen Science, Geography, Imagery, Science on November 17, 2009 at 8:59 am

USGS Director McNutt a Leader in U.S. Delegation at International Conference

Free, easily accessible U.S. satellite data enables any citizen, scientist, or analyst who can use the information to contribute to a shared vision of the challenges facing our planet.

That’s the message the newly-appointed director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Dr. Marcia McNutt, plans to deliver when representatives of 80 governments and over 50 participating organizations convene at the international Group on Earth Observations (GEO-VI) meeting, November 16-17, in Washington, D.C.

“Our policy of providing free Landsat data supports a central GEO goal: to promote global distribution of earth observation data,” said McNutt. “With a continuous record of earth observation since 1972, Landsat provides the most complete set of land surface information as well as a vital historical perspective for researchers, decision makers, and commercial users around the world.”

From over 400 miles above Earth, the scale of Landsat imagery makes it particularly useful in understanding natural and human-induced changes to the planet. The data enable a wide array of investigations — from supporting disaster relief efforts to making agricultural crop assessments to correlating environmental conditions with famine, biodiversity, and human health.

Beginning with the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972, Landsat, a joint operation of USGS and NASA, has produced over two million space-based, moderate-resolution, land remote sensing images. The massive data archive is maintained at the USGS-EROS facility in Sioux Falls, S.D.

“As the world’s increasing population is compelled to face the effects of climate change and the limitations of water, petroleum, and other vital resources, the broad availability of images from Landsat and other earth observation satellites benefits both developing and developed countries,” said Dr. McNutt. McNutt became the 15th USGS Director on November 5.

USGEO, the American contribution to GEO, is sponsored by 15 federal agencies and two White House offices.

“I am very pleased to note that it was the agency I now direct, USGS, that opened the Landsat archive to the world free of charge,” McNutt continued. “Since the archive was opened, over 1 million images have been provided to users from 180 countries — a resounding success.”

For further information, visit:

[Source: USGS news release]

Visualization: Lake Cahuilla and the Formation of the Salton Sea

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Video, Visualization on November 17, 2009 at 8:15 am

From The Redlands Institute at the University of Redlands, animation of the drawdown of Lake Cahuilla to the present day Salton Sea in Southern California.

What can YOU do to Celebrate Geography Awareness Week?

In ESRI, Education, Geography on November 17, 2009 at 8:06 am

Celebrate Geography Awareness Week

In Education, GIS, Geography, Imagery on November 16, 2009 at 8:57 am

logo_gaw“Get Lost in Mapping: Find Your Place in the World

“Maps are all around us. New technologies like sophisticated satellite imagery and geographic information systems (GIS) have taken maps out of atlases and into the palm of your hand. Discover maps where you never expected to find them—GPS devices, online sites, news broadcasts, social networking, and maybe even your own phone.

“Geography Awareness Week 2009 explores the world through mapping. Find your continent in giant tile maps, find your country in political outline maps, find your local area through community mapping tools like FieldScope and find your place in the world!

“Teachers, take advantage of National Geographic’s Geography Action! program. This year, your students can build a free wall-sized map of Europe or America right in their own classroom.

“At home, get in the sprit of adventure and discovery by tuning into National Geographic Channel’s Expedition Week, starting November 15.”

Mapping the ‘Buzz’

In Geography, Social Science on November 13, 2009 at 10:26 am

buzz…from the New York Times…

“Elizabeth Currid, an assistant professor in the School of Policy, Planning and Development at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Sarah Williams, the director of the Spatial Information Design Lab at Columbia University‘s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, mined thousands of photographs from Getty Images that chronicled flashy parties and smaller affairs on both coasts for a year, beginning in March 2006. The maps show the density of different types of cultural events in New York and Los Angeles.”

You’re Being Followed: Scientists Track Movement of Living Things

In Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on November 13, 2009 at 8:23 am

…from KansasCity.com…

“Almost 24 centuries after the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote his book, “On the Movement of Animals,” modern scientists are still struggling to understand how, why, when and where living creatures move.

“Whether an organism drifts in the sea, swims, wriggles, crawls, walks, runs, jumps, flies or casts its seeds upon the wind, movement is essential to life, they say. No matter how big or little it is, it’s got to get away from its birthplace to find food, escape predators and reproduce.”

Rainfall Redistribution in a Tropical Forest: Spatial and Temporal Patterns

In Environmental Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on November 11, 2009 at 7:00 am

…from the Water Resources Research journal…

Alexander Zimmermann, Institute of Geoecology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

Beate Zimmermann, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama

Helmut Elsenbeer, Institute of Geoecology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama

“The investigation of throughfall patterns has received considerable interest over the last decades. And yet, the geographical bias of pertinent previous studies and their methodologies and approaches to data analysis cast a doubt on the general validity of claims regarding spatial and temporal patterns of throughfall. We employed 220 collectors in a 1-ha plot of semideciduous tropical rain forest in Panama and sampled throughfall during a period of 14 months. Our analysis of spatial patterns is based on 60 data sets, whereas the temporal analysis comprises 91 events. Both data sets show skewed frequency distributions. When skewness arises from large outliers, the classical, nonrobust variogram estimator overestimates the sill variance and, in some cases, even induces spurious autocorrelation structures. In these situations, robust variogram estimation techniques offer a solution. Throughfall in our plot typically displayed no or only weak spatial autocorrelations. In contrast, temporal correlations were strong, that is, wet and dry locations persisted over consecutive wet seasons. Interestingly, seasonality and hence deciduousness had no influence on spatial and temporal patterns. We argue that if throughfall patterns are to have any explanatory power with respect to patterns of near-surface processes, data analytical artifacts must be ruled out lest spurious correlation be confounded with causality; furthermore, temporal stability over the domain of interest is essential.”

33rd Applied Geography Conference to be held in Fort Worth, TX, 21 – 23 October 2010.

In Conferences, Education, GIS, Geography on November 10, 2009 at 3:55 pm

“The 33rd Applied Geography Conference will be held in Fort Worth, TX 21 – 23 October 2010.

“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. The conference brings together practitioners, academicians, and other professionals who seek geographic solutions and explanations to societal problems. Attendance ranges between 250 and 400 people. This size meeting offers an ideal setting for new professional geographers and students to gain public speaking experience and share ideas with geographers from business, government agencies, and academic institutions. In addition to paper sessions, the Conference also features exhibits, student poster presentations, field trips, special events and selected papers are peer-reviewed and published in the Papers of Applied Geography Conferences.”

Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, 14-18 April 2010, Washington, DC: Geography and Climate Change

In Climate Change, Conferences, Geography on November 10, 2009 at 3:46 pm

aag“Start making plans for the 2010 AAG Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, home of the Association of American Geographers and the heart of the U.S. Federal Government.

“In addition to many scholarly presentations, the 2010 Meeting will feature opportunities for interactions with government agencies and will include keynote speakers from nonprofit groups and other influential nongovernmental organizations located in the nation’s capital. The District of Columbia is home to 174 foreign embassies, many high profile NGOs, and numerous universities.”

“Geography and Climate Change” has been designated as a key overarching theme of the 2010 AAG Annual meeting.

MapAction: Information that Saves Lives

In GIS, Geography, Video on November 10, 2009 at 3:31 pm

“MapAction delivers information that saves lives and livelihoods. When disasters strike, coordinating relief efforts hinges on rapid transfer of information. MapAction delivers that vital situation information in the form of maps, created and distributed in the field. By conveying a “common operational picture”, our maps make a crucial difference in delivering humanitarian aid to the right place to relieve suffering.

“MapAction is unique. We are the only non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a substantial track record in mapping for disaster emergencies. From our bases in the UK, Germany and the Caribbean region, we can deploy a fully trained and equipped mapping team anywhere in the world. They can be on their way in hours.”

NREL’s United States Atlas of Renewable Resources

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on November 10, 2009 at 8:17 am

“The Atlas is an interactive application of the renewable energy resources in the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii. It illustrates the geographic distribution of wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass resources, as well as other pertinent information such as transportation network and administrative boundaries. The Atlas is for anyone interested in renewable energy in the country, including researchers, developers, and policy makers.”

NREL-1

TED Talks: Eric Sanderson Pictures New York — Before the City

In GIS, Geography, Video, Visualization on November 10, 2009 at 7:25 am

“400 years after Hudson found New York harbor, Eric Sanderson shares how he made a 3D map of Mannahatta’s fascinating pre-city ecology of hills, rivers, wildlife — accurate down to the block — when Times Square was a wetland and you couldn’t get delivery.”

manahatta

U.S. Antimicrobial Resistance Map

In Geography, Science on November 9, 2009 at 7:51 am

…from Science News…

“Drug-resistant infections kill tens of thousands of people in the United States each year. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) alone infects more than 94,000 people and kills nearly 19,000 Americans every year, more deaths than caused by emphysema, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, and homicide. A new interactive map on IDSA’s website describes in detail the local impact of these and other resistant infections across the nation with detailed U.S. state-specific information. The map is available at http://www.idsociety.org/antimicrobialresistanceinUSA.htm.”

PARC Forum: Location-based Advertising 101

In Geography on November 6, 2009 at 2:20 pm

parcThursday 12 Nov 2009 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

George E. Pake Auditorium, PARC,
3333 Coyote Hill Rd, Palo Alto, California, USA

http://www.parc.com/util/map.html

Blair Swedeen, Placecast

As the location-based services business leveraging the growth of GPS embedded in mobile phones continues to grow explosively, the opportunity is emerging for advertising and marketing to consumers based on knowledge of location through opt-in passive methods like GPS or expressed location like search.  In this talk, Blair Swedeen, a thought leader in the burgeoning location-based advertising space will give an overview of the landscape and how marketers are looking to take advantage of location awareness to improve marketing and advertising services.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Taking Volunteers to Map Ash Trees

In Citizen Science, Environmental Science, Geography on November 6, 2009 at 1:12 pm

…from the Citizen-Times…

“Researchers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are inviting people to volunteer as Citizen Scientists from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday to map locations of ash trees in the park.

“Volunteers will learn how to identify ash and other common trees found in the Smoky Mountains, read a topographic map, and use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. The ash trees are at risk from the invasive, non-native Emerald Ash Borer, a beetle that can travel undetected in firewood and nursery stock from quarantined areas of the country into new locations in the Park. The data that is collected will help park staff map the locations of ash trees parkwide to monitor the health of the forest and detect future infestations.”

Mapping Communities in Large Virtual Social Networks

In Conferences, Geography on November 6, 2009 at 8:37 am

…presented at “Engaging Data: First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information”, MIT,  12 – 13 October 2009…

Mapping Communities in Large Virtual Social Networks: Using Twitter Data to Find the Indie Mac Community

Michiel van Meeteren, Ate Poorthuis, Elenna Dugundji
Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands

“This paper describes a multi-method approach to delineate a ‘real world’ community of practice from a large N dataset derived from the social networking site Twitter. The starting point is previous qualitative research of a virtual community of independent (“indie”) developers who create software for Apple’s Macintosh and iPhone platforms. Indie developers have been active on Twitter from an early stage on and they use Twitter to sustain interactions between peers, exchange technical information and for viral “echo chamber” marketing. The publicly available Twitter API is used to mine a network consisting of several million edges, which is sized down to a large network containing roughly 1 million edges through several pruning methods. The fast greedy algorithm is then used to detect subgraphs within this large network. Triangulation with qualitative data proves that the fast greedy algorithm is able to distill meaningful communities from a large, noisy and illdelineated network. The accuracy of this approach gives rise to the discussion of the value for businesses and market research, since it offers opportunities to identify and monitor target audiences at a finely grained level. However, we should be wary of the serious consequences with regard to privacy and ethics. The proposed multi-method approach allows micro level inferences from a macro dataset of which the individual Twitter user might be completely unaware. The results could have consequences for the anonymity of key persons behind the scenes of social and political movements or any other communities whose members are active on Twitter or other social networks.”

Microsoft Demonstrates Interactive Map of Greenhouse Gas Emission Rates at University of Illinois

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on November 5, 2009 at 9:13 am

…from the Daily Illini…

“Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer for Microsoft, visited the University on Wednesday to show the development of the company’s technology. His visit marks one of the four he will make to Universities across the nation.

“One program he demonstrated was an interactive map displaying greenhouse gas emission rates in South American rainforests and their effect on global temperatures. The map, incorporating Microsoft’s “Science Studio” program, can make climate predictions 100 years into the future, Mundie said.”

Research Assistant: School of Geography, Planning, and Environmental Management, University of Queensland

In Education, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on November 5, 2009 at 8:28 am

uqThe School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management is a vibrant, multidisciplinary school with extensive teaching and research programs covering the fields of geography, environmental management, and planning and development. The school has a strong research profile and supports research activity across all of its fields of expertise, organised into a number of research groups and research centres. The Centre for Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Science (CRSSIS) is a dynamic research centre within the School consisting of around 50 academics, researchers and students working in the fields of remote sensing, landscape ecology and conservation and spatial analysis.

The successful appointee’s primary role will be to manage and conduct the field work component of an Australian Research Council Linkage Project. This will involve live trapping of native mammals and vegetation surveys in South-east Queensland. Some laboratory and computer based work will also be required.

Applicants should possess a degree (or equivalent) in ecology, conservation biology, environmental management or similar discipline, or relevant work experience/training. You must also have demonstrated experience in conducting live trapping, handling and tissue sampling of native mammals and flora surveys. Knowledge of the flora and fauna or South-east Queensland, or ability to rapidly acquire this knowledge is also essential. Computer skills and strong communication skills are also highly desirable.

Designing for Doubt: Citizen Science and the Challenge of Change

In Citizen Science, Conferences, Geography on November 5, 2009 at 5:47 am

…presented at “Engaging Data: First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information”, MIT,  12 – 13 October 2009…

Designing for Doubt: Citizen Science and the Challenge of Change

Eric Paulos, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

“Vast quantities of data are collected about us and our world: credit card transactions, movements and traffic flows, social networks, disease outbreaks, bird migrations, and flowers blossoming. These datasets span a wide range of public and private information and contexts. However, it is the emergence of a host of mobile phone based citizen sensing platforms that is poised to become the dominant contributor to our datasets. In this paper we outline this important new shift in mobile phone usage – from communication tool to “networked mobile personal measurement instrument”. We propose to explore how these new personal measurement instruments enable an entirely novel and empowering genre of mobile computing and research called citizen science. More importantly we highlight a set of challenges and focus specifically on the need for introducing design strategies for engaging these datasets that encourage doubt rather than promoting blind acceptance of fact as a path towards social change.”

NASA’s TRMM Satellite Provides a Rainfall Map of Mirinae’s Flooding Rains

In Geography on November 4, 2009 at 9:24 am
398510main_20091103_Mirinae10-26to11-2_226x170

TRMM Precipitation Analysis showed Mirinae's rainfall from Oct. 26-Nov. 2 from the Philippines to landfall in Vietnam. Tropical storm, typhoon and tropical depression symbols show locations, date and time. Rainfall totaled over 200 mm (~7.8 inches) in an area southeast of Manila in the Philippines. Parts of Vietnam received over 275 mm (~10.8 inches). Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce

Typhoon Mirinae drenched the Philippines and Vietnam over the last two weeks. Typhoon Mirinae dropped heavy rain over the central Philippines after hitting as a category two typhoon with wind speeds of 85 knots (~98 mph). Mirinae weakened to a tropical storm as it moved into the South China Sea but briefly increased to typhoon strength just before hitting Vietnam on Monday, November 2 in the southern coastal province of Phu Yen.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is managed by NASA and the Japanese Space Agency, JAXA. From its vantage point in space, TRMM flew over Typhoon Mirinae during its lifetime and catalogued its rainfall.

TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. was used to monitor rainfall with Mirinae. Rainfall totals were calculated for the period from October 26 to November 2, 2009. Tropical storm, typhoon and tropical depression symbols were overlaid to show the locations of Mirinae from when it came ashore in the eastern Philippines until being downgraded to a tropical depression over Vietnam.

The TRMM rainfall analysis indicated that Mirinae dropped heavy rainfall with totals over 200 mm (~7.8 inches) in an area southeast of Manila in the Philippines. Typhoon Mirinae dropped heavy rainfall over a much larger area of Vietnam with a small area having rainfall totals over 275 mm (~10.8 inches). As with typhoon Ketsana in late September, Mirinae pulled moist air from the South China Sea and forced it up over terrain causing the heaviest rainfall to occur north of the typhoon.

Typhoon Ketsana took a similar path to Mirinae when it caused disasters in the Philippines and Vietnam in late September 2009. Tropical storm Ketsana took a more northern track, also making a final landfall in Vietnam.

Heavy rain amounts (from satellites) and flood potential calculations (from a hydrological model) are updated every three hours globally with the results shown on the “Global Flood and Landslide Monitoring” TRMM web site pages (http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov).

Text credit: Hal Pierce, SSAI/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

[Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center news release]

Living Maps: New Data, New Uses, New Problems

In Conferences, Geography, Social Science on November 4, 2009 at 8:43 am

…presented at “Engaging Data: First International Forum on the Application and Management of Personal Electronic Information”, MIT,  12 – 13 October 2009…

Living Maps: New Data, New Uses, New Problems

Christophe Aguiton, Dominique Cardon, and Zbigniew Smoreda

Sociology and Economics of Networks and Services Department, Orange Labs, Paris, France

“In this paper, we address some sociological and political issues linked to the emerging of distributed, real-time ‘living maps’. A ‘living map’ is a merger between a territory map and a dynamic localized flows representation creating visual information where places, people, activities, and time are mixed together. Starting with the hypothesis of transformation in urban meeting manners, we propose a typology of living maps and we discuss the social and privacy issues linked to each type of use.”

North Atlantic Fish Populations Shifting as Ocean Temperatures Warm

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on November 4, 2009 at 6:19 am

Shiftsmapsmall

Map showing shifts in distribution of many fish stocks in the Northeast U.S. (Credit: Janet Nye, NEFSC/NOAA)

Southern Species like Atlantic Croaker May Become Common in New England Waters

About half of 36 fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, many of them commercially valuable species, have been shifting northward over the last four decades, with some stocks nearly disappearing from U.S. waters as they move farther offshore, according to a new study by NOAA researchers.

Their findings, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, show the impact of changing coastal and ocean temperatures on fisheries from Cape Hatteras, N.C., to the Canadian border.

Janet Nye, a postdoctoral researcher at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. and the lead author of the study, looked at annual spring survey data from 1968 to 2007 for stocks ranging from Atlantic cod and haddock to yellowtail and winter flounders, spiny dogfish, Atlantic herring, and less well-known species like blackbelly rosefish. Historic ocean temperature records and long-term processes like the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation dating back to 1850 were also analyzed to put the temperature data into context.

“During the last 40 years, many familiar species have been shifting to the north where ocean waters are cooler, or staying in the same general area but moving into deeper waters than where they traditionally have been found,” Nye said. “They all seem to be adapting to changing temperatures and finding places where their chances of survival as a population are greater.”

Nye and coauthors Jason Link, Jonathan Hare and William Overholtz of NEFSC selected the 36 species to study because they were consistently caught in high numbers in the Center’s annual spring bottom trawl survey. They also represented a wide range of taxonomic groups, and were known to be commercially or ecologically important. NEFSC, headquartered in Woods Hole, conducts annual spring and fall trawl surveys and has the world’s longest time series of standardized fishery population data.

The researchers looked at where the fish were caught and their biomass, or the estimated total weight of the population, in each year of the survey.  For each stock they estimated the center of abundance, average depth, the range or area that the stock occupied, and the average temperature at which each stock was found.

They also took into account fishing pressures on the species over time, as well as natural cycles in ocean temperature. Ocean temperatures have increased since the 1960s and 1970s, and the authors found significant changes in species distribution consistent with warming in 24 of the 36 stocks studied.

Ten of the 36 stocks examined had significant range expansion, while 12 had significant range contraction. Changes in a species range can be affected by both temperature changes and fishing pressure, with heavily fished stocks appearing more sensitive to climate change and often showing a larger shift.  Seventeen of the 36 stocks occupied increasingly greater depths, and three stocks occupied increasingly shallower waters.  However, the temperature at which each stock was found did not change over time, suggesting that fish are moving to remain within their preferred temperature range.

Fish species can respond to changes in ocean temperature in a variety of ways. The stock can move poleward to avoid warmer water temperatures, or move into deeper waters than they have previously been found.  If fish cannot change their geographic or depth distribution, there may be changes in growth, reproduction and mortality rates. As a result, the size of the population may increase or decrease depending on the temperature preference of the species.  Most species in the study were found to be responding to warming ocean temperatures in one of these ways.

“The fact that we see responses in many species consistent with what you would expect with warming, but in different types of species that have experienced different historical fishing pressure, suggests that we are already witnessing the response of fish to a warming scenario,” Nye said. “The community structure is changing from cool-water to warm-water fish species. These trends will likely continue”.

While consumers will find familiar fish species at their local fish markets for the foreseeable future, fisherman may have to travel farther to catch some species until eventually it will not be economical.

“Consumers in the Northeast, for example, may eventually start seeing less familiar species like Atlantic croaker at local markets and on restaurant menus as southern and Mid-Atlantic species move northward into New England waters,” Nye said. “The fish appear to be adapting to a changing environment, and people will as well over the next few decades.”

The authors say the study has implications beyond the Northeast U.S.  “It is another example of the need for an ecosystem-based management approach to our fisheries,” said co-author Jason Link, a fisheries biologist at NEFSC’s Woods Hole laboratory. “Many factors, temperature among them, influence the status of a fish stock, and we need to be aware of all of those factors and consider them in management decisions. Looking at ‘the big picture’ helps put each piece of the puzzle in perspective.”

[Source: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) news release]

Study Gives Clearer Picture of How Land-use Changes Affect U.S. Climate

In Climate Change, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Statistics on November 3, 2009 at 9:38 am

Researchers say regional surface temperatures can be affected by land use, suggesting that local and regional strategies, such as creating green spaces and buffer zones in and around urban areas, could be a tool in addressing climate change.

A study by researchers from Purdue University and the universities of Colorado and Maryland concluded that greener land cover contributes to cooler temperatures, and almost any other change leads to warmer temperatures. The study, published on line and set to appear in the Royal Meteorological Society’s International Journal of Climatology later this year, is further evidence that land use should be better incorporated into computer models projecting future climate conditions, said Purdue doctoral student Souleymane Fall, the article’s lead author.

land-use-graphic

This map shows observation minus reanalysis (OMR) trends in the continental United States from 1979-2003. The trends are associated with land use and land-use changes. Researchers from Purdue and the universities of Colorado and Maryland conducted a study that showed land use can affect surface temperatures locally and regionally. Units are in degrees Celsius per decade. (Image courtesy of Souleymane Fall)

“What we highlight here is that a significant trend, particularly the warming trend in terms of temperatures, can also be partially explained by land-use change,” said Dev Niyogi, a Purdue earth and atmospheric sciences and agronomy professor, and the Indiana state climatologist. He is the study’s corresponding author.

Niyogi and Fall say the idea that land use helps drive climate change has been poorly understood compared to factors such as greenhouse gas emissions. But that is changing.

“People realize that land use cover also is an important force and not only at the local but also at the regional scale,” said Fall, whose doctoral research focuses on the impacts of land surface properties on near-surface temperature trends.

The researchers used higher resolution temperature data than previous studies, meaning the data was more detailed, Niyogi said. They also employed dynamic data on land-use changes from 1992-2001, which was derived from satellite imagery.

Niyogi said having an understanding of land use’s affects on climate change could have climatic and other benefits. For instance, creating green spaces and buffer zones in and around urban areas also could be aesthetically attractive, he said.

Among the study’s findings:

  • In general, the greener the land cover, the cooler is surface temperature.
  • Conversion to agriculture results in cooling, while conversion from agriculture generally results in warming.
  • Deforestation generally results in warming, with the exception of a shift from forest to agriculture. No clear picture emerged from the impact of planting or seeding new forests.
  • Urbanization and conversion to bare soils have the largest warming impacts.

In general, land use conversion often results in more warming than cooling.

The study took an approach called “observation minus reanalysis,” or OMR. Through this process, the researchers used temperature data from local ground observations, observation and computer modeling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and statistical methods. They were able to separate the effects of land use or cover from greenhouse warming and isolate the impact from each land use or cover type. The more detailed data provided a clearer picture of the effects of land surface properties on near-surface temperature trends.

“We showed this quantitatively for the first time,” said University of Maryland atmospheric and oceanic science Professor Eugenia Kalnay, who developed the OMR method with Florida State University Professor Ming Cai. She also is a co-author of the study.

While the effects of greenhouses gases like carbon dioxide are clear, Kalnay said, the study does suggest land use needs to be considered carefully as well.

“I think that greenhouse warming is incredibly important, but land use should not be neglected,” she said. “It contributes to warming, especially in urban and desertic areas.”

Another study co-author, Roger Pielke Sr., said the results indicate that “unless these landscape effects are properly considered, the role of greenhouse warming in increasing surface temperatures will be significantly overstated.” Pielke is a senior research scientist in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Purdue’s Gilbert Rochon and Alexander Gluhovsky also participated in the study. Rochon is associate vice president for collaborative research for Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) and director of ITaP’s Purdue Terrestrial Observatory satellite and remote sensing data program. Gluhovsky is a Purdue professor in earth and atmospheric sciences and statistics.

The work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

[Source: Purdue news release]

Writer: Greg Kline, 765-494-8167, gkline@purdue.edu

Sources: Souleymane Fall, 765-494-9138, sfall@purdue.edu

Dev Niyogi, 765-494-6574, climate@purdue.edu

African Desert Rift Confirmed as New Ocean in the Making

In Geography, Science on November 3, 2009 at 9:28 am

rift

Photo: University of Rochester

Geologists Show that Seafloor Dynamics Are at Work in Splitting African Continent

In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial.

Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world’s oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning of a new sea.



The new study, published in the latest issue of Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that the highly active volcanic boundaries along the edges of tectonic ocean plates may suddenly break apart in large sections, instead of little by little as has been predominantly believed. In addition, such sudden large-scale events on land pose a much more serious hazard to populations living near the rift than would several smaller events, says Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester and co-author of the study.

“This work is a breakthrough in our understanding of continental rifting leading to the creation of new ocean basins,” says Ken Macdonald, professor emeritus in the Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and who is not affiliated with the research. “For the first time they demonstrate that activity on one rift segment can trigger a major episode of magma injection and associated deformation on a neighboring segment. Careful study of the 2005 mega-dike intrusion and its aftermath will continue to provide extraordinary opportunities for learning about continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges.”

“The whole point of this study is to learn whether what is happening in Ethiopia is like what is happening at the bottom of the ocean where it’s almost impossible for us to go,” says Ebinger. “We knew that if we could establish that, then Ethiopia would essentially be a unique and superb ocean-ridge laboratory for us. Because of the unprecedented cross-border collaboration behind this research, we now know that the answer is yes, it is analogous.”

Atalay Ayele, professor at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, led the investigation, painstakingly gathering seismic data surrounding the 2005 event that led to the giant rift opening more than 20 feet in width in just days. Along with the seismic information from Ethiopia, Ayele combined data from neighboring Eritrea with the help of Ghebrebrhan Ogubazghi, professor at the Eritrea Institute of Technology, and from Yemen with the help of Jamal Sholan of the National Yemen Seismological Observatory Center. The map he drew of when and where earthquakes happened in the region fit tremendously well with the more detailed analyses Ebinger has conducted in more recent years.

Ayele’s reconstruction of events showed that the rift did not open in a series of small earthquakes over an extended period of time, but tore open along its entire 35-mile length in just days. A volcano called Dabbahu at the northern end of the rift erupted first, then magma pushed up through the middle of the rift area and began “unzipping” the rift in both directions, says Ebinger.

Since the 2005 event, Ebinger and her colleagues have installed seismometers and measured 12 similar—though dramatically less intense—events.

“We know that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift, but we never knew that a huge length of the ridge could break open at once like this,” says Ebinger. She explains that since the areas where the seafloor is spreading are almost always situated under miles of ocean, it’s nearly impossible to monitor more than a small section of the ridge at once so there’s no way for geologists to know how much of the ridge may break open and spread at any one time. “Seafloor ridges are made up of sections, each of which can be hundreds of miles long. Because of this study, we now know that each one of those segments can tear open in a just a few days.”

Ebinger and her colleagues are continuing to monitor the area in Ethiopia to learn more about how the magma system beneath the rift evolves as the rift continues to grow.

Additional authors of the study include Derek Keir, Tim Wright, and Graham Stuart, professors of earth and environment at the University of Leeds, U.K.; Roger Buck, professor at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, N.Y.; and Eric Jacques, professor at the Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris, France.

[Source: University of Rochester news release]

A Scan Statistic for Continuous Data Based on the Normal Probability Model

In Geography, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on November 3, 2009 at 7:30 am

International Journal of Health Geographics 2009, 8:58

Martin Kulldorff, Lan Huang, Kevin Konty

Temporal, spatial and space-time scan statistics are commonly used to detect and evaluate the statistical significance of temporal and/or geographical disease clusters, without any prior assumptions on the location, time period or size of those clusters. Scan statistics are mostly used for count data, such as disease incidence or mortality. Sometimes there is an interest in looking for clusters with respect to a continuous variable, such as lead levels in children or low birth weight. For such continuous data, we present a scan statistic where the likelihood is calculated using the the normal probability model. It may also be used for other distributions, while still maintaining the correct alpha level. In an application of the new method, we look for geographical clusters of low birth weight in New York City.

Mapping the Bottom of the World

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on November 3, 2009 at 7:22 am

ur_multimedia_143588…from University of Minnesota News…

“What’s black and white and spreads red all over?

“That would be a penguin. Thanks to pigments in the birds’ krill and fish diets, penguin poo has a reddish tint that makes their colonies and trails stand out on satellite images.

“That’s a boon to researchers who want to identify and keep track of remote, inaccessible colonies. But to do so, they need somebody to turn satellite images into maps. That’s when they call the University of Minnesota’s Paul Morin, director of the National Science Foundation-funded Antarctic Geospatial Information Center (AGIC).”

Map of the Day: 2007 NSRS National Adjustment

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Map of the Day on November 3, 2009 at 7:04 am

…from the ESRI Map Book, Volume 24…

mining6_sm

“The example map shows the coordinate shifts for National Geodetic Survey control stations in Maricopa County, Arizona (the Phoenix metro area is in the central portion of the state), resulting from the national readjustment completed in February 2007. The coordinates being compared are for two realizations of North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83); NAD83 (1992) also known as the High Accuracy Reference Network (HARN) realization; and NAD83 (NSRS2007), also denoted as NAD83 (2007), for example on NGS datasheets. “NSRS” stands for National Spatial Reference System.

“The issue being addressed here is of interest for those who have data layers with positional accuracies of a few centimeters with respect to NAD83 (HARN) and who wish to preserve the accuracy of those layers in the future.

“Courtesy of the Arizona State Land Department.”

A New Method for Fingerprint Analysis: Researchers Apply Geographic Principles to Improve Matches

In GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis on November 2, 2009 at 3:55 pm

…from StatesmanJournal.com…

“”One of the unique things of this project is there are probability-based models out there for fingerprint analysis,” Dutton said. “The difference of what we’re doing is applying a geographical information system to perform the spatial analysis.”

“Spatial analysis is the study of distribution of features in a fingerprint, Dutton said.”

FluView: CDC’s Influenza Surveillance Report for Week Ending 24 October 2009

In Geography on November 2, 2009 at 1:44 pm

CDC’s map of weekly influenza activity estimates in the United States, as reported by state and territorial epidemiologists. Activity levels indicate geographic spread of both seasonal and 2009 influenza A [H1N1] viruses).

usmap42

Vint Cerf: Information On the Go

In Geography on November 2, 2009 at 8:01 am

cerfThursday 5 Nov 2009 4:00 p.m.to 5:00 p.m.

Vint Cerf, Google, Vice President & Chief Internet Evangelist

George E. Pake Auditorium, PARC,

3333 Coyote Hill Rd, Palo Alto, California, USA

http://www.parc.com/util/map.html

This presentation is FREE and open to the public.  There is free parking, and the venue is handicapped accessible.  No registration is required.  Seating is on a first come first served basis.

We are wearing our information window on our hips or carrying it in our purses. Our mobiles have become not only sources of information but mechanisms of control. They are also becoming instruments of truth and freedom. We are all roaming reporters. They are becoming part of the information ecosystem warning us of hazards, helping us to be more healthy. We can see them used heavily for access to geographically-indexed information. They can also form a technical eco-system of devices that cooperate to perform tasks for us. Of course, they are also useful as telephones and social interaction enablers.

Presenter

Vinton G. Cerf is vice president and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google. He is responsible for identifying new enabling technologies and applications on the Internet and other platforms for the company.

Mobility Series

This talk is part of a series focusing on novel applications of mobile technologies.  With the recent emergence of highly interactive smartphones, mobile media players, netbooks, and e-readers, we are now seeing an explosion in new paradigms of mobile information generation, delivery and use.  In the coming series of presentations, you will see a range of applications that exploit some of the unique aspects of having computing devices with you everywhere, all the time.

RisingOceanLevels.com: An Interactive Educational Map of Potential Climate Change Impact on Our Coastlines

In Climate Change, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on November 2, 2009 at 7:52 am

Cartifact, Inc. and Greening Point, Inc. today announced the launch of a new public educational resource, RisingOceanLevels.com. The site provides an interactive map showing how various climate change scenarios could change our coastline through sea levels rising. The site features high quality, visually attractive interactive maps accompanied by educational information about climate change science and links to further reading. The initial release provides maps for the San Francisco Bay area and a detailed focus map of the Santa Cruz to Salinas portion of the Monterey Bay.

sonoma

Cartifact developed RisingOceanLevels.com to help the public visualize the impact of possible climate change scenarios on the location and nature of future shorelines. A scope-like lens is available to view aerial imagery of the real-world roads and buildings that, depending on local topography, could potentially be inundated by the rising global ocean levels, waves, storm surge and flooding. Greening Point collaborated in the effort, providing conceptualization, environmental information and design assistance.

Cartifact President Graham Marriott said “We strive to make visually compelling maps that help people understand complex geographic data. Sea level changes resulting from global warming are an important public issue. We’re pleased to provide a new public resource to help people understand the risks associated with various climate change scenarios.”

Both companies emphasize that they are not making a prediction that sea levels will rise to a specific level. According to Greening Point CTO Michael Tilson, “we want people to learn about possible climate change scenarios, the science behind them, and the potential outcome of each. Some scenarios are fairly likely and have significant impacts. More extreme scenarios are unlikely in the near term, and yet there is a small but worrisome risk that these could occur with severe economic, social and environmental impacts. We hope to make a positive contribution to public dialogue on these issues.”

[Source: joint Cartifact / Greening Point news release]

Socioeconomic Indicators of Heat-related Health Risk Supplemented with Remotely Sensed Data

In Geography, Imagery, Social Science on November 2, 2009 at 7:18 am

International Journal of Health Geographics 2009, 8:57

Daniel P Johnson, Jeffrey S Wilson, George C Luber

Background

Extreme heat events are the number one cause of weather-related fatalities in the United States. The current system of alert for extreme heat events does not take into account intra-urban spatial variation in risk. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a potential method to improve spatial delineation of risk from extreme heat events in urban environments by integrating sociodemographic risk factors with estimates of land surface temperature derived from thermal remote sensing data.

Results

Comparison of logistic regression models indicates that supplementing known sociodemographic risk factors with remote sensing estimates of land surface temperature improves the delineation of intra-urban variations in risk from extreme heat events.

Conclusion

Thermal remote sensing data can be utilized to improve understanding of intra-urban variations in risk from extreme heat. The refinement of current risk assessment systems could increase the likelihood of survival during extreme heat events and assist emergency personnel in the delivery of vital resources during such disasters.

Read the article [PDF]

Lessons from Oil Industry May Help Address Groundwater Crisis

In Environmental Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis on October 30, 2009 at 10:10 am
oregon

Declining groundwater in Mississippi has prompted a $1 billion lawsuit against Memphis.

Although declining streamflows and half-full reservoirs have gotten most of the attention in water conflicts around the United States, some of the worst battles of the next century may be over groundwater, experts say – a critical resource often taken for granted until it begins to run out.

Aquifers are being depleted much faster than they are being replenished in many places, wells are drying up, massive lawsuits are already erupting and the problems have barely begun. Aquifers that took thousands of years to fill are being drained in decades, placing both agricultural and urban uses in peril. Groundwater that supplies drinking water for half the world’s population is now in jeopardy.

A new analysis by researchers at Oregon State University outlines the scope of this problem, but also points out that some tools may be available to help address it, in part by borrowing heavily from lessons learned the hard way by the oil industry.

“It’s been said that groundwater is the oil of this century,” said Todd Jarvis, associate director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at OSU. “Part of the issue is it’s running out, meaning we’re now facing ‘peak water’ just the way the U.S. encountered ‘peak oil’ production in the 1970s. But there are also some techniques developed by the oil industry to help manage this crisis, and we could learn a lot from them.”

Jarvis just presented an outline of some of these concepts, called “unitization,” at a professional conference in Kyoto, Japan, and will also explore them in upcoming conference in Stevenson, Wash., and Xi’an, China. Other aspects of the issue have been analyzed in a new documentary film on the special problems facing the Umatilla Basin of eastern Oregon, a classic case of declining groundwater problems. (DVD copies of the documentary are available free upon request, by calling 541-737-4032.)

The problems are anything but simple, Jarvis said, and are just now starting to get the attention needed.

“In the northern half of Oregon from Pendleton to the Willamette Valley, an aquifer that took 20,000 years to fill is going down fast,” Jarvis said. “Some places near Hermiston have seen water levels drop as much as 500 feet in the past 50-60 years, one of the largest and fastest declines in the world.

“I know of a well in Utah that lost its original capacity after a couple years,” he said. “In Idaho people drawing groundwater are being ordered to work with other holders of stream water rights as the streams begin to dwindle. Mississippi has filed a $1-billion lawsuit against the City of Memphis because of declining groundwater. You’re seeing land subsiding from Houston to the Imperial Valley of California. This issue is real and getting worse.”

In the process, Jarvis said, underground aquifers can be irrevocably damaged – not unlike what happened to oil reservoirs when that industry pumped them too rapidly. Tiny fractures in rock that can store water sometimes collapse when it’s rapidly withdrawn, and then even if the aquifer had water to recharge it, there’s no place for it to go.

“The unitization concept the oil industry developed is built around people unifying their rights and their goals, and working cooperatively to make a resource last as long as possible and not damaging it,” Jarvis said. “That’s similar to what we could do with groundwater, although it takes foresight and cooperation.”

Water laws, Jarvis said, are often part of the problem instead of the solution. A “rule of capture” that dates to Roman times often gives people the right to pump and use anything beneath their land, whether it’s oil or water. That’s somewhat addressed by the “first in time, first in right” concept that forms the basis of most water law in the West, but proving that someone’s well many miles away interferes with your aquifer or stream flow is often difficult or impossible. And there are 14 million wells just in the United States, tapping aquifers that routinely cross state and even national boundaries.

Regardless of what else takes place, Jarvis said, groundwater users must embrace one concept the oil industry learned years ago – the “race to the pump” serves no one’s best interest, whether the concern is depleted resources, rising costs of pumping or damaged aquifers.

One possible way out of the conundrum, experts say, is maximizing the economic value of the water and using it for its highest value purpose. But even that will take new perspectives and levels of cooperation that have not often been evident in these disputes. Government mandates may be necessary if some of the “unitization” concepts are to be implemented. Existing boundaries may need to be blurred, and ways to share the value of the remaining water identified.

“Like we did with peak oil, everyone knows were running out, and yet we’re just now getting more commitment to alternative energy sources,” Jarvis said. “Soon we’ll be facing peak water, the only thing to really argue over is the date when that happens. So we will need new solutions, one way or the other.”

[Source: Oregon State University news release]

Exploring Geographic Data Using Cartograms

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on October 30, 2009 at 8:22 am

New blog post from the GIS Education Community: Exploring Data Using Cartograms within ArcGIS Desktop at the County and State Scale.

342x375.aspx

Interactive Map of Swine Flu Cases in the United States

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Social Science on October 30, 2009 at 8:02 am

…from www.healthlandscape.org…

swine

Quote of the Day

In Design, GIS, Geography, Quotes on October 30, 2009 at 6:19 am

“Using geography to better design our world transcends fields, specialties, countries, and cultures.”

–Jack Dangermond

Fighting Bombs with Social Science

In Geography, Social Science on October 29, 2009 at 8:50 am

wired…from Wired Magazine…

“In 2005, Col. Steve Fondacaro, then-head of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Task Force in Baghdad, received a laptop filled with software that attempted to map out the country’s cultural landscape. The laptop — designed in part by anthropologist Montgomery McFate — was supposed to help commanders understand the social networks that supported insurgent bombmaking cells.

“He promptly threw the laptop out. But the idea lived. That effort would lead directly to the Human Terrain System, the Army’s controversial effort to tap social science research to support counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now things are coming full circle: JIEDDO, the organization that jump-started the human terrain program, is planning a major new investment in social science research. Total price tag: $140 million for the upcoming fiscal year.”

The Washington Times: Geographic Awareness Needed

In GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis on October 29, 2009 at 7:45 am

TWTlogo…from The Washington Times…

“For decades, geographers have noted that the key to better planning for wars, disasters, climate shifts or any other major force of change is a broader understanding of their spatial dimensions. They also have demonstrated time after time that a lack of geographic awareness about the peoples and places affected by war, natural and other disasters often exacerbates the misery and compounds the challenges to effective recovery. New technologies such as geographic information and global positioning systems can help build awareness about changing environments, and they can provide the foundation upon which meaningful spatial analysis, and thus appropriate policy, is created.”

Quote of the Day: Lewis Carroll’s Paradox of the Complete Map

In Geography on October 28, 2009 at 10:00 am

…from Sylvie and Bruno Concluded, by Lewis Carroll, 1893…

‘That’s another thing we’ve learned from your Nation,” said Mein Herr, “map-making. But we’ve carried it much further than you. What do you consider the largest map that would be really useful?”

“About six inches to the mile.”

“Only six inches!” exclaimed Mein Herr. “We very soon got to six yards to the mile. Then we tried a hundred yards to the mile. And then came the grandest idea of all! We actually made a map of the country, on the scale of a mile to the mile!”

“Have you used it much?” I enquired.

“It has never been spread out, yet,” said Mein Herr: “the farmers objected: they said it would cover the whole country, and shut out the sunlight! So we now use the country itself, as its own map, and I assure you it does nearly as well.”

Mapping Iraq’s Ancient Cities

In Geography, Imagery on October 28, 2009 at 7:03 am

…from DVIDS…

“While many Soldiers head home in the late hours of the second shift, Sgt. Ronald Peters sits at his desk scanning over imagery, maps and the Internet, sometimes as late as 5 a.m., looking for answers.

“Peters, a geospatial analyst from Fort Lewis, Wash., with Multi-National Corps-Iraq C-7, is undertaking the largest mapping projects of his career. His work is helping to resolve a concern shared by both the U.S. military and the Iraqi government as troops have pulled out of cities and continue the drawdown.”

GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 5: Disaster Management

In Citizen Science, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on October 27, 2009 at 6:08 am

Cyclone Leaves Its Mark on the Map: Analyzing and Monitoring Myanmar’s Damaged Rice Production Regions
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/cyclone-leaves.html

Mass Casualty GIS Data Management System (from Complaint to Grave)
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1866.html

Planning for Disaster by Pinpointing Populations Vulnerable to Hazards
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1194.html

Storm Surge and Flood Vulnerability in Cumberland County, NJ
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1618.html

Using the U.S. National Grid for Preparedness and Response
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1634.html

Managing Spatial Information to Utilize Disaster Records for Community Safety
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1331.html

13-County Houston—Galveston Region: Population Inside the 100 Year Floodplain (2035)
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/safety5.html

Combining GIS and Statistical Analyses to Support Global Pandemic Preparations
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/healthygis/healthygis-winter2007.pdf

Evaluating HIV/AIDS Programs: Mapping Affected Populations Fills Information Gap
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0706/hiv1of2.html

GIS for Medical Emergency Preparedness: Siting Medical Distribution Centers in an Emergency
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/safety4.html

Hurricanes on the U.S. Gulf Coast
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/safety6.html

Rhode Island Critical Resources—Preliminary Flood Vulnerability Analysis
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ri2.html

Capacity Building Workshop on GIS-Based Hazard Risk Information Systems
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1572.html

Determining Flood Event Evacuation Areas & Floodwater Inundation with GIS

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1556.html

Disaster Response Application for Non-governmental Organizations
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1571.html

FEMA-ERT-N Geospatial Intelligence Unit: GIS and Disaster Response
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a2069.html

Hazards Analyst: North Carolina’s New Tool for Disaster Preparation/Response
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1673.html

Key Investment Pays Worthwhile Dividends
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1155.html

Long Term Recovery and GIS
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1361.html

Providing Real-time Spatial Data for Flood Response
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1187.html

Risk Analysis and ArcGIS Schematics – California Delta Levees
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1675.html

Special Population Planner 4: An Open Source Release
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1374.html

Constructing COP of EOC at Niigata-ken Chuetsuoki Earthquake, 2007
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1798.html

Development of DSS for Mitigation of Flood Related Damage
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1730.html

Disaster Mitigation Models for the City of Redlands
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1405.html

Flood Mitigation Using GIS
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1540.html

GIS in Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1304.html

Lee County, Florida, ArcGIS Server Mobile Damage Assessment Tools
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1717.html

Mapping Successful Incident Response
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1564.html

Registration & Repatriation of Disaster Evacuees: A Geospatial Approach
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1062.html

Using Mobile GIS in Assessing Impacts of Historic Iowa Flood
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1581.html

Web Based Geographic Intelligence for Emergency Management Practitioners
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1649.html

Application of Multi-objective Shortest-Path and Allocation Analysis for Flood Prevention
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1992.html

Embedding GIS in Disaster Simulation
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1847.html

Estimating Evacuation Ratio in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1934.html

Geospatially-Enabled Geographic Response Plans
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1840.html

GIS Improves Community Readiness Saving Lives During Emergency Disaster
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1376.html

GIS in Severe Weather Impact Analysis
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a2012.html

A GIS Tool to Determine Affected Population
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1716.html

Levee Inspection and Reporting System
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1587.html

Harris County Flood Control District Custom Map Book Series
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public.html

Tsunami Inundation Zones
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public4.html

Disaster and Recovery: The Impacts of Hurricane Katrina on Gulfport, Mississippi
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public6.html

Enhanced DFIRM
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public7.html

The Asia Pacific Natural Hazards and Vulnerabilities Atlas
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public9.html

Harris County Storm Surge Inundation Zones
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public11.html

Ground Elevations Compared to Static Base Flood Elevations for the City of Seabrook
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/public12.html

Sarasota County, Florida—An Assessment of Disaster Vulnerability
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/public_safety4.html

Kyoto City Multi-Hazard Maps
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/public_safety6.html

Rhode Island Critical Resources—Preliminary Flood Vulnerability Assessment
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/public_safety7.html

Mapping Flood Risk and Vulnerability in the Lower Mekong Basin
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/safety2.html

FEMA and Local Governments Battle Hazards with a New GIS Tool
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer04articles/fema-and-local.html

GIS Supports Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster Relief
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring05articles/gis-supports.html

Turkish Government Bases National Emergency Response System on GIS
http://lbs360.directionsmag.com/articles/index.php?article_id=696

South Carolina Devises Earthquake Preparedness Plan with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0203articles/south-carolina-devises.html

Urban Information Systems for Earthquake-Resistant Cities
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0702/earthquake.html

In Japan, Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake Damage Assessment Data Is Gathered More Efficiently Using GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0506articles/in-japan.html

Bibliographies in this series:

China Expected to Complete World’s First Land Cover Map of Antarctica

In Geography, Imagery, Science on October 26, 2009 at 9:25 am

…from China View…

“Chinese scientists from the country’s 26th Antarctic expedition are expected to complete the world’s first land cover map of the Antarctica at the end of this year.

“It will be the most accurate map of the continent, presenting various land features, they told Xinhua correspondent aboard Xuelong (Snow Dragon) icebreaker in a recent interview.

“The research team will conduct wide range of field spectral collection on the Antarctica to provide data for the map.

“The map, with the application of high resolution remote sensing technology, will for the first time in the history show the distribution of key features on the continent, including sea ice, snow, blue ice, rocks, soil marshes, lakes and ice crevasse.”

GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 4: Sustainability

In Climate Change, ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Green Technologies on October 26, 2009 at 8:40 am

Building an Oasis in the Desert: GIS Helps Ensure that Masdar City Meets Its Carbon-Neutral, Zero-Waste Goals
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/building-an-oasis.html

Sumatra—Forest Cover and Change 1990–2000
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/conservation1.html

Mapping Ecosystem Services in the Sierra Nevada, California
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/conservation5.html

Global Gap Analysis—August 2003, First Iteration
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/conservation10.html

Global Population Density Estimates for 2015
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/sustainable_dev1.html

Combined Suitability of Land for Rainfed Crops and Pastures
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/sustainable_dev2.html

3D Population Distribution in the Bay Area in 2000
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev1.html

Food Insecurity and Vulnerability in Sekhukhune, Republic of South Africa
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev2.html

Key Drivers of Food Insecurity and Vulnerability in the Greater Sekhukhune Municipality, Republic of South Africa
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev3.html

Back to the Future
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev3.html

Reducing the Impact of Transportation on the Human Footprint
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/sustainable5.html

Regional Conservation Priorities for Upper Guinean and Congo Basin Forests
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation1.html

Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation2.html

The Nature Audit—Cumulative Human Footprint
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation6.html

Atlas of the Biodiversity of California
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ca3.html

Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act Priority Project Lists I–XIII
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/la7.html

Wetland Mitigation: Restoring Montana’s Wetlands
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/mt1.html

GIS Mapping of the Yields of Ohio’s Aquifers
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/oh1.html

Rhode Island Land Suitability Analysis for Development Intensity and Conservation
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ri1.html

Narragansett Bay Coastal Wetland Trends Analysis 1950s–1990s
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ri3.html

Adapting to Climate Change: The Global Adaptation Atlas
http://www.rff.org/News/ClimateAdaptation/Documents/Adaptation%20Atlas%20-%20Project%20Overview.pdf

FORMA = Forest Monitoring for Action: Tracking Deforestation, One Regression at a Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2XVCS9OleQ&feature=player_embedded

CITYgreen Calculates Environmental Benefits of Trees and Green Space
http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/citygreen/

Visualizing Priority Conservation Areas in Western North America
http://tncclimate.esri.com/TNC/ClimateChange.html

Changing Vegetation and Challenges to Borders of Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1709.html

Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1763.html

Climate Change Impacts on Watersheds in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1143.html

Westchester County’s Green Map Aids County Global Warming Task Force Plans
http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0808/green-map.html

Delta Habitat Opportunities – Assessing Risks with Climate Change
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1088.html

Developing the Next Generation of Climate Action Plans
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1825.html

Influence of Climate Change on Outbreak of Leaf Spot Disease
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1034.html

Local Climate Change GIS—Data-Based Visioning Tools for Community Decision-Making
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1603.html

Transportation Modeling and Climate Change Analysis
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1824.html

Conserving Bolivia’s Critical Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring08articles/conserving-bolivias.html

Ecosystem Vulnerability to Climate Change in Panama
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1800.html

Modeling Landscape Connectivity in the Southern Appalachians under Climate Change
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1970.html

Philippine Tarsiers Conservation Program Streamlined with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/philippine-tarsiers.html

For Puget Sound, Washington, GIS and Modeling Are Protecting and Restoring Shorelines and Open Spaces
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0506articles/for-puget-sound.html

Kenya’s Kiunga Marine National Reserve Studies Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Conservation with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0203articles/kenyas-kiunga-marine.html

Mapping Benthic Habitats: The Marine GIS Challenge
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring05articles/mapping-benthic.html

The Charlotte, North Carolina, Urban Area Now Has a “Green Theme”
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer04articles/charlotte-northcarolina.html

Rangeland Health Data Collection and Analysis Improved with Mobile GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring08articles/rangeland-health.html

U.S. Department of Agriculture Produces Objective and Accurate Global Assessments with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/usda-produces.html

Spreading Data Improves Crop Yield
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/spreading-data.html

International Coffee Marketing and Certification Aided With GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/international-coffee.html

Sri Lanka Uses GIS for Planning and Management of Irrigation Systems
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/sri-lanka.html

Formulating a Sustainable Development Land Use Scenario Using GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall02articles/formulating-sustainable.html

Colorado’s North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Makes Ride Sharing Easier with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0506articles/colorados-north-front.html

Supporting Island Land Conservation
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/supporting-island.html

Traditional Knowledge Meets New Tools
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer06articles/traditional-knowledge.html

Bibliographies in this series:

GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 3: Renewable Energy

In Climate Change, ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Green Technologies on October 23, 2009 at 6:22 am

Assessing Economic Biomass Resource Potential for Bioenergy and Biobased Products

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental7.html

Wind Resources of the Western United States, 2007–2008 Edition
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric2.html

New Mexico Renewable Energy Resource Potential with Existing Energy Transmission Lines
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric4.html

Developing Wind Farms: Screening for Potential Sites
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric6.html

Atlas of UK Marine Renewable Energy Resources

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/mining1.html

Renewable Energy Siting: Collocating Wind Energy and Ethanol Production in Kansas
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/electric2.html

Renewable Energy: GIS and the Science Behind Tapping Wind Power Offer Insight on the Resource’s Feasibility
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/renewable-energy.html

Mapping the Solar Potential of Rooftops: Germany’s SUN-AREA Research Project Uses GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/mapping-the-solar.html

Assessing Economic Biomass Resources in California with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/assessing-economic.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Searching for Suitable Sites
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Determining Resource Potential
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Airflow Analysis for Wind Power
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Attracting Renewable Investors
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Environmental Impact Assessment of Proposed Wind Turbines
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Economic and Government Considerations of Wind Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html

GIS—A Common Tool for Sustainable Wind Development
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1894.html

Impact of Future Wind Farm Development on the Avesnois Park Landscape
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/environment5.html

The Los Angeles County Solar Mapping Portal
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1805.html

Geothermal Map of North America, 2004
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/mining2.html

Development of the Biomass Energy Use Business Evaluation GIS Software
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1159.html

Siting a Solar Power Project
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev7.html

GIS-Based Renewable Resource Supply Curves for the ReEDS Model
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1893.html

GIS in Support of the Concentrating Solar Power Program
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev1.html

Micro-climate Solar Modeling over Complex Terrain
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1904.html

The Big Sky State Taps Wind Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer08articles/the-big-sky-state.html

Ethanol Buzz Fuels GIS Planning by Colonial Pipeline Company
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall08articles/ethanol-buzz.html

Boston Showcases Solar Power Potential with Web GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall08articles/boston-showcases.html

Measuring the Economics of Biofuel Availability
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/1006/biomass1of2.html

Bibliographies in this series:

Quote of the Day

In Geography, Quotes on October 23, 2009 at 6:22 am

“What the world has now are new cities with young populations and old cities with old populations. How the dialogue between them plays out will determine much of the nature of the next half-century.”
–Stewart Brand

Web Map as Time Machine: An Ancient Story of Conquest is Heard Again

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on October 23, 2009 at 6:16 am

storymap_1…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcUser…

“Lienzos are maps that tell the story of a place. The story of the Lienzo de Quauhquechollan, one of the oldest of these maps, is being told on the Web 500 years after the events it records occurred. A responsive and intuitive Web site developed by the Universidad Francisco Marroquín (UFM) and Geosistemas y Tecnología Avanzada, S.A. (Geosistec), ESRI’s distributor in Guatemala, using the recently implemented ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight, has made sharing this cartographic treasure with potentially millions around the world possible.

“For the peoples of Mesoamerica, place and past were inseparable. Lienzos not only recorded the details of a geographic location but also communicated what happened there in a form of mapping now described as historical cartography. Graphic symbols designate people, places, and dates while stylized images of plants, animals, rivers, roads, and other features indicate where the story took place.

“Lienzos were not meant to be studied silently by individuals but were performed aloud for groups by a narrator who brought to life the events shown on the map. The story was recited to audiences assembled at market days and other community gatherings.”

  • Read the article

British Scientists Unveil New Climate Change Map Showing Likely Effects of Continued Carbons Emissions

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on October 22, 2009 at 9:08 am

…from The Guardian…

A-map-showing-the-impact--003

“The British government today raised the political stakes on climate change when it published a new map of the world that details the likely effects of a failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“The map shows the impact of an average 4C rise in global temperature, which John Beddington, the government’s chief scientist, said would be “disastrous”. A study by the Met Office last month said that such a 4C rise could come as soon as 2060 without urgent and serious action to reduce emissions.

“The map was launched to coincide with the London Science Museum’s new Prove it climate change exhibition by David Miliband, foreign secretary and his brother Ed Miliband, energy and climate change secretary. It comes in advance of key political talks on climate change in December in Copenhagen, where British officials will push for a new global deal to curb emissions.”

GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 2: Carbon Management

In Climate Change, ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Green Technologies, Science on October 22, 2009 at 8:54 am

National Carbon Sequestration (NatCarb)
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental10.html

City of Irvine’s GHG GIS Protocol
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1826.html

The Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership Region
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental6.html

GIS Contributes to Groundbreaking Carbon Emissions Inventory
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/giseducator/gised-winter08.pdf

Predicting the Vegetation Distribution and Terrestrial Carbon-Fluxes Using MC1 Model
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1479.html

Generalized Contours of the Sauk Sequence for Characterization of Saline Aquifers for CO2 Sequestration
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/environment3.html

ESRI Commits to Clinton Global Initiative with Carbon Reduction Solution
http://www.esri.com/news/releases/09_4qtr/global_initiative.html
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2009/2009-09-28-03.asp

New Zealand Enlists GIS to Monitor Greenhouse Gas
http://www.esri.com/news/releases/09_3qtr/new_zealand_greenhouse.html

Enhanced Oil Recovery Revives Petroleum Fields and Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions

http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0209/salt-creek.html

ESRI Commits to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/09/17/norway-lauds-guyana%E2%80%99s-forestry-initiative/
http://opnew.op.gov.gy/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=722:esri-commits-to-guyana-&catid=34:bulletins&Itemid=70

Illinois Basin Coal GIS Datasets for Coal Bed Methane, Carbon Sequestration, and Coal Resource Studies
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/mining4.html

Measuring the Carbon Content of Forests: The Carbon Measurement Collaborative
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/what-we-do/clinton-climate-initiative/our-approach/forests/measuring-carbon

Forestry Carbon Trading Opportunities Explored with GIS
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/environment/envobs-winter2009.pdf#page=8

Baselining CO2 Emissions of Las Vegas Residential Streets
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1013.html

Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Communications Supported by GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/carbon-dioxide.html

Carbonfootprinting on the CSUN Campus Using ArcGIS
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1462.html

Carbon Nation: Automated GIS Process is Creating a Snapshot of Biomass and Carbon in U.S. Forests
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/1008/carbon.html

Web-GIS for Managing Agroforestry for Carbon Sequestration in East-Africa
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1485.html

Bibliographies in this series:

GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 1: Climate Science

In Climate Change, ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on October 22, 2009 at 8:42 am

Analyzing Sea Level Potential and Temperature Extremes within a GIS Environment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4GfnC6lK1Y

Shoreline Change History of Louisiana’s Gulf Shoreline: 1800s to 2005

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental1.html

Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Southern Florida

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental3.html

Coastal Change and Glaciological Map of the Larsen Ice Shelf Area, Antarctica: 1940–2005

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental4.html

The Cryosphere World Map

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental9.html

DOI Demonstrates Climate Change with ArcGIS Explorer: Visualizing Environmental Impacts Shows Need for New Strategy

http://www.esri.com/news/releases/09_4qtr/climate-hail.html

Houston Ozone and Ozone Precursor Monitoring Network
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/environment8.html

Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map, Including Arctic Research Stations
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/environment11.html

Arctic Conservation Area Topographic Map

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/conservation6.html

A Long-Term Seamless Daily Precipitation-Temperature Geodatabase for the Continental US (CONUS)

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1938.html

Global Soil Regions

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev4.html

Forest Dynamics in the Southern Lake Tahoe Basin, 1940–2002

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/forestry3.html

Shrinking Forests of Kilimanjaro—The Impact of Fire and Climate Change

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/conservation2.html

Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/conservation3.html

Global Warming: The Bering Glacier Retreat and Sea Level Rise

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1172.html

Air Pollution Sources in South Coast Air Basin—Impacts of Meteorology, Terrain, and Other Sources

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/environment4.html

Predicted Potential Natural Vegetation of New Zealand

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/forestry4.html

Spatial Patterns of Climatic Factors Using GIS and PRISM, Korea

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1482.html

Land Cover of North America

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/forestry2.html

Using ArcGIS to Evaluate Weather Warnings

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1961.html

100+ Years of Land Change for Coastal Louisiana

http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/mining3.html

Using ArcGIS to Analyze Climate Patterns and Climate Change

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1168.html

Investigating Temperature Extremes in the United States

http://edcommunity.esri.com/arclessons/lesson.cfm?id=409

The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) GEOportal

http://www.geoportal.org/web/guest/geo_home

NOAA Climate Services Portal: Climate Data and Statistics

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1882.html

NCAR Publishes Climate Change Models in ESRI GIS Format

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0405articles/ncar.html

Characteristics of Atlantic Tropical Storms from Long-Term Observations

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1254.html

Amongst the Icebergs, GIS Innovation Aids Antarctic Research

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall04articles/amongst-the-icebergs.html

ClimateWizard: A Web-based GIS Tool for Practical Climate Change Analysis

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a2230.html

Long-Term Environmental Monitoring at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, Supported With GIS

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall04articles/long-term-environmental.html

Polar Climate Change: Shrinking Arctic Ice in a Temporal Context

http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a2124.html

Mapping the Ayles Ice Shelf Break

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring07articles/mapping-ayles.html

CASI Data Provides Better Picture of Coral Reef Threats

http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0506/casi1of2.html

Bibliographies in this series:

MundoGeo Interview with Dr. Michael Goodchild

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Interviews on October 22, 2009 at 7:29 am

MundoGeo has posted an interview with Dr. Michael Goodchild, professor of geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara and “the father of GIScience”.

NOAA Awards $243,000 to Prepare New Hampshire Watershed for Climate Change and Population Growth

In Climate Change, Geography on October 21, 2009 at 7:06 am

Syntectic International LLC and Antioch University New England to partner with stakeholders

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded Syntectic International, LLC of Portland, Oregon; Antioch University New England of Keene, New Hampshire; the Lake Sunapee Protective Association of Sunapee, New Hampshire; and partners, $243,000 to prepare the Lake Sunapee watershed for climate change and population growth.

The partners’ objectives are to protect a community comprised of vulnerable stormwater and drinking-water systems, and disseminate results to promote safe communities nationwide. The study accomplishes a key recommendation of the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report: providing decision-support for implementation of stakeholder-driven adaptation. By developing a reliable, local-scale adaptation protocol, the project seeks to maintain historical flood protection levels for the study site and other communities facing significant impacts from climate change and population growth.

Funded by NOAA’s Climate Program Office, the interdisciplinary team includes Latham Stack of Syntectic International; Michael Simpson, Jim Gruber, and Colin Lawson of Antioch University New England (AUNE); Dr. Robert Roseen of the University of New Hampshire Storm Water Center; Thomas Crosslin of Climate Techniques in Portland, Oregon; Robert Wood of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association; and internationally recognized adaptation expert Joel Smith of Stratus Consulting in Boulder, Colorado. Five of the eight researchers are either AUNE faculty members or alumni.

The project will study a region that, like many others, is experiencing an unusual and ongoing period of extreme or record rainfalls. These significantly diverge from the historical climate pattern. Previous studies by the team at other sites found that portions of existing stormwater drainage systems are currently undersized as a result of already-changed rainfall patterns.

“Recent experience and scientific studies are clear,” said Latham Stack, CEO of Syntectic. “Storm patterns are worsening and it is no longer prudent to delay action. We will never have perfect science, however sufficient science is available now. This project will protect the community with adequately reliable, local-scale information to support informed decisions.” By encouraging the participation of local stakeholders, the project will empower citizens to choose adaptation plans that are best for their towns. For example, Low Impact Development methods can minimize runoff and significantly reduce the need for more expensive drainage system upgrades.

According to Michael Simpson, director of AUNE’s Resource Management and Conservation program, “The availability of reliable and economical solutions can make the difference between returning to historical protection levels, or continuing to expose people and assets to worsening hazards.” Simpson explained that stormwater engineers and planners have always needed to cope with uncertainty and change, and the construction of water systems designed using best-available knowledge has always proceeded in parallel with the development of theory. “The past was not as certain as we like to think, and problems posed by population growth and climate change are actually not that different from previous challenges,” said Simpson.

The project will be broadly transferable, according to Stack. The team hopes to catalyze similar work nationwide, reducing further loss of life and damage from worsening storms. By demonstrating a practical protocol for action, this study will provide urgently needed decision-support to leaders seeking to maintain historical protection levels in their communities.

[Source: Syntectic news release]

Thetus Unveils Semantic Modeling and Analysis Solution

In ESRI, Geography, Modeling on October 21, 2009 at 6:52 am

Savanna brings a new standard of user experience and model-driven analysis tools to cultural, geo-cultural and human terrain analysis

Thetus Corporation, a pioneer of semantic knowledge modeling and discovery software, delivers a new standard of solutions to address complex modeling and analysis challenges. The Savanna solution builds upon the proven foundation of the Thetus Publisher, a semantic modeling platform, to provide an off-the-shelf analysis solution designed for rapid integration and customization.

Savanna provides users with a model-centric environment that is optimized for analysis involving multiple perspectives, confidence and detailed lineage tracking. The solution provides extension points at every level of the architecture, allowing customers to adapt models, analysis tasks and user experience to meet their individual needs. “We recognize that users have unique needs, and we believe that the analysis environment should be as dynamic as the challenges our customers face,” said Philip Pridmore-Brown, Vice President of Product Services at Thetus.

“Savanna is a great development for our customers and partners,”

“The Savanna solution changes the way we model and understand complex analysis challenges by using flexible knowledge models uniquely suited to cultural, geo-cultural and Human Terrain analysis,” noted Pridmore-Brown. “We are excited to be able to bring together the best products available in the Savanna framework.”

The Savanna solution framework includes out-of-the-box connectors to leading providers of content management, entity extraction, geospatial analysis and temporal analysis products including MarkLogic, Janya, MetaCarta, and ESRI. These integrations deliver a new level of deployment speed and ease to customers and enable Savanna to address a broad range of structured and unstructured data typical of today’s intelligence process.

“Savanna is a great development for our customers and partners,” said Craig Abod, President of Carahsoft Technology Corporation, a government solutions provider and Thetus Savanna reseller. “The Savanna solution leverages the strengths of numerous products in our portfolio in an integrated and open platform that delivers substantial value to the customer.”

Savanna couples a powerful data harmonization and ingestion pipeline with a browser-based front end that gives users access to search, models, geospatial tools, temporal visualizations and link charting. Savanna changes the analysis process by providing unique contextualization views and dynamic document and report assembly capabilities. The Savanna solution will be demonstrated at the 2009 GeoInt Symposium in San Antonio at the Thetus booth, #249.

[Source: Thetus news release]

Spatial Trends of Breast and Prostate Cancers in the United States, 2000 and 2005

In GIS, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on October 21, 2009 at 6:31 am

…from the International Journal of Health Geographics 2009, 8:53…

Rakesh Mandal, Sophie St-Hilaire, John G Kie, DeWayne Derryberry

“Background

“Breast cancer in females and prostate cancer in males are two of the most common cancers in the United States, and the literature suggests that they share similar features. However, it is unknown whether the occurrence of these two cancers at the county level in the United States is correlated. We analyzed Caucasian age-adjusted county level average annual incidence rates for breast and prostate cancers from the National Cancer Institute and State Cancer Registries to determine whether there was a spatial correlation between the two conditions and whether the two cancers had similar spatial patterns.

“Results

“There was a significant correlation between breast and prostate cancers by county (r =0.332, p<0.001). This relationship was more pronounced when we performed a geographically- weighted regression (GWR) analysis (r =0.552) adjusting for county unemployment rates. There was variation in the parameter estimates derived with the GWR; however, the majority of the estimates indicted a positive association. The strongest relationship between breast and prostate cancers was in the eastern parts of the Midwest and South, and the Southeastern U.S. We also observed a north-south pattern for both cancers with our cluster analyses. Clusters of counties with high cancer incidence rates were more frequently found in the North and clusters of counties with low incidence rates were predominantly in the South.

“Conclusion

“Our analyses suggest breast and prostate cancers cluster spatially. This finding corroborates other studies that have found these two cancers share similar risk factors. The north-south distribution observed for both cancers warrants further research to determine what is driving this spatial pattern.”

Spatial Analysis of Social Facts: A Tentative Theoretical Framework

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on October 21, 2009 at 6:28 am

…manuscript published in “Handbook of Quantitative and Theoretical Geography or Advances in Quantitative and Theoretical Geography (2010) 000-046″…

Author: C. Grasland, Université Paris Diderot

“This document presents an attempt to build a theoretical framework for the spatial analysis of social facts, derived from Tobler’s first law of geography (‘Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things’) and Blau’s theory of macro sociology and multilevel structural analysis. At individual level four basic times of position and interaction are defined (geographical/sociological and discrete/continuous). It is then necessary to discuss the effects of scale aggregation and time dynamics on the elementary levels of position and interaction. This part is illustrated by examples about airflows between world cities in 2000 and euro coins diffusion across borders between 2002 and 2007.”

“Earth Science, Web 2.0+, and Geospatial Applications” to be Presented at ScienceOnline2010

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science, Visualization on October 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

sol_logoJacqueline Floyd and Chris Rowan will co-chair a session titled “Earth Science, Web 2.0+, and Geospatial Applications” at the ScienceOnline2010 conference at Research Triangle Park, NC, which will be held 14 to 17 January 2010.  “We will discuss online and mobile applications for earth science research, including solid earth, ocean, and atmosphere subtopics. Current topics planned for discussion are Google Earth for geospatial applications, iPhone and other mobile applications, collaboration tools such as Google Wave, and cloud computing platforms such as Amazon’s EC2 for computationally intensive applications such as seismic tomography or climate modeling. Also, we’ll discuss web analytics: defining and measuring what makes a science website or online application successful.”

USGS Seeks Proposals to Build the National Spatial Data Infrastructure

In GIS, Geography, SDI on October 20, 2009 at 10:36 am

USGS and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) formally announced their request for proposals to support the 2010 National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP).  With over $1.3 million spread across seven categories, the 2010 NSDI CAP will award an estimated 31 innovative projects in the geospatial data community. The goals of the awarded projects will be to develop partnerships and to build new and improve existing geospatial infrastructure necessary to effectively discover, access, share, manage and use geospatial assets.

In 2009, NSDI CAP awarded a total of 25 projects, totaling close to $1.3 million.  One of the 2009 categories is helping States develop strategic and business plans that will support the coordination of programs, policies, technologies, and resources related to all aspects of geospatial information.  See the full list of the 2009 NSDI CAP projects online.

To date the annual NSDI CAP awards have supported metadata creation and service, outreach and coordination, standards implementation, partnership development, State strategic and business plan development, map and geospatial data services deployment, geo-enablement of data, and NSDI training.  All levels of government, academia, and private sector have participated in this national effort to implement the NSDI.  Since 1994 CAP awards have played a substantial role in advancing and propagating the tenets of the NSDI to thousands of practitioners.

2010 NSDI CAP proposals need to be submitted via Grants.gov by January 7, 2010.  The awarded projects scheduled to be announced by USGS/FGDC contracts officer in February 2010 with obligated work to begin on each project by September 30, 2010.  More information is available at the FGDC proposal submissions site.  To apply go to grants.gov.

The FGDC, which is hosted by the USGS, sponsors the NSDI CAP to promote the technologies, standards, best practices and organizational collaboration vital to data integration, partnerships for data investment and speedy delivery of geospatial products to support government.

For more information on this program, please contact Gita Urban-Mathieux: burbanma@usgs.gov or 703-648-5175. For further information on FGDC NSDI CAP Grants: www.fgdc.gov; contact the FGDC Secretariat, c/o U.S. Geological Survey, 590 National Center, Reston, VA 20192; fax 703-648-5755.

[Source: USGS news release]

Variable Selection for Spatial Random Field Predictors Under a Bayesian Mixed Hierarchical Spatial Model

In Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics on October 20, 2009 at 6:04 am

719813…in Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Epidemiology, Volume 1, Issue 1…

Ji-in Kim, Andrew B. Lawson, Suzanne McDermott, C. Marjorie Aelion

“A health outcome can be observed at a spatial location and we wish to relate this to a set of environmental measurements made on a sampling grid. The environmental measurements are covariates in the model but due to the interpolation associated with the grid there is an error inherent in the covariate value used at the outcome location. Since there may be multiple measurements made on different covariates there could be considerable uncertainty in the covariate values to be used. In this paper we examine a Bayesian approach to the interpolation problem and also a Bayesian solution to the variable selection issue. We present a series of simulations which outline the problem of recovering the true relationships, and also provide an empirical example.”

Modelling Individual Space–time Exposure Opportunities: A Novel Approach to Unravelling the Genetic or Environment Disease Causation Debate

In Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on October 19, 2009 at 7:53 am

719813…in Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Epidemiology, Volume 1, Issue 1…

Clive E. Sabel, Paul Boyle, Gillian Raab, Markku Löytönen, Paula Maasilta

“The aetiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is uncertain. While around 10% is assumed to be inherited, the relative influence of genetic versus physical or social environmental factors (or some combination of the two) has yet to be determined.

“A previous study identified significant clustering of ALS at the time of birth in south-east Finland and this could support either a genetic or an environmental hypothesis. We know that south-east Finland is an environmentally degraded area, but the population in this region may also be genetically susceptible to this condition.

“We therefore extend this research by comparing the lifetime residential histories of 1000 ALS cases and 1000 controls matched by birth date, sex and municipality of birth. By focusing on those who originated in the south-east, and comparing the subsequent residential mobility of these two groups, we test whether remaining in south-east Finland is more common among cases than controls and, hence, whether there may be an environmental or genetic influence on ALS associated with that region. Our results indeed suggest that the cases were more likely to remain in south-east Finland after birth, compared to the geographically matched controls. This suggests that moving away is protective, and points towards a risk factor after birth being implicated in the aetiology of the disease.”

Linking Health and Environmental Data in Geographical Analysis: It’s So Much More than Centroids

In ESRI, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Social Science on October 16, 2009 at 10:52 am

719813…in Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Epidemiology, Volume 1, Issue 1…

Linda J. Young, Carol A. Gotway, Jie Yang, Greg Kearney, Chris DuClos

“Programs and studies increasingly use existing data from multiple sources (e.g., surveillance systems, health registries, or governmental agencies) for analysis and inference. These data usually have been collected on different geographical or spatial units, with each varying from the ones of interest. Combining such disparate data creates statistical challenges. Florida’s efforts to move toward implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program aptly illustrate these concerns, which are typical of studies designed to measure the association between environmental and health outcomes. In this paper, we develop models of spatial associations between myocardial infarctions (MIs) and ambient ozone levels in Florida during August 2005 and use these models to illustrate the problems that can occur when making inferences from aggregated data, the concept of spatial support, and the importance of correct uncertainty assessment. Existing data on hospital discharges and emergency department visits were obtained from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. Environmental data were obtained from Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection; sociodemographic data were obtained from the US Census Bureau; and data from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to provide additional information on other risk factors. We highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with combining disparate spatial data for EPHT analyses. We compare the results from two different approaches to data linkage, focusing on the need to account for spatial scale and the support of spatial data in the analysis. We use geographically weighted regression, not as a visual mapping tool, but as an inferential tool designed to indicate the need for spatial coefficients, a test that cannot be made by using the majority of Bayesian models. Finally, we use geostatistical simulation methods for uncertainty analysis to demonstrate its importance in models with predicted covariates. Our focus is on relatively simple methods and concepts that can be implemented with ESRI’s ArcGIS software.”

Comparison of Tests for Spatial Heterogeneity on Data with Global Clustering Patterns and Outliers

In GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis on October 16, 2009 at 4:52 am

plague…from the International Journal of Health Geographics 2009, 8:55…

Monica C Jackson, Lan Huang, Jun Luo, Mark Hachey, Eric Feuer

“Background

“The ability to evaluate geographic heterogeneity of cancer incidence and mortality is important in cancer surveillance. Many statistical methods for evaluating global clustering and local cluster patterns are developed and have been examined by many simulation studies. However, the performance of these methods on two extreme cases (global clustering evaluation and local anomaly (outlier) detection) has not been thoroughly investigated.

“Methods

“We compare methods for global clustering evaluation including Tango’s Index, Moran’s I, and Oden’s I*pop; and cluster detection methods such as local Moran’s I and SaTScan elliptic version on simulated count data that mimic global clustering patterns and outliers for cancer cases in the continental United States. We examine the power and precision of the selected methods in the purely spatial analysis. We illustrate Tango’s MEET and SaTScan elliptic version on a 1987-2004 HIV and a 1950-1969 lung cancer mortality data in the United States.

“Results

“For simulated data with outlier patterns, Tango’s MEET, Moran’s I and I*pop had powers less than 0.2, and SaTScan had powers around 0.97. For simulated data with global clustering patterns, Tango’s MEET and I*pop (with 50% of total population as the maximum search window) had powers close to 1. SaTScan had powers around 0.7-0.8 and Moran’s I has powers around 0.2-0.3. In the real data example, Tango’s MEET indicated the existence of global clustering patterns in both the HIV and lung cancer mortality data. SaTScan found a large cluster for HIV mortality rates, which is consistent with the finding from Tango’s MEET. SaTScan also found clusters and outliers in the lung cancer mortality data.

“Conclusions

“SaTScan elliptic version is more efficient for outlier detection compared with the other methods evaluated in this article. Tango’s MEET and Oden’s I*pop perform best in global clustering scenarios among the selected methods. The use of SaTScan for data with global clustering patterns should be used with caution since SatScan may reveal an incorrect spatial pattern even though it has enough power to reject a null hypothesis of homogeneous relative risk. Tango’s method should be used for global clustering evaluation instead of SaTScan.”

New Peer-reviewed Scientific Journal: Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology

In GIS, Geography, Science, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Temporal Analysis on October 15, 2009 at 12:50 pm

719813Elsevier, a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services announced today the launch of a new peer-reviewed scientific journal, Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/sste). The first issue was published in September 2009 and will be a primary forum for academics and scholars in the growing fields of graphical information systems, epidemiology, exposure science, and spatial statistics.

Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology will publish a broad range of topics relating to geospatial health methodology. The journal focuses on answering epidemiological questions where spatial and spatio-temporal approaches are appropriate to help advance our understanding of infectious and non-infectious diseases in humans. Veterinary topics will also be included. The journal places special emphasis on spatio-temporal aspects of emerging diseases (e.g., avian flu, SARS), development of spatial statistical and computational methods, and novel applications of geospatial technology (e.g., GPS, GIS) for shedding insights on exposure and disease processes.

The Editorial Board will be led by the internationally recognized scholar Professor Andrew B. Lawson, Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, USA.

“Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology is the premier vehicle for novel developments and advances in the area of geospatial health methodology,” commented Professor Andrew B. Lawson, “In this outlet we hope to attract state of the art papers describing the latest advances in methodology in application to spatial and spatio-temporal epidemiology.”

Jane Ma, Executive Publisher at Elsevier commented; “H1N1 is one of the world’s greatest challenges for public health. It requires experts from a number of specialties to ensure this challenge is dealt with effectively. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology uniquely draws together key research from across the medical, social science and statistics disciplines to address key health issues such as H1N1, Avian ‘flu and cancer clustering in an effort to provide a more holistic approach to epidemiological questions and how space and time impact on these.”

[Source: Elsevier news release]

Satellite Images of Nighttime Lights Give Clues to GDP

In Geography, Imagery, Social Science on October 15, 2009 at 7:24 am

gajitz…from gajitz.com…

“Economists are always interested in tracking the economic progress of countries around the world. However, that’s a difficult thing to do in undeveloped countries where records are rarely kept. Many countries do not even appear in the Penn World Tables, one of the most trusted compendiums of world economic data. Researchers at Brown University think that they’ve come up with an ingenious way of tracking the gross domestic product (GDP) of developing countries: they’ll do it from space.”

Geographical Variations in the Correlates of Blood Donor Turnout Rates: An Investigation of Canadian Metropolitan Areas

In GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on October 14, 2009 at 7:35 am

plague…from the International Journal of Health Geographics 2009, 8:56…

Pj Saberton, Antonio Paez, K. Bruce Newbold, Nancy M Heddle

“Background

“Like other countries, Canada’s population is aging, and the implications of this demographic change need to be better understood from the perspective of blood supply. Analysis of donor data will help to identify systematic patterns of donation and its correlates. Data Geo-coded blood donor and donor clinic data are provided by Canadian Blood Services. Blood donor data is provided for the fiscal year 2006-2007 indicating the total number of donors for each Canadian postal code, excluding the province of Quebec. Potential correlates of blood donation are selected based on social and economic characteristics, as well as descriptors of city size and geographical location in the urban hierarchy measures of accessibility, and capacity of donor clinics.

“Methods

“Data is aggregated to n=3,746 census tracts in 40 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA) across the country. The number of donors per population in a census tract is regressed against the set of potential donation correlates. Autocorrelation is tested for and results adjusted to provide parsimonious models.

“Results

“A number of factors are found to influence donation across the country, including the proportion of younger residents, English ability, proportion of people with immigrant status, higher education, and a population-based measure of accessibility.

“Conclusions

“While a number of correlates of blood donation are observed across Canada, important contextual effects across metropolitan areas are highlighted. The paper concludes by looking at policy options that are aimed toward further understanding donor behaviour.”

Vital Statistics: Summary of a National Research Council Workshop

In Books, Geography, Social Science, Statistics on October 14, 2009 at 6:39 am

vital…a new report from the Committee on National Statistics from the National Research Council…

“Vital statistics, the records of birth and death, are a critical national information resource for understanding public health. Over the past few decades, the specific program that gathers the data has evolved into a complex cooperative program between the federal and state governments for social measurement. The Vital Statistics Cooperative Program (VSCP) is currently maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

“The U.S. vital statistics system relies on the original information reported by myriad individuals, channeled through varying state and local information systems, and coordinated and processed by a federal statistical agency that has experienced relatively flat funding for many years. The challenges facing the vital statistics system and the continuing importance of the resulting data make it an important topic for examination.

“A workshop, held by the National Academies and summarized in this volume, considered the importance of adequate vital statistics. In particular, the workshop assessed both current and emerging uses of the data, considered the methodological and organizational features of compiling vital data, and identified possible visions for the vital statistics program.”

Visualizing the U.S. Electric Grid

In GIS, Geography, Green Technologies, Science on October 14, 2009 at 6:33 am

nprlogo_138x46…from NPR…

“The U.S. electric grid is a complex network of independently owned and operated power plants and transmission lines. Aging infrastructure, combined with a rise in domestic electricity consumption, has forced experts to critically examine the status and health of the nation’s electrical systems.”

npr_grid

Map layers include the U.S. electric grid, sources of power, power plants, solar power, and wind power.

Free Data Set: Carbon and Nitrogen Response to Elevated CO2 in Terrestrial Systems

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on October 14, 2009 at 6:25 am

“We compiled data from 104 published papers that study C and N dynamics at ambient and elevated CO2. The compiled database contains C contents, N contents, and C:N ratio in various plant and soil pools, and root:shoot ratio. Averaged C and N pool sizes in plant and soil all significantly increase at elevated CO2 in comparison to those at ambient CO2; ranging from a 5% increase in shoot N content to a 32% increase in root C content. Parts of this data set are copyrighted by the Ecological Society of America. Luo, Yiqi, Dafeng Hui, and Deqiang Zhang. 2006. Elevated CO2 stimulates net accumulations of carbon and nitrogen in land ecosystems: a meta-analysis. Ecology 87:53-63. Ecological Archives E087-001.”

Earth Science Week 2009

In ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on October 13, 2009 at 9:58 am

October 11-17 is Earth Science Week (“ESW”), organized by the American Geological Institute. The purpose is to encourage people to learn about the natural world and examine the geosciences. This year, particular attention is being given to climate. ESRI is proud to be a sponsor and supporter of ESW. Educators can acquire an ESW Toolkit, which includes a CD from ESRI.

Meanwhile, there are also materials available for download and interaction right from the ESRI EdCommunity ESW page. We’ve broken it down into a quick presentation about what’s GIS, about the use of GIS to study earth science, and the use of GIS to study climate in particular. You’ll find a series of videos, produced and narrated by Joseph Kerski, introducing landscapes in the field plus a couple of explorations of climate and weather patterns. You can see examples of lessons that you can do with ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Explorer, AEJEE, or even just a web browser. The most recent lesson (highlighted in this blog a month ago) uses ArcGIS Explorer and sea surface temperature observations from NASA to begin seeking patterns over time. A classic lesson, of great concern to those in low-lying coastal regions, is found in the “Water World” lesson in Module#7 of Book#2 from the Our World GIS Education series.

It’s easy to think that humans rule the world. One need only watch the headlines for the latest storm, earthquake, or tsunami to recognize that we don’t control everything. And, while events at local scales may not generate big headlines, a solid grasp of earth science is tied intimately to personal lives and to living in a sustainable fashion. Using GIS is key to understanding the relationships between and integration of natural processes with human conditions.

- Charlie Fitzpatrick, ESRI Schools Program Manager

Silvilaser 2009: 9th International Conference on Lidar Applications for Assessing Forest Ecosystems

In Conferences, Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on October 13, 2009 at 9:34 am

silvilaser-logo14-16 October 2009

Texas A&M University

Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building (ILSB)

College Station, TX, USA

Quote of the Day

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Science on October 12, 2009 at 6:07 am

“A good friend of mine once said, ‘For each new advance, each new technology, it’s both a technical advance but it’s also an advance in method.’  This science theorem really rings home as we expand the analytic language of what we can do with geography.”

–Jack Dangermond

NASA Video: Global Transportation of Carbon Monoxide Pollution

In Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Video on October 9, 2009 at 9:35 am

airs20091002-browse“Data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite were used to create this short video showing plumes of carbon monoxide being transported in Earth’s atmosphere around the globe. These observations track carbon monoxide at about 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) above the surface of Earth. In the movie, carbon monoxide emissions from large fires and large urban and industrial areas like northeastern China are visible, and are transported around the globe by weather fronts. The video is narrated by AIRS Science Team Member Wallace McMillan of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.”

NASA Flies to Antarctica for Largest Airborne Polar Ice Survey

In Environmental Science, Geography on October 9, 2009 at 3:58 am
nasa_logoNASA begins a series of flights Oct. 15 to study changes to Antarctica’s sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets. The flights are part of Operation Ice Bridge, a six-year campaign that is the largest airborne survey ever made of ice at Earth’s polar regions.

Researchers will work from NASA’s DC-8, an airborne laboratory equipped with laser mapping instruments, ice-penetrating radar and gravity instruments. Data collected from the mission will help scientists better predict how changes to the massive Antarctic ice sheet will contribute to future sea level rise around the world.

The plane, crew and scientists depart Oct. 12 from NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., and fly to Punta Arenas, Chile, where they will be based through mid-November. Seelye Martin of the University of Washington in Seattle leads the mission, with nearly 50 scientists and support personnel involved. The team is planning 17 flights over some of the fastest-changing areas in western Antarctica and its ice-covered coastal waters.

Data collected during the campaign also will help bridge the data gap between NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite, known as ICESat, which has been in orbit since 2003, and NASA’s ICESat-II, scheduled to launch no earlier than 2014. ICESat is nearing the end of its operational lifetime, making the Ice Bridge flights critical for ensuring a continuous record of observations.

“A remarkable change is happening on Earth, truly one of the biggest changes in environmental conditions since the end of the ice age,” said Tom Wagner, cryosphere program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “It’s not an easy thing to observe, let alone predict what might happen next. Studies like Ice Bridge are key.”

Because airborne observations lack the continent-wide coverage a satellite provides, mission planners have selected key targets to study that are most prone to change. Sea ice measurements will be collected from the Amundsen Sea, where local warming suggests the ice may be thinning. Ice sheet and glacier studies will be flown over the Antarctic Peninsula and West Antarctica, including Pine Island Glacier, an area scientists believe could undergo rapid changes.

The payload on the DC-8 includes the Airborne Topographic Mapper, a laser altimeter developed at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It produces elevation maps of the ice surface and previously was flown over the Antarctic in 2002, 2004, and 2008 aboard a Chilean Navy P3 aircraft. By retracing some of those flights, as well as the tracks covered by ICESat, researchers can compare the data sets and determine changes in ice elevation.

Other instruments flying include the Multichannel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder from the University of Kansas, which measures ice sheet thickness and the varied terrain below the ice. The Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor, developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., maps large areas of sea ice and glacier zones. A gravimeter from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y., will give scientists their first opportunity to measure the shape of the ocean cavity beneath floating ice shelves in critical spots of Antarctica. A University of Kansas snow radar will measure the thickness of snow on top of sea ice and glaciers.
NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.; NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.; and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks also are providing support for the campaign.

NASA also is funding complementary airborne surveys as part of Operation Ice Bridge, including surveys of Alaskan glaciers by scientists from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks and an extensive survey of remote regions of East Antarctica by scientists from the University of Texas in Austin, the University of Edinburgh and the Australian Antarctic Division.

The Antarctic flights follow the first Operation Ice Bridge airborne campaign earlier this year over Greenland and the Arctic Ocean. The mission will map key areas in each polar region once a year. Arctic flights resume in spring 2010.

For more information about Operation Ice Bridge, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/ice_bridge

To follow Operation Ice Bridge on Twitter, visit: http://twitter.com/IceBridge

For more information about NASA, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

[Source: NASA news release]

USGS Used To Map And Prioritize Mudslide Danger After L.A. Wildfire

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on October 9, 2009 at 3:56 am

usgs…from the Los Angeles Times…

“The miles of trees and other hillside vegetation scorched away by the recent wildfire here has left the towns and homes in the area vulnerable to mud and debris slides in the coming rainy season, warns a report from the US Geological Survey (USGS) released Wednesday.

“The so-called Station fire blazed across 250 square miles of hillside in L.A. County last month. And without the natural barrier of trees, mud, rocks, and other debris could pour down the steep slopes to cover a football field 60 ft. deep, according to the report.

“The USGS study estimated the probability and volume of debris-and-mud flow caused by a three-hour rainstorm – which has 100 percent chance of occurring every year – a one-hour rainstorm, and a 12-hour rainstorm, which is only likely to occur once in two years.”

Maps Link Clean Water, Sanitation, and Poverty for Uganda’s Development

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on October 8, 2009 at 7:30 am

…fromt eh World Resources Institute…

“A new set of maps illustrating levels of clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and poverty in Uganda will help guide national development planning.

“Limited access to clean water and sanitation threatens not only the health of Ugandans but also their education opportunities,” said Disan Ssozi, assistant commissioner at Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment, co-author of Mapping a Healthier Future: How Spatial Analysis Can Guide Pro-Poor Water and Sanitation Planning in Uganda – a new report released today in Kampala.  “The maps and data in this report will help inform Uganda’s water infrastructure planners and protect the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”

“In 2004, Uganda’s central government set national targets to increase access to clean water and sanitation to 100 percent in urban areas and 77 percent in rural districts by 2015.

“So far, Uganda’s investment plans, which are expected to cost approximately US $1.4 billion, have helped improve drinking water coverage in rural sub-counties, from 25 percent in the early 1990s to 65 percent in 2009.  However, work remains to be done to ensure that all areas meet national targets.”

Video: Layers of Our World

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Imagery on October 8, 2009 at 7:00 am

In this salute to GIS Day ESRI uses ArcGlobe 3D Analyst and ArcMap to provide multiple perspectives of Earth. Special thanks to Digital Globe and EarthSat for their images used in this video.

Map of the Day: Statistical Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico, November 2007

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Social Science on October 8, 2009 at 6:59 am

…from the ESRI Map Book, Volume 24…

federal1b_sm

“The Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico wall map (left) shows metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (also known as core-based statistical areas), shows metropolitan divisions, and identifies their component counties. The Combined Statistical Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico wall map (right) shows combined statistical areas and identifies their component metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. The printed map measures 55.5-by-36 inches. The boundaries and titles depicted on this map reflect the definitions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in November 2007. The area definitions are based on the application of the 2000 Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas to Census Bureau population estimates for incorporated places and selected minor civil divisions for 2005 and 2006, and in specified circumstances, local opinion.

“Courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division.”

A New Look Beneath the Waves: Ocean Observatories Initiative Gets Underway

In Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on October 7, 2009 at 10:11 am

nsflogoGiving scientists never-before-seen views of the world’s oceans, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership (COL) have signed a Cooperative Agreement that supports the construction and initial operation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).

OOI will provide a network of undersea sensors for observing complex ocean processes such as climate variability, ocean circulation, and ocean acidification at several coastal, open-ocean and seafloor locations.

Continuous data flow from hundreds of OOI sensors will be integrated by a sophisticated computing network, and will be openly available to scientists, policy makers, students and the public.

“Through the Recovery Act, we are putting people to work today to find answers to some of the major scientific and environmental challenges that we face,” said Arden L. Bement, Jr., director of NSF.

“The oceans drive an incredible range of natural phenomena, including our climate, and directly impact society in myriad ways,” Bement explained. “New approaches are crucial to our understanding of changes now happening in the world’s oceans. OOI will install the latest technologies where they can best serve scientists, policymakers and the public.”

Added Julie Morris, NSF division director for ocean sciences, “Moving a large project to the construction phase requires rigorous planning. Remarkable cooperation and commitment from the OOI team is translating a long-held dream into a new reality for the ocean sciences research community.”

Advanced ocean research and sensor tools are a significant improvement over past techniques. Remotely operated and autonomous vehicles go deeper and perform longer than submarines. Underwater samplers do in minutes what once took hours in a lab. Telecommunications cables link experiments directly to office computers on land. At sea, satellite uplinks shuttle buoy data at increasing speeds.

Sited in critical areas of the open and coastal ocean, OOI will radically change the rate and scale of ocean data collection. The networked observatory will focus on global, regional and coastal science questions. It will also provide platforms to support new kinds of instruments and autonomous vehicles.

“OOI is an unprecedented opportunity for, and whole new approach to, advancing our understanding of how the ocean works and interacts with the atmosphere and solid Earth,” said Robert Gagosian, president and CEO of COL. “It will allow scientists to answer complex questions–questions only dreamed of a few years ago–about the future health of our planet, such as the ocean’s role in climate change. It’s very exciting to be part of this huge step forward in the ocean sciences.”

The five-plus-year construction phase, funded initially with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds, will begin this month.

The first year of funding under the Cooperative Agreement will support a range of construction efforts, including production engineering and prototyping of key coastal and open-ocean components (moorings, buoys, sensors), award of the primary seafloor cable contract, completion of a shore station for power and data, and software development for sensor interfaces to the network.

Subsequent years of funding will support the completion of coastal, deep-ocean, and seafloor systems, with initial data flow scheduled for early 2013 and final commissioning of the full system in 2015.

The OOI is managed and coordinated by the OOI Project Office at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in Washington, D.C., with three major implementing organizations responsible for the construction of the components of the full network:

  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and its partners, Oregon State University and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, are responsible for coastal and global moorings and their associated autonomous vehicles.  Raytheon will also serve as a WHOI partner and provide project management and systems engineering support.
  • The University of Washington is responsible for cabled seafloor systems and moorings on the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate.
  • OOI’s cyberinfrastructure component is being implemented by the University of California at San Diego.

In 2010 the program will add an education and public engagement team as the fourth implementing organization; it will take advantage of the technology and combined science and education vision of the OOI.

“This award represents the fulfillment of more than a decade of planning and hard work by hundreds of ocean scientists, and reflects the commitment of the National Science Foundation to new approaches for documenting ocean processes,” said Tim Cowles, OOI program director at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership.

“The OOI project team is excited to play a role in implementing this unique suite of observing assets. We’re building an infrastructure that will transform ocean sciences.”

[Source: NSF press release]

New Book: Research Trends in Geographic Information Science

In Books, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on October 7, 2009 at 6:16 am

research_trendsIn June/July 2008, the Institute for Geoinformation and Cartography at the Vienna University of Technology organized a scientific colloquium where 15 well-known scientists presented their ideas on research for the upcoming decade. This book contains papers prepared by the participants as well as by other researchers. The eighteen papers in this book reflect the opinion of a core group of Geoinformation scientists about future research topics. Dealing with these topics poses multiple research questions for the coming years.

Papers include:

  • Ontology, Epistemology, teleology: Triangulating Geographic Information Science
  • Geonoemata Elicited: Concepts, Objects, and Other Uncertain Geographic things
  • Virtue Ethics for GIS Professionals
  • Why Is Scale an Effective Descriptor for Data Quality? The Physical and Ontological Rationale for Imprecision and Level of Detail
  • Semantic Engineering
  • A Common Spatial Model for GIS
  • Computation with Imprecise Probabilities
  • Spatial Data Quality: Problems and Prospects
  • Latent Analysis as a Potential Method for Integrating Data Concepts
  • Stereology for Multitemporal Images with an Application to Flooding
  • Modeling Spatiotemporal Paths for Single Moving Objects
  • Moving Objects in Databases and GIS: State-of-the-Art and Open problems
  • The Degree of Distribution of Random Planar Graphs
  • Geographical Information Engineering in the 21st Century
  • Towards Visual Summaries of Geographic Databases Based on Chorems
  • Intelligent Spatial Communication
  • Training Games and GIS
  • Cadastre and Economic Development

Order from Amazon.com

GPS Innovator and Educator Honored as Cal State Fullerton’s Outstanding Professor for 2009

In Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis on October 6, 2009 at 10:33 am

fullertonA noted educator and internationally recognized authority on satellite global positioning has been named Cal State Fullerton’s Outstanding Professor for 2009.

Mohinder Grewal, professor of electrical engineering and a faculty member since 1975, was stunned when faculty members and administrators led by CSUF President Milton A. Gordon walked into a meeting about satellite communications to present him with the award.

“Each year, one of the university’s 2,000 faculty is chosen as the best,” Gordon said as he walked over to stand next to the honoree. “Guess who it is this year? Professor Grewal!”

The two dozen students at the meeting loudly applauded as Gordon presented the professor with a crystal trophy engraved with a picture of a communications satellite and words declaring Grewal the 2008-09 Outstanding Professor Award honoree.

“I’m not going to read the list of his accomplishments,” said Gordon, brandishing several printed pages. “It’s two pages long!”

“Congratulations, Dr. Grewal. This award is probably 20 years overdue, but that makes it all the more special,” said Raman Unnikrishnan, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Grewal, who earned his doctorate at USC, enjoys an international reputation for contributions to the development of the space-based positioning, navigation and timing systems that lie at the heart of the increasingly common global positioning technology found in everything from smart phones to navigation systems. He holds two patents with a third patent application pending, all for algorithms related to global positioning and navigation.

Dorota Huizinga, former associate dean of ECS and now associate vice president for graduate studies and research, added: “I’m so happy for you. I have to tell you, whenever I hear my GPS talking to me, giving me directions, I think of you.”

“Your accomplishments are so wonderful, so impressive and you’re a wonderful teacher,” added last year’s Outstanding Professor Award recipient Stella Ting-Toomey, professor of human communication studies.

Scott Hewitt, chair of the Academic Senate and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said, “This honor is deserved, and your membership is a credit to the Academic Senate.”

“I’m surprised and stunned,” Grewal said, clearly struggling for control. “I have to give credit to my students, staff and colleagues. This would not have happened without their support all this time. Thank you, thank you.”

Recipients of the award must demonstrate a record of superlative teaching and distinguished scholarship on a national or international scale, have contributed to the stature of the university and to the California State University system and been of service to the campus and the community in ways related to their teaching.

Crediting the Support of Students and Peers

Grewal is quick to credit students and colleagues for his achievements.

“I have had so many good ones, and they made me think and delve. They asked questions I couldn’t answer, and in trying to find answers, I was sent in new directions. As they developed, they worked with me, and many of them now are successful at places like Raytheon and Boeing and other corporations, and as educators. I still work on projects with some of them.”

His students and colleagues are just as quick to return the favor.

Former students and alumni, like Laura Cheung (M.S. electrical engineering ’01), principal systems engineer for Raytheon Co. who has known Grewal for a decade as a student, a mentor and a colleague, was lavish in her praise: “As his student at Cal State Fullerton, I benefited greatly from Dr. Grewal’s instruction. His exemplary work in developing and teaching GPS and Kalman filtering classes has made CSUF one of just a few universities in North America to offer such high-quality and valuable GPS instruction.”

Satinder Singh (M.S. engineering-electrical ’87), president and chief executive officer of the California-based international company Future Computer Solutions Inc., said studying with Grewal changed his outlook. “I had the pleasure of being in three of his courses, and I found Dr. Grewal to be not only most interesting and engaging in his lecture but, more importantly, I found him inspiring. He ignited a deep interest in everything he touched and drew me into what were, for me, uncharted territories.

“Moreover, his mentorship did not terminate when I completed my studies and moved into the corporate world,” Singh said. ”He made himself readily available. I availed of it freely when I found myself up against a formidable problem. He continued to be generous with his guidance.”

Grewal’s positive relationship with his students has continued unabated over the years. Master’s in electrical engineering graduates from 2008, Malia Harris, chief engineer, and Kenny Dang, systems engineer, in the California division of Texas-based of DRS Sensors and Targeting Systems, co-authored a letter of recommendation for Grewal, citing his roles as teacher and mentor.

“Over the last three years, we have taken many courses with Dr. Grewal. We feel he surpasses most instructors in his passion for his work and his ability to engage others,” they noted. “His excitement for his work is contagious [and], he also is extremely supportive of the students around him and encourages them to challenge themselves.”

Phyllis Harn, an administrative support coordinator in the Electrical Engineering Department for more than two decades before retiring in 2007, sang the professor’s praises with obvious enthusiasm. “There are many great educators at CSUF. However, to be an Outstanding Professor, you need something special,” Harn said. ”I believe when you combine the professional accomplishments of Dr. Grewal with the utmost respect he has earned from everyone, you have that winning combination.”

“Dr. Grewal’s student evaluations are among the highest in the department; in fact they are always in the top two … He is the sole adviser of all new graduate students who apply to our program and does the initial evaluation and advising for every single applicant to our master’s in software engineering program,” noted Mostafa Shiva, chair and professor of electrical engineering. “Dr. Grewal has earned national and international recognition by his scholarly activities, research and publications. His performance is exceptional in all areas. He is a one-of-a-kind teacher who achieves the highest levels of excellence.”

Professional Accolades

Gerard Lachappelle, professor of geomatics engineering and chair of the Wireless Location Department at Shuclich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and a two-decade industry veteran in navigation research and development, contends that Grewal’s contributions to the field of satellite and inertial navigation have made him “without question one of the academic leaders in this field worldwide.

“His book ‘Kalman Filtering Theory and Practice Using MATLAB’ has become one of the few standard books for students and research engineers in the field of navigation. His book ‘Global Positioning Systems, Inertial Navigation and Integration’ has equally been accepted in our community. And he has contributed massively to the training of professionals through regular and high-quality short courses,” said Lachappelle.

The Orange County Engineering Council honored Grewal last spring with the Excellence in Engineering Education Award, its highest award for an educator. The council acts as the umbrella organization for the technology-rich county, which includes dozens of engineering groups, corporations and educational institutions.

Roboticist Sam Rokni (B.S., M.S. electrical engineering ’05, ’07), now an engineering lecturer at Cal State Fullerton, said Grewal showed him connections to robotics he hadn’t yet considered. Incorporating GPS and space-based navigation, like those used for airplanes, package tracking and cell phones, was a big one. “He helped me see how it could apply to my field.”

GPS World named Grewal one of the “50+ Leaders to Watch” in the world in 2007 and 2008 for advancements in space-based positioning, navigation and timing systems. In addition to his two co-edited books, he has authored and co-authored dozens of articles and papers on navigation and global positioning and has given many presentations, lectures and seminars internationally.

Recognition at Commencement

As the 2008-09 Outstanding Professor Award recipient, Grewal will be recognized at the university’s May 22 Honors Convocation and will lead the faculty at the May 23 and 24 commencement ceremonies. He will receive a $4,000 cash award from the President’s Associates and will present a public lecture next spring.

Zvi Drezner, professor of information systems and decision sciences and the recipient of the 2005-06 Outstanding Professor Award, chaired the Outstanding Professor Selection Committee.

Grewal resides in Anaheim Hills and is currently on sabbatical pursuing research in inertial navigation.

[Source: Cal State Fullerton press release]

Make Your Own Interactive U.S. Demographic Map and Share on the Web or in an Email

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Social Science on October 6, 2009 at 10:28 am

esriESRI has launched a new “Make a Map” application on its web site which lets you make–and share–interactive U.S. demographic maps.

Researchers Use High-tech Tools to Map Ocean Floor

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on October 6, 2009 at 9:44 am

…from fosters.com…

“The scientists charting the world’s seafloors have come a long way from the days when sailors would head out on ships and tie a lead sinker to a line to measure ocean depths.

“The use of rapid-fire sonar technologies and computer programs developed at the University of New Hampshire has revolutionized seafloor mapping and drastically improved the accuracy of nautical charts.

“And while the science behind it is complicated, former UNH graduate student and research ship commander Shepard Smith said his days out on a hydrographic survey vessel provide the data necessary to create “road maps for the ocean.”"

Mapping Culture: Novel Approach to Fusing Social Science and Geospatial Technology to Go Beyond Traditional Intelligence Analysis

In GIS, Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on October 6, 2009 at 8:58 am

“Human Terrain Analysis” Helps Commanders Visualize the Battlefield and Analysts Discover Hidden Patterns

As the American military continues to try to adjust to the post- 9/11 realities and transform its force, tactics, techniques, and procedures, a small company based in the Reston, VA technology belt has championed a novel approach to traditional intelligence analysis. Its combination of social science and geospatial technology is at the cornerstone of an analytical method the DoD is increasingly turned to that has been termed “Human Terrain Analysis.” SCIA’s mission is to map culture in areas of limited and sparse information to provide U.S. military commanders actionable intelligence analysis on the local socio-cultural dynamics of an area.

SCIA leverages commercial off-the-shelf geospatial technology and proprietary methods of social scientifically-based analysis to create a variety of maps depicting the geospatial patterns of behavior for groups and individuals of interest for the U.S. military. “Human terrain analysis is essentially the mapping of culture, discovering geospatial patterns of behavior we would not otherwise be aware of. The method enables analytic discoveries and provides the basis for true socio-cultural intelligence analysis of a region,” said Dr. Swen Johnson, who founded SCIA in 2005 to help provide the kind of intelligence product he sought while deployed as a US Army counterintelligence special agent in Kosovo. “Only recently has the government begun institutionalizing this kind of analysis. There were no jobs for ‘Human Terrain Analyst’ back in 2005 and I had to create the company in order to do the work that I saw we needed. It was a classic example how private industry can help the government and military see a way forward.”

The lack of basic knowledge on the geographic distribution and sociological characterization of ethnic, tribal, and religious groups has been identified as one of the U.S. military’s most pressing intelligence gaps. Typically, military intelligence has been narrowly concerned with either manhunts or kinetic strikes, and its intelligence apparatus has been designed for this kind of fight. As the military broadens its approach to include tribal engagement, stability operations, and support to sovereign governments, SCIA is helping transform the way intelligence data is collected and analyzed.

Johnson added: “SCIA’s approach to Human Terrain Analysis is about providing a niche type of intelligence analysis that helps our soldiers when they engage tribes and clans in dangerous locations. We go beyond simple demographics to study the micro-sociological environment from a geospatial perspective.”

The methods that SCIA has helped develop and champion have lead to invitations to teach and train others in both domestic and foreign markets. Foreign military allies of the US, various elements of the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community, and the academic community have asked SCIA for assistance. “Currently, we only provide one course open to the public as a community service offering; the other courses we do are on an on-contract basis.” SCIA offers a three-day training seminar on Human Terrain Analysis through George Mason University’s Professional Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program once a year. The HTA Seminar introduces analysts to the tools and methods they need for socio-cultural and human terrain analysis, emphasizing social science concepts and methods, geospatial skills specific to human terrain analysis; subject matter expertise of particular cultures of interest; social network analytical software and concepts, and traditional all-source intelligence analytical methods.

While primarily focused on military objectives, SCIA is in the process of developing commercial applications for the strategy and technology. Johnson says the methods developed in the crisis environments Human Terrain Analysis was born in have obvious applications in the commercial world. For more information about how SCIA is changing the dynamic of military intelligence, please visit www.sciasolutions.com.

[Source: SCIA press release]

United Nations Cartographic Sections Seeks GIS Intern

In Education, GIS, Geography on October 6, 2009 at 8:57 am

unThe United Nations Cartographic Section belongs to the Department of Field Support (DFS) within the UN Secretariat and is located in UNHQ in New York.  Its main task is to provide geographic and cartographic support to the UN Secretariat as well as to the different Peacekeeping Missions throughout the world. For the time period of 2-4 month, starting in November 2009 we are looking for a GIS Intern to support the Cartographic Section’s GIS activities with special regards to international boundaries and geo-database development.

Tasks

  • Support of geo-database management
  • Data quality control and assurance
  • Research on international boundaries
  • Support of GIS application development

Requirements

  • Student in Geography, Cartography, Geo-Informatics or similar
  • Very good knowledge of GIS (e.g. ArcGIS)
  • Good knowledge of remote sensing
  • Very good command of English

More information

Map of the Day: U.S. Center of Population, 1790–2000

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Social Science on October 6, 2009 at 6:36 am

…from the ESRI Map Book, Volume 24…

federal2_sm

“Each decade, as part of its tabulation and publication activities following the decennial census, the U.S. Census Bureau calculates the country’s center of population. The center is determined as the place where an imaginary, flat, weightless, and rigid map of the United States would balance perfectly if all residents were of identical weight. For Census 2000, the mean center of population was in Phelps County, Missouri, approximately 2.8 miles east of the rural community of Edgar Springs.

“Historically, the movement of the center of population has reflected the expansion of the country, the settling of the frontier, waves of immigration, and migration west and south. Since 1790, the center of population has moved steadily westward, angling to the southwest in recent decades.

“Courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division.”

Technology Drives Climate Science: A GIS-based Action Plan

In Climate Change, Design, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis, Visualization on October 5, 2009 at 12:52 pm

Our world faces unprecedented challenges, and only one technology is poised to collect, manage, and analyze the myriad of physical, biological, and cultural data describing the past, present, and future of Earth.  That technology is geographic information systems (GIS), commonly used today to view and manage information about geographic places, analyze geographic relationships, and model geographic processes.

GIS technology has proven to be invaluable in driving intelligent decision making, and its application to climate science is a natural fit.  In fact, extensive work has already been done over the last 40 years to apply GIS technology to address subjects such as land use inventory, data model development, climate model integration, carbon accounting, and climate change visualization.

We are at a point in the evolution of the technology and its broad application where the next logical step is development of a GIS-based framework for earth systems modeling and global design.  Such a system would cross academic, scientific, and industrial domains and political boundaries to serve as a platform for a comprehensive climate monitoring, modeling, and management system.

There are several actions we can take now to establish a framework that leverages mature GIS technology to advance climate science.

  • Create a Comprehensive Climate Information System. A GIS-based platform for modeling and managing earth systems will help us identify climate trends, understand the effects of climate change, design mitigation plans, predict possible outcomes, monitor results, and provide feedback for an adaptive response.
  • Create a Climate Data Infrastructure. A global spatial data infrastructure for climate change studies—a loosely-coupled, decentralized directory of all types of climate and map data and imagery—will serve as the basis for earth systems modeling and global design projects conducted in the Climate Information System.
  • Integrate Earth Systems Modeling. A thorough inventory of climate change related spatial data models and sharing of best practices on interoperability will be of tremendous value as we build a Climate Information System for analyzing impacts and alternative futures at a comprehensive, global scale.
  • Develop a Global Climate Dashboard. A Global Climate Dashboard would summarize information from the Climate Information System, providing “executives” and citizens alike with real-time geographic visualization of various earth systems parameters, enabling a more responsive, iterative, and adaptive response to climate change.
  • Move towards Global Design. A GIS-based geodesign framework will provide a robust set of tools for design professionals to support the design and evaluation of alternate futures for our earth and its systems.

We are only beginning to understand the complex issues posed by climate change.  Only through careful observation of the data, application of scientific principals, and leveraging of modern technology can we hope to grasp the intricacies of the exceedingly complex systems that comprise our planet.  A GIS-based framework for climate science offers the best chance at gaining a scientific understanding of earth systems at a truly global scale and for making thoughtful, informed design decisions that ultimately allow humans and nature to coexist more harmoniously.

Unfolding the Earth: Myriahedral Projections

In GIS, Geography, Science on October 5, 2009 at 6:41 am

method…Jarke J. van Wijk, Eindhoven University of Technology, has posted some nice information (including a video) about myriahedral projections…

“Mapping the earth is a classic problem. For thousands of years cartographers, mathematicians, and inventors have come up with methods to map the curved surface of the earth to a flat plane. The main problem is that you cannot do this perfectly, such that both the shape and size of the surface are depicted properly everywhere. This has intrigued me for a long time. Why not just take a map of a small part of the earth, which is almost perfect, glue neighboring maps to it, and repeat this until the whole earth is shown? Of course you get interrupts, but does this matter? What does such a map look like? To check this out, we developed myriahedral projections.”

Quote of the Day

In Geography, Quotes, Science on October 2, 2009 at 8:08 am

“The atmosphere on edge presents a striking sight.  You see many distinct layers, all a different shade of iridescent blue.  Through binoculars, I have counted six.  The most amazing aspect of this view is how thin this life-preserving blanket is when compared to the full extent of the planet.  Like an orbital eggshell, our atmosphere looks so frail that it might crack and be gone in an instant, rendering earth as barren and lifeless as any other baked hunk of rock orbiting the sun.”

–Don Pettit, Science Officer, International Space Station, 2002-2003

New Report Forecasts The Market Size Of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, 2008-2011

In Geography on October 1, 2009 at 8:19 pm

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are satellite navigation systems providing geo-spatial analysis. These systems provide location parameters, which include geographical coordinates and altitude, and trajectory parameters such as speed and direction. These systems are used in the positioning, navigation, synchronization, detection, and security of the aerial, land, water, and space objects. Application of GNSS includes mobile phone communication and in-vehicle navigation. Further, Geo-tagging, machine control, and timing & synchronization are expected to have the highest growths. APAC and European markets are characterized by maximum adoption by the consumers of GNSS-based communications applications. North American market provides opportunities for in-vehicle navigation applications.

The report forecasts the market size of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) over the period 2008-2011. Further, the total market is segmented into various geographic regions. The report talks about the segmentation of global revenue in the GNSS market. It also discusses the market trends and challenges that characterize the GNSS market.

This report can help IT vendors identify target geographies. Further, the sales drivers can be used to penetrate the identified vertical or increase the current share of the customer’s wallet.

Adapting to Climate Change: The Global Adaptation Atlas

In Climate Change, ESRI, Environmental Science, Geography on October 1, 2009 at 2:30 pm

hotspots…from Resources for the Future…

“Threats posed by climate change bring current development challenges into sharper focus. Even if we successfully avert the most severe predicted impacts, local changes will complicate the already-demanding tasks of finding clean water, combating disease, and sustaining livelihoods around the world. Successfully prioritizing, implementing, tracking, and evaluating such projects will require extraordinary new ways of coordinating and disseminating data to understand: What are the critical impacts we need to address? What are our options for responding? Have our efforts been effectively targeted over time?

“To answer these questions, this initiative is creating a dynamic new online tool: The Global Adaptation Atlas*. This project, building on RFF’s long history and expertise in environmental research, policy evaluation, and spatial analysis, will employ mapping software including ArcGIS Server and Google Earth to capture ever-evolving information on both climate impacts and adaptation activities. The Atlas will enable a global community of scientists, policymakers, and citizens to visualize what impacts are likely to affect their regions, what responses are underway, and what gaps need to be filled.

“Successful adaptation depends on site-specific attention and effective large-scale coordination. Without both we run the risk of investing in adaptation measures that could undercut one another. Decision makers require information not only on how their local climate could change, but also on what all parties in the area are doing in response. Right now, no central clearinghouse exists to accessibly and comprehensively combine these data. With the Atlas, RFF aims to bridge this gap.

“We gratefully acknowledge funding and support from the Mistra Foundation Climate Policy Research Program (Clipore), Resources for the Future, Goldman Sachs, and ESRI.”

ESRI Canada Health Informatics Research Chair/Health Informatics Institute Scientific Director Opening at Algoma University

In ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography, Science on October 1, 2009 at 1:14 pm

algoma“Algoma University invites applications for the position of ESRI Canada Health Informatics (HI) Research Chair. The successful candidate would have 7-10 years of research experience post-Ph.D and direct experience working with primary healthcare professionals. The appointee will be tenure-track with flexibility on the academic department of appointment. Possible departments of appointment include Computer Science, Biology, Geography and/or Psychology. Flexible terms of appointment (e.g., duration, position-sharing) will be considered. The start date is negotiable, but is nominally January 1, 2010.

“The Chair will be expected to (a) facilitate significant local, national and international collaboration in HI, (b) foster HI-related research in Northern Ontario, (c) build an HI research program based on the community’s strengths, (d) pursue an active research program, and (e) while chair, teach two half-courses per year. Accordingly, a successful applicant will demonstrate an exceptional track record as a funded collaborative researcher, educator and team builder.

“The Chair will undertake fundamental and applied research that enables health system innovation and improved patient-centered care. The research focus of the institute is in the area of Primary and Community Care Informatics and the incumbent will engage local expertise in the applications of geospatial technologies, health system management and serious games for health, e.g., for training, health promotion and rehabilitation.

“The Chair will work in consultation with the HI Institute’s Board of Directors. As the Institute’s Scientific Director, the Chair will provide strategic leadership, identify and secure research funding, facilitate collaborative research programs, and coordinate resource acquisitions and allocations. The community of Sault Ste. Marie is host to the Group Health Centre (GHC), Ontario’s longest established alternatively funded primary care organization, nationally recognized for advanced leadership in the use of health IT.

“The community is also host to the Sault Area Hospital, soon to relocate to a new state-of-the-art facility currently under construction, and the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, internationally recognized for its work in GIS Public Health and Human Services.”

Large Quakes Weaken Fault Zones Worldwide

In Earth Systems Science, Geography, Science on October 1, 2009 at 6:26 am

…from futurity.org…

“The massive 2004 earthquake that triggered killer tsunamis throughout the Indian Ocean appears to have weakened at least a portion of California’s famed San Andreas Fault, according to a new report by U.S. seismologists.

“The findings suggest the Earth’s largest earthquakes can weaken fault zones worldwide and may trigger periods of increased global seismic activity.”

Mapping Natural Population Decreases in the United States

In GIS, Geography, Social Science on October 1, 2009 at 6:22 am

morrillnatdecrinset…from NewGeography.com…

“For an advanced capitalist society, the United States has a quite high birth rate, and substantial natural increase. Yet despite this, almost a third experienced natural decrease, an excess of deaths over births, over the recent 2000-2007 period. Some counties with natural decrease still grow in population because of sufficient in-migration, but more typically, natural decrease is associated with high levels of out-migration and with long term population decline.”

Map Synthesizes Threats to Great Lakes

In Environmental Science, Geography on October 1, 2009 at 6:22 am

Great_Lakes2…from futurity.org…

“Researchers are developing the first regional “threat map” of the Great Lakes. The project, which focuses on the effects of human activity, is designed to help planners and conservation groups in the United States and Canada make decisions and prioritize activities for years to come.

“”Building on previous efforts to map each threat and priority individually, for the first time we now have the ability to generate synthetic maps of threats and their predicted impacts for the entire Great Lakes basin,” says David Allan, professor of aquatic sciences at the University of Michigan and the project’s lead researcher.”

Scientists Join Forces to Explain HIV Spread in Central and East Africa

In GIS, Geography, Science, Social Science on October 1, 2009 at 6:15 am

17080_rel“Scientists studying biology and geography may seem worlds apart, but together they have answered a question that has defied explanation about the spread of the HIV-1 epidemic in Africa.

“Writing in the September issue of AIDS, a research team led by scientists at the University of Florida explained why two subtypes of HIV-1 — the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS — held steady at relatively low levels for more than 50 years in west central Africa before erupting as an epidemic in east Africa in the 1970s.”

European Space Agency’s GOCE Satellite Maps Earth’s Gravity Field in Unprecedented Detail

In Geography, Planetary GIS on September 30, 2009 at 4:21 pm

gradient_picture_medium,0“Following the launch and in-orbit testing of the most sophisticated gravity mission ever built, ESA’s GOCE satellite is now in ‘measurement mode’, mapping tiny variations in Earth’s gravity in unprecedented detail.

“The ‘Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer’ (GOCE) satellite was launched on 17 March from northern Russia. The data now being received will lead to a better understanding of Earth’s gravity, which is important for understanding how our planet works.”

Mapping Bird Habitat with Lasers in Central California

In Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on September 30, 2009 at 8:57 am

…from Psyorg.com…

“Lasers are providing scientists with new tools for mapping, protecting, and restoring bird habitat along rivers. In a paper published in the October issue of Ecological Applications, scientists from PRBO Conservation Science and the Information Center for the Environment at UC Davis used aerial laser technology known as LiDAR (short for Light Detection And Ranging) to predict where different bird species occur in the Cosumnes River Preserve in central California, USA.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Could Update Manatee Habitat Map

In Environmental Science, Geography on September 30, 2009 at 8:55 am

…from the Miami Herlad…

“It has been more than 30 years since federal wildlife managers formally mapped the places where endangered manatees live in Florida. On Tuesday, they acknowledged it’s probably time for an update.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would consider reassessing critical habitat for the manatee, a process that could fill some gaping holes.”

Map Visualizes Distance to the Nearest McDonald’s in the Contiguous United States

In GIS, Geography, Visualization on September 30, 2009 at 7:23 am

mcd_us_high_9_25-1024x743…from Wired…

“The map was created by Steven Von Worley, who was inspired by the appearance of a McDonald’s literally in the middle of nowhere, in the Los Angelos basin.”

NOAA Animation: The Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico

In Environmental Science, Geography, Visualization on September 30, 2009 at 6:32 am

dead zone

“Hypoxic zones are areas in the ocean of such low oxygen concentration that animal life suffocates and dies, and as a result are sometimes called “dead zones.” One of the largest dead zones forms in the Gulf of Mexico every spring. This data visualization discusses the causes of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.”

[Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)]

The Crisis of Academic Urban Planning

In Geography on September 29, 2009 at 6:27 am

newgeography…from NewGeography.com…

“A wide gulf has opened up between mainstream Australian values and the prescriptions of our urban planning academics. So much so that the latter are at risk of degenerating into a cult. While it’s usually unfair to criticise a group in generalised terms, there are ample grounds in this case. Anyone who doubts the existence of an urban planning “establishment” in and around the Australian university system, and that it’s in thrall to ultra-green groupthink, should revisit some recent correspondence to our newspapers.

“A perfect example appeared in the Australian Financial Review of 31 July 2009. On that day, the paper carried a joint missive penned by no less than eight leading-lights from various urban and planning related faculties, along with two others from like-minded institutions.”

The Return of El Niño: NOAA Animation

In Environmental Science, Geography, Visualization on September 29, 2009 at 6:27 am

elnino

“NOAA announced on July 9, 2009 that the climate phenomenon called El Niño has returned. The El Niño Southern Oscillation is characterized by low ocean surface winds along the Equatorial Pacific, generating warmer than average ocean temperatures. These warmer temperatures are visible in sea surface temperature anomaly data, such as is shown in this animation.”

[Source: NOAA News story on the emerging El Niño]

The Mannahatta Project: What Was New York Like Before It Was A City?

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on September 28, 2009 at 12:03 pm

…from the Wildlife Conservation Society…

“Ever wondered what New York like before it was a city? Welcome to Mannahatta, 1609.

The Digital Elevation Model, or DEM, of 1609 Mannahatta was a vital achievement in the process of recreating Mannahatta. It took 5 years of map research, fieldwork, and GIS analysis to complete. © WCS

The result of five years of historical map research, fieldwork, and GIS analysis, the Digital Elevation Model, or DEM, of 1609 was a vital step in the process of recreating Mannahatta. ©WCS

“Now, after nearly a decade of research, the Mannahatta Project at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has un-covered the original ecology of Manhattan. That’s right, the center of one of the world’s largest and most built-up cities was once a natural landscape of hills, valleys, forests, fields, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, beaches, springs, ponds and streams, supporting a rich and abundant community of wildlife and sustaining people for perhaps 5000 years before Europeans arrived on the scene in 1609.  It turns out that the concrete jungle of New York City was once a vast deciduous forest, home to bears, wolves, songbirds, and salamanders, with clear, clean waters jumping with fish.  In fact, with over 55 different ecological communities, Mannahatta’s biodiversity per acre rivaled that of national parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Great Smoky Mountains!

“Today Manhattan is still habitat, but now that habitat is mainly given over to people.  Understanding the ecology of Mannahatta helps us bring into focus the ecology of Manhattan today and plan for the urban ecosystem of the future, while at the same time enabling us to reflect upon the value of the wild “Mannahattas” that still exist in the world.”

Video: “Behind Every Neogeographer there is a Paleotard”

In GIS, Geography, Video on September 28, 2009 at 8:44 am

First Complete Map of the Lakes beneath Antarctica’s Ice Sheets

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on September 23, 2009 at 8:38 am

27253901thumb_300…from New Scientist…

“THE first complete map of the lakes beneath Antarctica’s ice sheets reveals the continent’s secret water network is far more dynamic than we thought. This could be acting as a powerful lubricant beneath glaciers, contributing to sea level rise.

“Unlike previous lake maps, which are confined to small regions, Ian Joughin at the University of Washington in Seattle and colleagues mapped 124 subglacial lakes across Antarctica using lasers on NASA’s ICESat satellite (see map).”

Scientists Compiled Homogeneous Long-term Ozone Record

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on September 23, 2009 at 8:35 am

…from the European Space Agency…

O3_merged_GOME_SCIA_M“By merging more than a decade of atmospheric data from European satellites, scientists have compiled a homogeneous long-term ozone record that allows them to monitor total ozone trends on a global scale – and the findings look promising.

“Scientists merged monthly total ozone data derived from the vertically downward-looking measurements of the GOME instrument on ESA’s ERS-2 satellite, SCIAMACHY on ESA’s Envisat and GOME-2 on the European Meteorological Satellite Organization’s MetOp-A.”

Satellite Imagery Shows World’s River Deltas Sinking Due to Human Activity

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on September 21, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Figure 2 Mekong & Myanmar & Pearl…from Futurity.org…

“Of the world’s 33 major deltas, 24 are sinking, in large part due to human activity, and 85 percent experienced severe flooding in recent years, a new study finds.

“The flooding resulted in the temporary submergence of roughly 100,000 square miles of land.  About 500 million people in the world live on river deltas.

“Using satellite data from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, which swept more than 80 percent of Earth’s surface during a 12-day mission of the space shuttle Endeavour in 2000, the  researchers compared the SRTM data with historical maps published between 1760 and 1922.”

Health 2.0: Place-Based Intelligence

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Spatial Analysis on September 21, 2009 at 7:19 am

spatround…new from Spatial Roundtable…

“Are health and human service organizations at every level technically ready for a place-based approach to building health intelligence and actually delivering services?”

Waldo Tobler to Speak at San Diego State University October 16th, 2009

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Spatial Analysis on September 21, 2009 at 7:15 am

tobler“Professor Emeritus Waldo Tobler, University of California Santa Barbara, will be honored on Oct. 16 by a symposium whose subject will be Tobler’s contributions to and impact on the field of cartography.

“Tobler, an American-Swiss cartographer and geographer, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.  He is best known for ‘Tobler’s Law’ on the effect of distance on human and physical relationships, but is also  heralded as an innovative cartographer who has led the field for five decades.

“The symposium is sponsored by the Arthur Getis Lectureship in Spatial Analysis and the Department of Geography.  Speakers include:  Getis (SDSU), Andre Skupin (SDSU), S.V. Subramanian (Harvard University) and Waldo Tobler (UCSB).”

  • 3 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., Oct. 16
  • West Commons 220, San Diego State University, California
  • Free and open to the public

More information

University of Western Ontario Map Library a Hidden Gem

In Education, Geography on September 21, 2009 at 6:24 am

PG1_Map_1…from Western News…

“A map in the Serge A. Sauer Map Library might point you toward geographical or historical treasures. But just by finding that map, you’ve located the real treasure: the Map Library is a hidden gem on campus.

“Currently housed on the ground floor of the Social Science Centre, the Map Library is full of maps of all areas of the world and all types of information. As well as over 220,000 unique maps, the library is also home to over 2,000 atlases, several GIS workstations and a collection of aerial photographs of the London area.”

Melting Of The Greenland Ice Sheet Mapped

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on September 18, 2009 at 6:35 pm

…from Science Daily…

“Will all of the ice on Greenland melt and flow out into the sea, bringing about a colossal rise in ocean levels on Earth, as the global temperature rises? The key concern is how stable the ice cap actually is, and new Danish research from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen can now show the evolution of the ice sheet 11,700 years back in time – all the way back to the start of our current warm period.  The results are published in the journal Nature.”

Mobile Application Helps Professional and Citizen Scientists Collect and Analyse Data in the Field

In Citizen Science, Geography, Spatial Analysis on September 18, 2009 at 7:27 am

…from BBC News…

“The EpiCollect software collates data from certain mobiles – on topics such as disease spread or the occurrence of rare species – in a web-based database.  The data is statistically analysed and plotted on maps that are instantly available to those same phones.

“The approach is outlined in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. The software has been developed for so-called smartphones that run Google’s Android open-source operating system.

“Researchers can report back to the EpiCollect database with results from experiments they do in the field, and ‘citizen scientists’ can send back photos or videos of certain species from their own backyards.”

U.S. Geoscience Information Network: Data Sharing for the Geosciences

In GIS, Geography, Science on September 17, 2009 at 11:20 am

usgin“The U.S. Geoscience Information Network (GIN) is a system of state and federal geological survey online data providers and user applications linked together by a collection of shared web services and interchange formats for the purpose of finding, accessing, and using geoscientific information.

“The objective of the GIN project is to develop standardized services to make data resources of the state and federal geological surveys accessible online in a distributed network using a few standards and protocols, and to work with data providers to implement these services. The network is open to all providers and users. We hope it will become a core component of the emerging cyberinfrastructure for the Earth sciences.

“Key components of this network include:

  1. Catalog systems for data discovery
  2. Service definitions that define interfaces for searching catalogs and accessing resources;
  3. Shared interchange formats to encode information for transmission (e.g. various XML markup languages);
  4. Data providers that publish information using standardized services defined by the network; and
  5. Client applications enabled to utilize information resources provided by the network.

“GIN will integrate and utilize catalog resources that currently exist or are in development. We are working closely with the USGS National Geologic Map Database, which has an existing map catalog, and with the USGS National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation project, which is developing a metadata catalog for geoscience information resource discovery. The GEON catalog is another existing catalog resource we hope to integrate. Existing data formats such as GeoSciML, ChemML, and Open Geospatial Consortium sensor, observation and measurement MLs will provide the necessary interchange formats. Client application development will be fostered by collaboration with industry partners such as ESRI and Microsoft.

“About $625,000 in funding has been received from NSF under the INTEROP initiative to start building the data network. This project will focus on the service definitions (component 3 in the list above) and on assisting data providers to implement the services and bring content online. This NSF interoperability project will be managed by the Arizona Geological Survey on behalf of the Association of American State Geologists (AASG) in partnership with the USGS. In addition to GEON, the Earthchem (www.earthchem.org) network is an active partner. OneGeology, a consortium of 80 nations that is building a global digital geologic map, and GIN are working closely to develop a shared network architecture, as a global standard among geological surveys that could spread across the entire field.”

Bayesian Modeling in Ecology

In Environmental Science, Geography, Statistics on September 16, 2009 at 2:41 pm

uwFriday Forum: Graphical models and Bayesian model in ecology: a meta-analysis application
Friday, September 18, 2009, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 PM
University of Wyoming, Ag C Building Room 316
Presenter: Kiona Ogle, Assistant Professor of Botany

This talk will introduce basic concepts of Bayesian statistical modeling. The concepts and methodologies will be illustrated in a meta-analysis application that synthesizes literature information on specific leaf area (an important plant “functional trait”) of 305 tree species occurring in the US. Graphical models will be overview as a tool for understanding relationships between different data sources, parameters, and latent processes.

Department of Geography and Geology Chair Position at Sam Houston State University

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography on September 16, 2009 at 6:38 am

shsuSam Houston State University seeks to fill the position of Chair of the Department of Geography and Geology beginning August 2010. This is a tenured position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor depending on qualifications. The successful candidate must have a relevant record of administrative experience and have demonstrated excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship. A Ph.D. in geography or a related field is required. The candidate will have expertise in geospatial technology that complements our existing mix of GIS, remote sensing, computer cartography and visualization skills, or other relevant geospatial technologies, that will support our new Master of Applied Geospatial Technology degree. The Chair will be a forward-looking leader, an advocate for the department, faculty and staff, able to maintain the strong connections between the Geography and Geology programs, and remain engaged in and provide leadership for his/her areas of
research and scholarship.

The Department presently has 12 full-time faculty and offers degrees in geography (B.A., B.S.), social science composite – geography emphasis (B.A., B.S.), and geology (B.S.). The Department supports two GIS-related minors (GIS and GSS), maintains modern GIS and remote sensing labs, and possesses a broad range of modern field and laboratory equipment. Sam Houston State University, located about 70 miles north of Houston, is one of Texas’ fast growing universities with over 16,000 students and 79 undergraduate, 54 masters, and five doctoral programs.

Letters of interest must be received by December 1st, 2009 and will be reviewed until the position is filled. Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, statements of teaching, research, and administrative philosophies, three sample publications, unofficial graduate transcripts, and the names and contact information (including email) of three referees to Dr. Donald Albert, Chair of Geography and Geology Chair Search Committee, Department of Geography and Geology, Box 2148, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2148. Voice: 936-294-1453. Fax 936-294-4203. Email geo_dpa@shsu.edu. SHSU is an EEO/AAP employer.

Earth Science Week: October 11-17, 2009

In Climate Change, Earth Systems Science, Education, Environmental Science, Geography on September 16, 2009 at 6:38 am

2009Logo_Small“The American Geological Institute (AGI) invites you to take part in Earth Science Week 2009! Being held October 11-17, Earth Science Week 2009 will encourage people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn about the geosciences. “Understanding Climate,” the theme of Earth Science Week 2009, will promote scientific understanding of a timely, vital topic: Earth’s climate.

“AGI hosts Earth Science Week in cooperation with sponsors as a service to the public and the geoscience community. Each year, local groups, educators, and interested individuals organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers opportunities to discover the Earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. The program is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, the National Park Service, the AAPG Foundation, and other geoscience groups.”

Tenure Track Assistant Professor Position, Geospatial Technologies & Physical Geography, Elmhurst College

In Education, GIS, Geography on September 16, 2009 at 6:37 am

Full-Time Tenure-Track, Assistant Professor level, in Geospatial Technologies and Physical Geography, Elmhurst College, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Elmhurst, IL 60126. The Elmhurst College Department of Geography and Geosciences announces a full-time tenure-track assistant professor position in GIS/Geospatial Technologies and Physical Geography to begin at the start of the academic year 2010-2011. Elmhurst College is an affirmative action and equal opportunities employer. The College is a private, liberal arts based, four-year institution with eleven graduate programs offered, of approximately 3,300 students in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. It holds a rich tradition of teaching and learning dating back to 1871. Elmhurst College places its highest emphases both on excellence in teaching and in sustained and superior scholarship. The Department has strengths in physical geography, geographic information systems (GIS), cultural/human geography, and a connection to intercultural studies.

The successful candidate will be a PhD in Geography/GIS or a related discipline, (or ABD in Geography/GIS or related discipline), with an emphasis on Latin America as a regional specialty area. All candidates should have exceptionally strong teaching experiences and a record of excellence in scholarship and involvement in their discipline. The primary roles of the candidate will be to: 1) offer advanced courses in geospatial technologies/GIS; 2) coordinate the Elmhurst College GIS Certificate Program; 3) develop a successful, sustainable recruiting program for undergraduates in the area of geospatial technologies; 4) teach an upper level regional course on Latin America, and 5) teach introductory courses in physical geography and/or meteorology. The starting date for this position is September, 2010. The faculty member will teach a minimum of one or two sections of coursework in upper division GIS courses as well as two courses in introductory physical geography/meteorology per semester (a total of six courses during the academic year).

elmhurstInformation about the Department can be found at http://www.elmhurst.edu/~geo/ Applications should include: 1) an academic CV; 2) a cover letter that addresses teaching interests and speaks to curricular development in GIS and/or geospatial technologies; 3) evidence of teaching excellence, and 4) contact details for three letters of reference. The Search Committee will start considering applications immediately, and will consider applications until Spring 2010 before an official hiring in preparation for the 2010-2011 academic year. Please direct your submissions to Search Committee, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Elmhurst College 190 Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst, IL 60126-3296. Email submissions are welcome and encouraged. Please attach relevant documents as MS Word or PDF files. (E-mail: michaell@elmhurst.edu

National Council for Geographic Education Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 23-27, 2009

In Education, GIS, Geography on September 15, 2009 at 7:59 am

ncge“This National Conference on Geographic Education is an annual event where geography educators from across the country and around the world meet to exchange ideas, research, resources, and best practices in geography education. The conference is filled with opportunities for participants to attend workshops, paper and poster sessions, field trips, and more. Long-time conference participants enjoy the collegial atmosphere of the conference, opportunities for networking and brainstorming, and endless prospects for professional development. Conference participants are passionate about the prospect of advancing geography education and that energy is what draws educators to the meeting year after year!”

Map Projections and Coordinate Systems: A Primer

In GIS, Geography on September 15, 2009 at 6:08 am

gwg…from Geoweb Guru…

“This two part article is intended as an introduction to map projections and coordinate systems. … They start a new series of articles which I shall be publishing over the next few weeks. I shall look at different projections and coordinate systems, the inadequacies of the current choices, and how to do something about it.

“Most users of online maps ignore the issues of different coordinate systems and projections. Any concern is usually limited to whether their system of choice will read the coordinates they have. As both are typically the same, the issue rarely surfaces.  However, over the last two millenia, cartographers have produced hundreds if not thousands of different projections and coordinate systems for a wide range of different applications and locations.

“Most online map services use geographic longitude,latitude coordinates on the WGS84 datum using a Mercator Projection. Although the coordinate system and datum are both logical choices for global mapping, As you shall see, Mercator is a poor choice of projection for most map applications.

“So what are these different datums, coordinate systems, and projections? Why should we care?”

MIT Students Take Pictures “from Space” on $150 Budget

In Geography, Imagery on September 14, 2009 at 2:18 pm

ireport…from iReport.com…

“Two MIT students have successfully photographed the earth from space on a strikingly low budget of $148. Perhaps more significantly, they managed to accomplish this feat using components available off-the-shelf to the average layperson, opening the doors for a new generation of amateur space enthusiasts. The pair plan to launch again soon and hope that their achievements will inspire teachers and students to pursue similar endeavors.

“Justin Lee and Oliver Yeh have always dreamed of seeing the earth from space, but until recently, they believed that they had neither the budget nor the technical expertise to get a camera into the stratosphere.”

Measuring Water from the Sky: Satellites Track Consumption

In Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery on September 14, 2009 at 2:14 pm

…from the Washington Post…

“Water management is serious business in the American West, where precipitation is scarce, irrigated agriculture is a major industry, new housing subdivisions spread across arid landscapes and water rights are allocated in a complicated seniority system.  “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” water officials are fond of saying.  But measurement — trying to determine how much water is diverted from rivers and how much is pumped from hundreds of thousands of wells — has been an inexact and expensive science.”

Virtual Maps for the Blind

In Geography, Science on September 14, 2009 at 6:20 am

19007“The blind and visually impaired often rely on others to provide cues and information on navigating through their environments. The problem with this method is that it doesn’t give them the tools to venture out on their own, says Dr. Orly Lahav of Tel Aviv University’s School of Education and Porter School for Environmental Studies.

“To give navigational “sight” to the blind, Dr. Lahav has invented a new software tool to help the blind navigate through unfamiliar places. It is connected to an existing joystick, a 3-D haptic device, that interfaces with the user through the sense of touch. People can feel tension beneath their fingertips as a physical sensation through the joystick as they navigate around a virtual environment which they cannot see, only feel: the joystick stiffens when the user meets a virtual wall or barrier. The software can also be programmed to emit sounds — a cappuccino machine firing up in a virtual café, or phones ringing when the explorer walks by a reception desk.”

Transitions and Tipping Points in Complex Environmental Systems

In Climate Change, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on September 14, 2009 at 6:20 am

nsf_ac_ere1_fA new report from the National Science Foundation notes challenges and opportunities in responding to Earth’s rapidly changing environment.

“From Canada to Chile, from Kazakhstan to Kansas, we are witnessing a fast-changing planet. What will it look like in the years, decades and centuries to come?

“How far and in what ways can Earth’s systems be stressed before they reach tipping points, undergoing rapid transitions to new states–with unforeseen consequences?

“So asks a report released today by the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education (AC-ERE).

“The report, Transitions and Tipping Points in Complex Environmental Systems, finds both challenges and opportunities in the path to finding answers.”

OGC/GITA Emerging Technology Summit V: Spatial Law and Policy Issues

In GIS, Geography on September 10, 2009 at 11:17 am

gita_reg_transOGC_Logo_Border_Blue_3DOctober 7, 2009
Weston Hotel, D.C.
1400 E Street. NW
Washington, D.C.

Presented by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and the Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA).

Toward a Sustainable and Secure Water Future: A Leadership Role for the U.S. Geological Survey

In Environmental Science, Geography, Science on September 10, 2009 at 8:18 am

0309139155A new book from the Committee on Water Resources Activities, National Research Council…

“Water is our most fundamental natural resource, a resource that is limited. Challenges to our nation’s water resources continue to grow, driven by population growth, ecological needs, climate change, and other pressures. The nation needs more and improved water science and information to meet these challenges.

“Toward a Sustainable and Secure Water Future reviews the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Resource Discipline (WRD), one of the nation’s foremost water science organizations. This book provides constructive advice to help the WRD meet the nation’s water needs over the coming decades. Of interest primarily to the leadership of the USGS WRD, many findings and recommendations also target the USGS leadership and the Department of Interior (DOI), because their support is necessary for the WRD to respond to the water needs of the nation.”

Geography Department Head, Texas A&M University

In Education, GIS, GIScience, Geography on September 9, 2009 at 6:27 am

texasam“The Department of Geography at Texas A&M University invites applications for a Head of Department at the Full Professor rank. The position is a nine-month tenured appointment with a three-month administrative appointment while serving as Head.  We seek a person with an outstanding reputation in Geography, a proven track record of academic leadership and evidence of administrative skills. The Department comprises 23 faculty and has strengths in biogeography, climatology, geomorphology, human geography, human-environment relationships, GIScience, and geographic education. We are based in the College of Geosciences with the Departments of Atmospheric Science, Geology & Geophysics, and Oceanography, and play a major role in the Environmental Programs in Geosciences. The Department has strong ties to faculty and departments in the Colleges of Architecture, Agriculture & Life Sciences, Education, Engineering and Liberal Arts; the Bush School of Public Policy and the Glasscock Center for the Humanities.”

Venice, City of Canals: Characterizing Regions through Content Classification

In GIS, Geography on September 9, 2009 at 6:26 am

122570989…from Transactions in GIS…

“Information retrieval tasks in the geographic domain rely on textual annotation of georeferenced information objects. These information objects can be annotated with references to spatial objects contained within the corresponding geographical footprint. Not all the spatial objects, however, describe the essential attributes characterizing the region. In this article, we present a method to calculate the descriptive prominence of categories of spatial objects in a given region and select a subset for the characteristic description of the region. The method is demonstrated on three datasets of points of interest and an artificial dataset is used as a benchmark. The method reduces the number of categories describing regions significantly (p<0.001). We further illustrate the results qualitatively for three regions characterized in text.”

Australian Climate and Agriculture Research Portal Unveiled

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography on September 8, 2009 at 1:14 pm

idm…from Image and Data Manager…

“A new on-line portal that brings together research on climate and agriculture by more than 40 Commonwealth and State Government organisations has been launched.”

Cartographic Representation of the Sonic Environment

In Environmental Science, Geography on September 4, 2009 at 7:19 am

caj…from The Cartographic Journal…

“The description of the landscape is based on the visualization of geographic features and the representation of their attributes. Although sound is a major component of any environment, its cartographic representation is limited mainly on noise mapping and in urban or sub-urban areas. Soundscape is a term that describes the acoustic relation between the environment and the individual in a landscape context, considering all kinds of interactions between space, sound and humans. The representation of the soundscape at a spatial level would support many applications such as geographic analysis, ecosystem evaluation, environmental education, landscape management, urban or rural planning and protection of sonic particularities. This paper proposes a methodology for the mapping of both quantitative and qualitative attributes of a rural soundscape, which is described through the study of the acoustic environment around a protected wetland in Greece.”

The Digital Geographers: New Article in The Economist

In GIS, Geography on September 4, 2009 at 7:19 am

economist_logo…from The Economist…

“The internet: Detailed digital maps of the world are in widespread use. They are compiled using both high-tech and low-tech methods.”

Modeling Geographic Complexity: Special Session at Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, April 2010

In GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis on September 4, 2009 at 7:08 am

aagAssociation of American Geographers Annual Meeting
April 14-18, 2010, Washington, DC, USA

Understanding geographical systems represents one of the greatest challenges of our time. Complexity has emerged as a useful paradigm to effectively study linked human, socioeconomic and biophysical systems at a variety of different spatial and temporal scales. As a result, descriptive and predictive models of various levels of sophistication and using mostly agents, genetic algorithms, cellular automata and neural networks are now beginning to regularly appear in the geographic literature. However, there still remains many unresolved conceptual, technical and application challenges associated with these complexity based models. The goal of this session is to focus on the following themes:

  1. Conceptual: shared and unique complexity signatures in geographic systems; existing and emerging geographical and complexity theories; epistemological and ontological influences; complexity based model designs; networks and hybrid models; linking classical and spatial statistics in complexity studies.
  2. Technical: space-time patterns and dynamics; standardizing the development and representation of complex systems; rule selection and implementation; multiple-scale interactions and structure, system evolution and self-organization; learning and adaptation; calibration, validation and verification; path-dependence; non-linearity.
  3. Applications: effectiveness of complexity models when embedded in political, institutional and socio-economic systems; human-environment interactions; earth systems science; land use science; landscape ecology; sustainability analysis.

In order to widely disseminate the ideas emerging from this session, the organizers of the session are exploring the possibility for a special issue of a journal and /or an edited book so that authors will have the opportunity to suitably revise their presentations for publication. Priority will be given for work that has not been published, in review or in press.

Please e-mail the abstract and key words with your expression of intent to Andrew Crooks <acrooks2@gmu.edu> by October 19th, 2009.

Multi-scale Rendering with Geometry Collapse and a Symbol Knowledge Base

In GIScience, Geography on September 3, 2009 at 5:15 pm

caj…from The Cartographic Journal…

“This paper discusses a novel methodology for multi-scale rendering of geographic features depending upon changes in visual scale. The methodology consists of geometry collapse and a symbol knowledge base. Two collapse algorithms are implemented: polygon to point and polygon to line. In particular, we develop a partial collapse algorithm for linear features. A river is represented by lines and polygons depending on the width. To render features with scale changes, a symbol knowledge base is designed to specify scale ranges and symbols for each feature. Finally, a multi-scale rendering tool is developed and applied to the map of Camp Lejune, NC. The symbols in the knowledge base can be accumulated and adapted for various mapping applications.”

Flu Trackers Encourage Patients to Blog About It

In Geography, Science on September 3, 2009 at 8:49 am

washingtonpost…from The Washington Post…

“Think you have the flu? In some places, you can now go directly to the Internet and report your symptoms to officials eager to spot outbreaks.

“Say you feel sick, but before you see a doctor you search the Web for information, or blog or Twitter about the flu. Your worries will be detected by companies prowling the Internet for disease trends.

“If you actually come down with the flu, and the doctors want to know who you’ve been in physical contact with, your trusty cellphone could soon tell them.

“And someday, scientists hope, this “infodemiology” might help forecast and track a flu epidemic the way experts monitor the weather. “

A Technique for Building Representation in Oblique View Maps of Modern Urban Areas

In GIS, Geography, Modeling on September 3, 2009 at 7:10 am

caj…from The Cartographic Journal…

“This paper presents a technique for creating oblique view maps of urban areas. We identify and apply cartographic and cognitive principles to develop a solution in the context of state-of-art geographic information systems. The gap in the ability of these systems to render three-dimensional buildings into maps is addressed. At the core of our solution is a building facade modelling approach that supports varying degrees of abstraction. This is achieved by introducing a concept of ‘facade waveforms’ and representing building facades as combinations of these waveforms. A Fourier series approximation of the waveforms is used during the rendering processes resulting in an elegant solution to anti-aliasing. The formulation retains the semantic information in the representation that enables meaningful extensions like night time facade generation. The solution is implemented as a pixel shader and therefore leads to a large reduction in texture memory requirement compared with existing building rendering techniques. Additionally, in the case of web based systems, there is significant reduction in bandwidth requirement. We highlight the features of the proposed solution by generating demonstrative maps and images.”

Road Extraction from Satellite Images using a Fuzzy-Snake Model

In Geography, Imagery on September 3, 2009 at 7:09 am

caj…from The Cartographic Journal…

“This paper proposes a developed approach to extract roads from optical remotely sensed images. The approach is based on the following steps. First, a window with size of 5 × 5 pixels is moved over the image to calculate the features: mean (x1), standard deviation (x2), skewness (x3) and kurtosis (x4). Then, the roads are identified based on the converted features to the specific fuzzy sets of the linguistic variables. The used linguistic variables are Mean, Standard deviation, Skewness, Kurtosis and Grey-scale with trapezoid and triangle membership functions. Next, the skeleton of the identified roads is extracted using two structure elements from the mathematical morphology. Finally, a snake model is employed to extract the road vector form from the skeletons. The results of the accuracy evaluation demonstrate that the developed road extraction approach can provide both good visual and high positional accuracy. The approach is tested over the samples of SPOT-4 panchromatic images from areas in Iran.”

Visualizing and Studying Disease through Maps: Podcast Interview with Dr. Tom Koch

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Interviews, Science, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Visualization on September 2, 2009 at 9:45 am

podcast_iconESRI Podcast: Dr. Tom Koch, a clinical ethicist, gerontologist, professor, and author of Cartographies of Disease: Maps, Mapping, and Medicine, describes how mapping and geospatial technologies can be used to analyze relationships concerning viral and bacterial occurrences, including the 2009 flu pandemic, H1N1.

  • Listen or download: MP3 [18:51 | 8.81 MB]

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography

In Books, Geography, Social Science on September 2, 2009 at 7:15 am

hg“The International Encyclopedia of Human Geography provides an authoritative and comprehensive source of information on the discipline of human geography and its constituent, and related, subject areas. The encyclopedia includes over 1,000 detailed entries on philosophy and theory, key concepts, methods and practices, biographies of notable geographers, and geographical thought and praxis in different parts of the world.

“This groundbreaking project covers every field of human geography and the discipline’s relationships to other disciplines, and is global in scope, involving an international set of contributors. Given its broad, inclusive scope and unique online accessibility, it is anticipated that the International Encyclopedia of Human Geography will become the major reference work for the discipline over the coming decades.”

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of H1N1 (“Swine Flu”) in the United States

In GIS, Geography, Science, Spatial Analysis on September 1, 2009 at 3:13 pm

…manuscript prepared for Eurosurveillance Journal…

Applying Health Informatics Approaches to Support Public Health Risk Communication – Spatial and Temporal Analysis of H1N1 Human Infection Distribution in the U.S.

Chiehwen Ed Hsu, PhD, MPH, Ella T. Nkhoma, PhD, Noriaki Aoki, MD, PhD, Ning Shang, Dejian Lai, PhD

“(w)e propose a potential informatics-facilitated public health surveillance system for H1N1 risk communication. This system incorporates spatial and temporal analysis to evaluate the nature of emergency relevance of reported human cases of novel H1N1 Influenza human infection and its severity. Human cases reported in the U.S. were analyzed as of June 12, 2009, on the day when the WHO declared Level 6 pandemic flu of the H1N1 virus. It seeks to determine emergency nature of the case by excessive human cases by spatial and temporal distribution in the U.S. We evaluated the distribution trend of historical and current excess cases, and their associated geographic location and time period of occurrence by excess level. We also measured temporal variation pattern of case distribution to understand potential temporal trend of emergency relevance.”

Improving Spatial Analysis and Advancing Geographic Science in ArcGIS 9.4

In Conferences, ESRI, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on August 26, 2009 at 2:49 pm

…adapted from Jack Dangermond’s plenary talk at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego,California in July of 2009…

j1For me, spatial analysis is the heart of GIS. ArcGIS 9.4 makes a huge step forward in the sreas of spatial analysis and geographic science. Python, the open source scripting language that is rapidly becoming the accepted standard for scientific programming, is being integrating inside of ArcGIS. This will give you a great language to support geoprocessing and spatial analysis, and I think it will bring a lot of advances in geographic science. We’re also going to integrate other software packages for statistics, math, and modeling.

j2At 9.4 we are adding a lot of functionality such as fuzzy overlay modeling. We’re improving the math-algebra integration. We’re radically improving raster performance for analytic operations, especially on very large data cells. We’re integrating time. And we’re introducing an ecological sampling tool, which brings a lot of geostatistics into play. All of these are examples of extending the quantitative methods that we apply.

j3A good friend of mine once said, “For each new advance, each new technology, it’s both a technical advance but it’s also an advance in method.” And this science theorem really rings home here as we expand the analytic language of what we can do with geography.

j4

Mapping Antarctica: Latest Satellite Imagery Brings Continent into High-Res Focus

In GIS, Geography, Imagery on August 26, 2009 at 10:12 am

antsun…from The Antarctic Sun…

“Maps of Antarctica date back to when Roman geographer and astronomer Ptolemy envisioned a land in the southern hemisphere to counterbalance that in the north to satisfy an ancient sense of proportion. Terra Australis would remain terra incognita for more than 1,500 years, though that didn’t stop cartographers from drawing fanciful depictions of the southern continent, varying widely in size and location.

“Today, the average person can zoom across Antarctica with Google Earth. It’s even possible to download high-definition images of ice and mountaintops thanks to an International Polar Year External U.S. government site project that created a map mosaic of the continent from more than 1,000 satellite images — the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) External U.S. government site. [See previous story: Getting on the map.]

“But Paul Morin knows those images and the maps created from them can get even better, practically proselytizing about a new promised land of high-resolution imagery in which one can literally count the boulders on the ground.”

Spatial Analysis of Social Facts

In Geography, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on August 26, 2009 at 9:16 am

By Claude Grasland

“A tentative theoretical framework derived from Tobler’s first law of geography and Blau’s multilevel structural theory of society.

“This document presents an attempt to build a theoretical framework for the spatial analysis of social facts, derived from Tobler’s first law of geography (‘Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things’) and Blau’s theory of macro sociology and multilevel structural analysis. At individual level four basic times of position and interaction are defined (geographical/sociological and discrete/continuous). It is then necessary to discuss the effects of scale aggregation and time dynamics on the elementary levels of position and interaction. This part is illustrated by examples about airflows between world cities in 2000 and euro coins diffusion across borders between 2002 and 2007.”

GeoTweeters – ArcGIS Silverlight Client

In ESRI, GIS, Geography on August 21, 2009 at 11:43 am

geotwThis application was demonstrated as part of the GIS and Web 2.0 Application Development Demo Theater for the ESRI UC 2009.

The sample illustrates how to:

1. Integrate the ArcGIS Silverlight API with Twitter
2. Geocode your friends with Bing asynchronously
3. Use control templates and animation in XAML
4. Construct point and line graphics
5. Consume WCF services

Requirements
1. Bing maps developer account ID and password
2. Twitter account
3. ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight
4. Visual Studio 2008 SP1
5. Silverlight ver 2.0 or 3.0

Set-up
View ReadMe.doc for instructions.

Open Source
To contribute or extend this application, please visit the http://geotweeters.codeplex.com project hosted on Codeplex.

What Is The Geographic Approach?

In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Science on August 21, 2009 at 8:10 am

feature1-lg…new article by Jim Baumann and myself in the August issue of ArcWatch…

“Perhaps you’ve heard ESRI president Jack Dangermond mention The Geographic Approach. It’s a phrase he often uses to describe his high-level vision for using geospatial technology as a key method in finding answers to problems.”

Students Study Glacier Sciences on Alaskan Icefield

In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on August 21, 2009 at 7:46 am

ccw…from Capital City Weekly…

“Most Alaskans spend their summers soaking up as much of the seasonal warmth as possible, but since 1946 crews of icefield researchers have been doing just the opposite. The Juneau Icefield Research Project (JIRP), begun under the direction of Dr. Maynard Miller, has given students from all over the world the opportunity to study glacier sciences in nature’s classroom while trekking across the pristine landscape of the Juneau Icefield. Today, JIRP continues to train many of the world’s leading glacier researchers.

“Once a partnership is established, JIRP will undergo a process of elevating the its level of technology, including digitizing data records, developing geospatial information files to share with the worldwide science community, upgrading weather stations and accessing satellite imagery.”

Scientists Create First Three-dimensional Global Map of Electrical Conductivity in Earth’s Mantle

In Earth Systems Science, Geography, Science on August 20, 2009 at 8:50 am

e_conductivity_fAs tags on household appliances warn, water conducts electricity extremely well. Now, scientists have found that enhanced electrical conductivity in parts of Earth’s mantle may signal the presence of water far below our planet’s surface.

The researchers created the first global three-dimensional map of electrical conductivity in the mantle. Results of their study are published this week in the journal Nature.

The areas of high conductivity coincide with subduction zones–places where tectonic plates are being subducted beneath the Earth’s crust, say the Oregon State University (OSU) scientists who performed the research. They used electromagnetic induction sounding of the Earth’s mantle in the study. The method is very sensitive to interconnecting pockets of fluid in rocks and minerals.

“This work is important because it complements global 3-D seismic imaging of Earth’s interior, which uses sound waves generated by earthquakes,” said Robin Reichlin, program director in the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the research. “Scientists may be able to combine these two methods to tease out a more detailed understanding of variations in Earth’s inner composition, water content and temperature.”

Subducting plates are comparatively colder than surrounding mantle materials and should be less conductive, geologists have believed. However, the OSU scientists suggest, conductivity in these areas may be enhanced by water drawn downward during the subduction process.

“Many earth scientists thought that tectonic plates are not likely to carry much, if any, water deep into the Earth’s mantle,” said Adam Schultz, a geologist at OSU and a co-author of the Nature paper. “Our model, however, clearly shows a close association between subduction zones and high conductivity. The simplest explanation is water.”

The study provides new insights into the fundamental ways in which our planet works, Schultz says. Despite advances in technology, scientists are still unsure how much water lies beneath the ocean floor–and how much of it makes its way into the mantle.

The implications are myriad. Water interacts with minerals differently at different depths, and small amounts of water may change the physical properties of rocks, alter the viscosity of materials in the mantle, assist in the formation of rising plumes of melted rock, and ultimately affect what flows out on the surface.

“In fact, we don’t really know how much water there is on Earth,” said Gary Egbert, an oceanographer at OSU and co-author of the paper. “There is some evidence that there is many times more water below the ocean floor than there is in all the oceans of the world combined. Our results may shed some light on this question.”

There may be different explanations for how the water–if indeed the conductivity is reflecting water–got there.

“If it isn’t being subducted down with the plates,” Schultz said, “is it primordial, down there for four billion years? Or did it come down as the plates slowly subduct, suggesting that the planet may have been much wetter a long time ago? These are fascinating questions for which we don’t yet have answers.”

Anna Kelbert, a post-doctoral researcher at OSU and lead author of the paper, says that the next step is to replicate the experiment with newly available data from both ground observatories and satellites, then conduct further research to better understand the water cycle and how its interaction with deep-Earth minerals works.

Ultimately, the scientists hope to produce a model quantifying how much water may be in the mantle, locked up in its rocks.

Their work is also supported by NASA.

Press release

Geography Prof. Receives President’s Leadership Fund Award

In Climate Change, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Imagery on August 18, 2009 at 2:18 pm

stow2“Department of Geography professor Douglas Stow, an internationally recognized leader in remote-sensing analysis of terrestrial environments, has been named one of the recipients of The President’s Leadership Fund Awards for Faculty and Staff Excellence.

“Stow says he’ll use his award to seed or augment projects. For example, he plans to process and analyze 10 years of satellite data from the North Slope of Alaska to assess whether snow is melting earlier and shrubs are expanding within Arctic tundra lands.”

Salazar Releases Long-Term Report Detailing Glaciers Shrinking in Alaska and Washington

In Climate Change, Geography, Science on August 17, 2009 at 6:56 am

salazarA report on long-term glacier measurements released today by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar shows that glaciers are dramatically changing in mass, length and thickness as a result of climate change.

Over the past 50 years, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have monitored the melting of Alaska’s Gulkana and Wolverine Glaciers and Washington’s South Cascade Glacier, yielding the longest such records in North America.

“This report we are releasing today is great example of the science and data our Department has gathered over the past 50 years,” said Secretary Salazar.  “This information is helpful in tackling the effects of climate change and it is exactly the kind of science we need to invest in to measure and mitigate the dangerous impacts of climate change.”

Glacier shrinkage has global impacts, including sea level rise that threatens low-lying and coastal communities. Smaller glaciers will also result in a decrease of water runoff, and impacts are especially important during the dry late summer when other water sources are limited.

“There is no doubt that most mountain glaciers are shrinking worldwide in response to a warming climate. Measuring changes in glacier mass provides direct insight to the link between glaciers and climate, ultimately helping predict glacier response to anticipated climate conditions,” said USGS scientist Edward Josberger.

The three glaciers monitored in this study are known as benchmark glaciers. They are widely spaced, represent different climate regimes, and can be used to understand the thousands of other glaciers in nearby regions.

USGS scientists study glacier behavior during different seasons, including summer melt and winter snow accumulation, as well as their response to both short and long term climate variations. This allows for more detailed insight regarding how and when the climate is changing.

“In addition to these three glaciers, more than 99 percent of America’s thousands of large glaciers have long documented records of an overall shrinkage as climate warms,” said USGS scientist Bruce Molnia. “Many people are surprised to learn that a few glaciers are thickening and advancing. These glaciers are responding to unusual and unique local conditions, including having large, high elevation areas where snow accumulates. Except for these anomalous few , most of America’s glaciers are shrinking and these exceptions emphasize how natural variability is an inherent part of a complex Earth system.”

You can view a video of South Cascade Glacier aerial photos from 1928 to 2006 at the USGS Washington Water Science Center Web site.

For more information on this study of glacier change in Washington and Alaska, visit Fact Sheet 2009-3046, Fifty-Year Record of Glacier Change Reveals Shifting Climate in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, USA.

More information about the USGS Benchmark Glacier Program can be found online.

Planet Action Grants: Submit your Project by September 30, 2009

In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Grants, Imagery on August 14, 2009 at 10:22 am

planetactionlogoPlanet Action provides satellite imagery, geographic information and technology support to local projects that investigate and assess climate change issues focusing on human issues, drought & desertification, water resources, forestry, biodiversity, oceans, ice, and awareness.

This year, Planet Action will support additional projects while following up on current projects and their results on the ground.

Submit your project by September 30, 2009.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Planet Action supports projects involved at least in one of the following domains:

  • Awareness
  • Biodiversity & Conservation
  • Drought & Desertification
  • Human Issues
  • Forest & Deforestation
  • Ice & Snow
  • Oceans & Coastlines
  • Water Resources

To be eligible for support from Planet Action, projects must:

  • Deal with a climate change related issue and propose a course of actions.
  • Deal with at least one of the Planet Action “domains”.
  • Have a member of the organization who resides in the country where the project takes place or at least during the duration of the projects
  • Be proposed by a non-profit organization such as NGO’s, a public laboratory or a university.
  • Confirm that the project has no commercial, religious or ideological content or objective.

More information

Sick Fish May Get Sicker: Climate Change and Other Stresses Expected to Affect Entire Populations of Fish

In Climate Change, Geography, Science on August 14, 2009 at 7:45 am

Entire populations of North American fish already  are being affected by several emerging diseases, a problem that threatens to increase in the future with climate change and other stresses on aquatic ecosystems, according to a noted U.S. Geological Survey researcher giving an invited talk on this subject today at the Wildlife Disease Association conference in Blaine, Wash.

“A generation ago, we couldn’t have imaged the explosive growth in disease issues facing many of our wild fish populations,” said Dr. Jim Winton, a fish disease specialist at the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center.  “Most fish health research at that time was directed toward diseases of farmed fish.”

In contrast, said Winton, recent studies in natural aquatic systems have revealed that, in addition to being a cause of natural death, infectious and parasitic fish diseases can produce significantly greater mortality in altered habitats leading to population fluctuations, extinction of endangered fish, reduced overall health and increased susceptibility to predation.

In addition, said Winton, populations of certain fish species have suffered catastrophic losses after non-native diseases were first introduced into a water body. Examples include whirling disease in the intermountain west and the recent introduction of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in the Great Lakes.

“The scientific community is increasingly concerned that global trade, extensive habitat alteration, accumulations of contaminants and other human-caused stresses stressors, including climate change, will affect the distribution or severity of fish diseases and contribute to increasing population-scale losses in these important natural resources,” Winton said.

Disease is often ignored as a factor affecting wild populations of fish and wildlife because the effects are difficult to observe and quantify, noted Winton. But as cold-blooded animals, fish are highly dependent on environmental conditions, especially temperature, to help maintain critical physiological processes such as immune function that can affect whether a fish gets a disease or parasite, how it is affected by it, and how the disease progresses.

In particular, said Winton, some fish – such as salmon, trout and muskellunge – have a fairly narrow range of water temperatures they can live in.  “If that temperature is exceeded over a period of time, not only may die-offs occur, but also, the increased stress and altered immune function will lead to greater levels of infectious or parasitic diseases which is why global warming is of particular concern.

Winton said that increased scientific recognition of fish diseases as a potential population-limiting factor in wild populations of fish is partly the result of the emergence of high-profile diseases such as whirling disease in wild-spawning rainbow trout in the Rocky Mountain West, viral hemorrhagic septicemia in the North Pacific Ocean and the Great Lakes, and a fungal-like disease, ichthyophoniasis, in adult Chinook salmon in the Yukon River.

The 58th annual meeting of the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA) was held August 2-7, 2009, in Blaine, Wash. The theme was Wildlife Health from Land to Sea: Impacts of a Changing World. This press release was based on a paper being presented on Aug. 3 at the conference  by USGS scientist Dr. Jim Winton,  “The ecology of emerging diseases among populations of wild fish.”

India Launches Geoportal

In GIS, Geography, Visualization on August 12, 2009 at 1:10 pm

indiaIndia today launched a geoportal which enables the user to easily access information on basic natural resources in the geospatial domain, particularly the Indian images and thematic information in multiple spatial resolutions. The “ Bhuvan” whose beta version was launched by Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Prithviraj Chavan in New Delhi at a function organized by Astronautical Society of India , showcases Indian images by the superimposition of the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS )satellite imageries on 3D globe. Several leading Scientists including Member Planning Commission, Dr. K Kasturirangan, Dr. G Madhavan Nair who is also the Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary, Department of Space, Secretary, DST, Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr Shailesh Nayak, former Chairman of ISRO, Prof. UR Rao, DG IMD, Dr. Ajit Tyagi witnessed the moment which opened the door to graphic visualization of digital geospatial India.

Bhuvan which can be accessed at http://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in, displays satellite images of varying resolution of India’s surface, allowing users to visually see things like cities and important places of interest looking perpendicularly down or at an oblique angle, with different perspectives and can navigate through 3D viewing environment. The degree of resolution showcased is based on the points of interest and popularity, but most of the Indian terrain is covered up to at least 6 meters of resolution with the least spatial resolution being 55 meters from AWifs Sensor.

Thus, Bhuvan represents, in essence, the whole India on your computer. It enables user to fly from space to street level, to grab, spin and zoom down to any place. One can also use Bhuvan to learn more about geography, and use Bhuvan layers to study natural resources, demographics, and transportation in specific contexts. It provides tools for measuring, drawing, saving, printing and most importantly, for visualizing thematic information.

Large Trees Declining in Yosemite

In Climate Change, Geography, Science on August 12, 2009 at 8:33 am

Large trees have declined in Yosemite National Park during the 20th century, and warmer climate conditions may play a role.

The number of large-diameter trees in the park declined 24 percent between the 1930s and 1990s. U.S. Geological Survey and University of Washington scientists compared the earliest records of large-diameter trees densities from 1932–1936 to the most recent records from 1988–1999.

A decline in large trees means habitat loss and possible reduction in species such as spotted owls, mosses, orchids and fishers (a carnivore related to weasels). Fewer new trees will grow in the landscape because large trees are a seed source for the surrounding landscape. Large-diameter trees generally resist fire more than small-diameter trees, so fewer large trees could also slow forest regeneration after fires.

“Although this study did not investigate the causes of decline, climate change is a likely contributor to these events and should be taken into consideration,” said USGS scientist emeritus Jan van Wagtendonk. “Warmer conditions increase the length of the summer dry season and decrease the snowpack that provides much of the water for the growing season. A longer summer dry season can also reduce tree growth and vigor, and can reduce trees’ ability to resist insects and pathogens.”

Scientists also found a shift to fire-intolerant trees in some forests that had not experienced fires for nearly a century. In these areas, trees changed from fire-tolerant ponderosa pines to fire-intolerant white fir and incense cedar. In burned areas, however, pines remained dominant.

“We should be aware that more frequent and severe wildfires are possible in Yosemite because of the recent shift to fire-intolerant trees in unburned areas and warmer climates bring drier conditions,” said van Wagtendonk.

This research was published in Forest Ecology and Management and can be found online (PDF).

Three New Papers about NeoGeography

In GIS, Geography on August 12, 2009 at 8:13 am

coverThe latest issue (Volume 2, Issue 3 2009) of the Journal of Location Based Services features three papers about NeoGeography (asbtracts below), as well as an editorial on the same subject (no abstract available).

“NeoGeography and the nature of geographic expertise” by Michael Goodchild

NeoGeography has been defined as a blurring of the distinctions between producer, communicator and consumer of geographic information. The relationship between professional and amateur varies across disciplines. The subject matter of geography is familiar to everyone, and the acquisition and compilation of geographic data have become vastly easier as technology has advanced. The authority of traditional mapping agencies can be attributed to their specifications, production mechanisms and programs for quality control. Very different mechanisms work to ensure the quality of data volunteered by amateurs. Academic geographers are concerned with the extraction of knowledge from geographic data using a combination of analytic tools and accumulated theory. The definition of NeoGeography implies a misunderstanding of this role of the professional, but English lacks a basis for a better term.

“The Second Life of urban planning? Using NeoGeography tools for community engagement” by Marcus Foth, Bhishna Bajracharya, Ross Brown, and Greg Hearn

The majority of the world’s citizens now live in cities. Although urban planning can thus be thought of as a field with significant ramifications on the human condition, many practitioners feel that it has reached the crossroads in thought leadership between traditional practice and a new, more participatory and open approach. Conventional ways to engage people in participatory planning exercises are limited in reach and scope. At the same time, socio-cultural trends and technology innovation offer opportunities to re-think the status quo in urban planning. NeoGeography introduces tools and services that allow non-geographers to use advanced geographical information systems. Similarly, is there a potential for the emergence of aneo-planning paradigm in which urban planning is carried out through active civic engagement aided by Web 2.0 and new media technologies thus redefining the role of practicing planners? This paper traces a number of evolving links between urban planning, NeoGeography and information and communication technology. Two significant trends – participation and visualisation – with direct implications for urban planning are discussed. Combining advanced participation and visualisation features, the popular virtual reality environment Second Life is then introduced as a test bed to explore a planning workshop and an integrated software event framework to assist narrative generation. We discuss an approach to harness and analyse narratives using virtual reality logging to make transparent how users understand and interpret proposed urban designs.

“NeoGeography and Web 2.0: concepts, tools and applications” by Andrew Hudson-Smith, Andrew Crooks, Maurizio Gibin, Richard Milton, and Michael Batty

In this article, we explore the concepts and applications of Web 2.0 through the new media of NeoGeography and its impact on how we collect, interact and search for spatial information. We argue that location and space are becoming increasingly important in the information technology revolution. To this end, we present a series of software tools which we have designed to facilitate the non-expert user to develop online visualisations which are essentially map-based. These are based on Google Map Creator, which can produce any number of thematic maps which can be overlaid on Google Maps. We then introduce MapTube, a technology to generate an archive of shared maps, before introducing Google Earth Creator, Image Cutter and PhotoOverlay Creator. All these tools allow users to display and share information over the web. Finally, we present how Second Life has the potential to combine all aspects of Web 2.0, visualisation and NeoGeography in a single multi-user three-dimensional collaborative environment.

The editorial is titled “NeoGeography: an extension of mainstream geography for everyone made by everyone?”, written by Sanjay Rana and Thierry Joliveau.

  • More information

    • Expedition to Map the Arctic Seafloor

    In GIS, Geography, Science on August 11, 2009 at 9:56 am

    American and Canadian scientists are setting sail this summer to map the Arctic seafloor and gather data to help define the outer limits of the continental shelf.

    Each country may exercise sovereign rights over their extended continental shelf’s natural resources of the seabed and subsoil. These rights and authorities include control over minerals, petroleum and sedentary organisms such as clams, crabs and coral.

    The extended continental shelf is that part of a country’s continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from shore, and its outer limits can be defined according to criteria set forth in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Data collected during this mission will help determine where these criteria are met for the United States and Canada in the Arctic Ocean.

    caption below
    Louis S. St. Laurent (left) and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (right) in the Arctic – Photo Credit USGS.
    caption below
    USGS scientists Ellyn Montgomery and William Danforth discuss incoming data. Photo credit USGS, taken in 2008.
    caption below
    U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy in the Arctic. Photo Credit USGS.
    caption below
    Louis S. St. Laurent finding a path through the Arctic sea ice – Photo Credit USGS.

    The United States and Canada are working collaboratively from August 7–September 16, 2009, using two icebreakers. The U.S. Geological Survey will work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of New Hampshire on U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy to collect data primarily on seafloor depths and morphology. The Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada will lead research on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent and gather information primarily on the thickness and characteristics of sub-bottom sediments.

    “The Arctic Ocean is an area of great scientific interest, possible economic development and potential resource conservation,” said USGS scientist Deborah Hutchinson, who will be aboard the Canadian ship as a U.S. liaison. “Both countries benefit from this two-ship expedition by sharing technical expertise and data. Research in these remote areas of the Arctic Ocean is expensive, logistically difficult and sometimes dangerous.”

    This mission will emphasize the region north of Alaska onto Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge and eastwards toward the Canada Archipelago. This is the second year the United States and Canada have collaborated in extended continental shelf data collection in the Arctic. Both countries plan to work together again in 2010.

    Research is coordinated by the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, a government-wide group headed by the U.S. Department of State. Participants in this Task Force include the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, National Science Foundation, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Executive Office of the President, Minerals Management Service, and the Arctic Research Commission.

    For additional information, including details on the 2009 cruise and photographs and video from past missions, visit the Extended Continental Shelf Project Web site.

    You will also have access to journals and photographs during this mission and from last year’s expedition at the Arctic Chronicles.

    The upcoming program follows a joint 2008 U.S.-Canada survey described at Sound Waves monthly newsletter.

    You can also learn more about Canada’s Extended Continental Shelf Web site.

    Information on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea can be found online.

    Tibet Autonomous Region Atlas Released

    In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on August 11, 2009 at 7:01 am

    …from China Tibet Online…

    The Tibet Autonomous Region Atlas–the first comprehensive atlas complied by Tibet–is based on existing data and the latest research results in geography, geology, geophysics, geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soil, biology and environmental science, and makes use of GIS high-tech mapping techniques.

    GIS Positions at Idaho State University

    In Education, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on August 10, 2009 at 10:26 am
    isuMasters of Science Graduate Research Assistant – Geographic Information Science, Department of Geosciences, Geospatial Software Lab, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho State University, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA

    We are seeking an MS-GISci student to work on the MapWindow 6 project, and specifically elements associated with the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System Desktop Application and the INRA ICEWATER network. You can read more about the HIS Desktop Project here: http://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim09/J4/ames.pdf. A qualified candidate will have expertise in C#, an understanding of GIS, an interest in hydrology or environmental science, and preferably some experience with the MapWindow project (www.mapwindow.org). Candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Geosciences or equivalent. Position will start August 2009 or January 2010 and will include full tuition payment as well as monthly stipend. To begin the application process, please send a complete resume by email to amesdani@isu.edu.Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant – Engineering and Applied Science, Department of Geosciences or Department of Civil Engineering, Geospatial Software Lab, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho State University, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA

    Idaho State University offers a unique cross disciplinary Ph.D. program in Engineering and Applied Science through the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering. The program can be customized to the needs and interests of each student, and currently several students in this program are pursuing a highly geospatial science focused program. We are seeking a Ph.D. student for this program to begin in August 2009 or January 2010 with expertise and interests in GIS Software Development, LiDAR analysis, and Hydrologic/Terrain Analysis using DEM’s. Expertise in C# or VB.NET programming languages as well as MapWindow, ArcGIS, ENVI and or comparable software is critical. Candidate should have a Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Geosciences or equivalent. Position includes a full tuition payment as well as monthly stipend. To begin the application process, please send a complete resume by email to amesdani@isu.edu.

    Post Doctoral Researcher – Geospatial Software Lab, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho State University, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA

    The Geospatial Software Lab in Idaho Falls, Idaho and the Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory in Boise, Idaho are engaged in a number of exciting research projects at the intersection of GIS, Remote Sensing, and Surface Hydrology/Watershed Analysis and seek a Post Doctoral Researcher to engage in several of these projects over the coming 2-3 years. The available salary is low but adequate and the work is exciting and engaging and is ripe with opportunities for publications, conference participation, and other forms of professional growth. Expertise with IDL, C#, or VB.NET programming languages is critical together with a strong background in MapWindow, ArcGIS, ENVI, and/or equivalent software tools. Position will be based in Idaho Falls, Idaho at the Geospatial Software Lab at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (www.caesenergy.org) and will begin as soon as filled. Candidate should have a Ph.D. degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Geosciences or equivalent. To begin the application process please send a complete resume by email to amesdani@isu.edu.

    Essays on Geography and GIS, Vol. 2

    In Books, ESRI, GIS, Geography, Science on August 10, 2009 at 7:38 am

    essays2ESRI has released a new Best Practices e-book titled “Essays on Geography and GIS, Vol. 2“.   The e-book features the following essays:

    • GIS: Designing Our Future.  By Jack Dangermond.
    • Implementing Geographic Information Technologies Ethically.  By Harlan J. Onsrud.
    • GIScience for Human Rights.  By Doug Richardson.
    • Transport 2.0: Meeting Grand Challenges with GIScience.  By Harvey J. Miller.
    • Geography Education and GIS Professional Development.  By Doug Richardson.
    • Changing the Face of Geography: GIS and the IGU.  By Roger F. Tomlinson.
    • Process Models and Next-Generation Geographic Information Technology.  By Paul M. Torrens.
    • Geographic Literacy in U.S. by 2025.  By Daniel C. Edelson.
    • Geography, GIS, and Mental Health.  By Doug Richardson.
    • The National Geospatial Advisory Committee: An Action Agenda.  By Anne Hale Miglarese.
    • Global Dialogues: GIScience and Sustainable Development in Africa.  By Doug Richardson.
    • Get Involved with Geo-Education Reform.  By Daniel C. Edelson.

    This e-book is a followup to the popular “Essays on Geography and GIS“, which has been viewed by more than 30,000 people since it was first made available in September 2008.

    2009 ESRI User Conference Proceedings Now Online

    In Climate Change, Conferences, ESRI, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Imagery, Modeling, Science, Social Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Temporal Analysis on July 24, 2009 at 6:49 pm

    McNutt to become USGS Director

    In Geography on July 16, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    usgs…from The Stanford Daily…

    “President Obama announced last week that he will nominate Marcia McNutt, professor of geophysics at Stanford, as the next director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and science advisor to the Secretary of the Interior.

    “‘Marcia is a strong and experienced leader and a great scientist, and she understands the breath of issues that the USGS deals with,’ said Pamela Matson, dean of the School of Earth Sciences. ‘She’s a perfect choice.’”

    Conceptual Framework for Modeling Dynamic Paths from Natural Language Expressions

    In GIScience, Geography on July 15, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    122467470By Kathleen Stewart Hornsby and Naicong Li.
    Transactions in GIS, Volume 13 Issue s1, Pages 27 - 45

    Abstract: Text documents frequently contain descriptions of different kinds of movements by individual persons, groups, animals, vehicles, or other moving objects. Comprehending and modeling the semantics of movement is an area of interest for geographic information science. In this article, we show how text documents that contain movement verbs can be analyzed for deriving representations of movement or dynamic paths. A conceptual framework is presented that provides the foundations necessary for deriving dynamic paths automatically from natural language descriptions and representing these dynamic paths in an information system, such as a geographic information system. In this research, a linguistic analysis of dynamic paths is presented and linked to a spatiotemporal representation of paths. We show how movement descriptions in text can be mapped to a set of elemental components including source, destination, route, direction, distance, start time, end time, and duration. Together, this set of path components captures the spatiotemporal characteristics of the path of a moving object as described using natural language. A systematic examination of these components builds a foundation for understanding more complex scenarios involving discourse (composed of consecutive sentences). Additional aspects reflecting important semantics about the movement characteristics of objects and discussed here are the shape of the path and granularity of modeling.

    Spatial Analysis in Epidemiology

    In GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis, Statistics, Visualization on July 13, 2009 at 8:30 am

    51EveiROHHLby Mark Stevenson, Kim B. Stevens, David J. Rogers, and Archie C.A. Clements

    This book provides a practical, comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the use of spatial statistics in epidemiology – the study of the incidence and distribution of diseases. Used appropriately, spatial analytical methods in conjunction with GIS and remotely sensed data can provide significant insights into the biological patterns and processes that underlie disease transmission. In turn, these can be used to understand and predict disease prevalence. This user-friendly text brings together the specialised and widely-dispersed literature on spatial analysis to make these methodological tools accessible to epidemiologists for the first time.With its focus is on application rather than theory, Spatial Analysis in Epidemiology includes a wide range of examples taken from both medical (human) and veterinary (animal) disciplines, and describes both infectious diseases and non-infectious conditions. Furthermore, it provides worked examples of methodologies using a single data set from the same disease example throughout, and is structured to follow the logical sequence of description of spatial data, visualisation, exploration, modelling and decision support. This accessible text is aimed at graduate students and researchers dealing with spatial data in the fields of epidemiology (both medical and veterinary), ecology, zoology and parasitology, environmental science, geography, and statistics.

    Spatial Analysis of Somali Pirate Activity

    In Geography, Spatial Analysis on July 7, 2009 at 6:36 am

    piratesUNOSAT has released a report titled “Analysis of Somali Pirate Activity in 2009” covering the time frame of 01 January 2009 to 20 April 2009. Among the findings: the overall hijacking success rate for this period of 2009 was 23% (down from 40% in 2008), and the distance from the coast has increased over the last year.

    Kentucky Geographer Named to National Research Council Mapping Science Committee

    In GIScience, Geography, Science on July 6, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    nabrandSusan Carson Lambert, a Geographer of RE Strategies, LLC has been tapped to serve a 3 year term on the Mapping Science Committee of the National Research Council and the National Academy of Science.   The Mapping Science Committee organizes and oversees National Research Council studies that provide independent advice to society and to government at all levels on geospatial science, technology, and policy. It also addresses aspects of geographic information science that deal with the acquisition, integration, storage, distribution, and use of spatial data. Through its studies, the committee promotes the informed and responsible development and use of spatial data for the benefit of society.

    Ms. Lambert, a long time employee of the U.S. Geological Survey also served in the Patton and Fletcher administrations as the Executive Director of the KY State Office of Geographic Information and as the Principal Investigator on several prominent Federal research projects funded by NASA and EPA.  She currently is co-owner and Chief Operating Officer of Renewable Energy Strategies, LLC, a renewable energy consulting company based in Frankfort KY.

    For additional information on Ms. Lambert’s appointment contact Tony Moreno at moreno56@windstream.net or by telephone at 502 352-2770.  To find information about the Mapping Science Committee and their work see their website: http://dels.nas.edu/besr/msc.shtml

    Most Complete Topographic Map of Earth Now Available

    In Earth Systems Science, Geography, Science on July 1, 2009 at 7:00 am

    topographicmap…from Science Daily…

    “NASA and Japan has released a new digital topographic map of Earth Monday that covers more of our planet than ever before. The map was produced with detailed measurements from NASA’s Terra spacecraft.

    “The new global digital elevation model of Earth was created from nearly 1.3 million individual stereo-pair images collected by the Japanese Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or Aster, instrument aboard Terra. NASA and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, known as METI, developed the data set. It is available online to users everywhere at no cost.”

    21st Century Skills Maps for Science, Geography

    In Education, Geography, Science on July 1, 2009 at 6:50 am

    thejournal…from The Journal…

    “The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has teamed with the National Science Teachers Association and the National Council for Geographic Education to launch the latest in its series of 21st century roadmaps for core academic subjects, in this case K-12 science and geography. The maps were introduced at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) being held this week in Washington, DC.

    “The 21st Century Skills and Science Map and the 21st Century Skills and Geography Map are the third and fourth in a series of maps aimed at core academic subjects in K-12 education. The purpose of the maps in general is to provide a framework and resources for integrating technology and other 21st century skills into core subject areas.”

    Demographic and Economic Changes in the United States Affect Nearly Everyone

    In ESRI, Geography, Statistics on June 26, 2009 at 9:18 am

    demographic1…from ArcWatch…

    “Trends in ESRI’s newly released 2009/2014 demographic data updates confirm the recession’s impact on housing, income, and employment that we’ve been hearing and reading about for months. Who is being affected by this serious recession? Nearly everyone. Changes in the nation’s economy have become extremely personal. In the past year, 1 in 25 jobs was lost to the economic crisis and 1 in 42 homes was threatened by foreclosure. Households not touched directly by the loss of home or employment are experiencing low or no income growth, lower home values, loss in their savings or retirement funds, higher credit costs, cutbacks in services from struggling state and local governments, or the closing of a favorite local business.”

    Preview: Essays on Geography and GIS, Vol. II

    In Books, Design, ESRI, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on June 26, 2009 at 7:09 am

    p4p1Back in December, I wrote about ESRI publishing a ‘best practices’ e-book titled “Essays on Geography and GIS.” The collection of nine ‘academic’ essays on many different aspects of GIS and geography has proven to be very popular, with more than 28,000 downloads of the book since first being published in September 2008.

    The followup–”Essays on Geography and GIS, Vol. II”–is currently in production and promises to be even more exciting than the original.  Even though it won’t be available until September 2009, you can already read the essays online [table of contents is tentative and subject to change]:

    The Importance of Spatial Literacy

    In Geography on June 26, 2009 at 6:22 am

    DVaughn_49731_2009-03-21 11-50-38.835Danny Vaughn writes about the importance of spatial literacy in an article titled “Spatial literacy: how well do you really function within the spatial dimensions of reality?” at The Examiner…

    “The earth may be thought of as a huge container that houses a variety of spatial objects. Spatial objects can be real (trees, rocks, mountains, rivers, buildings, people, etc.) or abstractions (population density, election party distributions, perceptions, etc.). Spatial literacy requires one to have developed competence through an understanding and appreciation for the location, position, distance, direction, pattern, shape, and size of objects (real or abstract) that take up space; and their intimate associations as they coexist in our world. I am amazed at the number of people I have encountered over the years that cannot read and interpret a basic map, give intelligible directions to a location, or understand the basic premise behind a Cartesian grid, and its utility as a critical function in illuminating the distribution of spatial objects.”

    GEOSS GEO Portal: Global Doorway to Understanding the Earth

    In Climate Change, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on June 18, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    geop12p3“…the GEOSS GEO Portal provides scientists with easy access to a wealth of earth observation data and Web mapping services. It is a global doorway to increasing our understanding of the earth and helping participants move from principles to action.”

    Massive Online GIS Bibliography Surpases 75,000 Entries

    In GIS, GIScience, Geography on June 18, 2009 at 4:54 am

    “The ESRI GIS Bibliography, free on the ESRI Training and Education Web site, recently surpassed 75,000 entries, making it one of the world’s largest online repositories for information about geographic information science (GIScience) and GIS technology.

    “Dr. Duane F. Marble, professor emeritus of geography at Ohio State University, began compiling the bibliography in the late 1980s. Because Marble and other academics were each creating individual GIS bibliographies, he saw the need for a more comprehensive public resource. When Marble retired from his academic position, ESRI became curator of the bibliography. The staff at the ESRI Library in Redlands, California, working with Marble, continues to update the content and maintain the Web site as a free service to the GIS and GIScience community.”

    Geography, GIS, and Mental Health

    In GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science, Social Science on June 17, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    doug-richardsonDoug Richardson, Executive Director, Association of American Geographers, writes:

    “For those of you who were hoping this column might offer a groundbreaking treatise on the state of mind of geographers and GIScientists, you can stop reading here. I’m saving that project for when I retire.

    “What I would like to discuss here are the opportunities and needs for geography and GIScience to participate in the rapidly expanding field of mental health research, a relatively unexplored area for geographers but one in which geography and GIS can, I’m convinced, be a significant and potentially paradigm-changing contributor. It is also a research area in which geographers and GIS specialists can engage with and help address enormous human and societal needs.”

    Geographic Literacy in U.S. by 2025?

    In Education, Geography on June 15, 2009 at 6:34 am

    ngs-logoDaniel C. Edelson, Vice President for Education, National Geographic Society writes about geographic literacy in the Spring 2009 issue of ArcNews.

    “…we are in the process of launching the second phase of our campaign for geographic literacy. The goal of this campaign is to approach universal geographic literacy. Specifically, we set a goal to achieve 80 percent rates of geographic literacy in all 50 states by 2025, where geographic literacy is defined as the ability of students to apply geographic skills and understanding in their personal and civic lives. We set a second goal to achieve 50 percent geographic fluency in all 50 states at the same time. Geographic fluency is a higher standard, which we define as preparation sufficient for successful postsecondary study in subjects that require geographic skills and understanding (e.g., international affairs or environmental science).”

    New Papers in IBM Journal of Research and Development

    In Environmental Science, Geography, Science on June 12, 2009 at 8:19 pm

    rd53-3sVolume 53, Number 3, 2009 of the IBM Journal of Research and Development contains a special focus on Environmental Monitoring and Management.  “Information technology plays critical roles in helping address environmental challenges. Topics for this diverse issue include the emergence of a new computing paradigm based on sensing and modeling, business management strategies and dashboards, carbon and emissions management, optimization of data center energy utilization, and applications relating to the optimization and monitoring of rivers, water pumps, and railroads.” Papers of potential interest to readers of this blog include:

    DRAGON Asia Summit Stresses Visualization

    In Climate Change, Conferences, Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Visualization on June 12, 2009 at 8:11 pm

    usgsnwrcThe DRAGON (Delta Research and Global Observation Network) Asia Summit on June 22-25 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, “will forge new global partnerships to develop the science needed to inform decision making in the Mekong, Mississippi, and other large river and delta systems around the world.

    “The fundamental principle is to make scientific information understandable, to make our results compelling.”

    “Why We have to Thank Neogeographers like Google”

    In ESRI, GIS, Geography, Visualization on June 12, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    neogeoJack Dangermond and others are interviewed in an interesting article titled “ESRI, Bentley, and Intergraph on Today’s GIS Industry: Why We have to Thank Neogeographers like Google.” The article appears in the June 2009 issue of GEOinformatics magazine, starting on page 36.

    Quote of the Day

    In Geography, Quotes, Science on June 8, 2009 at 8:38 am

    downs“A lot of geographers believe science is a disease to be eradicated.”
    –Prof. Roger Downs, Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University

    Will We Decamp for the Northern Rim?

    In Climate Change, Geography, Science on May 27, 2009 at 11:13 am

    whatsnextLaurence C. Smith is professor and vice chairman of geography and professor of earth and space sciences at UCLA. He studies likely impacts of northern climate change including the economic effects in the Northern Rim. Smith has written an essay titled “Will We Decamp for the Northern Rim?” which has been published in Max Brockman’s new book What’s Next? Dispatches on the Future of Science, which came out today.

    Will We Decamp for the Northern Rim?

    By Prof. Laurence C. Smith, UCLA

    “Already the impacts are obvious in the extreme north, where melting Arctic sea ice, drowning polar bears, and forlorn Inuit hunters are by now iconic images of global warming. The rapidity and severity of Arctic warming is truly dramatic. However, the Arctic, a relatively small, thinly populated region, will always be marginal in terms of its raw social and economic impact on the rest of us. The greater story lies to the south, penetrating deeply into the “Northern Rim,” a vast zone of economically significant territory and adjacent ocean owned by the United States, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia. As in the Arctic, climate change there has already begun. This zone — which constitutes almost 30 percent of the Earth’s land area and is home to its largest remaining forests, its greatest untouched mineral, water, and energy reserves, and a (growing) population of almost 100 million people — will undergo one of the most profound biophysical and social expansions of this century.”…

    Dr. Daniel Sui Selected for National Academy of Science Mapping Science Committee

    In GIS, Geography, Science on May 13, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    Dr. Daniel Sui, a professor in the Department of Geography and holder of the Reta A. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences, has been selected to serve a three-year term on the Mapping Science Committee (MSC) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Sui will be the first Texas A&M faculty member to serve on the MSC.

    “It certainly is an honor,” Sui said. “Work with GIS ( Geographic Information Systems ) represents a lot of my research, so to have any sort of role on this prestigious committee which is responsible for defining the nation’s mapping and GIScience research agenda is an incredible opportunity for me to serve my field of research and my colleagues.”

    Sui’s work at Texas A&M has revolved around the evolving science of GIS. He has worked to integrate spatial analysis and modeling with GIS to develop socio-economic, public health, and environmental applications. Sui’s research focus is well-suited for the committee, whose members represent a broad range of the scientific community.

    The MSC was established in 1987 and is currently sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Census Bureau. It oversees reports on geospatial science, technology, and policy, and provides a forum for discussion among a broad range of government agencies, professional societies, private companies, and the broader scientific community.

    As a committee member, Sui will travel to Washington DC for meetings twice a year to discuss emerging issues of interest to the broader geospatial community, provide feedback on MSC studies, and to plan new studies.

    Sui joined the College of Geosciences in 1993 as an associate professor. He earned tenure in 1997 and was promoted to full professor in 2002.

    For more information, visit the MSC at dels.nas.edu/besr/msc.shtml, or visit Dr. Sui’s profile on the Department of Geography website at geography.tamu.edu.

    High School GIS Teacher Honored by State Geographers

    In Education, GIS, Geography on May 8, 2009 at 7:25 am

    …from the Santa Ynez Valley News…

    “Santa Ynez Valley Union High School science teacher Chip Fenenga was surprised last weekend to receive the California Geographical Society’s Distinguished Teaching Award for his work teaching Geographic Information Systems at Santa Ynez High School in their Environmental and Spatial Technologies Program.”

    CCSM Climate Change Projections Available for Download

    In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on May 1, 2009 at 9:20 am

    globalThe National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)’s GIS Initiative Climate Change Scenarios GIS data portal is intended to serve a community of GIS users interested in climate change. The free datasets of climate change projections can be viewed on-line and/or downloaded in a common GIS (shapefile) or text file format. Many 2D variables from modeled projected climate are available for the atmosphere and land surface. Climate change projections were generated by the NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM) for the 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

    Earth System Grid: Climate Model Datasets as Community Resources

    In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on May 1, 2009 at 8:55 am

    esgThe Earth System Grid II (ESG) is a research project sponsored by the U.S. DOE Office of Science under the auspices of the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing program (SciDAC). The primary goal of ESG is to address the formidable challenges associated with enabling analysis of and knowledge development from global Earth System models. Through a combination of Grid technologies and emerging community technology, distributed federations of supercomputers and large-scale data & analysis servers will provide a seamless and powerful environment that enables the next generation of climate research.

    High-resolution, long-duration simulations performed with advanced DOE SciDAC/NCAR climate models will produce tens of petabytes of output. To be useful, this output must be made available to global change impacts researchers nationwide, both at national laboratories and at universities, other research laboratories, and other institutions. To this end, we propose to create a new Earth System Grid, ESG-II – a virtual collaborative environment that links distributed centers, users, models, and data. ESG-II will provide scientists with virtual proximity to the distributed data and resources that they require to perform their research. The creation of this environment will significantly increase the scientific productivity of U.S. climate researchers by turning climate datasets into community resources. In creating ESG-II, we will integrate and extend a range of Grid and collaboratory technologies, including the DODS remote access protocols for environmental data, Globus Toolkit technologies for authentication, resource discovery, and resource access, and Data Grid technologies developed in other projects. We will develop new technologies for (1) creating and operating “filtering servers” capable of performing sophisticated analyses, and (2) delivering results to users. In so doing, we will simultaneously contribute to climate science and advance the state of the art in collaboratory technology. We expect our results to be useful to numerous other DOE projects. The three-year R&D program will be undertaken by a talented and experienced team of computer scientists at five laboratories (ANL, LBNL, LLNL, NCAR, ORNL) and one university (ISI), working in close collaboration with climate scientists at several sites.

    GIS and Geographic Inquiry: Resources for Educators

    In Education, GIS, Geography, Science on April 30, 2009 at 3:54 pm

    img_esnlogonobetaTeachers in earth, environmental, biological, and general science are increasingly incorporating geospatial technologies into their lesson plans. The growing use of these tools in an array of social studies and STEM subjects supports authentic, problem-based instruction, helping students tackle real social and environmental research projects in their communities. The editors of eSchool News have compiled this special collection of news stories, best practices, and other resources designed to help educators integrate GIS and other geospatial technologies into classrooms and district offices.

    Understanding Sprawl Inequality

    In Climate Change, GIS, Geography, Science, Social Science on April 30, 2009 at 6:52 am

    Rob McDonald, a scientist with The Nature Conservancy‘s Conservation Strategies Division, writes at the Cool Green Science blog:

    “Another concept I’ve been exploring is what I’m calling sprawl inequality. This comes out of the famous Pareto Principle, that 80 percent of any phenomenon is due to 20 percent of the people. How much of habitat loss in cities is due to a small proportion of folks living in suburbs or exurbs? After a bunch of GIS work, the answer appears to be: 80 percent of urban development (in terms of area) is due to 35 percent of folks who live at the lowest densities. We may all have a responsibility to move toward more sustainable cities, but we aren’t all equally to blame for sprawl.”

    Climate Change Science, GIS, and Whole Earth Systems

    In Climate Change, Design, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science on April 29, 2009 at 10:40 am

    Global climate change is a difficult, complex, politically charged, and vitally important issue. Yet from a knowledge perspective, we are at a distinct disadvantage: at this point in time, we still do not have a clear idea of everything we need to know in order to address the problem in a measured, rational, and above all, scientific manner.

    When you think about the multitude of issues surrounding climate change science—from root causes to resultant impacts—geography is clearly an elemental factor in the equation. Every aspect of climate change affects or is affected by geography, be it at a global, regional, or local level. As a tool for helping us to better understand such geographies, GIS is the single most powerful integrating tool for inventorying, analyzing, and ultimately managing this extremely complex problem.

    A GIS-based approach called “Whole Earth Systems” provides a framework for understanding and addressing the entire breadth of climate change science issues in a holistic manner. What do we mean by “Whole Earth Systems”? Scientists have long classified various phenomena into logical groupings or “systems.” These classifications have helped greatly to advance the understanding of component physical, biological, and social systems. While advancing the understanding of each of these systems individually is vitally important, ultimately we need to bring all of these systems together, to understand how they are interrelated and dependent upon one other.

    Whole Earth Systems science offers an opportunity to advance the science and understanding of climate change by providing a framework for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, integrated view of our planetary system. Aggregating complex physical, biological, and social data and models within a unified framework will give us single view of the whole Earth system and provide us with the tools to manage—and ultimately design—our future in the most effective, efficient, and morally defensible way.

    Exploring Water Resources: GIS Investigations for the Earth Sciences

    In Books, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science on April 28, 2009 at 7:40 am

    water“Start using the technology you’ll need tomorrow, today! Exploring Water Resources: GIS Investigations for the Earth Sciences is a collection of investigation guides that let you tap into the power of ArcGIS software no matter your skill level. Use it to explore, manipulate, and analyze large data sets quickly and easily. And because this GIS textbook is full of study tools, it will come in handy during test time as well.”

    Initiative in Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences

    In Education, GIS, Geography, Social Science on April 27, 2009 at 12:09 pm

    browngis_02-over“S4, as it is known on campus, is one of several initiatives through which Brown University is building new strengths as a research university. Brown has a core group of outstanding faculty who are taking seriously the impacts of spatial relations and contextual effects on social science issues. Through new faculty recruitments, investments in the research and teaching infrastructure, and outreach to researchers in such areas as community health and environmental change, the mission of S4 is to stimulate and support new work in this emerging interdisciplinary arena.”

    Humboldt State University to Offer Resources Scholarships

    In Education, Environmental Science, Geography on April 27, 2009 at 11:20 am

    Humboldt State University’s Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources has received $144,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund $4,500 annual scholarships for new multicultural students starting in Fall 2009. Freshmen must apply by March 1, transfers by June 1; instructions for how to apply are at http://www.humboldt.edu/~wms/.

    The initiative stems from HSU’s connection with the U.S. Forest Service Region Five’s Northern California Consortium, an environmental education, outreach, and recruitment program sponsored by the Forest Service to establish networks in Hispanic and other diverse communities. It is aimed at educating under-served rural communities about natural resources. Federal employment projections for diverse students are good in the fields of soils, range, and forestry.

    “We hope to draw from community colleges throughout the western United States including WUE schools,” said Forestry and Wildland Professor Susan Edinger Marshall, referring to the Western Undergraduate Exchange program. Humboldt State accepts undergraduates from 14 eligible western states, offering major savings on regular out-of-state tuition.

    The new scholarships will finance up to 12 transfer students majoring in forestry, Rangeland Resources Science or Wildland Soils.

    Scholarships could assist six freshmen to 12 transfers or any combination in between, totaling funding for 24 student years at HSU.

    Exploring the Ocean Environment: GIS Investigations for the Earth Sciences

    In Books, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science on April 27, 2009 at 11:14 am

    ocean1“Explore, analyze, and elaborate on information you extract using ArcGIS software with Exploring the Ocean Environment: GIS Investigations for the Earth Sciences. This interactive investigation guide lets you tap the power of the ArcGIS software to explore, manipulate, and analyze large data sets. This guide emphasizes the visualization, analysis, and multimedia integration capabilities inherent to GIS. The GIS information has been preprocessed into maps and legends, and some procedures have been automated so you can focus on the science content.”

    Advances in GIScience Research Sessions at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference

    In Conferences, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on April 21, 2009 at 9:53 am

    uc20091Join leaders in GIScience research in this special research symposium at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference.  Papers will be published in a special issue of the journal Transactions in GIS, available at the session.

    Tuesday, 14 July 2009

    Room 29 C, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California USA

    8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – Advances in GIScience: Research Session 1
    10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Advances in GIScience: Research Session 2
    1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Advances in GIScience: Research Session 3

    ESRI UC web site

    GIS for Species Modeling Session at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference

    In Conferences, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis on April 21, 2009 at 9:42 am

    uc2009Date/Time:
    10:15 a.m.  – 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, 14 July 2009

    Location:
    Room 32 B, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California USA

    Presenter(s):
    Lisa LaCivita (GMU), Tony McKinney (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Dawn Lemke (Alabama A&M University)

    Description:
    GIS is increasingly important for advanced scientific techniques involving species survival and management, with predictive models for understanding and managing ecosystems. These papers show how GIS is being used at the cutting edge of scientific and analytical techniques.

    Papers:

    Geo-referencing Primary Type Mollusks for the Smithsonian Institution
    Lisa LaCivita, GMU

    This unique opportunity to contribute to science, contains great geography lessons, context and complexities. What are best practices for geo-referencing? Can they be applied to legacy data? Why geo-reference Primary Type Mollusks and what is involved? How does our current suite of techno-tools change the dynamic of geo-referencing? Can projects of this type be brought to the “classroom” to further ecological and geographic education? The presenter believes that there exists tremendous potential for supporting educational initiatives, such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and SOL (standards of learning), by utilizing the Smithsonian’s collections. This session will explain the geo-referencing initiative, explore the possibilities and seek dialogue and involvement from the GIS community.

    Monitoring a Rare Desert Sand Dune Species: A Success Story
    Tony McKinney, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    We utilized ArcInfo and ArcMAP for project design and analysis and GPS for field mapping and navigation to assess the density, abundance, and distribution of Peirson’s milk-vetch (Astragalus magdalenae var. peirsonii), a threatened plant in the Algodones Dunes of Imperial County, California, that has been the focus of Dune Use versus Dune Preservation litigation for the past few years. Our focus was to asses the status of this plant which has a life history that overlaps peak OHV use in the dunes, and to use this information to build a management program covering the dunes. We sampled 123,488 cells as the base to select 750 seed bank cells. Sample plots were re-visited to predict distribution and trend analysis. We present our overall results, discuss the importance of GPS to collect field data in this barren landscape, and the utility of spatial analysis to support land management decisions.

    Integrating GIS and Statistical Modeling in Assessing Invasive Plants
    Dawn Lemke, Alabama A&M University
    Jennifer Brown , Biomathematics Research Centre, Canterbury UniversityPrivate Bag 4800
    Philip Hulme , National Centre for Advanced Bio-Protection Technologies, Lincoln University
    Wubishet Tadesse , Alabama A&M University

    As our impacts on the landscape changes the composition of ‘natural’ areas, it is important that we integrate spatial technology to assist in active management. This research explores the integration of GIS and remote sensing with statistical analysis to assist in species distribution modeling. It is applicable to both native and non native communities and has the ability to assist land managers in identifying both areas of importance and areas of threat. It has been suggested that Maximum Entropy models can better assess possible species distribution, while logistic regression is more representative of the current species distribution. This presentation discusses the application of these models in association with GIS in application to modeling non native species in the Cumberland Plateau and Mountain Region.

    ESRI UC web site

    The GEOSS GEOportal

    In Climate Change, ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science, Visualization on April 16, 2009 at 10:38 am

    image_galleryThe Group on Earth Observations (GEO), which is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), operates a portal (GEOportal) which provides a single Internet access point for data, imagery, and analytical software packages covering the entire Earth.

    “The GEOportal provides an entry point to access Earth Observation information and services. It will connect to a system of existing portals, addressing the GEO Societal Benefit Areas globally and provide national to regional perspective to achieve synergy and leverage.

    “Derived from ESA’s Earth Observation Community Portal www.eoportal.org. this proposed contribution to the GEOportal will put the accent on remote sensing, geospatial-static and in-situ data, information and services.

    “Maps, forecasts and other decision support tools, derived from, among others, satellite imagery and in situ observations play an important role in the work of decision makers, sustainable development planners and humanitarian and emergency managers in need of quick, reliable and up-to-date user-friendly cartographic products as a basis for planning and monitoring their activities.”

    Winners of Google’s KML in Research Competition

    In Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Visualization on March 23, 2009 at 8:01 am

    Google has announce the seven winners of their KML in Research Competition.  And the winners are:

    • Grey Box System Identification of Bus Mass (Student Winner)
    • Environmental Toxicity in Wayne County Michigan (Student Winner)
    • Emergent Models of Earth’s Crustal Structure (Professional Winner)
    • North American Carbon (Professional Winner)
    • NCALM LiDAR Data Distribution Center (Professional Winner)
    • Global Infant Mortality 1960-2005 (Professional Winner)
      Visualizing Seasonal Climate Forecasts (Professional Winner)

    kmlcontest_depaor_pro

    Declan De Paor from Old Dominion University, a winner in the professional category, incorporated “a novel use of the time slider feature to expose models of the crust and mantel in the Aleutian Island chain” in the entry “Emergent Models of Earth’s Crustal Structure.”

    GIS Helps California Audubon Identify Essential Bird Habitat

    In ESRI, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on March 23, 2009 at 7:38 am

    Conservationists, bird watchers, farmers, and developers across the state of California can now access bird habitat information from a digital bank of maps and data created with ESRI’s geographic information system (GIS) technology. Commissioned by the National Audubon Society and BirdLife International, the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program designates locations essential for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. Conservation activities at these sites include land acquisition, habitat restoration, advocacy on behalf of IBA, and education to local communities about their unique birds and bird habitats.

    Through the Audubon California Web site, users can now quickly find answers to questions such as, What is the total acreage of all IBA land? Who are the major land owners? What percentage of IBA designations are in some form of protection?

    aud2

    Through a partnership between Audubon California and California Polytechnic State University, the maps and database supporting the California IBA project were created by David Yun, GIS supervisor for the City of San Luis Obispo, and a group of students from Cal Poly’s Natural Resources Management Department. The team used ESRI’s suite of ArcGIS software, designed to help users organize, visualize, and analyze layers of disparate geographic data with dynamic maps and geodatabases.

    “ArcGIS Desktop provided the most complete set of tools required to complete our mapping project,” said Andrea Jones, director of the Important Bird Areas program for Audubon California. “Two critical ArcGIS Desktop applications were ArcCatalog and ArcMap. We used ArcCatalog to manage all GIS layers, and ArcMap to digitize boundaries, analyze data, and create maps and graphics.”

    With GIS, the IBA maps brought together topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey; wildlife habitat relationship data from the California Department of Fish and Game; digital photographs from the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP); and shapefiles of protected and conservation lands, counties, roads, and waterways from the California Spatial Information Library.

    More than 10,000 IBA sites in nearly 200 countries and territories have been identified since the IBA program’s inception in the 1980s. Bird-Life International estimates that hundreds of sites and millions of acres have received better protection as a result of the IBA program. A major objective of the IBA program is the protection of vulnerable birds. Of particular concern are species that are not widely distributed or are concentrated in one general habitat type or biome; and individual or groups of species, such as waterfowl or shorebirds, that congregate at high densities due to their gregarious behavior.

    Quote of the Day: Amorphousness is the Greatest Strength of Geography

    In Geography, Quotes on March 9, 2009 at 8:21 am

    “The end of geography at Harvard was typical of what happened to the field: university officials shut down its geography department in 1948, as CUNY geographer Neil Smith tells it, after being flummoxed by their ‘inability to extract a clear definition of the subject, to grasp the substance of geography, or to determine its boundaries with other disciplines.’ The academic brass ‘saw the field as hopelessly amorphous.’ But this ‘hopeless amorphousness’ is, in fact, the discipline’s greatest strength.”

    –Trevor Paglen, artist, writer, and experimental geographer

    Less Carbon, More Jobs: EDF Maps Companies Likely to Benefit from Climate Legislation

    In Climate Change, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Green Technologies on March 9, 2009 at 8:01 am

    indiana-th-090210The Environmental Defense Fund has created an online mapping application that can be used to identify companies likely to benefit from climate legislation. The application is interactive and lets you search by city and other criteria.

    LessCarbonMoreJobs.org

    Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change with GIS

    In Books, Climate Change, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Visualization on March 7, 2009 at 3:45 pm

    On page 4 of the new report Restructuring Federal Climate Research to Meet the Challenges of Climate Change from the National Academies Press, one of the committee’s top six priority actions for restructured climate change research is to…

    “Develop the science base and infrastructure to support a new generation of coupled Earth system models to improve attribution and prediction of high impact regional weather and climate, to initialize seasonal to decadal climate forecasting, and to provide predictions of impacts affecting adaptive capacities and vulnerabilities of environmental and human systems.

    “Further climate change is inevitable, even if humans significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore essential not only to have the capacity to explain what is happening to climate and why (attribution), but also to improve predictions of weather and climate variability at the spatial and temporal scales appropriate to assess the impacts of climate change. Both will require improved infrastructure and techniques in modeling the coupled human-land-ocean-atmosphere system, supported by sustained climate observations. The latter are necessary to further develop and constrain the models and to start model predictions from the most accurate observed state possible (initialization). Tools are also needed to translate the data and model output into information more usable by stakeholders. Improved predictions of regional climate will also require more unified modeling frameworks that provide for the hierarchical treatment of climate and forecast phenomena across a wide range of space and time scales, and for the routine production of decadal regional climate predictions at scales down to a few kilometers. New computing configurations will be needed to deal with the computational and data storage demands arising from decadal simulations at high resolution with high output frequency.”

    The potential role of GIS as a base platform for helping to meet this goal cannot be understated. GIS will be invaluable as a foundation for data management (both of inputs and outputs associated with coupled Earth system models); performing analysis, spatial modeling, and geospatial statistics across multiple models; visualization and presentation of data and results; and dissemination of data and results to a wider audience.

    The key to developing a true understanding of our complex and dynamic earth is creating a framework to take many different pieces of past and future data from a variety of sources and merge them together in a single system. GIS is a sophisticated technology tool already in widespread use by planners, engineers, and scientists to display and analyze all forms of location-referenced data about the health, status, and history of our planet. GIS provides a framework for analyzing and managing anthropogenic earth issues by allowing users to inventory and display large, complex spatial data sets. They can also analyze the potential interplay between various factors, getting us closer to a true understanding of how our dynamic earth systems may change in the coming decades and centuries. A GIS framework also lets us design and test various alternatives, helping us make the most educated and informed decision about the best possible future.

    Video: Michael Goodchild on Geographic Data Acquisition

    In GIS, Geography, Video on March 6, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    Michael Goodchild at GeoWeb 2008.

    Global Invasive Species Information Network

    In Environmental Science, Geography, Science on March 6, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    The Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN) is a mechanism for sharing invasive species information across the planet.  The program provides a framework for information management and data exchange, as well as access to data models and other useful resources. Scientists can use GISIN to search for useful data on the occurrence of invasive species across the globe.

    Publicly Available Forest Plot Data from Amazonian Peru

    In Environmental Science, Geography, Science on March 6, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    Within the last month, forest plot data from Amazonian Peru has been made publicly available www.forestplots.net. The forest plots database is intended to be a permanent repository for forest inventory data. The database promotes data sharing among the scientific community, and provides access to publicly available forest inventory data.

    Scientists Map Rocks that Soak Up CO2 across the United States

    In Climate Change, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on March 6, 2009 at 11:56 am

    …from Scientific American, scientists at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey have produced a set of maps showing rocks in the United States that are known to soak up CO2. More study is needed, but scientists hope that some day such rocks could be be coaxed to absorb carbon dioxide and possibly slow global climate change.

    Video: Carl Steinitz at e-waterexpo.net

    In Environmental Science, Geography, Science, Video on March 4, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    Video of Carl Steinitz (Research Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design) from e-waterexpo.net week 2: Water and Cities (26 June, 2008).

    Arizona Geologic Map Available Online

    In ESRI, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on March 4, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    The Arizona Geological Survey has published a great online geologic map of the state using ArcGIS Server, ready to use in a variety of formats.

    azgs-3

    Mapping the Arctic with ARMAP 3D

    In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography on March 4, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    armap-2ARMAP 3D (www.armap.org) allows users to dynamically interact with information about U.S. federally funded research projects in the Arctic. This virtual globe allows users to explore data maintained in the Arctic Research & Logistics Support System (ARLSS) database. Users can fly to study sites, view receding glaciers in 3D, and access linked reports about specific projects. ARMAP 3D was officially released last December at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in San Francisco, CA.

    Restructuring Federal Climate Research to Meet the Challenges of Climate Change

    In Books, Climate Change, Earth Systems Science, Geography, Modeling, Science on March 4, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    0309131731Now available in prepublication form for online reading from the National Academies Press is a new book titled Restructuring Federal Climate Research to Meet the Challenges of Climate Change.

    “Climate change is one of the most important global environmental problems facing the world today. Policy decisions are already being made to limit or adapt to climate change and its impacts, but there is a need for greater integration between science and decision making. This book proposes six priorities for restructuring the United States’ climate change research program to develop a more robust knowledge base and support informed responses:

    * Reorganize the Program Around Integrated Scientific-Societal Issues
    * Establish a U.S. Climate Observing System
    * Support a New Generation of Coupled Earth System Models
    * Strengthen Research on Adaptation, Mitigation, and Vulnerability
    * Initiate a National Assessment of the Risks and Costs of Climate Change Impacts and Options to Respond
    * Coordinate Federal Efforts to Provide Climate Information, Tools, and Forecasts Routinely to Decision Makers”

    Visualizing Priority Conservation Areas in Western North America

    In Climate Change, ESRI, Education, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Visualization on March 3, 2009 at 10:12 am

    northamericaClimate Change-Priority Conservation Areas in Western North America is an online (use of Firefox browser recommended)  geospatial visualization tool that shows projected annual change in mean temperatures through 2094 in relation to The Nature Conservancy priority conservation areas for western North America.  Climate projections are from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) general circulation models (GCMs). The primary goal for this project was to develop standardized, cross-ecoregional spatial and tabular data that could address conservation issues and strategies across western North America. The database enables cross-jurisdictional analyses with third party data sets.

    Spatial Analysis, Biogeography, and the Hunt for Osama bin Laden

    In GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Spatial Analysis on March 3, 2009 at 9:17 am

    The work of two geography professors and five of their students at UCLA using biogeography theory and spatial analysis tools to locate the possible whereabouts of Osama bin Laden has been all over the news (both geospatial and mainstream) over the last several weeks. Yesterday Scientific American published an interesting blog post which offers a critique of the paper; perhaps most importantly, that the authors “omitted several key details from their analysis, most notably pertinent political or historical context”.

    You can find the original paper published in the MIT International Review here [PDF].

    Creating a Contintent-scale Ecological Observation Platform

    In Climate Change, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science, Visualization on March 3, 2009 at 8:58 am

    …from the Spatial Sustain blog over at Vector 1 Media…

    Advanced Spatial Analysis Workshops for Population Scientists

    In GIS, GIScience, Geography, Modeling, Science, Social Science, Spatial Analysis on March 2, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    The Population Research Institute (The Pennsylvania State University) and the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science (University of California, Santa Barbara) are offering advanced spatial analysis workshops for population scientists who already possess a working knowledge of GIS and spatial statistics, and who use these tools in their research.

    Spatial & Multilevel Modeling
    @ The Population Research Institute, University Park, PA
    June 21-June 26, 2009

    Spatial Regression Modeling
    @ The Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science, Santa Barbara, CA
    July 12-July 17, 2009

    For more information and to fill out an application, visit the Advanced Spatial Analysis program web site.

    GIS and Design for the Anthropogenic Earth

    In Climate Change, Design, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Modeling, Science on March 2, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    047111460x01_aa240_sclzzzzzzz_In his groundbreaking 1969 book Design with Nature, Ian McHarg advocated a framework for design that helps humans achieve synergy with nature. Design and planning which takes into consideration both environmental and social issues helps us to insure that our resources are used appropriately and responsibly, to help us move towards a better future for all. McHarg’s pioneering work not only had a fundamental influence on the up-and-coming field of environmental planning, but simultaneously solidified the core concepts of the young field of geographic information systems (GIS) as well.

    In the 40 years since Design With Nature was written, a better world is the common goal all of us—geographers, planners, scientists, and others—have been striving for. In his book, McHarg laid out a process by which “environmental data could be incorporated into the planning process.” Rejecting the view of a future modeled after some idyllic environmental past, he instead was an early adopter of the view that we should be using our dominance of earth systems to help evolve the natural world and make it better, rather than conquer it. Powerful anthropogenic influence over earth systems represents not just a huge challenge, but an equally huge opportunity. Not humans vs. nature, but humans with nature. “While traditional ecological research selected environments with a minimum human influence, I selected arenas of human dominance,” McHarg said. Today more than ever it is important to recognize the overwhelming impact of humans on the environment, that massive human impacts on the earth are a fact that’s not going away, and that we stand at the crossroads. Thus, our challenge: providing designers, engineers, planners, other others with a set of tools and a framework for designing and managing the anthropogenic earth.

    The relatively new field of earth systems engineering and management (ESEM) concerns itself with the design, engineering, analysis, and management of complex earth systems. ESEM takes a holistic view of multiple issues affecting our earth—not only taking environmental, social, and other considerations into account up front in the design process, but also looking at challenges from an adaptive systems approach, where ongoing analysis feeds back in to the continual management of the system.

    Braden Allenby, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Arizona State University and one of ESEM’s founders, often emphasizes the undeniably dominant role humans have in earth systems. “We live in a world that is fundamentally different from anything that we have known in the past,” says Allenby. “It is a world dominated by one species, its activities and technologies, its cultures, and the integrated effects of its historical evolution.” McHarg was already moving in this direction in the 1960s, and today we understand that it is even more important to emphasize the anthropogenic elements of earth systems. In other words, at this stage of ecological evolution, humans are a significant, if not dominating, component of the natural environment, and all problems need to be addressed and decisions made with anthropogenic elements in the forefront.

    Allenby sees reasoned design and management in the age of the anthropogenic earth as our moral imperative, but the biggest obstacle to our success is that we are not set up to work, or even think, in this way. “We lack solid data and analytical frameworks to make assertions about the costs, benefits, and normative assessments of different … practices,” notes Allenby. And this is why GIS integrated with design is critical to the success of approaches such as ESEM and other logical and rational models for dealing with the environmental and planning problems of ours and future generations.

    The key to developing a true understanding of our complex and dynamic earth is creating a framework to take many different pieces of past and future data from a variety of sources and merge them together in a single system. GIS is a sophisticated technology tool already in widespread use by planners, engineers, and scientists to display and analyze all forms of location-referenced data about the health, status, and history of our planet. GIS enables a design framework for analyzing and managing anthropogenic earth issues by allowing users to inventory and display large, complex spatial data sets. They can also analyze the potential interplay between various factors, getting us closer to a true understanding of how our dynamic earth systems may change in the coming decades and centuries. A GIS design framework also lets us design and test various alternatives, helping us make the most educated and informed decision about the best possible future.

    Is the Earth getting hotter or colder? Is the stress human populations are putting on the planet contributing to climate change? What potential factors may significantly impact our ability to thrive and survive in the future? What additional sorts of environmental monitoring can we be doing today to improve decisions in the future? We are only beginning to understand how to approach these questions, let alone come up with scientifically valid answers. Only through careful observation of the data, application of scientific principals, and by using GIS and other technologies do we have any hope of truly understanding the stressors and impacts on the incredibly complex systems that comprise our anthropogenic earth.

    Free Time Series Satellite Images for Busy People

    In Climate Change, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Imagery, Science on March 2, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    TerraLook, a joint project between NASA and the US Geological Survey, provides free georeferenced images for multiple dates in a common JPEG format, and bundles them with free, open source desktop software.

    NSF Encourages Study of Interactions among Environment, Society, and the Economy

    In Climate Change, Earth Systems Engineering, Earth Systems Management, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Science on March 2, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    The National Science Foundation has released a “Dear Colleague” letter encouraging increased scientific research of the interactions between Earth’s environment, society, and the economy.

    Geostatistics: An Interview with Konstantin Krivoruchko, Part II

    In Conferences, ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Interviews, Modeling, Science, Visualization on February 9, 2009 at 7:36 am

    In Part I of this interview, Konstantin shared some background on the development of ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst, and introduced us to his forthcoming book, Introduction to Spatial Statistical Data Analysis for GIS Users. In the conclusion of our interview, he discusses what he brought back from the recent GEOSTAT2008 conference in Santiago, Chile, and what we might expect to see in future releases of Geostatistical Analyst.

    Last month you attended GEOSTAT2008, the major geostatistical conference, in Santiago, Chile.

    Yes, during the conference I met with many leading scientists to discuss Geostatistical Analyst, attended sessions on geostatistical theory and applications to learn about modern tendencies in the science, and introduced many of the attendees to Geostatistical Analyst software. I spoke at length with several of the best modern geostatisticians on the current state of the art and what can be done for large audience of GIS users in the near future.

    Were attendees of the conference already familiar with ESRI’s work in this field?

    All attendees use one or more geostatistical software packages in their work, but a large number of the attendees were not aware of our geostatistical analysis software package. The need to better promote the existence of Geostatistical Analyst to the scientific community clearly exists.

    What are some of the current trends in geostatistics?

    Based on the conference, the tendencies in modern geostatistics are non-Gaussian kriging models; a preference by a majority of researchers for simulations over predictions; and rapidly growing interest in space-time and Bayesian geostatistics.

    geostats21

    Modeling with Geostatistical Analyst.

    Is the geostatistical team addressing these in future releases of Geostatistical Analyst?

    In general, we are following modern tendencies in Geostatistical Analyst 9.4. In particular, we are working on several non-Gaussian kriging models including areal interpolation for binomial data (epidemiological, crime, etc) and gamma disjunctive kriging (for interpolation of data with positive values). We are also providing several enhancements to the recently released Gaussian geostatistical simulation geoprocessing tool. For example, users will be able to specify measurement error for each datum, which is often known or can be estimated. You can hardly find such option in other geostatistical software.

    I have developed some recommendations for future functionality of Geostatistical Analyst based on what I learned during the conference. They include Bayesian kriging, space-time series using functional kriging, and copula-based spatial regression.

    Your book is called “Spatial Statistics…”, and the product is called “Geostatistical Analyst.” Does Geostatistical Analyst address all types of spatial statistics?

    No. Spatial data are divisible into three main categories according to their location:

    • Discrete point data: data that consist of locations of events. Applications of point pattern analysis include forestry, epidemiology, and criminology.
    • Regional data (sometimes also known as aggregated, polygonal, or lattice data): data that are associated with areas and that typically include counts of an event within a polygon. Regional data occur in epidemiology, criminology, agriculture, census, and business-related applications.
    • Geostatistical or continuous data: data that can be measured at any location in the study area but are known only at a limited number of sample points. Geostatistical data occur in meteorology, agriculture, mining, and environmental studies, for example.

    And the Geostatistical Analyst product focuses on the models for the third data type, continuous data?

    Primarily, yes. The Geostatistical Analyst team is small and our focus is limited to models for continuous data at this point in time. However, many models and tools in Geostatistical Analyst can be used for exploration of the other two types of spatial data; in other words, for the data summary. In practice, researchers are often interested in the data summary only, at least at the initial stage of the data analysis. Data modeling and prediction may or may not follow the spatial data exploration stage.

    Are there other statistical software packages out there that integrate with GIS, and address discrete points and regional data modeling?

    Yes, these include R, WinBUGS, and SAS. The usage of these software packages in conjunction with GIS software is discussed in my book in detail. Integration between these packages and ArcGIS is possible through geoprocessing tools, but at the moment the researchers are simply exchanging data between programs. Just as I mentioned in the beginning of our talk, creation of a set of geoprocessing tools for running external statistical software packages is much easier than explaining clearly where and how statistical models should be used and when statistical models may produce wrong results.

    Can you explain more about the value of simulations?

    With conditional geostatistical simulation, instead of using just one input surface in geoprocessing, you can use many surfaces with the same statistical features—say 1,000—and then produce 1,000 outputs. The resulting distributions of possible values at specified locations or areas show how uncertain the result of your analysis, and this is extremely important for good decision-making. Areas with relatively frequent extreme values may be the most interesting part of the data analysis. In applications such as geology, mining, and environmental science, there is a big advantage in having a distribution of possible values as opposed to just one (most probable) value. I believe that the number of GIS researchers who could benefit from using simulations will grow. Note that Bayesian statistical modeling is essentially based on simulation methods.

    Thanks, Konstantin, for taking the time to share some of your experience with the readers of my blog.

    No problem.

    Internship Opportunities on NASA’s GIS Team

    In Education, GIS, Geography, Science on February 8, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    Langley Research Center in partnership with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium is offering the Geographic Information Systems Internship Program to provide student support to the NASA GIS Team. The GIS Internship Program is open to community college, undergraduate, and graduate students majoring in the fields of geography, technology, and civil engineering. Experience in geospatial technology or an interest in developing skills in spatial data technology in support of NASA’s mission is a plus. Exceptional and highly motivated high school students with at least a 3.3 GPA are also eligible. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in entering a field such as geography, urban planning, civil engineering, or related area. The primary duties of the selected interns will include supporting the development, maintenance, and data input in GIS for NASA’s Langley Research Center. Interns will also perform updates to building floor plans and assist with modifying center spatial data and Web interface. Students from outside the Hampton, VA, area are responsible for their own lodging. Student interns will receive a stipend and are guest researchers of NASA’s Langley Research Center. Paid internships during summer, fall, and spring are available each year. Applications for summer are due March 7, 2009. For more information, visit www.vsgc.odu.edu/GISIntern/. Please e-mail questions about this opportunity to Chris Carter at cxcarter@odu.edu.

    Geostatistics: An Interview with Konstantin Krivoruchko, Part I

    In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Interviews, Modeling, Science on February 5, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Konstantin Krivoruchko is one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of applied geostatistics. He has been at ESRI for more than ten years, devoted to building and promoting tools for the statistical analysis of geographic data. I recently spent two hours with Konstantin over sushi, talking about how he came to ESRI, his new book, what he sees as the biggest challenge in the field of geostatistics, and what might be on the horizon.

    Konstantin, can you share a little about your background?

    I was a professor at the International Sakharov Environmental University in Minsk, in the former Soviet Union, now Belarus. I was director of the GIS Laboratory there, and also a government scientific adviser on the Chernobyl accident. We developed a small GIS package, a large component of which was geostatistics. It was a Windows-based program we called MapStudio [note: no relation to the ArcWeb Services application called MapStudio]. We had several contracts for doing analysis of radioecological and epidemiological data collected after the Chernobyl accident, and I traveled to conferences to deliver presentations.

    kri3a

    Screen shot from the original MapStudio software.

    So how did you become connected with ESRI?

    At one of these conferences, in Stockholm, Sweden, I believe it was in 1996, I was presenting MapStudio, and I met with representatives from ESRI. What followed were some correspondence, and then a visit to Redlands in 1997 where I spent one full week non-stop presenting the software. Jack Dangermond, ESRI president, proposed we move to Redlands, and the whole GIS Lab team of six people moved here in June 1998 with prototype software in hand.

    What was the process for moving the geostatistics code from MapStudio to ArcGIS?

    Basically, it was learning everything we could about ArcGIS. ESRI also hired the top spatial statisticians, including Professor Noel Cressie of Ohio State University, as consultants to advise us on the most recent advances in geostatistical theory. The whole process of building the Geostatistical Analyst extension to ArcGIS took about two years.

    kri7a

    Another screen shot from the original MapStudio software.

    Were you satisfied with the result?

    I think that when it was released in 2001 it was the best geostatistical software application in the world. It has developed the largest following (estimated at about 20,000 users) of any geostatistical software. Geostatistical Analyst has not changed dramatically from that first release and today several additions are required to make sure that we are still the best. The number one addition we need to make is the inclusion of Bayesian models.

    What have been the biggest challenges in all of this?

    What I didn’t realize in the beginning was that building the software would not be the hardest part, that the biggest challenge is education. I was very surprised with a finding that many users simply use the default model, ignoring the largest and the most interesting part of the software. Geostatistical Analyst is the most complicated part of ArcGIS, and unfortunately, ESRI regional offices could not demonstrate its features to the local users. Most software documentation explains how to use the software, but with advanced geostatistics, we also had to try to explain in the software manual why and when to use a particular kriging model. Unfortunately this was not enough. Large efforts are required to help both the beginner and intermediate users to use Geostatistical Analyst properly.

    How do you plan to address the education issue?

    One way is through the book I’m writing. The book is called Introduction to Spatial Statistical Data Analysis for GIS Users and is an overview of the existing approaches to spatial data analysis. It’s more about scientific data analysis than it is just about geostatistics. It shows how various real-world problems can be solved using modern statistical theory in the context of GIS. The book includes a large number of case studies in the applied usage of spatial statistics across such data as radioecological, air pollution, agriculture, forestry, econometrics, epidemiological, crime, meteorological, and more.

    kon_book

    Cover of Konstantin’s upcoming book.

    How has it been progressing?

    The original idea behind the book was to have simple explanations of geostatistical concepts with several detailed case studies, and the project kept growing and growing…it started out at about 100 pages, and now it is close to 1,000 pages. It is very visual, with more than 1,000 color illustrations. The writing is done; it’s now being edited and designed. ESRI Press plans to publish the book around October of 2009.

    kon2

    This illustration from Konstantin’s forthcoming book shows the construction of probability values for a study of cadmium concentrations in Austria.

    Who is the target audience for the book?

    Several types of people will benefit from reading the book:

    • ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst and ArcGIS Spatial Analyst users who are interested in case studies and detailed descriptions of statistical models.
    • Students and teachers who are looking for largely qualitative explanations of the advantages and disadvantages (I believe, for practitioners, the models critique is as important as the models promotion) of various statistical models. In fact, this book is a textbook with a large number of exercises. A draft version of the book has been used in the UNIGIS online education network for two years.
    • Researchers who need a practical introduction to statistical models of certain categories of spatial data.
    • Readers who want to learn more about applications of spatial statistics.

    In the rest of this interview, Konstantin discusses what he brought back from the recent GEOSTAT2008 conference in Santiago, Chile, and what we might expect to see in future releases of Geostatistical Analyst.

    2009 Thacher Scholar Awards: Entries Due by 06 April 2009

    In Education, GIS, Geography, Science on January 26, 2009 at 7:27 am

    “The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) announces the 2009 Thacher Scholars Award. This national competition for secondary school students was founded in honor of former IGES board member Peter Thacher, who died in 1999. Peter Thacher was former deputy executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, NASA advisor, and, at the time of his death, president of the Earth Council Foundation/U.S. He was a leader in promoting the use of satellite remote sensing.

    “The 2009 Thacher Scholars Awards will be given to secondary school students (grades 9-12) demonstrating the best use of geospatial technologies or data to study Earth. Eligible geospatial tools and data include satellite remote sensing, aerial photography, geographic information systems (GIS), and Global Positioning System (GPS). The main focus of the project must be on the application of the geospatial tool(s) or data to study a problem related to Earth’s environment.”

    For more information or to apply, visit the 2009 Thacher Scholar Awards web site.

    “Data for Decision”, 42 Years Later

    In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science on January 25, 2009 at 7:57 am

    The “classic” (at least if you’re a GIS geek) 1967 short feature “Data for Decision” produced by the National Film Board of Canada describes the development of the Canada Geographic Information System (CGIS). Dr. Roger Tomlinson, then director of CGIS, commissioned the film as a way to communicate information about the project to the government, who was funding CGIS development.

    The film has been posted to YouTube, in three parts.

    And what ever happened to all of the data that was developed as part of this landmark project? Read Back from the Brink: The Story of the Remarkable Resurrection of the Canada Land Inventory Data.

    Quote of the Day

    In Education, Geography, Quotes on January 20, 2009 at 8:32 am

    “People don’t need to know geography, they need to do geography.”

    – Daniel C. Edelson, Vice President for Education, National Geographic Society

    Transforming our Economy with Science and Technology

    In Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on January 15, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Just released, a new summary of the current draft of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill, popularly known as the “Stimulus Package.” I’m pasting below the entire section titled “Transforming our Economy with Science and Technology.” 

    We need to put scientists to work looking for the next great discovery, creating jobs in cutting-edge technologies and making smart investments that will help businesses in every community succeed in a global economy.

    Broadband to Give Every Community Access to the Global Economy
    • Wireless and Broadband Grants: $6 billion for broadband and wireless services in underserved areas to strengthen the economy and provide business and job opportunities in every section of America with benefits to e-commerce, education, and healthcare. For every dollar invested in broadband the economy sees a ten-fold return on that investment.

    Scientific Research
    • National Science Foundation: $3 billion, including $2 billion for expanding employment opportunities in fundamental science and engineering to meet environmental challenges and to improve global economic competitiveness, $400 million to build major research facilities that perform cutting edge science, $300 million for major research equipment shared by institutions of higher education and other scientists, $200 million to repair and modernize science and engineering research facilities at the nation’s institutions of higher education and other science labs, and $100 million is also included to improve instruction in science, math and engineering.
    • National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research: $2 billion, including $1.5 billion for expanding good jobs in biomedical research to study diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, and heart disease – NIH is currently able to fund less than 20% of approved applications – and $500 million to implement the repair and improvement strategic plan developed by the NIH for its campuses.
    • University Research Facilities: $1.5 billion for NIH to renovate university research facilities and help them compete for biomedical research grants. The National Science Foundation estimates a maintenance backlog of $3.9 billion in biological science research space. Funds are awarded competitively.
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: $462 million to enable CDC to complete its Buildings and Facilities Master Plan, as well as renovations and construction needs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
    • Department of Energy: $1.9 billion for basic research into the physical sciences including high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences and improvements to DOE laboratories and scientific facilities. $400 million is for the Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy to support high-risk, high-payoff research into energy sources and energy efficiency.
    • NASA: $600 million, including $400 million to put more scientists to work doing climate change research, including Earth science research recommended by the National Academies, satellite sensors that measure solar radiation critical to understanding climate change, and a thermal infrared sensor to the Landsat Continuing Mapper necessary for water management, particularly in the western states; $150 million for research, development, and demonstration to improve aviation safety and Next Generation air traffic control (NextGen); and $50 million to repair NASA centers damaged by hurricanes and floods last year.
    • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development, Pandemic Flu, and Cyber Security: $900 million to prepare for a pandemic influenza, support advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and for cyber security protections at HHS.
    • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Satellites and Sensors: $600 million for satellite development and acquisitions, including climate sensors and climate modeling.
    • National Institute of Standards and Technology: $300 million for competitive construction grants for research science buildings at colleges, universities, and other research organizations and $100 million to coordinate research efforts of laboratories and national research facilities by setting interoperability standards for manufacturing.
    • Agricultural Research Service: $209 million for agricultural research facilities across the country. ARS has a list of deferred maintenance work at facilities of roughly $315 million.
    • U.S. Geological Survey: $200 million to repair and modernize U.S.G.S. science facilities and equipment, including improvements to laboratories, earthquake monitoring systems, and computing capacity.

    Volunteered Geographic Information

    In GIS, Geography on January 13, 2009 at 10:16 am

    Over the last year, my colleague Jim Baumann and I have had numerous early morning hallway conversations about the utility of volunteered geographic information. Jim recently interviewed Prof. Michael Goodchild about volunteered geographic information, and the interview is definitely worth reading.

    So what exactly is volunteered geographic information? Goodchild gives a good example in the interview: “Names that are not officially recognized, such as ‘downtown Santa Barbara,’ and names that are meaningful to local communities, such as ‘the Riviera’ [the hilly area of Santa Barbara north of downtown], do not appear in any gazetteer. …[P]lace-names are one of the most successful forms of volunteered geographic information, and people are clearly willing to spend time providing them to Web sites. Volunteered gazetteers can provide much richer descriptive information than before; allow features to have multiple names; and include names for the smallest, least significant features.”

    Goodchild points out that accuracy of volunteered geographic information, as with all types of user-generated content, is an issue. But he is more concerned about the challenges of preservation. “National mapping agencies can devote significant resources to preserving place-names, ensuring that future generations have access to today’s data, but no such mechanisms exist for volunteered geographic information.”

    Those interesting in finding out how they might participate by volunteering some geographic information should check out the resources on the PPgis.net web site.

    Is There a Place for Georeferenced User-Generated Content in Science?

    In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Science on January 9, 2009 at 7:56 am

    Being surprised by an earthquake in Southern California is like being surprised that the sun rose. But surprised I was by the earthquake we experienced last night. Although it was “just” a 4.5 (downgraded from the originally reported 5.0) magnitude quake, and the duration was fairly short (at least where I was), the epicenter was just a few miles away. So it was a good shaker.

    After the shaking stopped, I did what I usually do: surfed over to the USGS-Caltech Recent Earthquakes web mapping site.  Within a couple minutes, the earthquake had shown up on the map, which is always useful for getting an instant visual answer to the question “was that shaking a 3.0 underneath my house, or a 7.0 in downtown Los Angeles…?”

    yesidid

    “Did you feel it?” Yes I did.

    The other interesting feature of this web site is “Did you feel it?”, which collects information from people about the intensity of the quake across the region. This got me thinking again about the benefits and pitfalls of user-generated content. Of course one of the game-changing aspects of the web is that it gives people a mechanism to share information more easily, and there has certainly been an explosion of georeferenced user-generated content in recent years. But can this type of information serve any type of useful scientific purpose?

    One of my personal experiences with georeferenced user-generated content has been using Panoramio to post photographs. I like to think I’m a pretty spatially-savvy person, as are the majority people who read this blog. When we go out and do something in the real world, we are the types of people who can usually go back to our desks, bring up a satellite image, and track where we went with near-GPS accuracy. So when I started posting georeferenced photos on Panoramio, I took it seriously. Accuracy was important. One of the first things I noticed was that there was a lot of garbage there—and I’m not talking about the crummy photos, I’m talking about photos placed in the wrong geographic location. Part of this can be attributed to scale: where I would zoom in to a section a Death Valley National Park and try to pinpoint the exact location where a specific photo was taken, it seemed like others were looking at the map at a very different scale, possibly just clicking somewhere within the little polygon that said “Death Valley National Park” to place their photo.

    Over time, I started to get emails about the photos I posted on the site. No offers to pay me $5,000 to photograph a wedding, although I did get a couple “nice photo!” comments. But the majority of the comments were questioning my geographic literacy, and frankly were just plain wrong. For a while I took each question seriously enough to re-look at the placement of the photo on the map (I’m a geographer! This is my job!), but didn’t find any errors and after a while just gave up on the whole thing.

    I read something recently that stated that all forms of participatory interactivity on the web were doomed, that over time all the idiots and haters raise their profile and become so active that the people using these outlets for positive purposes abandon ship because it’s too much effort to sift through all the crap. That’s a pretty pessimistic view, but I’ve seen this happen on some discussion forums and blogs, MySpace, etc. (what’s next, Twitter, FaceBook, … ?). And I stopped using Panoramio because I was sick of geographically-illiterate people telling me I didn’t know how to identify a location on a map. Sorry.

    So what does my experience with Panoramio have to do with last night’s shaker and the USGS-Caltech Recent Earthquakes web mapping app?  I think the creators of the USGS-Caltech app have figured out a way to collect user-generated content in a manner that is potentially useful for scientific purposes.

    First, the georeferencing: the application doesn’t ask you to identify your location on the map, like Panoramio does. It asks you for your ZIP Code. You could question the utility of collecting geographic location in this way—for example, the shape of and area covered by individual ZIP Code polygons varies quite a bit; a single ZIP Code polygon can overlay a number of different geological features which could affect the intensity of earthquake propagation in different ways—but at least it’s a consistent and accurate way of collecting location data.

    Now perhaps the most interesting part: collecting information on the intensity of the earthquake. The way the user-generated data about earthquake intensity is presented back to web surfers is an average intensity (in numeric form, and also color-coded) for each ZIP Code polygon. But when I fill out the form about my personal experience, it doesn’t ask me to “rate the intensity of the earthquake on a scale of one to five” (which would be very subjective, depending on how sensitive I am, or for example whether I was driving on the freeway or sitting in my house when it happened). It instead walks me through a more objective, structured series of questions spanning six screens. I’ve included some examples below.

    eq2

    eq4

    On the back end, the app determines how “intense” my experience was as an aggregate of my responses to individual questions. The web-based map is an interesting and useful service, but even more interesting to me is that the answers to the individual questions also form a very useful data set for further scientific analysis.

    So back to the original question: Is there a place for georeferenced user-generated content in scientific applications? The potential certainly is there. The key to getting useful data is collecting that data in a structured way, and the USGS-Caltech Recent Earthquakes application serves as an interesting example of one way to do this.

    Opportunity for Educators Who Use GIS

    In Climate Change, ESRI, Education, GIS, Geography, Science on January 6, 2009 at 11:21 am

    Teachers of grades 5–12, university instructors, and youth and community group leaders who have already integrated GIS in to their teaching can learn even more at the 2009 ESRI T3G Institute (Teachers Teaching Teachers GIS), June 14–19, 2009, in Redlands, California. Participants will work with ArcGIS software and data to improve their GIS knowledge and technical skills. Ultimately, attendees will apply what they learn back in their own classrooms or programs and show others in their field how to teach using GIS concepts.

    The analytic problem solving done with GIS is very similar to the scientific method taught across science labs. “Students using GIS study real-world phenomena in the same way as a practicing scientist, in a problem-solving environment, from a local to global scale,” says to Dr. Joseph Kerski, Curriculum Manager at ESRI. “This multi-scale approach includes the local–such as studying tree species on a school campus, to the global–like the relationship of climate and ocean currents, and everything in between.”

    The Science Classroom and GIS
    A national study found that science teachers use GIS in their classrooms more than teachers from any other subject. This may be because science teachers have had more exposure to inquiry-based and problem-solving methods in their own educational training, because they have greater access to computers, probes, and other technological tools, and because they are more familiar with using data to drive instruction.

    GIS has a natural intersection with science content standards, which are the benchmarks that help educators to know what a student understands and is able to do at each grade level. These standards include science as inquiry, involving asking scientific questions, gathering scientific data, analyzing that data, solving a problem, and asking new or revised questions.

    Other standards where GIS has a natural fit is physical science (motions and forces), life science (studying biomes, tracking animal movements), Earth and space (energy, the shape of the Earth), science and technology, and science in personal and social perspectives (population, resources, environmental quality, and natural hazards). Science teachers using GIS most commonly include those teaching chemistry, earth science, and environmental studies, but also includes physics and biology teachers. In addition, professors in university Colleges of Education use GIS to teach future K-12 teachers in their methods courses.

    More About the Institute
    The 2009 institute will include hands-on exercises; best practices discussions; and presentations about the latest geospatial trends in GIS, Web mapping, and GPS. The institute activities will be led by nationally known geospatial technology educators, and a limit of 30 participants will allow for individual assistance.

    Participants will leave the institute with a more proficient understanding of how to incorporate GIS into their teaching, find and use GIS-based lessons and public domain datasets, and train other educators on how to teach GIS. Following the institute, participants are expected to apply what they have learned by creating a GIS lesson to share on the Web; leading a hands-on GIS training event; and presenting at a conference the outcomes of their work such as GIS lessons, results of a class or group project, or a pedagogical approach to teaching youth or adults.

    Additional information and an application for the institute are available at http://edcommunity.esri.com/t3g-institute. Applications are due by January 15, 2009, and acceptance will be announced in February 2009.

    A Farewell Chat with David Maguire, ESRI’s Chief Scientist

    In ESRI, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Interviews, Science on January 2, 2009 at 11:05 am

    David Maguire, ESRI’s Chief Scientist, announced in late November 2008 that he was taking an administrative position at Birmingham City University. At the same time he will continue to support ESRI as Chief Scientific Advisor, advising ESRI on some projects and visiting Redlands periodically.

    I had the chance to sit down and chat for a few minutes with David on Boxing Day, December 26th, 2008, a few days before his departure.

    So David, tell me about your new position.

    The new position is called Pro Vice chancellor for Corporate Development at Birmingham City University which basically translates into U.S.-speak as Vice President for Research and Enterprise.

    maguire_quote

    Will you be teaching classes there as well?

    No, I’ll be doing other things; it’s an administrative position so it’s really about running the University. I hope to do a little teaching; there are some courses in GIS at the University and I hope to contribute to some of those.

    Will you be able to use this new position to further GIS research and development?

    I definitely plan to stay involved in doing that, obviously through the ESRI connection but also through the University connection and the connections I’ve got with the GIS community in Europe and North America. I definitely want to stay in touch. I’ve been working in this field for 25 years; I don’t want to go overboard just yet. I want to stay involved as long as I can.

    How will your relationship with the University of Redlands change with you moving?

    I’ve been working to support the University of Redlands for several years. For two years I was the special assistant to the President of the University, focusing on GIS and information technology. That’s now finished although in an informal way I’m still helping support them and offering advice as I can for the various GIS programs they’ve got going there in the Environmental Studies program and the Business school.

    In your role as ESRI’s Chief Scientist for about the last 18 months, what do you think have been your primary accomplishments?

    I think the main accomplishment was to raise awareness of the importance of science as one of the underpinning areas of knowledge for GIS. And that spans the full spectrum from research and development and adding new features to support the science community, to developing software with a strong scientific foundation, through helping those members of the GIS user community that are interested in working in a scientific context with ESRI software.

    Probably the single most important thing is where I encouraged the community inside and outside of ESRI to look a lot more closely at the science behind GIS as well as the scientific application of GIS.

    Anything you had hoped to accomplish that you didn’t have time to?

    Well the idea of having a science laboratory is one of the ideas that we discussed earlier on but given my departure I don’t think that’s likely to happen in the same sort of way. So it’s a disappointment that we weren’t able to pull that off because I think that’s very important internally and externally for building better software and making sure that the people that use ESRI software apply it in a strong, scientifically appropriate way and that we can learn more about the world and develop better applications based upon scientific traditions and scientific foundations.

    Can you share a little more about the concept of the science lab?

    The idea was to get together a group of people and a set of resources to build a physical and virtual laboratory which would provide examples of best practice of using GIS in a scientific context, would look at new requirements and implement new features in the software platform which spoke to the needs of the scientific community, would help to raise awareness around the world of the importance of science and scientific applications of GIS, and would build up a body of knowledge and a talent pool of people who understood those basic ideas and could help support people both internally to ESRI and externally.

    So you think implementation of a science lab at ESRI will still happen?

    I think it will happen but in a different sort of way. Rather than being concentrated and focused around the laboratory, I think that in a number of areas across the company people have already been working on this, for a number of years in some cases, and they’ll continue to do that. I also think that there will be additional pockets that develop…whether or not a champion or a coordinator will emerge over the next one to two years remains to be seen but I hope that there is somebody who feels able and willing to fill that role. I think it’s very important.

    I think your last book was The Business Benefits of GIS: An ROI Approach. Are you working on any new book projects now?

    We’re working on a third edition of our book Geographical Information Systems and Science. It’s authored by Paul Longely, Michael Goodchild, myself, and David Rhind, and co-published by Wiley and ESRI Press. We’re working on it right now, and I think the target date to get it published is by the end of 2009 by I’m not quite sure about that.

    Will you still be working on book projects in your new position?

    I don’t know, I’ll have to see…I’ll definitely be writing in one way, shape, or form, because I enjoy doing that. As to how extensive that will be I don’t exactly know. One book project at a time is sometimes more than enough!

    You’ve been at ESRI in Redlands since 1997, and before that you were at ESRI UK for about 6 or 7 years. For people out there who use ESRI software, but maybe are not too familiar with the culture, what can you tell them about ESRI?

    ESRI is in many respects a unique company. Some of the defining characteristics are the fact that it’s a private company, with same owners through an almost 40 year history, which gives it a very focused and strong cultural background. It’s very strongly focused on GIS—the company isn’t doing anything else—so 100 percent of its focus goes to that. Even though it’s a privately held company, in some respects it’s a lot like a university or a government research organization and there’s a strong value for individual learning and knowledge and contribution to the overall goal.

    There’s no question that ESRI has been incredibly successful over the last 40 years and probably will be for many years to come. That’s founded primarily on the quality of the people at all levels throughout the organization. And as an organization, ESRI is global, although with a very strong local focus. I think that combination of global and local is another one of the defining characteristics. A very strong lead comes out of the corporate headquarters in Redlands, California, but each of the individual offices in the United States and each of the individual offices of distributors around the world interprets that direction and applies it in the context of local culture, local tradition, and other local requirements, and adapts the company to best serve and support the user base in their individual geography.

    The company has built some fantastic software, and an amazing software platform with ArcGIS which really has no peers in the GIS marketplace and is extremely rich and mature in terms of its capabilities, its structure, and its outlook.

    I think another defining characteristic that in my mind is without question one of the key ingredients for ESRI’s success is a very close association with customers. Somewhat fortuitously the idea of organizing an annual user conference—initially in San Bernardino, and then in Palm Springs and later in San Diego—turned out to be one of the great reasons for ESRI’s success. This idea of the software developers, the sales and marketing staff, the applications staff meeting with the users on a regular basis has allowed the company to make sure it builds technology and undertakes projects which directly meet the needs and requirements of the users. It’s a great way to get instant feedback about what works and what doesn’t work.

    I think those are some of the things that are unique about ESRI. There are many others; if we had a couple of hours and several drinks we could fill in lots more…

    You’ve been directly associated with ESRI for almost 18 years. How do you think the company has changed in that time?

    In some respects the company hasn’t really changed at all. It’s the same core values. It’s the same complete focus on and dedication to GIS and the users. Many of the people who where the leading lights at ESRI when I came are still the leading lights.

    But at the same time, the company has changed beyond all recognition. It’s many times larger than it was, it has many more employees, and it’s got a much greater global reach. And the software, even though it’s gone through a number of generations of development and several architectures the company has managed to bring the users along and has managed to grow the platform but also grow the knowledge and the capabilities of the user base over that period of time. And I think that right now, in the start of 2009, ESRI has never been better positioned than at any time I’ve been associated with the company and probably any time throughout its 40 year history, so I think even in the present economic circumstances the company is well positioned for sustained success. So in many respects I’m sad to be leaving the company, but am also very pleased to see that it’s going to go from strength to strength in the years to come.

    Thanks for taking a few minutes to talk with me, David, and best of luck.

    Essays on Geography and GIS

    In Books, Environmental Science, GIS, GIScience, Geography, Science on December 23, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    ArcNews is quite an amazing publication. By far the most widely distributed publication in the GIS industry, close to 750,000 copies of ArcNews are printed four times a year (and even more people read the articles when they visit ArcNews Online…).

    ArcNews content consists primarily of ESRI product stories, and user success stories. But for the last two or three years, ArcNews editor Tom Miller has been working with a number of outside authors on a series of articles of a different type, written by academicians and scientists, and dealing with trends in geography, geospatial matters, and GIS. We recently collected a number of these articles and assembled them in to a convenient e-book, titled Essays on Geography and GIS. In the three months since it was released, it has proven to be by far our most popular Best Practices e-book. It’s available in PDF format, and you can download it for free.  Articles in the e-book include:

    • What Holds Us Together
    • Exploration in the Age of Digital Earth
    • Dynamics GIS: Recognizing the Dynamic Nature of Reality
    • Living Inside Networks of Knowledge
    • What Historians Want from GIS
    • Bring Back Geography!
    • The Fourth R? Rethinking GIS Education
    • Nature, the Human Network, and the Role of GIS
    • People–Nature: The Human Network, Parts I and II

    Essays on Geography and GIS

    Tom notes that “The original publication in ArcNews of these invited articles has had a tremendous ‘ripple effect,’ affirming, inspiring, and stimulating many students and professionals in both the academic and GIS communities.”
    And it continues. “Implementing Geographic Information Technologies Ethically” by Harlan J. Onsrud, professor of spatial information science and engineering at the University of Maine, was published in the Fall 2008 issue of ArcNews. The winter 2008/2009 issue, which will be mailed to subscribers in the next few weeks, features an article by Harvey J. Miller called “Transport 2.0: Meeting Grand Challenges with GIScience.” And for the winter 2008/2009 issue of ArcNews and beyond, Tom is actively working on additional articles for this series.

    If you have an idea for an article in this series, I would encourage you to contact Tom.

    Another Ian McHarg Video from 1997

    In Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Video on December 22, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    I found this one on YouTube: Ian McHarg on the Charlie Rose Show in 1997.  You’ve got to skip forward to the 22:09 point in the video, unless you’d rather first hear about a young Tiger Woods winning his first masters tournament.

    Video of Ian McHarg at the ESRI User Conference in 1997

    In ESRI, Environmental Science, GIS, Geography, Video on December 22, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    jack_mcharg_quote

    At the 1997 ESRI User Conference, Jack Dangermond honored landscape architect Ian McHarg, author of Design with Nature, with the president’s award.  Here is a video of McHarg’s acceptance speech, where with typical humor he reminisces about his seminal discoveries of overlays and chronology, the challenges of environmental planning, and the role that GIS can play.

    What is The Geographic Approach?

    In ESRI, Earth Systems Science, GIS, Geography, Modeling, Science on December 21, 2008 at 10:31 am

    ESRI has been using the phrase “The Geographic Approach” for some time, in several different contexts. Jack Dangermond has used it to describe his high-level vision for the application of geospatial technology, perhaps best illustrated at the 2007 International User Conference which employed the theme “GIS—The Geographic Approach.”

    “Geography, the science of our world, coupled with GIS is helping us understand the Earth and apply geographic knowledge to a host of human activities.

    “The outcome is the emergence of ‘The Geographic Approach’—a new way of thinking and problem solving that integrates geographic information into how we understand and manage our planet. This approach allows us to create geographic knowledge by measuring the Earth, organizing this data, and analyzing/modeling various processes and their relationships. The Geographic Approach also allows us to apply this knowledge to the way we design, plan, and change our world.

    “The Geographic Approach is not a new idea. It is how geographers study and analyze our world. It was perhaps best articulated by Ian L. McHarg in his book Design with Nature, where he lays out a philosophical context for why and how humans should manage these activities within natural and cultural landscapes.”

    —Jack Dangermond, “GIS—The Geographic Approach,” ArcNews, Fall 2007

    “The Geographic Approach” has also been used by ESRI in the context of applying GIS technology to problem solving in various industries. For example, in 2008 ESRI put together a very successful worldwide seminar series focused on Public Works professionals, the core of which was improving operational awareness and efficiency by using The Geographic Approach. And the 2008 ESRI Federal User Conference, with its vision of how state and local governments can support a framework for a national GIS data model, has been promoted using the phrase “The Geographic Approach for the Nation.”

    So at a higher level, The Geographic Approach is a useful framework for communicating the value of using GIS. Another, more hands-on view of The Geographic Approach is as a method for spatial problem solving and decision making. The earliest reference I found for this GIS methodology is on page 11 of The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Volume 1: Geographic Patterns & Relationships by Andy Mitchell (ESRI Press, 1999), but in reality people have been using these methods since before maps were put in to computers.

    The Geographic Approach as a methodology consists of a five-step inquiry process: Ask, Acquire, Examine, Analyze, and Act. You might even think of it as sort of like The Scientific Method for GIS professionals.

    ask

    The first step to approaching a problem geographically involves framing the question from a location-based perspective. What is the problem you are trying to solve or analyze with this project and where is it located? Being as specific as possible about the question you’re trying to answer will help you with the later stages of The Geographic Approach such as how to structure the analysis, which analytical methods to use, how to present the results, and who will use the results.

    acquire

    After clearly defining the problem you wish to solve, it is necessary to determine the data needed to complete your analysis and then ascertain where that data can be found. The type of data and coverage or map features needed for your project will help direct your methods of data collection and analysis. Conversely, if the method of analysis requires detailed and/or high level information, it may be necessary to create or calculate the data used.

    examine

    You will not know for certain if the data you have acquired is appropriate for your study until you actually examine it. The data ultimately selected for your analysis depends on your original question or questions as well as the results that you are seeking and how those results will be used. This in turn is dependent on how precise the data must be to answer the original questions. The acquisition of unique data can sometimes be both expensive and time consuming. More detailed data can be more expensive and require greater processing, but can also provide more precise results.

    analyze

    In this step the data is processed and analyzed based on the method of examination or analysis you have chosen, which is dependent on the results you hope to achieve. An understanding of the effects of parameters you have established for the analysis is critical, as well as the algorithms being implemented so that you can correctly interpret the results. Do not underestimate the power of ‘eyeballing’ the data. Looking at the results can help you decide whether the information is valid or useful, or whether you should rerun the analysis using different parameters or even a different method. GIS makes it relatively easy to make these iterative changes and create new output.

    act

    The results and presentation of the analysis is an important part of The Geographic Approach. The results can be shared through reports, maps, tables, charts, or on the web. You need to decide the best method to present your analysis. You can also compare the results from different analyses and see which method presents the information most accurately.

    Using a methodology such as The Geographic Approach formalizes the analytic process with GIS, which allows a clearer understanding of the results and promotes a supportable response. By applying The Geographic Approach to help us solve complex problems, we can make better decisions, conserve resources, and improve the way we work.

    “Clearly, our world needs a new approach, an approach that changes how we see and do things, an approach that allows us to get more knowledge about and awareness of all of the problems we are facing,” Dangermond said at the 2008 ESRI Federal User Conference in Washington, D.C, in reference to worldwide challenges such as growing population, global warming, and resource shortages. “We need a new approach that allows us to apply what we know to all the decisions we are collectively going to carry out, and so the notion of a Geographic Approach is emerging.”