Geography of Canada

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Geography Technology

• Geography of Canada
• www.CraigMarlatt.com/school

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Geography Technology

• Geographic Information Systems
• Global Positioning System
• Aerial Photographs
• Satellite Imagery

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Geographic Information Systems

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a
  technology that manages, analyzes, and
  disseminates geographic knowledge. Essentially,
  GIS is maps on computers. Each characteristic of
  the Earths surface is mapped on a layer which
  can be viewed independently, or in combination
  with other layers.

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Geographic Information Systems
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Geographic Information Systems

• There are three ways of viewing a GIS a
  database, map, and model.
• The Database View A GIS is a unique kind of
  database of the worlda geographic database
  (geodatabase). It is an "Information System for
  Geography." Fundamentally, a GIS is based on a
  structured database that describes the world in
  geographic terms.

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Geographic Information Systems

• GIS can analyze data in many ways

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Geographic Information Systems

• The Map View A GIS is a set of intelligent maps
  and other views that show features and feature
  relationships on the earth's surface. Maps of the
  underlying geographic information can be
  constructed and used as "windows into the
  database" to support queries, analysis, and
  editing of the information. This is called
  geovisualization.

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Geographic Information Systems

• The Model View A GIS is a set of information
  transformation tools that derive new geographic
  datasets from existing datasets. These
  geoprocessing functions take information from
  existing datasets, apply analytic functions, and
  write results into new derived datasets.

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GIS Locations and Attributes
Source ESRI Canada, WhatsGIS.ppt
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GIS Locations and Attributes

• GIS software links the location data and the
  attribute data

Source ESRI Canada, Whats GIS.ppt
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GIS Asking Questions

• GIS software can answer questions about our world

Source ESRI Canada, Whats GIS.ppt
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GIS Why Use It?

• Support for decision-making based on
• spatial data
• Visual representation of data
• Maintenance, manipulation of data
• Analyze information and the affected area(s)
  geographically
• Produce customized cartographic products

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GIS Real World Uses

• Management
• Agriculture
• Public Utilities
• Health Care
• Emergency 911
• Real Estate
• Marketing

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GIS Real World Uses

• What are the effects of Global Warming?

Land cover and temperature relationships are made
clear when the data are seen at once using
Geotechnology.
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GIS Real World Uses

• Is it safe to dig here?

A proposed excavation, identified by address, is
compared to pipelines in the area using
Geotechnology.
Source ESRI Canada, Whats GIS.ppt
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GIS Real World Uses

• What is the fastest route to the Hospital?

Geotechnology can choose the fastest route to a
hospital. The GIS can take into account traffic
and other impediments.
Source ESRI Canada, Whats GIS.ppt
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GIS Real World Uses

• What Communities are at risk from Disease?

Geotechnology identifies communities at risk of
River Blindness and helps determine the impact of
treatment.
Source ESRI Canada, Whats GIS.ppt
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Global Positioning System

• The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a
  "constellation" of 24 well-spaced satellites that
  orbit the Earth and make it possible for people
  with ground receivers to pinpoint their
  geographic location.
• The location accuracy is anywhere from 100 to 10
  metres for most equipment.
• Accuracy can be pinpointed to within one metre
  with special military-approved equipment.

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Global Positioning System

• GPS equipment is widely used in science and has
  now become sufficiently low-cost so that almost
  anyone can own a GPS receiver.
• The GPS is owned and operated by the U.S.
  Department of Defense but is available for
  general use around the world.

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Global Positioning System
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Global Positioning System

• A hand-held GPS unit

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Global Positioning System

• An in-dash GPS unit

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Aerial Photographs

• Using the photographs of the Earth taken by
  airplanes, you can see the world in 3D using a
  stereoscope.

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Aerial Photographs

• Google Earth is a computer program (that you can
  download for free!) that shows aerial photographs
  in a digital format, with a general purpose map
  on top.

www.earth.google.com
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Satellite Imagery

• Satellite images are also pictures of the Earth
  taken from above, but these electronic images
  (instead of photographs) cover very large areas
  but show less detail.
• Landsat was developed by the Americans and uses
  sunlight and heat reflected from the Earths
  surface to create images
• SPOT was developed by the Europeans and similar
  to Landsat, but it can create 3D images of the
  surface
• RADARSAT was developed by the Canadians and uses
  radar signals (or microwaves) instead of sunlight
  and heat, so it can be used at any time of day or
  night

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