Combining AHP with GIS for Predictive Cu Porphyry Potential Mapping: A Case Study in Ahar Area (NW,Iran)

Using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method for multi-index evaluation has special advantages, while the use of geographic information systems (GIS) is suitable for spatial analysis. Combining AHP with GIS provides an effective approach for studies of mineral potential mapping evaluation. Selection of potential areas for exploration is a complex process in which many diverse criteria are to be considered. In this article, AHP and GIS are used for providing potential maps for Cu porphyry mineralization on the basis of criteria derived from geologic, geochemical, and geophysical, and remote sensing data including alteration and faults. Each criterion was evaluated with the aid of AHP and the result mapped by GIS. This approach allows the use of a mixture of quantitative and qualitative information for decision-making. The results of application in this article provide acceptable outcomes for copper porphyry exploration.     

Qualitative GIS and the visualization of narrative activity space data

Qualitative activity space data, i.e. qualitative data associated with the routine locations and activities of individuals, are recognized as increasingly useful by researchers in the social and health sciences for investigating the influence of environment on human behavior. However, there has been little research on techniques for exploring qualitative activity space data. This research illustrates the theoretical principles of combining qualitative and quantitative data and methodologies within the context of geographic information systems (GIS), using visualization as the means of inquiry. Through the use of a prototype implementation of a visualization system for qualitative activity space data and its application in a case study of urban youth we show how these theoretical methodological principles are realized in applied research. The visualization system uses a variety of visual variables to simultaneously depict multiple qualitative and quantitative attributes of individuals' activity spaces. The visualization is applied to explore the activity spaces of a sample of urban youth participating in a study on the geographic and social contexts of adolescent substance use. Examples demonstrate how the visualization can be used to explore individual activity spaces to generate hypotheses, investigate statistical outliers, and explore activity space patterns among subject subgroups.     

An overview of scale, pattern, process relationships in geomorphology: a remote sensing and GIS perspective

Satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems are emerging technologies in geomorphology. They offer the opportunity to gain fresh insights into biophysical systems through the spatial, temporal, spectral, and radiometric resolutions of remote sensing systems and through the analytical and data integration capability of GIS. The two technologies can be linked together into a synergistic system that is particularly well suited to the examination of landscape conditions through the interrelationships of scale, pattern, and process, a paradigm that has gained prominence in the fields of biogeography and landscape ecology. In this study, we apply optical and microwave remote sensing systems and GIS methodologies to case studies framed within the fluvial and alpine environments. We use the scale, pattern, and process paradigm to explore landscape relationships in those environments. Satellite image processing, change-detection analyses, digital elevation models, GIS-derived geomorphic indices and variables, composition and pattern metrics of landscape organization, and scale-dependent analyses are described and related to the study of river channel abandonment and the alpine treeline ecotone. We describe appropriate remote sensing and GIS techniques for geomorphic research, and demonstrate the use of such techniques in the application of the scale, pattern, and processes perspective in geomorphic studies.     

Sketch Maps and Qualitative GIS: Using Cartographies of Individual Spatial Narratives in Geographic Research

Mental and sketch maps have a long tradition in modern geography. Little theoretical and methodological distinction has been made, however, between different hand mapping approaches. Mental maps emerged from behavioral geography of the spatial science tradition as a technique to understand human behaviors based on peoples’ perceptions of their spatial environment. More recently, sketch maps have been used in participatory and qualitative geographic information systems (QGIS) to develop cartographies of group and individual spatial narratives. They are a tool that helps achieve QGIS's objectives of collecting unique spatial data of individual experiences, visualizing socio-spatial processes, breaking down particular barriers of positionality in research, and developing new uses of GIS. Two case studies illustrate the use of sketch maps in research, including a project examining job accessibility among working poor individuals and a study of the experiences of fear and safety in public spaces among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community members. Sketch maps in QGIS have many methodological merits. They add an invaluable dimension to the qualitative interview process, offer countermapping perspectives, generate detailed spatial information of individuals, and facilitate data interpretation.     

Geo-Narrative: Extending Geographic Information Systems for Narrative Analysis in Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research∗

This research seeks to contribute to advancing qualitative methodologies at the intersection of qualitative geographic information systems (GIS), narrative analysis, 3D GIS-based time-geographic methods, and computer-aided qualitative data analysis. The approach to GIS-based narrative analysis developed in the study, called “geo-narrative,” is based on extending current GIS capabilities for the analysis and interpretation of narrative materials such as oral histories, life histories, and biographies. The three central elements in this approach are (1) narrative analysis as the qualitative approach; (2) 3D GIS-based time-geographic methods as the representational framework; and (3) 3D-VQGIS as the GIS-based computer-aided qualitative data analysis component. A case example based on a study of the lives of the Muslim women in Columbus, Ohio, after 11 September 2001 is used to illustrate the approach.     

基于场所的GIS研究

探讨从地理空间认知出发,实现基于场所的GIS（PB—GIS）的相关问题。PB—GIS以场所为核心,显式表达地理空间知识,并遵循特定规则进行定性空间推理,从而服务于空间行为决策。比较PB—GIS与基于坐标的GIS（CB—GIS）之间的差异和适合解决的问题,并描述定性空间推理的特点及其在PB—GIS中的应用。在分析实现PB—GIS的关键技术基础上,采用三层架构设计了一个PB-GIS的概念体系结构。     

GIS空间数据库的"一库两用"策略研究

GIS有两种普遍的应用需求:空间分析和数字制图,但两种需求对空间数据的要求不完全一致,导致空间数据在同一GIS中无法充分共享。该文探讨能够同时满足两种需求的GIS构建方法。分析地理空间数据存在的冲突,引入"一库两用"思想,建立空间分析型数据模型;利用专家系统机制实现空间分析数据向数字制图数据的转换,转换过程中补充的信息源于专家知识库。该研究有助于解决GIS中数据不一致问题,使GIS更实用、功能更完善。     

干旱区农作物长势综合监测

大面积农作物生长状况的监测是一个比较复杂的问题 ,目前还没有较为成熟的办法。我国已经完成和正在开展的农作物遥感监测与估产主要是在华北平原和东北平原等大面积农作物种植区 ,而西北内陆特别是新疆这样的耕地零星分布、具有特殊的地理环境和气候特点的地区 ,很少有人涉足这方面的研究。本文以遥感信息为主 ,在地理信息系统和全球定位系统的支持下 ,以新疆北部为实验区 ,通过对相邻年份归一化植被指数 (NDVI)的对比 ,结合野外调查与历史产量的分析 ,实现大面积农作物长势监测。该方法将遥感技术的宏观快速、地理信息系统的信息管理和空间分析以及全球定位系统的精确定位监测有机地结合起来 ,取得良好的应用效果。     

地理信息系统学科中几个基本问题探讨

地理信息科学(GISci)尚不成熟,但中国地理信息系统(GIS)高等教育发展快速,因此GIS学科发展面临许多问题和挑战。尝试从哲学本体论、认识论和方法论角度探讨GIS学科中的几个基本问题:现实世界、概念世界、数字世界、空间认知、空间表达、空间分析与研究方法,同时从社会实践角度总结了GIS应用中的组织、管理与社会问题。1)系统总结地理空间、空间认知与信息表达的关系以及地理信息的基本特征;2)回顾GIS的概念与内涵演变,论证GIS概念的多样性与同一性,分析了几个代表性的GIS研究方向;3)在回顾地理学研究范式转变的基础上,探讨空间分析、知识产生过程以及基于GIS的地理学研究范式;4)辨析GIS与组织管理间的关系、GIS与社会间的互动关系,特别强调发展中国家GIS应用面临的问题。建议围绕“空间认知与表达”、“GIS方法论”、“GIS、组织与社会”进行跨学科研究,完善GIS学科体系。     

Use of Geospatial Data and Technology for Wilderness Search and Rescue by Nonprofit Organizations

Geospatial data and tools are key in locating lost or missing persons in as short a time as possible. In this study, we used a geographic information system (GIS) to analyze four years of search and rescue (SAR) mission data from Colorado to determine the appropriate use of GIS for volunteer-based SAR organizations with limited resources and GIS expertise. GIS can provide more sophisticated analyses of geospatial data than simple mapping technologies, but our findings indicated that complex spatial analysis might not be required on all missions, because the majority of missions were completed within six to ten hours. Instead, new technologies such as tablets with mapping software and online GIS systems that provide quick and easy access to up-to-date geospatial data such as imagery offer capabilities that could improve mission planning. Here we provide a framework in which SAR missions can apply geospatial technologies to aid with missions, identify critical “hotspots,” and enhance postanalysis and training. The work here is highly applicable for nonprofit SAR groups when deciding on what GIS technologies to consider for their areas.     

地理信息技术应用下的无人机云端管理系统发展

日益增长的无人机飞行需求与有限的低空空域之间的矛盾愈发激烈,世界各国都在推进无人机管控政策和技术手段研究,即便在最自由的美国G类非管制空域,管理当局也在制定更为严格的无人机管控措施。无人机云端管理系统作为一种新型的数字化监管手段,其系统建设框架和技术路线得到了国内外学者和监管部门的广泛关注与研究。地理信息技术作为云端管理系统的应用技术之一,具体体现在以下几方面:利用全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)实现无人机精准空间定位;通过遥感技术(RS)获取影响无人机飞行安全的地理约束要素信息;基于地理信息系统(GIS)对低空地理空间数据进行组织管理以及构建低空虚拟地理环境等。论文结合团队在无人机低空应用上的研究进展,指出地理信息技术可以在云端管理和航路规划方面为无人机运行管理提供解决方案。     

Spatial chromatic model in high-dimensional spaces and the uniqueness of chromatic code: a new perspective of geographic entity–space relationship

The abstraction, representation, and computation of entity–space relationship are keystones of geographic information science (GIS). The newly proposed spatial chromatic tessellation (SCT) provides a novel model to explore this relationship. SCT has demonstrated a variety of potential applications in GIS, such as reasoning spatial topology, point pattern analysis, and Voronoi diagrams. This study aims to theoretically investigate SCT by focusing on two aspects: (1) extending SCT to higher dimensional spaces. Results show that cells missing in lower dimensional spaces are hidden in higher dimensional spaces; (2) exploring the uniqueness of chromatic codes, particularly the chromatic codes of 2-cell and 3-cell clusters: their codes are proved to be unique. In a mathematical perspective, the observed phenomena from the above two aspects bring some new thoughts into the first law of geography and spatial heterogeneity. Based on these new understandings of entity–space relationship, SCT is replaced by spatial chromatic model (SCM) in which spaces are created by entities themselves rather than by partitioning the space preexisted. This makes a change from an absolute geographic space to a relative geographic space.     

华东雾和霾日数的变化特征及成因分析

基于华东449个气象站点1961-2007年的雾、霾、气温和露点温度数据、1980和2005年土地利用数据及2000-2007年MODIS气溶胶光学厚度数据,利用气候统计诊断、遥感和地理信息系统技术分析了华东雾、霾日数的气候变化特征及成因,结果表明:1961-2007年期间,华东雾日数在全年及四季都呈现出先增多后减少的年际变化特征,霾日数在全年及四季则呈现出逐渐增多的年际变化特征。在1961-1980年和1981-2007年期间,华东多数地区的雾日数分别呈现出增多和减少的变化趋势,霾日数则在两个时期都表现为增多趋势。华东雾日数和霾日数的变化特征与我国已有的研究结果一致,气象条件的变化、区域城市化和土地利用变化以及大气污染物排放量增加所导致的气温升高和城市热岛效应增强、空气湿度和风速降低、气溶胶光学厚度增加等是华东雾和霾出现频率变化的主要原因。     

空间分析技术与地理信息系统的结合*

空间分析和地理信息系统是两种有效的空间信息分析和处理技术,二者的结合一方面可以大大拓展GIS的空间分析功能,另一方面也可使得迅速发展的空间分析得到GIS的有力支持,文中对此进行了探讨,并分析了二者结合的途径。     

Optimal spatial land-use allocation for limited development ecological zones based on the geographic information system and a genetic ant colony algorithm

Limited development ecological zones (LDEZs) are often located in poverty-stricken, ecologically vulnerable areas where ethnic minorities reside. Studies on optimal spatial land-use allocation in LDEZs can promote economic and intensive land use, improve soil quality, facilitate local socioeconomic development, and maintain environmental stability. In this study, we optimized spatial land-use allocations in an LDEZ using the geographic information system (GIS) and a genetic ant colony algorithm (GACA). The multi-objective function considers economic benefits and ecological green equivalents, and improves soil erosion. We developed the GACA by integrating a genetic algorithm (GA) with an ant colony algorithm (ACA). This avoids a large number of redundant iterations and the low efficiency of the GA, and the slow convergence speed of the ACA. The study area is located in Pengyang County, Ningxia, China, which is a typical LDEZ. The land-use data were interpreted from remote sensing (RS) images and GIS. We determined the optimal spatial land-use allocations in the LDEZ using the GACA in the GIS environment. We compared the original and optimal spatial schemes in terms of economic benefits, ecological green equivalents, and soil erosion. The results of the GACA were superior to the original allocation, the ACA, and the multi-objective genetic algorithm, in terms of the optimum, time, and robust performance indexes. We also present some suggestions for the reasonable development and protection of LDEZs.     

地理信息系统空间分析方法及其若干应用

地理信息系统中的核心是空间属性数据库，而管理，分析和应用数据库中数据的空间分析功能和应用模型则是发挥数据库作用的关键部分。衡量一个地理信息系统的好坏，不仅决定于其数据库的数据质量，数据量和更新速度，关键要看其空间功能是否强大，实用具有灵活性。一般来讲，地理信息系统的空间分析有很强的综合性和专业性，也具有很大的灵活性。     

GIS research to address tensions in geography

The rise of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies has been producing powerful tools for spatial data processing, management, analysis, modeling, and visualization. While supporting many tasks, GIS technologies have evoked new thinking and advanced intellectual inquiries in geography. Technological advances in other fields often stimulate new research questions and lead to revolutionary discoveries. The Hubble telescope revolutionizes our understanding of the universe, and 3D digital microscopes transform our knowledge of the coordination among biological, neurological, and physiological systems in living organisms. Can GIS claim similar revolutionary effects on geography? The answer is much up for debate. With GIS technologies, geographic studies can explore a broader extent across multiple scales in space and time and tackle problems through increasingly complex spatial statistics, visual analytics, computation, simulation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Both the Hubble telescope and 3D digital microscope were built based on scientific research that subserves the technological advances for inquiries into space and life systems. Likewise, GIScience research innovates GIS methods that enable novel geographic investigations and therefore contribute to geographic knowledge production. For the sake of simplicity, the term GIS used here represents both GIScience and GIS technologies. This essay attempts to clarify the intellectual contributions of GIS to geography on the following two questions: (1) What novel geographic thinking is driven by GIS? (2) How may GIS provoke new geographic inquiries and knowledge? Building on Nystuen's notion of four tensions that trigger geographic questions, the essay discusses how GIS innovations mediate historical tension, space‐time tension, dimensional tension and scale tensions.     

论地理信息系统及其在地理学中的地位

地理信息系统技术的兴起代表了地理学发展的一个重要方向。地理信息系统是一门处理地理(空间)数据的综合信息技术,它属于技术地理学的范畴,它为资源与环境的管理和规划以及地理学的研究提供了一个革命性工具。另一方面,地理信息系统的建立和应用又依赖于地理学理论和实用模型的发展。进一步勾通地理信息系统与空间分析之间的关系是目前促进地理信息系统发展的重要课题。     

Using ESDA with social weights to analyze spatial and social patterns of preschool children's behavior

To study the development of spatial and social behavior of preschool children, micro-level spatiotemporal data were collected for the first time in both spatial and social context using a novel behavioral coding system. These unique behavioral data enable us to explore the group-level, dynamic, spatial, and social patterns of preschool children's playing behavior from a hybrid geographic and social perspective. In this research, GIS and exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) techniques are employed together to study group-level spatial and social behavior emerging from children's everyday activities and interactions. ESDA with social weights is proposed to explore spatial and social patterns of preschool children's behavior at the same time. The results highlight the utility of this approach for studying the relationships between preschool children's playing behavior and preschool's environmental settings and the relationships between preschool children's personal activities and the formation of their social network space.     

Geographic Information Technologies and the History of a Shoreline: The Case of Chapter 91 in New Bedford,Massachusetts*

This article discusses the use of geographic information technologies to assist researchers in the exploration of historical databases. The case study is a pilot project in which we used geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to study the history of the Public Waterfront Act (the “Chapter 91” program), a policy designed to balance private property rights, public interest, and environmental protection in the Massachusetts tidelands. The issues discussed range from the role of GIS in society and its limitations as a representational tool to the ability of current GIS to deal with historical data and to manage temporal attributes.