A GIS research agenda

Abstract

This paper is a review of research themes in the field of geographical information systems, as identified from the evidence submitted to the Department of the Environment's Committee of Enquiry into the Handling of Geographic Information (the Chorley Committee) which reported in 1987, the papers and discussions at a workshop on research in GIS held in Edinburgh in 1987 and jointly sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom and the National Science Foundation in the United States, and the proceedings of an international symposium on the research agenda for GIS, organized by the Association of American Geographers and held in Washington in 1987. The interpretation of and the emphases given to these themes are, however, the author's own     

The research agenda of the European Science Foundation's GISDATA scientific programme

Abstract

In January 1993 the European Science Foundation launched a four-year scientific programme on geographical information systems. The programme aims at overcoming the existing fragmentation of GIS research in Europe and addresses three key areas: European-wide data base design, data integration, and social and environmental applications. In each of these areas a number of priorities have been identified which provide the focus of the initiatives and collaborative ventures envisaged by the programme. This article describes the programme's research agenda and sets it in the context of the activities of the European Science Foundation.     

The research plan of the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

Abstract

In August 1988 the U.S. National Science Board established a National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis. This paper, which is adapted from the proposal of the successful consortium, describes a multi-year research agenda built around the recognition of impediments to the successful application of geographical information systems technology. The impediments range in nature from technical to institutional and are organized into five major areas: spatial analysis and spatial statistics, spatial databases, artificial intelligence and expert systems, visualization, and social and economic issues. The Center's research programme consists of a series of initiatives in specific areas, which are designed to last for periods of up to two years and to address the removal of recognized impediments.     

NCGIA education activities: the core curriculum and beyond

Abstract

Education has been part of the NCGIA's mission from the earliest discussions of the concept of the Center at the National Science Foundation. To respond to the need for short-term solutions to the shortage of adequately trained personnel in GIS, the Center developed a set of teaching materials or core curriculum. The steps in its development are described and an analysis of initial distribution statistics is presented. Current efforts to develop a framework for laboratory materials are outlined. The paper ends with an assessment of the project and comparison with other disciplines.     

国家自然科学基金人文地理学项目研究特征简析

以2007-2011 年国家自然科学基金人文地理学代码(D0102) 的申请书作为样本,对申请代码、重点研究领域以及研究内容进行梳理,分析中国人文地理学近期发展特征。分析认为,科学问题综合与学科间交叉研究的增加使人文地理学学科边界呈现模糊化的趋势;研究方向体现了时代特点且各研究方向之间申请数量比较均衡;研究关键词大量涌现但共识性表述相对较少;选题颇具本土应用特点但学科体系建设意识逐步增强。     

2021年度自然科学基金申请书关键词透视地理科学研究前沿热点与发展方向

地理科学是提升人类对地球表层认知、探索人地关系、解决资源、环境、发展所面临的复杂问题的重要支撑。引领科学发展,支撑领域人才队伍的建设与培育,是国家自然科学基金委员会的使命与职责。追踪地理科学领域前沿,优化学科布局并开展战略引导是基金委地理科学学科工作的重要任务。以2021年国家自然科学基金地理科学领域4 479项申请书为样本,运用词云分析方法,对申请书的关键词进行统计分析,剖析了地理科学及各分支学科的研究热点。结果表明：“深度学习”“气候变化”“生态系统服务”“高光谱遥感”“青藏高原”“可持续发展”等是2021年地理科学研究内容与方法的热点关键词。在分支学科间交叉融合方面,信息地理学与人文地理学的共现关键词主要有“空间分析模型”“地理信息系统”“遥感”“机器学习”等;自然地理学与人文地理学的共现关键词主要有“生态系统服务”“土地利用”“土地利用变化”“可持续发展”“情景分析”等;自然地理学与信息地理学的共现关键词主要有“遥感监测”“尺度效应”“机器学习”“数字土壤制图”等。未来,国家自然科学基金委员会将从关键词设置、学科间交叉融合等途径入手,进一步从战略层面优化地理科学研究布局,引导科学家聚焦地理学基础理论与热点前沿问题,服务碳中和、乡村振兴等国家重大战略需求。     

A review of temporal database research and its use in GIS applications

Abstract

A great deal of recent work in computer science applies itself to temporal database design. Designers of geographical information systems (GIS) can build on this work to create a temporal GIS capability to trace geographical change and understand geographical processes. This paper reviews temporal research in information processing, contrasts various proposed temporal database designs and summarizes the problems of adapting it to GIS requirements.     

GIS in local government: some findings from Great Britain

Abstract

Local government is one of the most important groups of users of geographical information systems (GIS). The significant interest amongst users and the varied demands to be made of GIS have stimulated discussion in many countries. This article presents some of the findings of a research project which is currently exploring the impact of GIS on British local government. The discussion examines the results of a comprehensive survey of all 514 local authorities in Great Britain. These findings provide an overview of GIS adoption in relation to type of local authority and geographical location. Particular attention is focused on the type of systems which have been adopted, the take-up of GIS over time, the software and hardware being utilized and the perceived benefits and problems associated with GIS. The results demonstrate that take-up has been most pronounced in the larger authorities, particularly in the southern part of Great Britain, with the most popular combination of equipment being Arc/Info software and workstations. For those authorities presently implementing a GIS, the technology is expected to improve existing capabilities for information processing rather than enhance decision-making or help achieve savings. In seeking these benefits authorities are encountering considerable problems which include basic technical difficulties in getting the equipment to work, data-related issues surrounding the collection, standardization and maintenance of geographical information, and profound organizational considerations associated with the introduction of information technology into complex environments. There is an urgent need for in-depth case studies which evaluate the experiences of users in relation to the vital process of implementation.     

Remotely-sensed data as an information source for geographical information systems in natural resource management a review

Abstract

Remotely-sensed image data have long served as a primary source of information for. geographical information systems (GIS), with the transformation of data to information provided by visual image interpretation. Digital image data, in combination with recent advances in computer technology, currently allow visual image interpretation to be realised in a completely digital processing environment. However, it remains desirable to capitalize even further on the potential of digital image data for GIS, through the use of schemes involving automated data processing. The opportunities for, and impediments to, such schemes are considered here with particular reference to the provision of information for natural resource management. It is concluded that further—although foreseeable—developments in both research and technology will be required before fully operational procedures for the automated acquisition of GIS information from image data can be established.     

渤海海洋悬浮泥沙二元特征参数MODIS遥感反演模型研究

This paper brought out a new idea on the retrieval of suspended sediment concentration, which uses both the water-leaving radiance from remote sensing data and the grain size of the suspended sediment. A principal component model and a neural network model based on those two parameters were constructed. The analyzing results indicate that testing errors of the models using the two parameters are 0.256 and 0.244, while the errors using only water-leaving radiance are 0,384 and 0.390. The stability of the models with grain size parameter is also better than the one without grain size. This research proved that it is necessary to introduce the grain size parameter into suspended sediment concentration retrieval models in order to improve the retrieval precision of these models.     

国家自然科学基金视角下地理科学融合发展路径探索

随着整体科学的进步和国家社会的发展,地理科学已迈入跨学科交叉融合发展的新阶段。通过学科间和领域间的深度融合寻求新发展路径,完善知识体系,充分发挥服务国家社会之功能,是当前地理科学发展的当务之急。本文基于自然科学基金视角,分析了中国地理科学融合发展的现状与问题,认为其与国际前沿未充分接轨,研究的全球政治、经济、文化影响力有待加强,认为地理科学融合国家重大需求进行理论与技术创新的能力有待提升,认为学科内部体系要根据知识融合需求进一步优化。在此基础上,提出了资助政策引导下地理科学面向世界科技前沿的学科交叉融合、面向国家重大战略的多领域交叉融合和面向申请代码优化布局的分支学科交叉三大融合发展路径与相应政策工具。未来国家自然科学基金委员会将立足于保持学科发展的持续性和稳定性,通过政策创新来激励地理科学与其它学科、领域的交叉融合,以建设更具有活力与创新性的学术生态系统。     

中国政治地理学研究进展——基于国家科学基金资助的分析

国家科学基金(国家自然科学基金和国家社会科学基金的统称)研究立项课题旨在探究重大现实问题以及学科前沿发展,在很大程度上反映了相关学科研究的进展和整体水平。通过分析近20年来中国国家自然科学基金和社会科学基金对政治地理相关议题的资助,以及受资助人在该时期对相关议题的科研情况,得出以下结论：①2011年以来,国内政治地理学逐渐被认可和关注,并呈现出以北京、广州、昆明和上海研究机构为辐射中心的地理特征;②国内政治地理研究重点为边境与边界、环境政治、领土(主权和安全)、行政区划和管治、尺度和空间、社会和文化政治等六大议题;③国内政治地理研究日渐与国际接轨,但行政区划和管治等是独特的研究。整体而言,随着国家科学基金对政治地理研究支持力度的加大,期望能瞄准国际研究前沿和国内需求,建构符合中国国情的政治地理学学科体系。     

Geographical data handling and GIS in China

Abstract

Abstract Chinese governments have long paid a great deal of attention to the collection of geodata, and existing sources have been further enhanced by technological advances, notably in remote sensing. Progress has also been made with automated cartography. An expert working group has been examining GIS and it is recognized that a system combining both national and regional components is most appropriate for China. Three basic functions are envisaged for such GIS: comprehensive regional analysis, prediction of change and the sharing of data. Such systems must serve the needs of users and, in order to demonstrate potential applications, regional experiments are being undertaken, including examples of urban information systems, river basin information systems and specialized systems (e.g. for tourist and forest resources). In the next few years, the emphasis will be on research and on technological preparation for the adoption of GIS, including the use of an experimental set of geographical grid cells. Chinese scholars are also involved in international collaboration in the study of global problems and propose a cooperative programme for a global geographical information system.     

北京西北地区景观格局优化

Supported by the technologies of remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS), we chose northwest of Beijing as a study area and gave priority to understanding of the spatial-temporal characteristics of landscape pattern change through visually interpreted Landsat TM images of 1989, 1996 and 2005. It is believed that there were a series of landscape ecological problems caused by city expansion: landscape ecological connectivity was low; landscape structure was simplified; the fragmentation of green land patch was more obvious on the plain areas, moreover, spatial distribution of green land was unbalanced. For this reason, this study adopted accumulative cost distance model, combined with ecosystem services and spatial interactions of landscape types, analyzed the spatial difference of the ecological function and the compactness of landscape structure in the study area, and further discussed the landscape pattern optimization proposal. We find that it is essential to protect and establish ecological sources, to establish urban ecological corridors, and to establish ecological nodes at the landscape ecological strategic positions so as to intensify spatial relationships among landscape elements and maintain continuity of landscape ecological process and pattern in the course of city expansion. The methods and final results from this study are expected to be useful for landscape ecological planning in Beijing region. Foundation: Program for New Century Excellent Talent in the University, No.NCET-06-0122; The National Water Special Project, No.2008ZX07526-002-02; Specific Financial Funds Project of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (BJAST), Platform Construction for Typical Contaminated Soil Remediation Technology of Beijing (2008A-1); Plan Support for Innovative Team (2008A-6) of BJAST; NSFC, No.30871964; BJNSFC, No.4073036 Author: Yue Depeng (1963–), Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in desertification control, landscape ecology and land evaluation.     

长江中游武汉-九江河段河道形态及水动力学特征

Based on measured hydrological data by using ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) instrument, we analyzed shapes of river cross sections of the middle Yangtze River basin (mainly focusing on Makou and Tianjiazhen river reach). Hydrodynamic properties of river channels were also discussed. The research results indicate that nonlinear relationships can be identified between river-width/river-depth ratio (W/D ratio), sizes of cross section and mean flow velocity. Positive relations are detected between W/D ratio and mean flow velocity when W/D<1; and negative relations are observed when W/D>1. Adverse relationships can be obtained between W/D ratio and cross-section area. Geomorphologic and geologic survey indicates different components of river banks in the wider and narrower river reaches respectively. These may be the main driving factors causing unique hydrological properties of river channels in the middle Yangtze River basin. Narrower river cross sections tend to raise water level in the upstream river reach near narrower river channel, giving rise to backwater effects. River knots can cause serious backwater effects, which is harmful for flood mitigation. However river knots will also stabilize river channel and this will be beneficial for river channel management. The results of this paper may be helpful for flood mitigation and river channel management in the middle Yangtze River basin. Foundation: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40701015; Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40730635 Author: Zhang Qiang (1974–), Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in natural hazards and climatic changes, hydrologic statistics, floods and fluvial geomorphology.     

自然地理学研究前沿

自然地理学的研究前沿是在学科发展和社会需求的共同驱动下形成的.对资源环境问题的全球性关注和我国可持续发展面临的重大问题对自然地理学提出了一系列需求.国际地圈生物圈计划、全球环境变化人文因素计划、世界气候研究计划、生物多样性计划以及地球系统科学联盟中的许多领域包含着自然地理学的研究前沿,我国国家重点基础研究发展计划、国家自然科学基金委员会地球科学部优先发展领域、科技支撑计划等也提出了一系列自然地理学的研究前沿.若干自然地理学的新方法和技术已被应用于数据采集、模型模拟、实验室分析、自然地理过程研究、环境变化研究、全球自然地理学研究.本文概括了所有这些前沿领域和论题.     

Recent developments in geographical information systems in the U.K.

Abstract

This paper summarizes the numerous developments in geographical information systems (GIS) in the United Kingdom over the past few years, covering the development of systems, the creation of data bases, the elucidation of user needs, the education and training of staff and the role adopted by government. The review is organized by the different sectors now actively involved in GIS.     

Editorial

Abstract

Project GeoSim is a multidisciplinary effort by members of Virginia Tech's Departments of Geography and Computer Science, College of Education, and Learning Resources Center to develop computer-aided education (CAE) software for introductory geography and related classes. GeoSim laboratory exercises draw on the five fundamental themes of geography for their subject matter. The programs emphasize interactive learning combining the information capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with the techniques of computer simulation. The result is a series of geographic explorations that will make available some of the most exciting aspects of geography to a potential audience of 425,000 introductory geography students per year.