An Empirical Analysis of the Design Principles for Quantitative and Qualitative Area Symbols

To test the appropriateness of area symbol design principles, this study examined eye fixations on maps that varied in three areas: quantitative or qualitative information, conventional or unconventional design, and chromatic or achromatic presentation. The conventional design of associating darker symbols with greater magnitudes on quantitative maps led to shorter fixation on the map legend, and better performance on the overall map-distribution questions from a memory questionnaire given after the maps were viewed. In contrast, the convention of using pattern or hue symbols on qualitative maps resulted in longer fixation on the map body, and poor performance on the overall map-distribution questions. Some evidence of sex difference was also reported.     

一种专用矢量地图浏览服务器设计

以地图符号形式表达地理要素是GIS地理信息可视化的有效手段.目前Web GIS发布系统在复杂地图符号的表达能力、地图的快速发布和运行效率等方面存在一定的不足.为此,应用IE浏览器内容扩展技术,结合地图符号表达的特征,设计出面向基础地理数据的地图浏览服务器,给出地理数据类型可兼容的快速发布矢量地图文档结构.据此,开发基于...     

A Microsoft VBA Application for Generating Heat Maps

A choropleth map is a form of thematic map used to portray the structural characteristics of some particular geographical distribution not apparent in data presented in tabular form. Preparation of a choropleth map starts with the assignment of map features to classes based on the value of a specific feature attribute followed by the association of classes of features with appropriate map colors or symbols. Map features are often geographical regions with naturally or artificially defined boundaries, but choropleth maps can also be prepared by segmenting the area to be mapped into a regular grid of regions. Maps prepared with each grid shaded in an intuitive manner such as blue for grids with the lowest attribute values to red for the highest values can be termed “heat maps”. This technical note describes the HeatMap Microsoft Excel application which converts information contained in a worksheet into a heat map, and then converts the heat map into a file suitable for display using mapping systems such as Google Earth. An example illustrates how the application can be used to visualize the seventeenth century frontier between the Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire.     

Landsat data in preinvestment surveys—a case study of western Nepal area

In this paper an attempt has been made to estimate the growingstock showing high (51% and up), medium (25–50%) and low (below 25%) density areas and to prepare a broad landuse and forest cover type map by analysing black and white band 5 Satellite imagery (Landsat-1) on 1:1 m scale pertaining to Western Nepal area which comprises Karnali, Bheri, Babai and Rapti Catchments covering a geograghical area of about 50,000 sq km. The information regarding location, extent and area falling in forested and non-forested categories arrived at from Landsat maps provide basic information to planners at the time of formulation of inventory design before taking up preinvestment Surveys. In developing countries where vegetation stock maps are not readily available, forest resources map based on analysis of Landsat data can be prepared in less time and at a lower cost. Such maps may be immensely used by planners at regional or national level. The technique merits further investigation.     

面要素圆形符号适宜尺寸的确定方法

为了解决圆形符号的占位问题,本文提出了用等值二分法求解面要素最大内接圆的圆心和半径。实验证明该方法适合于制图中的任意形状多边形:将面要素最大内接圆的圆心作为其圆形符号的视觉中心,利用断裂点理论,给出了不压盖情况下面要素圆形符号适宜尺寸的计算公式。通过实例分析验证了方法的有效性。     

中国小比例尺卫星影象地图的设计与制作

利用数字化的NOAA AVHRR数据进行小比例尺、准同步宏观制图是一种低成本和快速的制图方法。笔者应用本文方法制作了第一幅小比例尺的、完整的中国假彩色卫星影象地图。它包含了全部的南中国海,这是使用其他的遥感数据(如陆地卫星或SPOT卫星)难以做到的。该图采用了热红外、近红外和可见光的红波段所构成的假彩色合成方案,提供了丰富的色彩和影象信息。本图制作时实施的数据处理内容包括:地图投影变换、影象反差增强和锐化、彩色平衡调整、去云处理和海陆分离处理、利用植被指数原理的影象时相修正和数字镶嵌操作等。根据影象地图的载负量和视觉效果,图上精心选取并设计了地理要素、地图符号和注记。该图是应用遥感新技术开发的地图新产品,被十七届国际摄影测量与遥感会议选为展示成果,并被该会评为获奖成果。     

Map Symbols for Crisis Mapping: Challenges and Prospects

Crisis maps and visualizations utilized routinely by international agencies, humanitarian organizations, and non-governmental organizations for aid and relief activities commonly require complex sets of map symbols. However, effective map symbology for humanitarian relief purposes entails several challenges, including consideration of the following: (1) taxonomy development, (2) symbol design issues, (3) promulgation and sharing of map symbols, and (4) standardization of symbols within and among organizations. This paper discusses these key challenges to the design and use of crisis map symbology through a review of the cartographic literature as well as results collected from a survey targeted at humanitarian organizations from around the world. The survey was designed to gather information on current symbology design and use practices in order to understand common challenges. Survey results confirm agreement in the persistence of these four primary symbology challenges, especially the importance of intuitive symbol design. Respondents disagreed most about the adequacy of current crisis map symbology standards as well as the ease in which standards may be implemented within and across organizations. Survey results suggest the need for expert systems designed specifically for symbology design to support humanitarian relief activities.     

Estimates of current status of forest types in Kolli Hill using remote sensing

The vegetation of Kolli Hill, has been classified for its forest cover types using landsat TM FCCs of two season namely summer (March) and winter (November). The FCCs of two seasons were interpreted visually based on the standard interpretation elements. Extensive field checks were done and corrections were made in both the maps wherever found necessary’. Finally the forest cover type map of Kolli Hill on 1:50,000 scale was drawn by overlaying the interpreted maps of the two seasons The different types of forest were named following Champion and Seth’s classification scheme and the areas of different forest types estimated.     

变形交通线路图自动制作方法

城市交通网络规模的不断扩大使得交通线路图成为一种常用地图。为了提高信息的传输效率，更好地保证图形的清晰易读性，出现了变形交通线路地图^[1]。本文分析了变形交通线路图特性并对其自动制作过程进行了总结。为解决制作过程中地图符号冲突问题，提出了作用力驱动站点位移的交通线路图变形压缩方法。建立交通线路图中站点受力移动模型并设计了以坐标轴为轴心的移位算法。试验表明，该算法能够有效解决地图符号冲突问题，为完全自动制作变形交通线路图建立了基础。     

森林沼泽景观区遥感矿化蚀变信息提取方法研究

采用遥感技术,以最新的遥感数据为基础,充分收集近年来新取得的地质资料和矿产信息,以多宝山地区为例,在森林沼泽景观区进行遥感蚀变异常提取研究。在遥感彩色合成影像上做掩模之后分别进行蚀变异常分级方法和蚀变异常信息提取,并参考地质图,依据不同区域影像中的色彩差异进行小区划分,再对各小区分别进行异常信息提取。这样不但减少了去除伪异常信息的工作量,而且使不同分级标准区分同一地区不同地物中成为可能,从而提高了异常信息提取的准确度。     

一种顾及符号完整性的矢量瓦片地图改进方案

在矢量瓦片地图中,跨网格的要素被分割成多个部分,常常造成点、线、面要素中非均匀符号在网格边界处的不连续,这样不仅影响视觉效果,还容易引发空间认知错误.在保持矢量瓦片数据和样式独立的基础上,提出使用预处理和实时绘制相结合的方法解决这类问题.通过分析不同要素符号在网格边界不连续的类型和原因,提取了不同类型的绘图辅助信息;将...     

浅析中国古地图符号表示方法

地图内容是通过地图符号来表达的,随着地图所承载的内容不断丰富以及对地图精度的要求不断提高,地图符号也在不断地发展演变。基于此,通过研究从战国到清朝的有代表性的中国古地图,围绕中国古地图符号象形这一最大的特点,总结了中国古地图符号的山水画法、抽象画法和符号化3种表示方法,阐述了中国古地图符号表达方式的变化。     

地图目标移位的面目标变形约束及其处理(英文)

The displacement operator is an important and still a hot topic in map generalization. In the generalization product, symbols must be unambiguous and easily perceived and readily understood, which makes space competition among features an important obstacle in the process of map objects displacement. Space conflict between objects, through propagation process, may be spread and more objects may drift into it. In order to maintain symbols equilibrium and spatial relationship between objects, some unimportant symbols or parts of symbols should be distorted under constraints according to visual graphic resolution thresholds to figure out space competition among map features. Three constraints including position, legibility and characteristics are important for the maintenance of symbols equilibrium and spatial relationship, which are discussed in this paper. The skeleton is introduced to represent area objects figure characteristic, in which an area object can be separated to parts hierarchically according to their importance in the construction. Then, the finite element method is applied to the map objects’ displacement and distortion, in which a strategy for the parameters of finite element method is discussed. Supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No.40401050), the Leading Academic Discipline Project of Shanghai Educational Committee (No.J50104), the Science Foundation of Shanghai Education Department (07ZZ09).     

基于皮尔斯符号三元观的专题地图符号设计

作为专题地图的重要组成部分,符号始终受到广泛关注,不少学者对符号的设计方法提出了见解,然而少有学者从符号意义的角度系统研究地图符号设计。以皮尔斯的符号三元观为基础,结合专题地图特点,建立了"符号组成要素-符号表现层面-符号结构"的理论基础;并根据视觉变量的特征,阐述不同表现层面下的符号设计方法;以《深圳市地图集》中的3幅地图为例,介绍了具体的符号表达策略。     

以眼动实验为主的点状地图符号边框设计

地图符号设计是地图设计的重要组成部分,其中,用于表示不依比例尺小面积地物或点状地物的点状符号设计被广泛关注和探讨。综观目前常见的网络地图,特别是旅游网络地图,其点状地图符号设计方案大多尺寸相近,以象形符号为主,但边框设计有3种不同方案:对符号添加统一边框,对不同符号添加不同边框,以及不加边框。通过眼动实验,探究点状地图符号边框设计对用户认知地图的影响,比较上述3种方案所获取的不同认知效果,进一步研究网络旅游地图的点状地图符号边框设计方案。     

Visual clutter reduction in zoomable proportional point symbol maps

ABSTRACT

Proportional point symbols are commonly used in map displays. However, when such displays are zoomed out, the available map space shrinks and consequently symbols overlap and the display suffers from visual clutter. Therefore, solutions are needed to reduce visual clutter in zoomable map displays that contain proportional point symbols. The authors add to the body of knowledge through the investigation of the performance of three solutions: aggregation of unit areas, the displacement of overlapping symbols, and modified symbolization; four variations of modified symbolization are examined in detail. The original study begins with a consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the solutions, with an emphasis on information loss. Thereafter, user sessions with 165 participants are arranged to gain empirical evidence of the performance of the solutions. The results reveal that although participants zoom out the map to zoom levels that implement visual clutter reduction techniques, they tend to zoom in the map and pan it to examine specific areas. Moreover, they willingly use the map with aggregated unit areas in cases when the solution facilitates task accomplishment. A certain amount of skepticism attaches to the solution that displaces overlapping symbols.     

流场动态地图符号视觉变量分析与应用

随着大数据的发展以及数据观测技术的进步,以动态地图和动态符号的方式进行流场可视化表达具有广泛的应用前景。针对目前流场动态地图符号表达机制研究不足的问题,本文采用粒子系统方法构建了流场动态地图符号表达模型,基于流场的特点,研究了视觉变量的选取对于流场动态表达效果的影响。然后,以海洋流场数据的可视化实现为例进行验证,结果表明可视化效果良好,可以为矢量场动态符号的应用提供参考。     

Vegetation analysis and study of its dynamics in Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary (Orissa) using aerospace remote sensing

Changes brought in habitat conditions due to increasing human influences on natural areas have posed serious threat to wildlife. Remote Sensing has probably omerged as one of the most viable techniques to assess and monitor habitat conditions. Comparative analysis of maps of two-time period can provide authentic data with respect to changes brought in the habitat conditions. Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, covering an area of 213.71 sq. km in Orissa is one of the natural reserves of elephants which has undergone serious changes brought in through anthropogenic activities of urban areas of Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar lying within the proximity of the sanctuary. The natural reserve, an ideal habitat for elephants, was connected to neighbouring extensive forest belts. These connections have been either degraded or deforested over the years. The present study analyses the types of habitat available in the sanctuary using remote sensing data (aerial and satellite). Vegetation-type maps of 1975 have been prepared from B/W aerial photographs of 1:25,000 scale. For assessing the current vegetation types, maps have been prepared from Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (LISS II) false colour composite on 1:50,000 scale. Comparative evaluation of the maps indicates changes in the vegetation pattern, increase in mining and agriculture areas within the sanctuary. Stratified field sampling of vegetation types provide structural characteristics of the vegetation. Bamboo has been found to extend in the valleys and side slopes of the sanctuary area during past 15 years. An analysis on response of vegetation in all major vegetation types mapped have been made in the context of the invasion of Eupatorium odoratum. Finally, bamboo biomass has been assessed through stratified random sampling as it constitutes a major elephant food source.     

Cartographic Notes

On a previously-digitized map, a series of 685 points were screen-digitized so as to represent major spatial features of each polygon composing 17 forest types having inherently uncertain boundaries; three forest types having precise boundaries were treated as such. From these points and three exact types, surfaces were generated which provided weights of the certainty of having each of the 20 forest types at a location. These surfaces were “reconstituted” into a thematic map by assigning each location to the type having the highest weight. When compared to the precisely digitized and rasterized map, areal and locational inaccuracy were 5% and 18%, respectively, for the reconstituted thematic map. For certain situations—such as the preparation of long-term forest management plans—these results show promise for adequately representing maps of natural features while reducing digitizing efforts.     

交互式地图绘制与SVG格式文档的生成

针对当前地图网络传输和地图网络制图的发展态势,开展了地图符号系统数据结构方面的研究,描述了绘图系统的类层次结构,建立了简单的交互式地图绘制系统;探讨了地图符号的串行化和反串行化问题,并针对SVG的特性及语法,研究了SVG格式地图文档的生成。