Experiments in the Design of 1:100 000 Scale Topographic Mapping for Great Britain

Abstract

Most European countries have a national topographic map series at 1:100 000 scale, but currently Great Britain does not. The history of mapping at or around 1:100 000 in Britain is described briefly and consideration given as to why such a scale would be appropriate for a national series of mapping aimed at tourist and leisure users. The main focus of the article is to review a series of 1:100 000 scale maps of two sample areas of Great Britain, produced in the style of various western European medium scale topographic maps. Two further design examples are produced combining desirable characteristics of the maps examined. The results show both that many of the designs translate well to 1:100 000 scale maps of the British landscape and that there is considerable potential for a topographic base at this scale providing a basis for a national series aimed at tourist and leisure users.     

Maps for the Reluctant

Abstract

This paper describes the design and development of two trial 1:100 000 scale Ordnance Survey maps targeted specifically at the inexperienced and reluctant map users in the touring and holiday market. These are two maps which depart from the very high map specification designs normally offered by Ordnance Survey. The use of extensive consumer market research and the objective analysis of existing touring type maps on sale have enabled Ordnance Survey to publish two experimental maps, which will succeed or fail by consumer reaction alone.     

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING WITH SPOT 1 DATA: A PRACTICAL APPROACH BY THE ORDNANCE SURVEY

The Overseas Surveys Directorate (OSD) of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OS) has experimented with using SPOT I HRV data for topographic line mapping at 1:100 000 scale in the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR). Results of these tests indicate that sufficient accuracy to support 1:100 000 scale mapping with a 40 m contour interval is possible but that the compilation of detail is incomplete. More emphasis on field completion and verification is required than with traditional techniques to maintain a standard 1:100 000 scale mapping specification. Costs of mapping large areas can be significantly reduced but savings are yet to be made in providing ground control. OSD has acquired expertise and hardware in a new mapping process, not to replace traditional mapping systems but to complement them under appropriate conditions. OSD has developed sufficient confidence in the use of SPOT to commit itself to mapping approximately 25 000 square kilometres of north east Yemen Arab Republic.     

Specialist Maps Prepared by German Military Geologists for Operation Sealion: the Invasion of England Scheduled for September 1940

Abstract

During the Second World War, the German army developed the largest organization of any nation ever to contribute military applications of earth science in wartime. In the summer of 1940, its military geologists assisted planning for potentially the greatest amphibious assault to that time in history by preparing maps which analysed the terrain of southeast England in terms of coastal geomorphology, groundwater supply, quarry sites for construction materials and off-road trafficability. These specialist maps were generated at scales of 1:50 000, 1:100 000 or 1:250 000 by annotating topographical base maps, derived from the then current Ordnance Survey maps at most similar scale, with data derived from maps and memoirs published by the Geological Survey of Great Britain or larger-scale Ordnance Survey maps. They represent an early example of geotechnical mapping skills developed more fully in the German armed forces for operations elsewhere later in the war.     

Why Maps Matter in GIScience

Abstract

This paper is an elaboration of the theses proposed in ‘Cartographic presentation of forms and degradation of the natural environment: sozological map on a scale of 1∶50?000’ (), where a sozological map of Poland was presented. The said map contained comprehensive cartographic information on the forms of environmental protection and degradation, made to a scale of 1∶50?000. The thematic scope of the map has already been modified twice: in 1997 and in 2005, with the ensuing changes presented in corresponding manuals: Sozological Map on a Scale of 1∶50?000, in an Analogue and Digital Form (Chief National Geodesist, 1997) and Technical Guidelines GIS-4. Sozological Map of Poland, Scale of 1∶50?000, in an Analogue and Digital Form (2005). Many years’ worth of experience gained since the launch of this cartographic system points out to the need for broadening the presented content and improving the map’s scale. Thus, attempts have been made at rescaling the map to 1∶10?000. Increasing the degree of detail is particularly necessary for presenting areas of intensive human activity. In this paper, the authors propose technical and graphical solutions for the 1∶10?000 scale.     

Ordnance Survey Policy and Practical Implications for The Revision of Rural Mapping

During 1994 a project was initiated by Ordnance Survey to investigate the requirement for completing the multi-million pound digital revision of 1:2500 scale mapping within Great Britain. This paper, although concentrating on this scale of mapping, discusses the revision policy issues that faced Ordnance Survey and the practical implications arising from implementing the policy for its 1:2500 and 1:10 000 basic scale mapping. Use of contractors was seen as a prime requirement as the resources available within Ordnance Survey were not sufficient to implement the full revision programme. This paper discusses the background to the task and considers the range of photogrammetric options and contractual and quality procedures required for the revision of the mapping over the next few years.     

A MAP OF THE AVERAGED RELIEF OF THE RUSSIAN PLAIN

The authors outline a methodology for the small-scale hypsometric mapping of plains areas based on the averaging of relief—this for the purpose of portraying the most important details of local relief (small erosional landforms) without obscuring larger, major relief forms or compromising the readability of the map. An example map (25-m contour interval) of the Soviet portion of the East European Plain at a scale of 1:5,000,000 is included. The elevations portrayed on this map were averaged, according to a multi-stage procedure, from grid cells on a 1:2,500,000 map before transference onto the smaller-scale map base. The new map makes possible a revised estimate of the average elevation of the Russian Plain and depicts well the effects of both endogenous and exogenous factors on relief formation. Translated from: Geomorfologiya, 1987, No. 1, pp. 22-29.     

ORDNANCE SURVEY EXPERIENCE WITH PHOTOGRAPHY FROM SPACE

The Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OS) is a Principal Investigator for the Metric Camera experiment being organised by the European Space Agency (ESA). Two investigations are being conducted by the OS, both concerned with the potential value of the photography for topographic mapping and map revision. The first relates to Great Britain and the second relates to the developing countries of the world. Neither of these investigations is complete and only interim results and conclusions can be presented.     

中、小比例尺地形图平面位置精度分析

本文在分析地形图误差的主要来源的基础上,系统地对已编印出版的1:10万、1:20万、1:50万、1:100万4种中、小比例尺地形图进行了抽样量算,提出了评定地形图精度的方法;分要素(包括经纬线网交点、河流交叉点、道路交点、居民地图形中心点)讨论了地形图的平面位置精度,在此基础上,提出了我国中、小比例尺地形图的平面位置精度标准。     

Régnauld de Lannoy de Bissy’s Nineteenth Century Map of Africa at a Scale of 1∶2 000 000

Cartographic projects of national importance are often only reported on in local journals which are published in the language of the author or mapping organisation. Owing to this, important maps and map series often stay unknown outside their country of origin. A case in point is the important Carte d’Afrique on a scale of 1∶2?000?000 which, during the last decades of the nineteenth century, was compiled by the French army officer Captain Richard de Régnauld de Lannoy de Bissy. The map made an enormous contribution to the history of cartography of Africa with regard to not only the discovery and exploration of the continent, but also the expansion of colonial control and the political rivalry between European powers. It was an impressive project to be executed by one man and at the time guaranteed a prominent position for the author in geographic and cartographic circles worldwide. Although afterwards superceded by many more accurate maps, Lannoy de Bissy’s map to date remains a lasting witness to the mapping of the ‘dark continent’ and of the fragile, hesitating progress made during the search for geographical knowledge before the advent of aerial photography and satellite imagery.     

Cartographic Activity in Great Britain 1961-64

Abstract

The following extract from “Report No. 2 on Cartographic Activity in Great Britain” is published with the kind permission of the Royal Society. The report has been prepared by the Cartography Sub-Committee of the British National Committee for Geography, and is to be presented to the delegates attending the Second General Assembly of the International Cartographic Association, July, 1964. It covers the period 1961 to 1964. Part I only is reproduced here: Part II covers some recent technical developments; and Part III gives details of the map production of the principal mapping organisations and firms in the country. Any enquiries about the Report should be addressed to the Executive Secretary, The Royal Society, Burlington House, London, W.1.     

浅议湖北旅游地图的现状与发展

简述湖北旅游地图现状、品种、编制特点。分析目前湖北旅游地图存在的问题。提出改进和发展湖北旅游地图的对策:地图编制单位与旅游部门要加强沟通联系,测绘主管部门要加大对地图市场的监管力度,科学地运用当今先进测绘技术编制旅游地图,提高地图编印质量,丰富旅游地图品种。     

北京市大比例尺地形图图幅号查询信息系统的研制

供应大比例尺地形图是城市测绘资料管理部门的基本职能。文中论述了在ARC／INFO基础上,以1：25000比例尺地形图上的点、线、面地物为索引,查询北京市1：500～1：10000各类比例尺地形图图幅号的算法。实验表明系统是实用的。     

Determining a Vertical Scale for Graphical Representations of Three-Dimensional Surfaces

Abstract

The selection of a vertical scale in the production of block diagrams or three-dimensional views is a decision which can have a great effect on the map reader's perception of the information presented. Advice available in the cartographic literature is extremely subjective and refers mainly to physical data. In the absence of suitable guidelines for statistical mapping, an experimental technique is presented which utilises the power of automated cartography in determining a scale which can be applied to all types of three-dimensional surfaces.     

A novel approach to optimize hierarchical vegetation mapping from hyper-temporal NDVI imagery,demonstrated at national level for Namibia

This paper presents a novel methodological approach to countrywide vegetation mapping. We used green vegetation biomass over the year as captured by coarse resolution hyper-temporal NDVI satellite-imagery, to generate vegetation mapping units at the biome, ecoregion and at the next lower hierarchical level for Namibia, excluding the Zambezi Region. Our method was based on a time series of 15 years of SPOT-VGT-MVC images each representing a specific 10-day period (dekad). The ISODATA unsupervised clustering technique was used to separately create 2–100 NDVI-cluster maps. The optimal number of temporal NDVI-clusters to represent the information on vegetation contained in the imagery was established by divergence separability statistics of all generated NDVI-clusters. The selected map consisted of legend of 81 cluster-specific temporal NDVI-profiles covering each a 15-year period of averaged NDVI data representing all pixels classified to that cluster. Then, by legend-entry using the dekad-medians of all 15 annual repeats, we produced generalized legend-entries without year-specific anomalies for each cluster. Subsequently, a hierarchical cluster analysis of these temporal NDVI-profiles was used to produce a dendrogram that generated grouping options for the 81 legend-entries. Maps with cluster-groups of 8 and 4 legend-entries resulted. The 81-cluster map and its 65 legend-entries vector version have no equivalent in published vegetation maps. The 8 cluster-group map broadly corresponds with published ecoregion level maps and the 4 cluster-group map with the published biome maps in their number of legend units. The published vegetation maps varied considerably from our NDVI-profile maps in the location of mapping unit boundaries. The agreement index between our map and published biome maps ranges from 70−93. For the ecoregion level, the agreement index is much lower, namely 51−75. Our methodological approach showed a considerably higher discretionary power for hierarchical levels and the number of vegetation mapping units than the approaches applied to previously published maps. We recommended an approach to transform our three hyper-temporal NDVI-profiles based legend-entries into more specific vegetation units. This might be accomplished by re-analysis of available, spatially-comprehensive plant species occurrence data.     

机载LiDAR技术支持下的荒漠地区1:10 000地形图测绘与研究——以内蒙古阿拉善地区为例

尝试应用机载LiDAR技术测绘1：10 000比例尺地形图3D（DLG、DEM、DOM）产品,给出了机载LiDAR测绘3D产品的技术流程,并选择荒漠地区作为试验区,验证了此种技术方法在荒漠地区测绘3D产品的可行性,分析了成果精度。试验证明,该方法可以满足荒漠区域的1：10 000比例尺3D基础数据生产要求,且具有外业工作量小、自动化程度高、成图快、高程精度高、受外界环境影响小等优点,同时也总结了该方法中有待完善之处。该方法为荒漠地区3D基础测绘数据获取提供了有益借鉴。     

The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland: An Outline of its History and Present Mapping Tasks

Abstract

This explains the formation of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland as a separate institution in 1921, when it took over the map series which until that time had been part of the Ordnance Survey (U. K.) responsibility. As happened with many mapping organisations, replanning and reorganisation took place after 1945; this included a triangulation for Northern Ireland to provide a basis for a new Irt"sh Grid, and the introduction of the 1:1250 scale for major urban areas.

The technical problems of reproduction and revision are then considered, and details given for each of the main series.     

Bartholomew and the Half-Inch Layer Coloured Map 1883–1903

Abstract

In their pre-war heyday Batholomew, that most famous of British commercial mapmakers, had a huge worldwide business in every sort and scale of map and atlas for every purpose; not to mention, at one time, an extensive general printing trade. But, even so, their name became firmly associated in the public consciousness with one particular design of map on one particular scale — the half-inch to one mile (1.126 720) layer colored map of Great Britain. This study deals with the early history of the phenomenon, in the context of the firm's other work. It concludes with the completion of the England and Wales series, and the moment when it could be said, in the most elevated and objective of contexts, that the British map buyer — trade and public both — had, thanks to this map, acquired 'the Bartholomew habit'.     

Photo-interpretation and site assessment survey — A case study

A study was undertaken to find out the possibility of using the available aerial photos on scale 1 : 50 000 for selection of areas suitable for industrial plantation. Micro relief or terrain & vegetation density classes were interpreted on air photos and a PI map was prepared. The PI map was then overlaid on land facet & soil facet maps and the result shows that PI map is a useful tool for planning of raw material supply to the forest based industry. The growth data is to be obtained from field sample plots laid out in each stratum.     

地图缩编在测绘生产中的应用

城市建设的不断发展,测绘生产越来越多地融入到经济建设和人们的日常生活中。随着测绘信息化的不断推进,需要测绘成果在一定情况下实现共享,有利于实现测绘成果的合理化应用。利用已有大比例尺数字地形图缩编成所需比例尺的数字地形图的工作也日渐增多。本文以1∶500地形图缩编成1∶2 000地形图为例,总结了地图缩编在测绘生产中应用的技术要点。