Fine-resolution population mapping using OpenStreetMap points-of-interest

Data on population at building level is required for various purposes. However, to protect privacy, government population data is aggregated. Population estimates at finer scales can be obtained through areal interpolation, a process where data from a first spatial unit system is transferred to another system. Areal interpolation can be conducted with ancillary data that guide the redistribution of population. For population estimation at the building level, common ancillary data include three-dimensional data on buildings, obtained through costly processes such as LiDAR. Meanwhile, volunteered geographic information (VGI) is emerging as a new category of data and is already used for purposes related to urban management. The objective of this paper is to present an alternative approach for building level areal interpolation that uses VGI as ancillary data. The proposed method integrates existing interpolation techniques, i.e., multi-class dasymetric mapping and interpolation by surface volume integration; data on building footprints and points-of-interest (POIs) extracted from OpenStreetMap (OSM) are used to refine population estimates at building level. A case study was conducted for the city of Hamburg and the results were compared using different types of POIs. The results suggest that VGI can be used to accurately estimate population distribution, but that further research is needed to understand how POIs can reveal population distribution patterns.     

Mapping Mineralization Probabilities using Multilayer Perceptrons

Mineral-potential mapping is the process of combining a set of input maps, each representing a distinct geo-scientific variable, to produce a single map which ranks areas according to their potential to host mineral deposits of a particular type. The maps are combined using a mapping function that must be either provided by an expert (knowledge-driven approach), or induced from sample data (data-driven approach). Current data-driven approaches using multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) to represent the mapping function have several inherent problems: they are highly sensitive to the selection of training data; they do not utilize the contextual information provided by nondeposit data; and there is no objective interpretation of the values output by the MLP. This paper presents a new approach by which MLPs can be trained to output values that can be interpreted strictly as representing posterior probabilities. Other advantages of the approach are that it utilizes all data in the construction of the model, and thus eliminates any dependence on a particular selection of training data. The technique is applied to mapping gold mineralization potential in the Castlemaine region of Victoria, Australia, and results are compared with a method based on estimating probability density functions.     

Map-image registration accuracy using least-squares polynomials

Abstract

Results of a simulation study of map-image rectification accuracy are reported. Sample size, spatial distribution pattern and measurement errors in a set of ground control points, and the computational algorithm employed to derive the estimate of the parameters of a least-squares bivariate map-image transformation function, are varied in order to assess the sensitivity of the procedure. Standard errors and confidence limits are derived for each of 72 cases, and it is shown that the effects of all four factors are significant. Standard errors fall rapidly as sample size increases, and rise as the control point pattern becomes more linear. Measurement error is shown to have a significant effect on both accuracy and precision. The Gram-Schmidt orthogonal polynomial algorithm performs consistently better than the Gauss-Jordan matrix inversion procedure in all circumstances.     

Teaching generic GIS using commercial software

Abstract

The debate between training and education in GIS in a university or college setting and whether or not commercial systems should be used in such institutions may be far from resolution, but an indication of the level of interest shown in hands-on, computer-based GIS education using a commercial system is the appearance and growth of the Institute for GIS in Education. The Curriculum Development Toolkit produced by the Institute has involved academic input and evaluation, and contains both generic GIS background information and system-specific computer-based learning materials, used in over 200 academic institutions world-wide.     

Modelling river channel topography using GIS

The modelling of environmental processes based on catchment elevation surfaces is well-established, but the use of TIN and grid surface models as three-dimensional representations of river channel topography at the reach scale is much less common. In this paper, surface modelling facilities in ARC/INFO GIS have been used to model the geometry of seven short sections of gravel-bed river channels in upland Britain from field surveys taken in 1976 and 1994. The methods used in converting field survey data and implementing bed-topography models as TIN and grid data structures are described. The use of derived surface models to define pool-riffle bedforms, estimate sediment budgets and assess channel change between surfaces of different dates are discussed and evaluated.     

Ensemble adaptive tile prefetching using fuzzy logic

Prefetching is a process in which the necessary portion of data is predicted and loaded into memory beforehand. The increasing usage of geographic data in different types of applications has motivated the development of different prefetching techniques. Each prefetching technique serves a specific type of application, such as two-dimensional geographic information systems or three-dimensional visualization, and each one is crafted for the corresponding navigation patterns. However, as the boundary between these application types blurs, these techniques become insufficient for hybrid applications (such as digital moving maps), which embody various capabilities and navigation patterns. Therefore, a set of techniques should be used in combination to handle different prefetching requirements. In this study, a priority-based tile prefetching approach is proposed, which enables the ensemble usage of various techniques at the same time. The proposed approach manages these techniques dynamically through a fuzzy-logic-based inference engine to increase prefetching performance and to adapt to various exhibited behaviours. This engine performs adaptive decisions about the advantages of each technique according to their individual accuracy and activity level using fuzzy logic to determine how each prefetching technique performs. The results obtained from the experiments showed that up to a 25% increase in prefetching performance is achieved with the proposed ensemble usage over individual usage. A generic model for prefetching techniques was also developed and used to describe the given approach. Finally, a cross-platform software framework with four different prefetching techniques was developed to let other users utilize the proposed approach.     

A dimension-independent extrusion algorithm using generalised maps

One solution to the integration of additional characteristics, for example, time and scale, into GIS data sets is to model them as extra geometric dimensions perpendicular to the spatial ones, creating a higher-dimensional model. While this approach has been previously described and advocated, it is scarcely used in practice because of a lack of high-level construction algorithms and accompanying implementations. We present in this paper a dimension-independent extrusion algorithm permitting us to construct from any (n–1)-dimensional linear cell complex represented as a generalised map, an n-dimensional one by assigning to each (n–1)-cell one or more intervals where it exists along the nth dimension. We have implemented the algorithm in C++11 using CGAL, made the source code publicly available and tested it in experiments using real-world 2D GIS data sets which were extruded to construct up to 5D models.     

利用SAR影像时间序列的耕地提取研究

卫星遥感是耕地资源调查的一种重要技术手段,利用遥感时间序列数据进行耕地提取具有很强的实践意义。光学遥感成像过程易受光照和大气条件影响,在云雨多发地区所能获取的可用数据十分有限;合成孔径雷达(SAR)能够全天时、全天气进行对地观测,但受斑点噪声影响,少见利用其构建时间序列进行信息提取的研究。本文研究了SAR影像时间序列在耕地提取中的适用性,利用江苏省徐州市2009年12月-2010年12月共11景ENVISAT ASAR 影像构建时间序列,目视选取30个5像元×5像元大小的耕地样区,分别统计样区内(相邻位置)与样区间(不同位置)耕地时域后向散射特征的一致性(变异系数);然后利用欧氏距离法、相关系数法以及动态时间弯曲法(DTW)进行研究区的耕地提取。结果显示：相邻位置耕地像元后向散射特性较为一致,平均变异系数为9.96%;不同位置耕地像元后向散射特性一致性也较好,平均变异系数为15.27%。在所选的3种方法中,相关系数法耕地提取精度最高,正确率与完整率分别为86.25%与80.70%;欧氏距离法精度次之,正确率与完整率分别为76.40%与71.93%;DTW效果较差,正确率和完整率分别为62.15%和77.78%。SAR影像时间序列作为一种新的数据组织形式,可用于耕地的有效提取。     

基于MODIS数据的土库曼斯坦山区积雪监测

积雪是影响气候变化的重要因子,准确、及时的获取积雪覆盖范围,进行动态变化监测意义重大。利用MODIS数据进行土库曼斯坦积雪监测,提取积雪信息的研究较少。利用MODIS L1B 500 m分辨率数据,通过几何校正、去云预处理,应用归一化差分积雪指数（NDSI）算法和综合阈值判别法,获取了土库曼斯坦2011年11月～2012年4月山区积雪覆盖范围和面积等数据信息,揭示了土库曼斯坦山区积雪发生的时空特征。土库曼斯坦南部的科佩特山区是该国降雪的核心地区,积雪面积均在1月达到最大值,随后积雪面积随温度的升高而减少。山区积雪面积、月均气温、月降雨量之间存在着显著的相关性,其相关系数分别为0.742 9和0.568 4。结果表明,在监测时段积雪面积随气温的降低、降雨量的减少而增加。     

Spatio-temporal analysis of flowering using LiDAR topography

Spatio-temporal patterns of flowering in forest ecosystems are hard to quantify and monitor. The objectives of this study were to investigate spatio-temporal patterns(e.g. soilssimple slope classesslope aspectand flow accumulation) of flowering around Lake IssaqueenaSouth Carolina(SCUSA) using plant-flowering database collected with GPS- enabled camera(stored in Picasa 3 web albums and project website) on a monthly basis in 2012 and Li DAR-based topography. Pacolet fine sandy loam had the most flowering plantsfollowed by Madison sandy loamboth dominant soil types around the lake. Most flowering plants were on moderately steep(17%–30%) and gently sloping(4%–8%) slopes. Most flowering plants were on west(247.5°–292.5°)southwest(202.5°–247.5°)and northwest(292.5°–337.5°) aspects. Most flowering plants were associated with minimum and maximum flows within the landscape. Chi-square tests indicated differences in the distributions of the proportions of flowering plants were significant by soil typeslopeaspectand flow accumulation for each month(February-November)for all months(overall)and across months. The Chi-square test on area-normalized data indicated significant differences for all months and individual differences by each month with some months not statistically significant. Cluster analysis on flowering counts for nine plant families with the most flowering counts indicated no unique separation by clusterbut implied that the majority of these families were flowering on strongly sloping(9%–16%) slopeson southwest(202.5°–247.5°) aspectsand low flow accumulation(0–200). Presented methodology can serve as a template for future efforts to quantify spatio-temporal patterns of flowering and other phenological events.