Light mode and dark mode: Which one is suitable when using public-facing web maps? An experimental evaluation using eye-tracking

Dark maps, which are also called dark modes or dark themes, have gained popularity, but their usability has not been experimentally evaluated. This article presents a user experiment that uses eye-tracking to assess the usability of dark and light maps. Here, two widely used web maps, Google Maps and Gaode Maps, are selected at the street and city scales. Eight map-use tasks are designed and cover four operations (identify, compare, rank, and associate) with space-alone and attributes-in-space distinctions. Four pairs of map-use tasks (light-during-the-day, dark-during-the-day, dark-at-night, and light-at-night) are examined from three aspects: effectiveness, efficiency, and cognitive load. The results provide preliminary evidence that the light-during-the-day performance is generally the best in most cases, followed by the dark-at-night performance; the dark-during-the-day performance is the worst in all cases, followed by the light-at-night performance, which suggests that aligning the map design with the environment (i.e., lighting environment) is critical for better communication. The light-during-the-day performance is the best for space-alone tasks, and the dark-at-night performance is the best for attributes-in-space tasks. Our investigation also indicates that dark maps are far less favored in practice, which suggests that users' preference for using the dark mode of public-facing web maps needs to be shaped. Since light and dark maps are associated with photopic and scotopic vision, respectively, the results indicate the need for future studies on how to leverage scotopic vision to design better dark maps.     

INTERPRETATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE WITH SPACE IMAGERY

Heterochronous multispectral imagery from the “Fragment” scanner is used to identify and map a series of “natural-agricultural complexes,” or agricultural landscapes, of southern European Russia. Interpretation is based on imagery in the green, orange, red, and near-infrared zones of the spectrum (0.5-1.1 μm). Interpretation keys and other information designed to facilitate feature discrimination (optimal wavelengths, best seasons for imagining) are provided in many instances. Natural landscape and soil erosion maps are also compiled from the imagery, which supply information (an optimal crop rotation scheme and needed reclamation measures) used on the agricultural landscape map. Translated from: Vestnik Moskovs-kogo Unlversiteta, geografiya, 1985, No. 2, pp. 34-41.     

Procedures for woody vegetation surveys in the Kazgail rural council area,Kordofan, Sudan

Efforts to reforest parts of the Kordofan Province of Sudan are receiving support from international development agencies. These efforts include planning and implementing reforestation activities that require the collection of natural resources and socioeconomic data, and the preparation of base maps. A combination of remote sensing, geographic information system and global positioning systems procedures are used in this study to meet these requirements.

Remote sensing techniques were used to provide base maps and to guide the compilation of vegetation resources maps. These techniques provided a rapid and efficient method for documenting available resources. Pocket‐sized global positioning system units were used to establish the location of field data collected for mapping and resource analysis. A microcomputer data management system tabulated and displayed the field data. The resulting system for data analysis, management, and planning has been adopted for the mapping and inventory of the Gum Belt of Sudan.     

COMPUTATION AND MAPPING OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE WATER-ICE BUDGET OF GLACIERS

Two general approaches for compiling maps of components of the water-ice budget in regions of glacier nourishment are compared and the resulting maps are analyzed. The compilation of raw data is based on field measurements rather than remote sensing information. Translated by Edward Torrey, Alexandria, VA 22308 from: Materialy glyatsiologicheskikh issledovaniy, 1991, No. 72, pp. 94-102.     

GPS动态定位数据处理模型的比较研究

The characteristics of three GPS kinematic data processing models, Least Squares （LS）, Kalman filtering and filtering are discussed and their advantages and disadvantages are compared. With observational data and pertinent data processing software, the applicable condition, context and effect of the three models are experimented. Results show that when the mobile platform is in uniform motion, the accuracy of the three models are almost equal; when the mobile platform is in stochastic acceleration, the accuracy of H∞ filtering model is superior to that of LS, while that of Kalman filtering is the worst.     

AN ATLAS OF CMEA MEMBER NATIONS

General problems of complex atlas mapping—selection of scales and indices for mapping, standardization of legends, establishment of appropriate levels of generalization, etc.—are addressed using the first comprehensive economic atlas of CMEA member countries as an example. The Atlas itself contains general overview maps of economic linkages of CMEA member nationa with the world economy, maps devoted to economic transactions and patterns within the CMEA as a whole, and general economic maps of the individual member nations. Translated from: Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, geografiya, 1985, No. 4, pp. 3-6.     

Developing detailed age-specific thematic maps for coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes using random forests applied on Landsat 8 multispectral sensor

Coffee is a commodity of international trade significance, and its value chain can benefit from age-specific thematic maps. This study aimed to assess the potential of Landsat 8 OLI to develop these maps. Using field-collected samples with the random forest classifier, splitting coffee into three age classes (Scheme A) was compared with running the classification with one compound coffee class (Scheme B). Higher overall classification accuracy was obtained in Scheme B (90.3% for OLI and 86.8% for ETM+) than in Scheme A (86.2% for OLI and 81.0% for ETM+). The NIR band of OLI was the most important band in intra-class discrimination of coffee. Landsat 8 OLI mapped area closely matched farm records (R^2?=?0.88) compared to that of Landsat 7 ETM+ (R^2?=?0.78). It was concluded that Landsat 8 OLI data can be used to produce age-specific thematic maps in coffee production areas although disaggregating coffee classes reduces overall accuracy.     

The preparation of the town maps for Lysons' Magna Britannia

Abstract

Although methods of map preparation and production in the nineteenth century are generally understood, in truth little is known in detail. A rare opportunity to further understanding of the methods of the day is offered by the analysis of the surviving working documents and correspondence related to the production of town maps for Lysons' Magna Britannia. As methods of compilation and preparation become clearer, some of the resultant town maps appear more original and carefully created than previously thought, forcing a reassessment of their value as historical evidence.     

THE USE OF ANCIENT MAPS AND SPACE IMAGERY IN THE STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

The author outlines, in diagrammatic form, a procedure for the joint use of old maps (topographic, land survey, etc.) and current space imagery to compile maps of environmental change. The ancient maps reveal land use and physical conditions which serve as a benchmark for evaluation of subsequent change. Space imagery is useful both in updating the current state of the environment and providing a cartographic base for the preparation of final maps. Selected areas of Moscow Oblast are used as test sites. Translated from: Izvestiya vuzov, Geodeziya i aerofotos' yem-ka, 1985, No. 1, pp. 104-109.     

Road Maps and Advertising in Britain 1860–1940

Abstract

To the writer's knowledge nothing has been published, at the time of writing, on British maps as a selling medium in the period 1860–1940. The only exception proves the rule: D. G. Hindley's Advertising in Victorian England 1837–1901 (see Sources) mentions Chas Baker's 1887 ABC Guide to London and Large Pocket Map of London (see below), but does not place it in its context. This means that the subject can only be studied through the maps themselves, against a background of society at the time.     

THE WORLD ATLAS OF SNOW AND ICE RESOURCES

The World Atlas of Snow and Ice Resources, scheduled for publication in the late 1980s, is an extensive cartographic summary of current knowledge about snow and ice. Roughly 750 maps organized under 17 broad themes cover topics such as glacier morphology, temperature and precipitation conditions in glacier formation, avalanches, meltwater runoff, sea ice, and past glaciation. The organization of the project is described along with the contents of major thematic sections, and examples of the use of basic initial maps to validate information used in more complex derivative maps are provided. Translated from: Materialy glyatsiologicheskikh issledovaniy, USSR Geophysical Committee Publication No. 51. Moscow: Mezhvedomstvenniy geofizicheskiy komitet, 1984, pp. 89-95.     

AN EXPERIMENT IN THE COMPILATION AND USE OF A COMPLEX ENGINEERING-GLACIOLOGICAL MAP

A method for the compilation of 1:3,000,000-scale maps of natural nival-glacial phenomena is proposed for an area of the High Pamir Range in Soviet Central Asia. Such maps depict the distribution, frequency and intensity/magnitude, and potential impacts of such natural hazards as avalanches, mudslides, “dirty snow” avalanches (combined avalanches-mudslides in late spring), icings (naledy), and glacier pulsations, and are used in the planning of construction and the maintenance of roads and other transportation corridors during winter and spring. Hypothetical examples of the use of the maps are provided. Translated from: Materialy glyatsiologicheskikh issledovanly, USSR Geophysical Committee Publication No. 55. Moscow: Mezhduvedomstvenniy geofizicheskiy komitet, 1986, pp. 213–219.     

THE HYPSOMETRIC MAP AS A SPECIAL GEOMORPHOLOGICAL MAP

In a critique of maps used for geomorphological research (too cluttered to be read effectively, too general in respect to contour positioning), the author describes: (a) a methodology whereby conventional hypsometric maps can be corrected through the use of air photos, (b) outlines principles for symbol generalization and selection whereby the amount of geomorphological information perceived on hypsometric maps is increased, and (c) recommends the joint use of hypsometric, topographic photo-, and general geomorphological maps as the most effective means of terrain analysis. Translated by Larry Richardson, Glendale, CA 91202 from: Geomorfologiya, 1991, No. 2, pp. 38–45.     

In-depth examination of spatiotemporal figures in open reproducible research

ABSTRACT

Figures such as maps and time series are essential means to visualize spatiotemporal results in scientific papers. Being able to recompute them using the underlying source code and data is thus a core aspect in reproducible research. However, many scientists see the preparation of code and data for publication as an additional burden without immediate benefits. In this work, we investigate advantages and new capabilities of reproducible research papers. Our key contributions are (i) the extension of a geoscientist’s workflow while examining papers including reproducible figures such as maps and (ii) the prototypical implementation of the workflow as a web application. The workflow is based on current practices of geoscientists and encapsulates benefits of reproducible figures. It is informed by ideas and needs identified by geoscientists in a survey, interviews, and a focus group. Based on their statements, we first extend the traditional workflow steps Discovery and Inspection by additional capabilities and propose two new steps: Manipulation of the content of a spatiotemporal figure and Substitution of the underlying code and data. The extended workflow and its implementation might facilitate in-depth examination and reusability of geoscientific results.     

ECOLOGICAL-GEOGRAPHIC MAPPING: CONCEPTS,METHODS, AND TECHNOLOGY

Another paper in a series of articles on ecological-geographic mapping (see for example, Mapping Sciences and Remote Sensing, Vol. 31, No. 3, July-September 1994, pp. 185-220) focuses on outlining a concise typology of such maps and providing a brief history of their emergence during the 1970s and 1980s. A subsequent section is devoted to methods and technology used in the compilation of ecological-geographic maps, particularly the multiple variants of data organization, processing, and cartographic representation that can be factored into research design. Translated by Edward Torrey, Alexandria, VA 22308 from: Geografiya i prirodnyye resursy, 1995, No. 4, pp. 10-18.     

EXPERIENCE IN MULTICOLOR THEMATIC MAPPING BY COMPUTER

The structure and operation of an automated hardware-software complex, in use in the Far East Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Vladivostok) to generate multicolor thematic maps for planning purposes, is described. Particularly noteworthy are adjustments, in the form of special interfaces, necessitated by the incompatibility of standard Soviet mainframe computers with the kinds of input-output devices commonly used in the West—notably the color display and graphics systems used to produce the final maps. Both preexisting maps and remote sensing imagery served, after digitization, as source materials. Translated from: Geografiya i prirodnyye resursy, 1986, No. 3, pp. 122-125.     

Landsat TM versus MSS data for forest type identification

Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data were digitally analyzed for forest type identification in the Kisatchie Ranger District, Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana. Ground‐verification maps were produced from field surveys and interpretation of 1.12,000 and 1: 58,000 color‐infrared (CIR) aerial photography of nine compartments. Stand boundary and soils maps were input to a digital Geographic Information System (GIS) with the Landsat and ground‐verification data.

‐ Unsupervised classifications of the Landsat data did not identify the above cover types well. Supervised classifications were tested by stand agreement to the ground verification. The highest four‐class agreement was obtained for the TM classification (76 percent). Three‐class (open, pine, and hardwoods) stand agreements (81 (MSS) and 85 (TM) percent) were not significantly different as tested by analysis of variance (alpha level 0.1).     

Full Positional Accuracy Analysis of Spatial Data by Means of Circular Statistics

The positional error in spatial data is defined as a vector by comparing the coordinates between the true position and the measured position. The standard tests to assess the positional accuracy use only the magnitude of the vector and omit the azimuth. This article suggests that the use of both values allows a much more complete analysis of the positional error. A set of tests is proposed that are relevant for this purpose and demonstrate that some important features are not identified by the common procedures. The test samples come from two datasets. The first is obtained from the comparison of 100 homologous points in two conventional maps, and the second one comes from the geometric calibration of a photogrammetric scanner. The results are analyzed and discussed, showing that important issues such as error anisotropy are detected only by means of the circular statistics tests and density maps of distribution. Therefore, tests that assess the goodness of fit for uniform distribution in azimuths, such as Rayleigh and Rao tests, give low probabilities (P = 0 and P > 0.01). Moreover, density maps working with both magnitude and angle can locate the outlier candidate and offer more information about the spatial distribution of error.     

Fusing MODIS with Landsat 8 data to downscale weekly normalized difference vegetation index estimates for central Great Basin rangelands,USA

Data fused from distinct but complementary satellite sensors mitigate tradeoffs that researchers make when selecting between spatial and temporal resolutions of remotely sensed data. We integrated data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor aboard the Terra satellite and the Operational Land Imager sensor aboard the Landsat 8 satellite into four regression-tree models and applied those data to a mapping application. This application produced downscaled maps that utilize the 30-m spatial resolution of Landsat in conjunction with daily acquisitions of MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) that are composited and temporally smoothed. We produced four weekly, atmospherically corrected, and nearly cloud-free, downscaled 30-m synthetic MODIS NDVI predictions (maps) built from these models. Model results were strong with R² values ranging from 0.74 to 0.85. The correlation coefficients (r ≥ 0.89) were strong for all predictions when compared to corresponding original MODIS NDVI data. Downscaled products incorporated into independently developed sagebrush ecosystem models yielded mixed results. The visual quality of the downscaled 30-m synthetic MODIS NDVI predictions were remarkable when compared to the original 250-m MODIS NDVI. These 30-m maps improve knowledge of dynamic rangeland seasonal processes in the central Great Basin, United States, and provide land managers improved resource maps.