Classifying natural-language spatial relation terms with random forest algorithm

The exponential growth of natural language text data in social media has contributed a rich data source for geographic information. However, incorporating such data source for GIS analysis faces tremendous challenges as existing GIS data tend to be geometry based while natural language text data tend to rely on natural language spatial relation (NLSR) terms. To alleviate this problem, one critical step is to translate geometric configurations into NLSR terms, but existing methods to date (e.g. mean value or decision tree algorithm) are insufficient to obtain a precise translation. This study addresses this issue by adopting the random forest (RF) algorithm to automatically learn a robust mapping model from a large number of samples and to evaluate the importance of each variable for each NLSR term. Because the semantic similarity of the collected terms reduces the classification accuracy, different grouping schemes of NLSR terms are used, with their influences on classification results being evaluated. The experiment results demonstrate that the learned model can accurately transform geometric configurations into NLSR terms, and that recognizing different groups of terms require different sets of variables. More importantly, the results of variable importance evaluation indicate that the importance of topology types determined by the 9-intersection model is weaker than metric variables in defining NLSR terms, which contrasts to the assertion of ‘topology matters, metric refines’ in existing studies.     

Web Use in Geographical and Environmental Education: An International Survey at the Primary and Secondary Level

This article aims to study Web use and Web-based co-operation and collaboration in geographical and environmental education at the primary and secondary level around the world. Recent trends and future opportunities and challenges are taken into account. The theoretical part of the study considers Web use and different forms of Web-based co-operation. Web use and co-operation in education are classified as co-operative learning, collaborative learning or communal learning. Web use in geographical and environmental education is noted to be growing in significance. Web-based co-operation at any level of intensity is associated with many opportunities and challenges. The empirical part of this study involves a survey of geographical and environmental education researchers in various countries about their views of Web use in education. The results of this survey indicate that the Web in general finds minimal use in geographical and environmental education. As access to the Web is limited and only some pupils can use it, co-operation, particularly collaborative learning on the Web, is still rare in geographical and environmental education. The most often used application is e-mail. Researchers recognise the potential of the Web to enhance local, national and international co-operation, and to facilitate a better understanding of geographical and environmental issues at the grass-root level. Web-based learning can also help to increase and deepen the pupils' cultural understanding. Before that, however, problems in access, costs and teacher training must be solved. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

风暴岩研究述评兼论兴文风暴岩研究的意义

风暴岩自1973年G.Kelling提出以来,其研究得以迅速发展,特别是建立的风暴流理论与50年代出现的浊流理论一样,被公认为沉积学乃至地质学发展的里程碑。本文回顾了国内外风暴岩研究的历程、现状,着重综述了国内外对风暴岩研究的起源、定义,及风暴岩的沉积成因、沉积序列、沉积构造和研究意义;分析了风暴岩的形成环境和研究尺度,对未来风暴岩研究的启示,并探讨了兴文风暴岩研究对兴文世界地质公园的意义。     

基于地理认知的GIS数据元模型研究

将G IS相关认知活动分为类型分层、实体分层和地理实体的具体描述,并在此基础上对G IS数据元模型的结构进行描述。该数据元模型可以较好的实现地理数据不同层次的语义表达及数据间一定程度语义关系的表达,并有利于不同尺度地理分析和决策所需相关地理信息的高效提取。     

地理信息系统基础软件吉奥之星NT版的总体设计思想与关键技术

介绍了新一代面向对象的GIS基础软件系统吉奥之星NT版的总体设计思想、系统结构、功能特点和有关关键技术。     

具相对性的特殊地理位置应用研究的基础理论与方法探讨

着重对具相对性的特殊地理应用研究的基础上理论与方法的进行探讨,主要探讨了地图投影选择与图形处理为核心心的定位研究,特殊地理位置旅游辐射区定区原则与广泛旅游区位类型系统及其应用分析等方面的内容。     

试论遥感地质找矿的进展

随着遥感应用的进步,遥感在地质找矿中应用越来越深入,遥感的地质分析能力也不断提高。同时,地理信息系统在遥感信息集成分析、圈定成矿靶区及远景区的应用研究中,成为空间多源信息综合自理伯有力工具,在遥地质找矿中起着巨大的作用。遥感地质找矿的关键是遥感含矿信息提取技术。文章以遥感地质信息获取,含矿多源信息提取与分析,以及地理信息系统在地质找矿中的应用为主要内容,对遥感地质找矿的进展作了简要的阐述。     

遥感和GIS技术在全球海面风速分析中的应用

将遥感技术和地理信息系统（GIS）技术相结合,建立了一个基于TOPEX卫星的全球海面风速分析的海洋地理信息系统（MGIS）。阐述了全球海面风速分析模型的建立方法,定义了描述风场特征的相关参数,介绍了全球海面风速海洋地理信息系统的结构、功能和工作流程,另外,对系统的3个应用实例进行了地学分析。     

基于语义的地理信息分类体系对比分析

地理信息分类体系之间的语义不一致性,被认为是影响地理信息系统实现在语义层次上信息共享的最大障碍.首先,本文在阐述中国地理信息分类体系之间参照模式的基础上,提出了一种基于语义的地理信息分类体系对比分析方法.其次,对中国现行的几种地理信息标准分类体系进行了详细的对比分析.最后,为中国地理信息分类体系的编制和修订提出了一些建议.     

用EXCEL处理高斯坐标计算问题

本文介绍了使用EXCEL处理高斯坐标的正算、反算问题,着重阐述了计算公式的编制,具有使用方便、实用性较强的特点。