Point set generalization based on the Kohonen Net

Point set generalization is one of the essential problems in map generalization. On the demands analysis of point set generalization, this paper proposes a method to generalize point sets based on the Kohonen Net model; the standard SOM algorithm has been improved so as to preserve the spatial distribution properties of the original point set. Examples illustrate that this method suits the generalization of point sets.     

Designing thought,technical line and some theoretical issues on geospatial digital framework of China

Based on the developing tendency of present China's basic GIS, this paper discusses the designing idea for scales of 1∶10 000, 1∶50 000, 1∶250 000 and 1∶1 000 000 pyramidlike multi-layer and multi-resolution of the basic GIS. A technical line for the construction of basic GIS of the whole country and various provinces for sustainable development is put forward. And some important theoretical GIS issues touched by the technical process are discussed.     

A progressive line simplification algorithm

An application of line simplification considering spatial knowledge is described. A method for identifying potential conflict regions, in order to avoid the self-intersection of generalized, lines, is also discussed. Further-more, a new progressive line simplification algorithm is presented. From the view point of spatial cognition, a spatial hierarchical structure is proposed, and its application to construction of spatial knowledge related to a line is explained.     

Measurement of similarity for spatial directions between areal objects

Similarity for spatial directions plays an important role in GIS. In this paper, the conventional approaches are analyzed. Based on raster data areal objects, the authors propose two new methods for measuring similarity among spatial directions. One is to measure the similarity among spatial directions based on the features of raster data and the changes of distances between spatial objects, the other is to measure the similarity among spatial directions according to the variation of each raster cell centroid angle. The two methods overcome the complexity of measuring similarity among spatial directions with direction matrix model and solve the limitation of small changes in direction. The two methods are simple and have broader applicability.     

A geocomputational analysis of Twitter activity around different world cities

The penetration and use of social media services differs from city to city. This paper is aimed to provide a comparison of the use of Twitter between different cities of the world. We present a temporal analysis of activity on Twitter in 15 cities. Our study consists of two parts: First, we created temporal graphs of the activity in the 15 cities, through which hours of high and low activity could be identified. Second, we created heat map visualizations of the Twitter activities during the period of 19 September 2012–25 September 2013. The heat map visualizations make the periods of intense and sparse activity apparent and provide a snapshot of the activity during the whole year.     

The design and composition of persuasive maps

Persuasive maps are ubiquitous in society, yet cartographers have largely neglected to conduct serious, holistic research on them. Persuasive maps represent a form of visual communication that differs markedly from scientific geovisualization. First, many of these maps' communicative goals are anathema to those of scientific representation. Second, many persuasive maps ignore and defy established cartographic conventions. This article argues two things. First, the cartographic discipline can gain insight about how maps communicate information from the longitudinal and holistic analysis of persuasive maps. By comparing the differences and similarities of persuasive maps to scientific geovisualizations, researchers can begin to understand how persuasive maps communicate differently than scientific ones. Second, breaking persuasive maps down into composite parts may make it possible to identify persuasive map norms (i.e., methods of design that are embraced by producers of persuasive maps). The results of a content analysis of 256 persuasive maps are discussed. The article concludes that it may be possible to take the most statistically significant results from this study to begin identifying different rhetorical styles of persuasive maps.     

Bertin’s matrix concepts reconsidered: transformations of semantics and semiotics to support geovisualization use

A system for managing and visualizing archaeological finds and their spatio-temporal properties is presented. The system is an attempt to combine archaeologists' interest to keep track of time with interests related to the representation and visualization of the spatio-temporal component of archaeological excavations, with the help of cartographic and GIS methods and techniques. Several parameters of a prehistoric excavation such as finds, their thematic characteristics, and their spatio-temporal distributions are examined. A three-dimensional GIS/cartographic environment and its user interface to the excavation database have been developed as a tool for enhancing archaeological interpretation in an exploratory environment. The development of the system is an ongoing task; the article describes its current use as a prototype.     

Motion of animated streamlets appears to surpass their graphical alterations in human visual detection of vector field maxima

ABSTRACT

Animations have become a frequently utilized illustration technique on maps but changes in their graphical loading remain understudied in empirical geovisualization and cartographic research. Animated streamlets have gained attention as an illustrative animation technique and have become popular on widely viewed maps. We conducted an experiment to investigate how altering four major animation parameters of animated streamlets affects people’s reading performance of field maxima on vector fields. The study involved 73 participants who performed reaction-time tasks on pointing maxima on vector field stimuli. Reaction times and correctness of answers changed surprisingly little between visually different animations, with only a few occasional statistical significances. The results suggest that motion of animated streamlets is such a strong visual cue that altering graphical parameters makes only little difference when searching for the maxima. This leads to the conclusion that, for this kind of a task, animated streamlets on maps can be designed relatively freely in graphical terms and their style fitted to other contents of the map. In the broader visual and geovisual analytics context, the results can lead to more generally hypothesizing that graphical loading of animations with continuous motion flux could be altered without severely affecting their communicative power.     

浅谈利用遥感卫星ALOS1B1级数据制作外业调绘用图的方法——以芜湖县第二次土地调查为例

全国第二次土地调查于2007年下半年启动,2009年完成,安徽省于2008年4月率先启动了芜湖县的试点工作,并自行购买了ALOS1B1级数据制作DOM,套合上矢量的原始土地利用现状图,以便于外业调绘的全面开展.下面,是笔者对利用ALOS1B1级数据制作正射影像图以及外业调绘用图的方法进行了探讨,研究发现,此方法易于掌握,调绘底图的生产快速,质量可靠,效果显著.     

大区域地下水模拟的预优并行GMRES(m)算法研究

大区域研究区由于涉及范围大、水文地质参数复杂多变,一直是进行地下水数值模拟的热点和难点。针对大区域地下水模拟的特点,在MPI环境中对Krylov子空间GMRES(m)算法的并行性进行分析,提出基于区域分解法的并行实现策略,并对不同的预条件子的加速效果进行比较。数值实验结果表明:并行GMRES(m)算法在求解大区域三维地下水模型时可以显著的加快求解速度,且具有较好的可扩展性。另外,Jacobi预条件子与GMRES算法的组合具有更优的加速比和执行效率,是一种求解大型化、复杂化地下水水流问题的可行方案。