Measured and perceived visual complexity: a comparative study among three online map providers

We present a study on human perception of map complexity, with the objective of better understanding design decisions that may lead to undesirable levels of complexity in web maps. We compare three complexity metrics to human ratings of complexity obtained through a user survey. Specifically, we use two algorithmic approaches published by others, which measure feature congestion (FC) and subband entropy (SE), as well as our own approach of counting object types rather than individual objects. We compare these metrics with each other as well as with human complexity ratings for three maps of the same area from map providers Google Maps, Bing Maps, and OpenStreetMap. Each map design is assessed at three different scales (levels of detail). We find that (1) the FC and SE metrics appear to be adequate predictors of what humans consider complex; (2) object-type counts are slightly less successful at predicting human-rated complexity, implying that clutter is more important in perceived complexity than diversity of symbology; and (3) generalization choices do impact human complexity ratings. These findings contribute to our understanding of what makes a map complex, with implications for designing maps that are easy to use.     

Design principles for origin-destination flow maps

Origin-destination flow maps are often difficult to read due to overlapping flows. Cartographers have developed design principles in manual cartography for origin-destination flow maps to reduce overlaps and increase readability. These design principles are identified and documented using a quantitative content analysis of 97 geographic origin-destination flow maps without branching or merging flows. The effectiveness of selected design principles is verified in a user study with 215 participants. Findings show that (a) curved flows are more effective than straight flows, (b) arrows indicate direction more effectively than tapered line widths, and (c) flows between nodes are more effective than flows between areas. These findings, combined with results from user studies in graph drawing, conclude that effective and efficient origin-destination flow maps should be designed according to the following design principles: overlaps between flows are minimized; symmetric flows are preferred to asymmetric flows; longer flows are curved more than shorter or peripheral flows; acute angles between crossing flows are avoided; sharp bends in flow lines are avoided; flows do not pass under unconnected nodes; flows are radially distributed around nodes; flow direction is indicated with arrowheads; and flow width is scaled with represented quantity.     

CAUSAL ANALYSIS AND NUMERICAL MODELING OF THE INSHORE INTENSIFICATION OF SUPER TYPHOON “HATO”

This paper comprehensively analyzes the characteristics and cause of the inshore intensification of super typhoon "Hato", the 13 th super typhoon in 2017. The aspects of typhoon structure, evolution of large-scale circulation and physical quantity field are analyzed using observation data from the Guangdong Automatic Station, Shenzhen Doppler Radar data, NCEP 1°×1° reanalysis data, NCEP 0.25°×0.25° sea surface temperature(SST) data, etc.Additionally, in order to investigate the influence of SST change on the intensity of "Hato", the WRF model and ECMWF 0.125°×0.125° reanalysis data are combined to conduct 3 sensitivity tests on"Hato". The results show that the favorable conditions for inshore intensification of "Hato"included the strengthening and westward extension of the subtropical high, continuous increase of low level moisture transport, an anomalous warm SST area north of 20°N in the South China Sea, an extreme divergence value in the northern South China Sea exceeding 6 ×10-5 s-1, and vertical environmental wind shear between 1.1 m/s-4.8 m/s. The intensity of"Hato"was very sensitive to changes in SST. When the SST rose or dropped by 2℃, the minimum central pressure of the typhoon changed by about 13 hPa or 11 hPa,respectively. SST indirectly influenced the intensity of the typhoon through affecting latent heat transport and sensible heat transport.     

基于自组织映射的长江中下游夏季天气分型及其降水特征

利用欧洲中心1979—2015年夏季6—8月ERA-Interim逐日再分析资料和国家气候中心CN05.1格点化降水观测数据集,引入基于自组织映射SOM(Self-Organizing Maps)方法进行长江中下游地区夏季海平面气压空间距平场的客观分型,得到该地区25种地面天气型及其系统演变特征,发现天气型的稳定、转移与天气系统强弱有关。高低压系统越强,天气型停滞频率越高,天气型越稳定;反之,天气型越不稳定。基于SOM天气型转移概率,发现三条与局地降水联系的系统演变路径,其中1号路径暖空气势力强盛,副高北上,推动锋面北抬,产生江北降水型,多发生在7月;路径2反映冷空气势力强盛推动锋面南下的天气过程,产生沿江降水型,该天气型在6、7月均易发生;路径3表现为台风移动变化对长江下游江南地区降水的影响,为江南降水型,且集中在8月。通过引入SOM方法对逐日天气尺度环流进行分型,从气候态上捕捉与降水有关的天气系统的移动变化特征,体现SOM方法在模拟天气系统演变的优势。     

城市地图集编制中关于地图影响效应的研究

在竞争激烈的地图市场中,通过研究地图影响效应策略,可有效地使所设计与制作的城市地图作品得以创新、发展,并以《深圳市龙岗区地图集》的设计为例进行了阐述和分析。     

浅谈数字地形图的制作流程及其质量检查系统

介绍了地形图数字化过程中的几项关键技术及地形图数据质量的重要性,详细描述了数字地形图质量检查的内容及目前采用的质量检查方法,并指出了现有检查方法的缺点,并结合生产实际研究了一种人机交互式的检查系统。     

GPS技术和遥感影像在编制重点文物地图中的应用——以制作武汉大学校园重点文物图为例

GPS技术具有实时导航、定位准确的特点,遥感影像能提供快速及时的地理信息,它们当前还未广泛应用于地图的制作,本文尝试将这两种技术结合应用来编制地图,进而探讨在制作过程中的数据处理、重点文物图的设计与编制等问题;并以制作武汉大学的重点文物图为例,来说明和分析这种制作方法所具有的显著特点和具体操作的可行性。     

武汉市城市基本地形图实时更新策略和方法

在对武汉市城市区域规划、土地利用范围的界定和基本特征研究的基础上提出了城市基本地形图实时更新策略和方法,从而认为建立行之有效的工作机制、必要的经费投入、制订科学完善的生产技术标准是保证实时更新的必要条件。     

基于ArcObject组件的地图标注研究

通过深入分析地图的标注需求,针对应用中的实际问题,利用ArcObject组件进行编程,在应用系统中实现了对各种点线面地物要素的标注功能。实践证明,以下介绍的基于ArcObject组件的地图标注系统,具有方便、快捷、准确的特点,便于推广和应用。     

浅谈市(州)普通地图集的设计

介绍了设计编制地图集中的若干问题:如何确定开本及比例尺大小,如何设计整饰与装帧等。提出了设计编制地图集也应看成是一项科学研究过程的观点。