Developing a Geographic Visualization Tool to Support Earth Science Learning

This paper reports on the development and assessment of the EarthSystemsVisualizer (ESV), a geovisualization tool designed to facilitate learning about global weather. Our goals in designing ESV were to evaluate two exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) techniques, temporal brushing and temporal focusing,and to determine whether interactive geovisualization tools influence problem solving strategies, approaches to learning, and students' ability to generate hypotheses about earth-science processes. Focus group sessions were conducted with both expert and novice users to assess an initial design for the ESV interface prior to conducting a task-based assessment of ESV use. Changes were implemented in response to the focus group results, including the redesign of a temporal legend and improved speed and direction controls. Our task-based assessment considered student reactions to components of ESV, especially whether they could use it to answer questions about global-scale weather processes, and whether the system (particularly its focusing and brushing tools) had an impact on the hypotheses generated about relationships among weather variables. The assessment revealed that focusing and brushing had little impact on students' ability to answer questions about weather processes, and that performance suffered for students who were confused by the focusing and brushing tools. In fact, students who understood the tools performed the best, but students without the tools performed better than those who had the tools but were unsure how to use them. We also concluded that the level of the visualization system must be well matched to the knowledge users have about the application domain: students who already possessed an advanced understanding of meteorology or climatology benefited less and were more critical of the system than students with an intermediate or a novice level of understanding.     

Interpolation of Point Values From Isoline Maps

A Bidirectional Hermitian Spline (BHS) method for the estimation of point values from isoline maps is presented and compared to three other methods. Hermitian splines are used and first derivatives are estimated by either Akima's method or by a clamped cubic spline, if Akima's method returns a zero first derivative. Every desired point value is interpolated twice, once by each of two orthogonally-directed splines. The two spline estimates are then averaged using the error formula for Hermitian splines. In addition, a periodic Hermitian spline is constructed around the study-area perimeter (representing a cross-sectional profile of the edge) to damp undesirable edge effects. Point values can be estimated from small-scale isoline maps drawn in spherical coordinates or from large-scale isoline maps drawn in Cartesian coordinates.     

Introduction

We introduce and test an algorithm for extracting high-point locations from statistical surface data. The algorithm uses map algebra and local neighborhood analysis via three key parameters: minimum vertical gain, vertical gain neighborhood, and horizontal separation neighborhood. Though the method is applicable to any x,y,z data set, we tested it on 1:250,000 digital elevation models (DEMs) for Arizona. The resulting high points were compared quantitatively with an independent data set of named summits from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The comparison showed that, on an aggregate basis, the extraction method can approximate the number and spatial pattern of high points when compared to the GNIS points. However, extraction by neighborhood analysis may consistently misdiagnose certain features, such as the edges of troughs (e.g., canyon rims).     

System Design Considerations for the Development of an Electronic Statistical Atlas

In the recent history of cartography, atlases deserve a prominent status among cartographic products due to the variety of their thematic content, the rather friendly appearance and their utilization by a wide spectrum of users. Advances in information technology, and more specifically in geographic information systems and digital mapping, have altered the fundamental way of using maps, and thus they have a major impact on every aspect of electronic atlas design and development. Although considerable effort has been made towards the production of electronic atlases, and successful systems are available, there are still a number of factors that must be considered towards the improvement of their design and functional characteristics. This paper elaborates on those factors and suggests a specific approach toward the design and development of electronic atlases, particularly electronic statistical atlases. This approach has been used for the development of the Statistical Atlas of the European Union (STATLAS_EU), which is intended to provide a user-friendly resource for statistical analysis.     

Precision in systematic trawl surveys as assessed from replicate sampling by parallel trawling off Namibia

Following independence of Namibia in 1990, abundance of that country's hake stocks was monitored by trawl surveys conducted by the Norwegian F.R.V. Dr Fridtjof Nansen using a systematic survey design. Precision from such designs is considered to be better than with a random design, but it cannot be quantified through standard analysis of variance. In 1998 and 1999, the trawl surveys were duplicated in full using a commercial trawler that operated in parallel with the Dr Fridtjof Nansen. Both vessels had the same fishing gear and rigging. In both years, biomass and distribution patterns estimated by the vessels were similar. The paired datasets collected from the surveys were used to analyse variability in the point samples. Absolute differences between pairs of catches were, in general, proportional to the catch, but they varied randomly following a normal distribution around the catch level. Local variability was analysed as random noise, modelled and later reapplied on single vessel data series to evaluate the effect of sample size and replicates on the survey mean. In a survey with 200 stations, local sample noise accounted for about 4% of the variability in the survey mean. Alternatively, running series of simulated surveys by bootstrapping on pairs of catch data gave similar results, when a small systematic vessel effect was adjusted for. The main statistical techniques applied were less susceptible to outlier catches than straightforward correlations or regressions and could therefore, perhaps with some advantage, also be used to estimate the vessel factor when intercalibrating trawl survey vessels.     

Towards the declaration of a large marine protected area: a subtidal ichthyofaunal survey of the Pondoland coast in the Eastern Cape,South Africa

A subtidal marine ichthyofaunal survey was carried out on shallow reefs (1–30m deep) in the Pondoland region between the Mtamvuna River and Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The purpose of this survey was to provide the baseline data required for the zonation of a large marine protected area proposed for the region. Survey work was carried out in May and June during 2002 and 2003. A seafloor map based on earlier seismic-reflection profiling data, coupled with fishers' co-ordinates of known reefs in the area, was used to plan the survey. An underwater visual census (UVC), using the point-count method, assessed fish diversity, relative abundance and size structure. During the UVC, a total of 261 point fish-counts, covering an area of 14 288m², was completed. A total of 138 fish species from 49 different families was identified and a relatively high proportion of endemic species (26.6%) were recorded. As a result of the turbid conditions encountered south of Mbotyi, numbers and diversity of fish species observed declined with increasing latitude. Endemic sparid linefish species, which are overe-xploited in other areas, were particularly abundant in this region, and a number of new range distributions of various species were recorded during the survey. The results of this survey contributed towards the zonation of the Pondoland Marine Protected Area, which was proclaimed in June 2004.     

A Uniform Sky Illumination Model to Enhance Shading of Terrain and Urban Areas

Users of geographic information systems (GIS) usually render terrain using a point light source defined by an illumination vector. A terrain shaded from a single point provides good perceptual cues to surface orientation. This type of hill shading, however, does not include any visual cues to the relative height of surface elements. We propose shading the terrain under uniform diffuse illumination, where light arrives equally from all directions of a theoretical sky surrounding the terrain. Surface elements at lower elevations tend to have more of the sky obscured from view and are thus shaded darker. This tinting approach has the advantage that it provides more detailed renderings than point source illumination. We describe two techniques of computing terrain shading under uniform diffuse illumination. One technique uses a GIS–based hill-shading and shadowing tool to combine many point source renderings into one approximating the terrain under uniform diffuse illumination. The second technique uses a C++ computer algorithm for computing the inclination to the horizon in all azimuth directions at all points of the terrain. These virtual horizons are used to map sky brightness to the rendering of the terrain. To evaluate our techniques, we use two Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)—of the Schell Creek Range of eastern Nevada and a portion of downtown Houston, Texas, developed from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) data. Renderings based on the uniform diffuse illumination model show more detailed changes in shading than renderings based on a point source illumination model.     

Designing Effective Bivariate Symbols: The Influence of Perceptual Grouping Processes

The purpose of this research was to empirically assess perceptual groupings of various combinations of symbol dimensions (e.g., graphic variables) used in designing bivariate map symbols. Perceptual grouping ability was assessed using the theory of selective attention, a construct first proposed in psychological research. Selective attention theory contends that one's ability to analyze a symbol's dimensions—such as color or size—is affected by other dimensions present in the same symbol. Symbol dimensions are described as either separable (capable of being attended to independently of other dimensions), integral (cannot be processed without interference from other dimensions), or configural (i.e., show characteristics of both integrality and separability, which may also form new, emergent properties). Without empirical evidence describing such interactions for various combinations of symbol dimensions, cartographers cannot truly evaluate the functionality of the symbols they use on maps. The symbol dimensions or graphic combinations chosen for this study were selected to incorporate a wide range of traditional cartographic symbolization, including line and lettering symbolization, areal shading, dot patterns, and point symbols. Combinations were examined in an abstract setting using a speeded classification task, which is the traditional means of studying selective attention. Subject reaction times provided an assessment of the levels of integrality, separability, and configurality. Results suggest that most symbol dimension combinations are either separable or exhibit evidence of asymmetrical dimensional interactions. Findings from this study will be integrated into subsequent experiments, the results of which will assist cartographers in the design of complex map symbols.     

Catch and effort of the shore and skiboat linefisheries along the South African Eastern Cape Coast

An assessment of catch and effort in the Eastern Cape shore and skiboat linefisheries was undertaken between 1994 and 1996 by means of roving creel and access point surveys. Catch-and-effort data were obtained from direct observation of 3 273 shore-fishers, 172 recreational and 223 commercial skiboat outings. Total effort in the region was high at 903 186 fisher-days year^?1 in the shore fishery and 64 266 and 24 357 fisher-days year^?1 in the commercial and recreational skiboat sectors respectively. The fisheries are multispecies in nature. The shore fishery consisted of 66 species, the recreational skiboat fishery 44 species and the commercial skiboat fishery 48 species. Just 10 species accounted for 75, 83 and 90% of the catch of the shore, recreational and commercial skiboat fishery respectively. The average catch per unit effort (cpue) was low in all sectors, 1.15 kg fisher^?1 day^?1 in the shorefishery, 9.4 kg fisher^?1 day^?1 in the recreational skiboat fishery and 21.5 kg fisher^?1 day^?1 in the commercial skiboat fishery. Catch data showed that professional and club anglers are more successful fishers. Comparisons with historic records for Port Elizabeth revealed that the cpue in the shore fishery had declined markedly, whereas the total effort increase was negligible (0.1%). In addition, the species composition of the fishery has changed.