Processing Geographic Information Systems Data for Data Mining

Spatial data, including image data, are typically downloaded into GIS systems for processing purposes. The GIS data are optimized for establishing spatial relationships among objects. Spatial data can be produced rapidly from a variety of sources and the use of spatial data to improve agricultural management has become common [1]. However, most GIS systems are limited in their data mining capabilities. Data mining software provides advanced prediction capabilities for record-based data. The research goal of this project is to create a tool that would allow input of images and metadata, then process them using geospatial software to convert it to a record format such that data mining can be performed. This process opens the possibility of applying data mining techniques to agricultural data, for which such techniques are not yet in common usage. This paper proposes one such tool for classification of spatial data sets using J48 and Random Forest techniques

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) and Geospatial Approaches for the Analysis of Historical Visual Sources and Cartographic Material

This book focuses on the use of GIScience in conjunction with historical visual sources to resolve past scenarios. The themes, knowledge gained and methodologies conducted might be of interest to a variety of scholars from the social science and humanities disciplines

Digital representation of historical globes : methods to make 3D and pseudo-3D models of sixteenth century Mercator globes

In this paper, the construction of digital representations of a terrestrial and celestial globe will be discussed. Virtual digital (3D) models play an important role in recent research and publications on cultural heritage. The globes discussed in this paper were made by Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594) in 1541 and 1551. Four techniques for the digital representation are discussed and analysed, all using high-resolution photographs of the globes. These photographs were taken under studio conditions in order to get equal lighting and to avoid unwanted light spots. These lighting conditions are important, since the globes have a highly reflective varnish covering. Processing these images using structure from motion, georeferencing of separate scenes and the combination of the photographs with terrestrial laser scanning data results in true 3D representations of the globes. Besides, pseudo-3D models of these globes were generated using dynamic imaging, which is an extensively used technique for visualisations over the Internet. The four techniques and the consequent results are compared on geometric and radiometric quality, with a special focus on their usefulness for distribution and visualisation during an exhibition in honour of the five hundredth birthday of Gerardus Mercator

Automatic real-time interpolation of radiation hazards: prototype and system architecture considerations

Detecting and monitoring the development of radioactive releases in the atmosphere is important. In many European countries monitoring networks have been established to perform this task. In the Netherlands the National Radioactivity Monitoring network (NRM) was installed. Currently, point maps are used to interpret the data from the NRM. Automatically generating maps in realtime would improve the interpretation of the data by giving the user a clear overview of the present radiological situation and provide an estimate of the radioactivity level at unmeasured locations. In this paper we present a prototype system that automatically generates real-time maps of radioactivity levels and presents results in an interoperable way through a Web Map Service. The system defines a first step towards a emergency management system and is suited primarily for data without large outliers. The automatic interpolation is done using universal kriging in combination with an automatic variogram fitting procedure. The focus is on mathematical and operational issues and on architectural considerations on how to improve the interoperability and portability of the prototype system

Use of remotely-derived bathymetry for modelling biomass in marine environments

The paper presents results on the influence of geometric attributes of satellite-derived raster bathymetric data, namely the General Bathymetric Charts of the Oceans, on spatial statistical modelling of marine biomass. In the initial experiment, both the resolution and projection of the raster dataset are taken into account. It was found that, independently of the equal-area projection chosen for the analysis, the calculated areas are very similar, and the differences between them are insignificant. Likewise, any variation in the raster resolution did not change the computed area. Although the differences were shown to be insignificant, for the subsequent analysis we selected the cylindrical equal area projection, as it implies rectangular spatial extent, along with the automatically derived resolution. Then, in the second experiment, we focused on demersal fish biomass data acquired from trawl samples taken from the western parts of ICES Sub-area VII, near the sea floor. The aforementioned investigation into processing bathymetric data allowed us to build various statistical models that account for a relationship between biomass, sea floor topography and geographic location. We fitted a set of generalised additive models and generalised additive mixed models to combinations of trawl data of the roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris) and bathymetry. Using standard statistical techniques—such as analysis of variance, Akaike information criterion, root mean squared error, mean absolute error and cross-validation—we compared the performance of the models and found that depth and latitude may serve as statistically significant explanatory variables for biomass of roundnose grenadier in the study area. However, the results should be interpreted with caution as sampling locations may have an impact on the biomass–depth relationship

Multiphase procedure for landscape reconstruction and their evolution analysis. GIS modelling for areas exposed to high volcanic risk

This paper – focussed on the province of Naples, where many municipalities with a huge demographic and building density are subject to high volcanic risk owing to the presence of the Campi Flegrei (Phlegrean Fields) caldera and the Somma-Vesuvius complex – highlights the methodological-applicative steps leading to the setting up of a multiphase procedure for landscape reconstruction and their evolution analysis. From the operational point of view, the research led to the: (1) digitalisation, georeferencing and comparison of cartographies of different periods of time and recent satellite images; (2) elaboration and publication of a multilayer Story Map; (3) accurate vectorisation of the data of the buildings, for each period of time considered, and the use of kernel density in 2D and 3D; (4) application of the extrusion techniques to the physical aspects and anthropic structures; (5) production of 4D animations and film clips for each period of time considered. A procedure is thus tested made up of preparatory sequences, leading to a GIS modelling aimed at highlighting and quantifying significant problem areas and high exposure situations and at reconstructing the phases which in time have brought about an intense and widespread growth process of the artificial surfaces, considerably altering the features of the landscape and noticeably showing up the risk values. In a context characterised by land use conflicts and anomalous conditions of anthropic congestion, a diagnostic approach through images in 2D, 3D and 4D is used, with the aim to support the prevention and planning of emergencies, process damage scenarios and identify the main intervention orders, raise awareness and educate to risk, making an impact on the collective imagination through the enhancement of specific geotechnological functionalities of great didactic interest

A Production Method for Conversion of Scanned Historic Aerial Imagery into Orthophotos Using the Rational Function Model

Historical aerial photographs are a valuable resource for the Center for Conservation Biology because they offer land cover and land use data from the past at high spatial resolution. The imagery which the CCB currently holds, however, is not geo-referenced, so finding imagery for a particular site and using it in geographic software is difficult. A method was developed using the rational function model to convert scanned photos into imagery with a spatial reference system, while at the same time correcting for distortions caused by elevation changes. The rational function model uses a digital elevation model and a spatial reference system from USGS DOQQ aerial photographs to reference the historic photographs. In addition, the entire conversion process is documented in an easy to use, step-by-step workflow for use in ArcGIS 10. This will enable the CCB to employ undergraduate assistants to perform the workflow to convert selected collections of historical photographs easily and consistently