1.2 Contents

Preface xi

Part 1 Geospatial Data and GPS

CHAPTER 1

It’s a Geospatial World Out There

An Introduction to Geospatial Technologies, Geospatial Data, Geospatial Jobs, and Google Earth 1

What Is Geospatial Technology? 2

Who Uses Geospatial Technology? 2

What Is Geospatial Data? 8

What Does All This Have to Do with Geography? 12

What Is Google Earth? 14

Geospatial Lab Application 1.1: Introduction to Geospatial Concepts and Google Earth 19

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     1.1 What Happens to Privacy in a Geospatial World? 16

     Hands-on Applications

     1.1 Industries Using Geospatial Technology 3

     1.2 Jobs in the Geospatial Field 4

     1.3 Mapping Data Layers Online 10

     1.4 Examining Real Estate Values Online 11

     1.5 Geospatial Technology and Emergency Preparedness 11

     1.6 The Geospatial Revolution Will Be Televised 12

     1.7 User-Generated Geospatial Content Online 14

     1.8 The Google Earth Plug-In 17

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 18

CHAPTER 2

Where in the Geospatial World Are You?

Locations in a Digital World, Position Measurements, Datums, Coordinate Systems, GCS, Map Projections, UTM, and SPCS 33

What Is a Datum? 34

What Is a Geographic Coordinate System? 35

How Can Real-World Data Be Translated onto a Two-Dimensional Surface? 41

What Is UTM? 44

What Is SPCS? 47

Geospatial Lab Application 2.1: Coordinates and Position Measurements 52

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     2.1 Do You Really Need Printed Maps in a Digital World? 40

     Hands-on Applications

     2.1 Great Circle Distance Calculations 40

     2.2 Examining the Effects of Different Map Projections 43

     2.3 Converting from Latitude/Longitude to UTM 47

     2.4 Using the State Plane Coordinate System 50

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 51

CHAPTER 3

Getting Your Data to Match the Map

Reprojecting, Georeferencing, Control Points, and Transformations 58

How Can You Align Different Geospatial Datasets to Work Together? 58

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What Is Georeferencing? 60

How Can Data Be Georeferenced? 62

How Is Data Transformed to a Georeferenced Format? 65

Geospatial Lab Application 3.1: Georeferencing an Image 72

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     3.1 What Happens When Measurements Don’t Match Up? 59

     3.2 What Happens When the Georeferencing Is Wrong? 69

     Hands-on Applications

     3.1 David Rumsey Historical Map Collection 61

     3.2 Online Georeferencing Resources 65

     3.3 Georeferenced National Park Maps 69

     3.4 An Overview of the Georeferencing Process in ArcGIS 70

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 71

CHAPTER 4

Finding Your Location with the Global Positioning System

GPS Origins, Position Measurement, Errors, Accuracy, GNSS around the World, Applications, and Geocaching 80

Who Made GPS? 81

What Does the Global Positioning System Consist Of? 81

How Does GPS Find Your Position? 84

Why Isn’t GPS Perfectly Accurate? 88

How Can You Get Better Accuracy from GPS? 91

What Other GNSS Are There Beyond GPS? 92

What Are Some Applications of GPS? 94

Geospatial Lab Application 4.1: GPS Applications 100

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     4.1 What Happens if GPS Stops Working? 97

     Hands-on Applications

     4.1 Trilateration Concepts 87

     4.2 Things to Do Before You Go Geocaching 96

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 99

Part 2 Geographic Information Systems

CHAPTER 5

Working with Digital Geospatial Data and GIS

Geographic Information Systems, Modeling the Real World, Vector Data and Raster Data, Attribute Data, Joining Tables, Metadata, Esri, ArcGIS, and QGIS 109

How Does GIS Represent Real-World Items? 111

How Can You Represent the Real World as Continuous Fields? 117

How Is Non-Spatial Data Handled by GIS? 119

What Other Kind of Information Do You Need to Use GIS Data? 122

What Kinds of GIS Are Available? 124

Geospatial Lab Application 5.1: GIS Introduction: QGIS Version 130

Geospatial Lab Application 5.2: GIS Introduction: ArcGIS Version 143

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     5.1 What Happens When You Don’t Have Metadata? 123

     Hands-on Applications

     5.1 Using GIS Online 110

     5.2 ArcGIS Online 112

     5.3 USGS Digital Line Graphs 115

     5.4 The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 118

     5.5 Esri ArcNews, ArcUser, and ArcWatch 126

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 128

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CHAPTER 6

Using GIS for Spatial Analysis

Database Query and Selection, Buffers, Overlay Operations, Geoprocessing Concepts, and Modeling with GIS 158

How Can Data Be Retrieved From a GIS for Analysis? 159

How Can You Perform Basic Spatial Analysis in GIS? 163

How Can Multiple Types of Spatial Analysis Operations Be Performed in GIS? 170

Geospatial Lab Application 6.1: GIS Spatial Analysis: QGIS Version 177

Geospatial Lab Application 6.2: GIS Spatial Analysis: ArcGIS Version 188

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     6.1 What Are Potential Societal or Policy Impacts of GIS Models? 175

     Hands-on Applications

     6.1 Building SQL Queries in GIS 162

     6.2 Working with Buffers in GIS 166

     6.3 The Land Transformation Model 174

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 176

CHAPTER 7

Using GIS to Make a Map

Scale, Map Elements, Map Layouts, Type, Thematic Maps, Data Classification Methods, Color Choices, and Digital Map Distribution Formats 198

How Does the Scale of the Data Affect the Map (and Vice Versa)? 199

What Are Some Design Elements Included in Maps? 202

How Is Data Displayed on a GIS Map? 205

What Kinds of Colors Are Best to Use with GIS Maps? 211

How Can GIS Maps Be Exported and Distributed? 212

Geospatial Lab Application 7.1: GIS Layouts: QGIS Version 215

Geospatial Lab Application 7.2: GIS Layouts: ArcGIS Version 229

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     7.1 Why is Map Design Important? 199

     Hands-on Applications

     7.1 Powers of 10 – A Demonstration of Scale 202

     7.2 TypeBrewer Online 204

     7.3 Presidential Election Thematic Maps 206

     7.4 Interactive Thematic Mapping Online 210

     7.5 ColorBrewer Online 212

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 214

CHAPTER 8

Getting There Quicker with Geospatial Technology

Vehicle Navigation Systems, Road Maps in a Digital World, Creating a Street Network, Geocoding, Shortest Paths, and Street Networks Online 244

How Do You Model a Network for Geospatial Technology? 246

How Is Address Matching Performed? 250

How Are Shortest Paths Found? 255

How Are Networks Used in Geospatial Technology? 259

Geospatial Lab Application 8.1: Geocoding and Shortest Path Analysis: QGIS Version 264

Geospatial Lab Application 8.2: Geocoding and Shortest Path Analysis: ArcGIS Version 282

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     8.1 What Happens When the Maps Are Incorrect? 245

     8.2 What Kind of Issues Come with Google Street View? 261

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     Hands-on Applications

     8.1 TIGER Files Online 248

     8.2 Geocoding Using Online Resources 253

     8.3 Solve Your Network Problems with Dijkstra 256

     8.4 Online Mapping and Routing Applications and Shortest Paths 257

     8.5 Examining Google Street View 261

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 262

Part 3 Remote Sensing

CHAPTER 9

Remotely Sensed Images from Above

Where Aerial Photography Came From, Color Infrared Photos, Orthophotos, Oblique Photos, Visual Image Interpretation, and Photogrammetric Measurements 299

How Did Aircraft Photography Develop? 300

What Are the Different Types of Aerial Photos? 305

How Can You Interpret Objects in an Aerial Image? 312

How Can You Make Measurements from an Aerial Photo? 316

Geospatial Lab Application 9.1: Visual Imagery Interpretation 321

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     9.1 How Can UAVs Be Used for Security Purposes? 304

     Hands-on Applications

     9.1 World War II Aerial Photography Online 304

     9.2 Examining CIR Photos 307

     9.3 The National Aerial Photography Program 308

     9.4 NAIP Imagery Online 310

     9.5 Oblique Imagery on Bing Maps 311

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 320

CHAPTER 10

How Remote Sensing Works

Electromagnetic Energy, the Remote Sensing Process, Spectral Reflectance, NDVI, Digital Imagery, and Color Composites 327

What Is Remote Sensing Actually Sensing? 329

What Is the Role of the Atmosphere in Remote Sensing? 332

What Happens to Energy When It Hits a Target on the Ground? 333

How Can Spectral Reflectance Be Used in Remote Sensing? 335

How Do You Display a Digital Remotely Sensed Image? 338

Geospatial Lab Application 10.1: Remotely Sensed Imagery and Color Composites 347

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     10.1 How Does Remote Sensing Affect Your Privacy? 334

     Hands-on Applications

     10.1 Viewing Remotely Sensed Imagery Online 328

     10.2 Examining NDVI with NASA ICE 338

     10.3 Color Tools Online: Color Mixing 341

     10.4 Comparing True Color and False Color Composites 344

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 345

CHAPTER 11

Images from Space

Satellite Remote Sensing, Satellite Orbits, Sensor Resolutions, the Landsat Program, and High-Resolution Satellite Sensors 355

How Do Remote Sensing Satellites Collect Data? 357

What Are the Capabilities of a Satellite Sensor? 361

What Is a Landsat Satellite and What Does It Do? 364

What Satellites Have High-Resolution Sensors? 372

Geospatial Lab Application 11.1: Landsat Imagery 378

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     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     11.1 What Effect Does Satellite Remote Sensing Have on Political Borders? 360

     11.2 What If There Is No Landsat 9? 368

     Hands-on Applications

     11.1 Examining Satellite Orbits in Real Time 358

     11.2 Seeing What the Satellites Can See 363

     11.3 Streaming Landsat Imagery 366

     11.4 Viewing Landsat Imagery with GloVis and LandsatLook 370

     11.5 Applications of Landsat Imagery 372

     11.6 Viewing High-Resolution Satellite Imagery 376

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 377

CHAPTER 12

Studying the Environment from Space

NASA’s Earth Observing System Program, Terra, Aqua, Aura, and Viewing and Examining EOS Imagery 386

What Is Terra and What Can It Do? 387

What Is Aqua and What Does It Do? 394

What Is Aura and What Does It Do? 396

How Can EOS Applications Be Easily Viewed and Analyzed? 399

Geospatial Lab Application 12.1: Earth Observing System Imagery 406

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     12.1 How Can EOS Data Be Used in Studying and Monitoring Climate Change? 399

     Hands-on Applications

     12.1 MODIS Rapid-Fire Online 392

     12.2 ASTER Applications 393

     12.3 Aqua Products and the Visible Earth 396

     12.4 Aura Products and the Visible Earth 399

     12.5 Using the Earth Observatory to Work Interactively with EOS Imagery 401

     12.6 NASA Eyes on the Earth 403

     12.7 Examining Other Environmental Remote Sensing Applications 403

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 404

Part 4 Geospatial Applications

CHAPTER 13

Digital Landscaping

Digital Topographic Maps, Contours, Digital Terrain Modeling, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), NED, SRTM, LIDAR, and 3D Views of Landscapes and Terrain 417

How Can Terrain Be Represented? 418

How Can Geospatial Technology Represent Terrain? 422

What Is a DEM? 424

How Are Terrain Models Created? 425

How Can You Make Terrain Look More Realistic? 427

Geospatial Lab Application 13.1: Digital Terrain Analysis 433

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     13.1 If Everything’s Digital, Do We Still Need Printed Topo Maps? 422

     Hands-on Applications

     13.1 Digital Raster Graphics Online 420

     13.2 US Topo Maps as GeoPDFs 422

     13.3 SRTM Imagery Online 426

     13.4 Terrain and Imagery: Examples in Google Earth 430

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 432

CHAPTER 14

See the World in 3D

3D Geovisualization, 3D Modeling and Design, Prism Maps, SketchUp, and Google Earth in 3D 445

What Is 3D Modeling? 446

How Are 3D Maps Made? 450

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How Can 3D Modeling and Visualization Be Used with Geospatial Technology? 451

How Can Geospatial Data Be Visualized in 3D? 459

Geospatial Lab Application 14.1: 3D Modeling and Visualization 464

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     14.1 What’s the Advantage of Using 3D Design? 449

     Hands-on Applications

     14.1 Creating Prism Maps Online 451

     14.2 Digging into Trimble’s 3D Warehouse 456

     14.3 3D Hawaii 457

     14.4 3D Buildings in Google Earth 458

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 463

CHAPTER 15

Life in the Geospatial Cloud and Other Current Developments

How to Easily Get Data Online, Using the Cloud with Geospatial Technology, Web Maps, Who’s Involved with Geospatial Technology, Geospatial Technologies in K–12 Education, and College and University Geospatial Educational Programs 482

What Other Kinds of Geospatial Data Are Available Online? 483

How Is the Cloud Used with Geospatial Technology? 486

Who Is Involved with Geospatial Technology? 492

How Is Geospatial Technology Used in K–12 Educational Efforts? 494

What Types of Educational Opportunities Are Available with Geospatial Technology? 497

Geospatial Lab Application 15.1: Exploring ArcGIS Explorer 502

     Thinking Critically with Geospatial Technology

     15.1 Who Owns Geospatial Data? 492

     15.2 What’s Next for Geospatial Technologies? 499

     Hands-on Applications

     15.1 Other Freely Available Geospatial Technology Programs and Tools Online 483

     15.2 The National Map Viewer 485

     15.3 Mapping for Everyone 488

     15.4 Creating Web Maps with ArcGIS Online 490

     15.5 ArcGIS for Server Showcase 491

     15.6 More Than a Map—The Google Maps API 491

     15.7 AmericaView and the StateView Programs 494

     15.8 Educational Resources and Lesson Plans 495

     15.9 Degree Programs and Certificates for Geospatial Technology 498

     Apps, Blogs, and Social Media 500

Glossary G-1

Index I-1

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