Lecture

Vector and Image Modes

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Description

This lecture introduces the fundamental objects in geographic information systems, focusing on vector and raster modes. It covers spatial elements, irregular and regular observation units, thematic dimensions, and scale considerations in spatial modeling.

In MOOC

Geographical Information Systems 1

In this first part of the course, we will focus on the digitization and the storage of geodata. In particular, you will learn:

To characterize spatial objects and/or phenomena (territory modeling) with respect to their position in space (through coordinate systems, projections, and spatial relationships) and according to their intrinsic nature (object/vector mode vs. Image/raster mode);
About the different means used to acquire spatial data; including direct measurement, georeferencing images, digitiza

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Related concepts (8)

Spatial analysis

Spatial analysis is any of the formal techniques which studies entities using their topological, geometric, or geographic properties. Spatial analysis includes a variety of techniques using different analytic approaches, especially spatial statistics. It may be applied in fields as diverse as astronomy, with its studies of the placement of galaxies in the cosmos, or to chip fabrication engineering, with its use of "place and route" algorithms to build complex wiring structures.

Geographic information system

A geographic information system (GIS) consists of integrated computer hardware and software that store, manage, analyze, edit, output, and visualize geographic data. Much of this often happens within a spatial database, however, this is not essential to meet the definition of a GIS. In a broader sense, one may consider such a system also to include human users and support staff, procedures and workflows, the body of knowledge of relevant concepts and methods, and institutional organizations.

Spatial memory

In cognitive psychology and neuroscience, spatial memory is a form of memory responsible for the recording and recovery of information needed to plan a course to a location and to recall the location of an object or the occurrence of an event. Spatial memory is necessary for orientation in space. Spatial memory can also be divided into egocentric and allocentric spatial memory. A person's spatial memory is required to navigate around a familiar city. A rat's spatial memory is needed to learn the location of food at the end of a maze.

Geographic information science

Geographic information science (GIScience, GISc) or geoinformation science is a scientific discipline at the crossroads of computational science, social science, and natural science that studies geographic information, including how it represents phenomena in the real world, how it represents the way humans understand the world, and how it can be captured, organized, and analyzed. It is a sub-field of geography, specifically part of technical geography.

Geographic data and information

Geographic data and information is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as data and information having an implicit or explicit association with a location relative to Earth (a geographic location or geographic position). It is also called geospatial data and information, georeferenced data and information, as well as geodata and geoinformation. Approximately 90% of government sourced data has a location component. Location information (known by the many names mentioned here) is stored in a geographic information system (GIS).

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Discrete variables: Geometric properties MOOC: Geographical Information Systems 2

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Spatial Arrangement and Neighborhood of Discrete Variables

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Spatial Discrete Variables, Spatial Arrangement and Neighborhood MOOC: Geographical Information Systems 2

Covers spatial arrangement, neighborhood, and statistical measures for analyzing spatial patterns in geographic information systems.

Georeferencing of Images MOOC: Geographical Information Systems 1