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GISGeographic Information Systems (GIS)andSpatial Data
What is a GIS?
At the most basic level, a GIS is acomputer system capable of storingand manipulating spatial data
What is a GIS?^ ^ Mapping is a key output of GIS but is notthe whole story.^
GIS stores the spatial data that is used tomake maps. GIS is an analysis tool
A GIS is a tool to answerspatial questions …^ ^ Where is a site where certain conditions aresatisfied?^ ^ What changes have occurred since the lasttime data was collected?^
How will the runoff rate for a basin change if theland use changes?
^ What spatial patterns exist in your data?
Questions the user needs toask: ^ Using a GIS, a suggested process for^ users:^ ^
What questions do you want answers for? What data do you need to find the answers? How do you process your data to find the answers to your questions?
How does a GIS work?
^ Data acquisition^
Field collection with GPS Scan maps Digitize Maps
^ Data integration^
Projection and registration Data structures or data types^ (raster vs vector)
^ Mapping and analysis tools
Spatial Analysis ^ Compare different layers of spatial data ^ Combine elements of diverse data
Points in Polygon^ Which land use is well #1 sited in?
Vectorprocessing
Buffers
What are the characteristicsa stream?
Vector processing of land within 50 meters of
Visibility
What land is visiblefrom the selectedlocation? Raster processing
Data in a GIS …
What is spatial data? ^ Any data that is associated with a specificgeographic location^ ^
Aerial photography Remotely sensed imagery Road networks Wetlands delineation Stream gauges Dam sites
Spatial Data Types^ ^
Raster^ ^ Remotely Sensed Imagery (with datafor individual bands), DEMs Vector^ ^ Points^ ^ Lines^ ^ Polygons Image^ ^ (scanned images, georeferenced)
Raster data^ ^ Matrix of numbers (or cells)^ ^ Represents the entire area, whether anyof the map phenomena exists or not^ ^ Best representation for phenomena thatvaries continuously over the surface ofthe earth (rainfall, elevation)