The plane crash and death of Prince George, (the Queen’s uncle) 1942 Local interest map: The plane crash and death of Prince George, (the Queen’s uncle) 1942 Too many lines for black and white ? Plane crashed on hillside due to inability of a seaplane to climb The route of the S-25 Sunderland Mk III on 25th August, 1942

Relief depiction The representation of topography contrasts with other map elements: ….. there is a third dimension (height) that varies continuously over space It has several components such as height, slope, shape ->->-> points, lines, areas It can be the major visual component of the map and affects the other elements The techniques vary in how effective they are visually and quantitatively

1. Sugar loafs Idealized depictions from a side or oblique view; the only form of topography on early maps (pre-1700)

Modern use of sugar loafs .. Includes fantasy maps ! http://www.cartographersguild.com/

2. Hachures Hachures are lines of varying width and length to depict slope steepness, drawn in the direction of steepest slope. This was the main type of relief depiction through the 19th century, lacking exact elevations. In 1800 only 50 mountains heights were plotted worldwide

Disadvantages of hachures Hachures were systematized in 1799, where line width is proportional to steepness. Disadvantages of hachures - time-consuming to produce, obscures other information - not very effective except in mountainous terrain Hachures with oblique illumination

Continuing use of hachures Steep enbankments Mountain cliffs http://www.richardphillips.org.uk/maps/symbols.html http://www.gitta.info/TopoCart/en/html/ContTopo_learningObject2.html

3. Contours Accurate surveying of elevations in Canada was developed in the 19th century, but elevation heights became common in the 20th century. A contour is an isarithm: line of equal elevation values  Index contours – every 5th contour Supplemented with spot heights http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/maps/cat/images/contours-spot.jpg

Contours Exploring Earth website - visualising contours http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/topo101/elevation_e.php Exploring Earth website - visualising contours Contours are mapped from stereo-photography

NTS Contour Interval: (Normal, Hilly, Steep) 1:50,000 = 10, or 20, or 40m ; 1:250,000: 50m, or 100m, or 200m Contour interval (the distance between contour lines) depends on terrain and map scale Index contours are symbolized as wider lines and usually every 5th contour. Kechika 94L 1:250,000 -> Prince George, 93G15 1:50,000

Advantages of contours it is the most quantitative method – easy to store elevations it is the origin for most other techniques, and is familiar to many users Disadvantages it is abstract (there are no lines on the ground);  poorly suited to small scales less visual, depending on: contour interval, landscape type, and experience. These disadvantages were recognized early on and led to other methods … 1:50,000 Horseshoe Bay, BC 1:250,000 Banff, AB

4. Hypsometric Tints The addition of colour to elevation levels, first tried as early as 1830. Colour schemes require graduation, a logical sequence, realistic colours, and the darkest enabling readable text. Atlas of Canada online

Hypsometric Advantages adds visual impact, mostly at small scale; easily applied and understood Disadvantages exaggerated terrace effect, no new real 'information' is added, differential contrast with other elements, and mixed color associations, (green  with  forest, etc.) which colour scheme?..  NOT the one below !

5. Shaded relief The addition of shadows to give the illusion of depth, with a NorthWest light source (at ~45 degrees elevation). It was introduced in the C19 but more widespread after 1960

Eduard Imhof Eduard Imhof (1895-1986) was a professor of cartography at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich 1925 - 1965. His fame stems from his relief shading work on school maps and atlases.

Shaded relief Advantages Highly visual, continuous in appearance (as in reality), Can show detail and character of landscape; suitable over a variety of scales Disadvantages Manually - required artistic creation with pencil or air brush; It was costly and often poorly rendered, some slopes can be very dark

Manual Hillshading examples

Combining contours and hillshading See also this site: http://www.gitta.info/TopoCart/en/html/ContTopo_learningObject2.html

BC – aeronautical map, 1:500,000 – contours, tints, shading

Columbia Icefield, 1981 … contours, shading and rock hachures using imported swiss cartographers

6. Tanaka illuminated contours pioneered in the 1950s by Kitiro Tanaka applying shading theory to contours. NW light source, white and black lines, variable width

Tanaka Advantages - visual and is also quantitative;  and unlike shading, it did not require artistic ability Disadvantages Requires a non-white background; visually exaggerates terracing; poor image if not rugged terrain Sooke, by Dolores Janzen

7. Slope zones (Nose Hill Park, Calgary) These were not common, as they could only be interpreted from contour maps, but show the importance of slope in determining human land use

PG Map – significant slopes

8. 3D perspectives Advantage: the most visual portrayal of landscape Disadvantages:   time-consuming to produce (before computers); no consistent scale

http://www. informationdesigned. com/html/maps/louise http://www.informationdesigned.com/html/maps/louise.html (Eckhard Zeidler)

‘Interesting’ local example … 3D sugar-loafs meet hobbits and skidoos

Physical Models: Challenger map (1947-54) 25 x 25 m ~1:50,000

http://www.challengermap.org

Where is another 3D model?

Columbia Icefields 3D model

Summary of common relief depiction methods (prior to automation) TECHNIQUE COMPONENT FEATURES Sugar loafs shape stylistic  Hachures slope too much ink, no heights Spot Heights elevation sporadic info  Contours common but abstract Hyps. tints multiple colours Shaded relief aspect Visual, artistic Tanaka visual but 'noisy' Slope maps uniform slope areas 3D perspectives visual, costly, no scale Physical models all true 3D – takes up space