CartoVis: A Web-based Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis Application Ryan Stanley West Virginia University

Introduction Project Objective –Create a prototype web-based Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) application that allows users to upload, visualize, and explore spatial data in 2D and 3D –Implement a select suite of graphing and geovisualization tools that illustrate the possibility of ESDA in a web environment

Application Layout Map View Graph View Table View Menu Bar

Application Features Mapping –Choropleth equal intervals standard deviation quantile box plot natural breaks (Jenks) –Continuous Area Cartogram –3D choropleth Graphing – Histogram – Scatterplot – Box Plot – Parallel Coordinate Plot Other Features –Attribute table –Brushing and linking –Map labels –Basemaps

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EDA and ESDA Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) –John W. Tukey, 1977, Exploratory Data Analysis –Emphasis on graphical analysis of data –Hypothesis generation rather than hypothesis testing –A philosophical approach to data analysis ESDA –The merging of spatial data analysis and EDA –A collection of techniques used to describe and visualize spatial data distributions

Geovisualization The application of graphics to understand relationships and patterns in spatial data International Cartographic Association definition: –visualization in scientific computing (ViSC) –cartography –image analysis –information visualization –exploratory data analysis (EDA) –tools for visual exploration, analysis, synthesis, and presentation of geospatial data

Languages and Libraries HTML5 CSS3 Python (Django) JavaScript GDAL PostgreSQL TopoJSON Linux Server JavaScript Libraries D3.js TopoJSON.js Colorbrewer.js jQuery and jQuery UI jQuery Datatables Leaflet Cartogram.js JavaScript Topology Suite simple-statistics.js Three.js

Future Considerations More statistical functions/tools Include spatial statistics functions (e.g. Moran’s I) using PySal Additional graph types Print to PDF/ Reports Additional options for symbolizing 3D features

Conclusion CartoVis.com –A prototype web-based Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) application that allows users to upload, visualize, and explore spatial data in 2D and 3D –Lays the groundwork for creating a fully featured web-based ESDA application