1. Geography 417/517: Introduction to GIS Introductory Materials

2. Course Topics  Motivation: Why GIS?  Data Models  Map Projections and Coordinate Systems  Data entry - Digitizing  Data entry - GPS  Data entry - Digital data  Image data  Tables  Basic Spatial Analysis  Raster Analyses  Spatial Models and Modeling  Data Quality  The Future

3. Why does GIS matter?  Health Care  Locate new clinics/hospitals  Delivery Companies  Routes and schedules  Transportation  New highways  Forestry  Where to cut, plant, or build  Governments  Allocate funds  Travelers  Driving directions, hotels  Farmers  Fertilizer and pesticides

4. Why Learn GIS? GIS is Everywhere

5. Why computerize manual methods?   To bring together data from multiple sources (synthesis)   Analytical power   measure distance, density, area   overlay and buffer   adjacency and proximity   vicinity (neighborhood)   networks   visibility   Flexibility   Output Quality

6. Why GIS?  Resource depletion/degradation  Increased problem complexity  Demands by the political body  Improved capabilities  Increased competition

7. Why GIS?  Expanded capabilities  Do the impossible  Improved efficiency  Reduce speed of analysis 10-fold or more

8. Why GIS?  Convenient storage and retrieval (paper maps)  Some issues with paper maps  Difficult to update/edit  Many types of analysis are problematic/complex  e.g. overlay, proximity analysis  Data integration is difficult  Large volumes of data

9. Why GIS?  GIS provides  Data integration and standardization  Methods for managing large volumes of data

10. Why GIS?  GIS provides  Advanced spatial analysis capabilities

11. Why GIS?  GIS provides  Automation of repetitive tasks  Sophisticated means of communication: distribution and output

12. Applications of GIS Four basic categories:  Environmental/natural resource management  Urban and regional management  Infrastructure management  Commercial

13. Monitoring and Mapping Sea Ice in near Real Time

14. Why GIS? Pavement quality inventory and monitoring

15. Why GIS?  Sustaining Lobster Fisheries in Penobscot Bay  Why is it important?  Fisheries stocks dwindling lobster population, an economic mainstay with sustainable harvests

16. From Observations and Process Knowledge to Prediction and Action

17. What is a GIS?  Geographic Information System

18. What is a GIS?  Geographic Information System

19. Overview of GIS Architecture Spatial data are organized into layers

20. Overview of GIS Architecture Spatial data layers are registered  states  counties  roads  rivers  cities

21. Overview of GIS Architecture Attribute data are associated with spatial feature State: New Jersey Pop: 7,730,188 Gov: C. Whitman

22. Overview of GIS Architecture Attribute data are stored in tables State NamePopulationGovernor New Jersey7,730,188C. Whitman Pennsylvania11,881,643 T. Ridge Etc…

23. Spatial data and attribute table are ‘linked’ together State Name PopulationGovernor New Jersey7,730,188 C. Whitman Pennsylvania 11,881,643T. Ridge Etc… Overview of GIS Architecture

24.  We usually understand GIS to be computer-facilitated system  GIS is NOT only software/hardware  Also includes:  Trained personnel  Supporting Institution  Protocols for use Overview of GIS Architecture