1. Cartography
Mapping the World

2. Cartography
The art (science) of map making

3. Cartographer
One who makes or studies maps

4. Main Goal of Maps
To communicate information

5. Map Defined as: a graphic representation of the real world
symbolizes the features or conditions of these locations
Always abstraction of reality
3D to 2 D???

6. The Map Coordinate System
Latitude & Longitude
The Map Coordinate System

7. Direction on a Map: Map Coordinate System
Latitude/longitude
pinpointing a unique location on the Earth’s surface
All maps show same latitude and longitude for a particular point on the Earth’s surface

8. Latitude Distance in degrees north and south of the equator
Measured by parallels
Imaginary lines that circle the world from east to west parallel of the equator
Equator =
0°latitude
North Pole and South Pole =
Points of latitude
90°N and 90°S (1/4 of 360°)

10. 90°N

13. Longitude Distance in degrees east and west of the prime meridian
Measured by meridians
Meridians get closer together the further away from the equator
Used for defining 24 time zones

14. Prime Meridian Starting line for longitudinal system
Passes through Greenwich, England
0° longitude
180° is furthest meridian (360/2)
International Date Line

19. Coordinate System Degrees divided into minutes and seconds Latitude
5°20‘45“
5 degrees, 20 minutes, 45 seconds
Latitude
1° = 111 km
Longitude
No set number of km
1° = 4 minutes of time
15 ° = 1 hour
Read latitude number FIRST, then longitude!!!

24. Finding Latitude in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
Angle of Polaris (North Star) = angle of latitude

25. Practice with Polaris
What is the angle of Polaris at the following points? A B C D E
What happens to the altitude of Polaris as you move from
A to D
B to C

26. Finding Polaris

27. Practice with Polaris
If Polaris is 40° above the horizon, what is your
Latitude
Longitude
If you can’t see Polaris above the horizon, where are you?

28. Great Circles Great circles Small circle
Plane passes through the center of the sphere
Small circle
Plane does not pass through center of sphere

29. Equator
Great circle
Each meridian
Half a great circle

30. Great Circle Route Shortest distance between two points on a sphere
Used for airplane travel

31. Time Zones

32. Earth’s 24 Time Zones Why 24? 15° (longitude) each
24 hours to rotate on its axis
15° (longitude) each

34. Time zones adjusted Local areas same Large areas divided
US has 6 time zones

35. International Date Line
180° meridian (longitude)
Traveling west, advance a day
Traveling east, lose a day
Mon
Sun

36. Scales, Legends & Symbols
Parts of a Map
Scales, Legends & Symbols

37. Map Scales
compares distance on a map with actual distance of section of the Earth’s surface
the smaller the map representation (piece of land), the larger the scale

38. Large Scale
-less area
-more detail
Small Scale
-more area
-less detail

39. Large vs Small Scale
Bigger the number = small ratio = smaller the scale because more area is covered

40. A C B

41. Types of Scales Verbal – Graphic – Numerical (fractional)–
Word statement
“1 centimeter = 50 kilometers”
Graphic –
line is divided into equal parts and marked off into units of equal length
Numerical (fractional)–
a fraction/ratio is used to show what part of true distance the map distance really represents
1/ 100 = any distance is one hundredth of the true distance
1 : 100 = 1 unit of length on the map = 100 times the same unit on the map

43. Legend
Explain what the symbols on a map represents

44. Topographic Map
Show changes in elevation of the Earth’s surface, as well as, other features
Mountains, rivers, forests, bridges

45. Contours Lines
Connect points of equal elevation

46. Fields & Isolines Field Isoline
Region in which a similar quantity can be measured at every point or location
Isoline
Lines that connect points of equal field value

50. Contour Interval Difference between contour lines
Index contour = elevation written
Difference between contour lines
= 400 ft

51. Reading Topographic Maps

52. The Rules Map scale Contour interval Direction of stream flow
Steepest section
Benchmark
Depression
Islands
Highest elevation

53. X = Benchmark – scientifically determined elevation
“V” contour lines point to origin of river (point “up” stream)

54. Water flows down hill
V points up hill

55. Closed depression
Gentle slope
Steep slope

56. Topographic Profile
Shows the shape of the land along one part of the map

59. Relief Difference in elevation Between any two points
Highest elevation & lowest elevation

60. Relief Map indicates elevation topographic map Shading, colors
Special type of relief map

63. Calculating Gradients
Change in the steepness of the slope
Change in elevation ÷ distance

65. Making Maps

66. Problem… Earth is a sphere!
Something (shape, distance or direction) is ALWAYS distorted

67. Accuracy
Depends on the size of the area
Smaller area, more accurate

68. Convert 3D to 2D with Map Projections

69. Map Projections Representation of curved Earth shown on a flat surface
Most accurate where paper touches globe
3 basic types
Cylindrical (Mercator)
Planar (Gnomonic)
Conic

70. Mercator Cylindrical projection
Shows the whole world on a continuous map (except polar regions)
Parallel latitude and longitude lines
Most accurate around the equator
Or wherever paper cylinder touches globe
Distorted distances and shapes
High latitudes are inaccurate

74. Conic Projection Project points and lines from a globe onto a cone
Cone touches globe at a particular line of latitude
Only used for small areas
Most accurate projection - nearly correct in all respects
Useful in making
Topographic maps
Road maps
Weather maps

77. Gnomonic
Project points and lines from a globe onto a piece of paper touching the globe at a single point
shows shortest route between two points on the Earth
useful for planning airplane flights and ocean trips
problem – directions and distances are distorted

81. Great Circles Great circles Small circle
Plane passes through the center of the sphere
Small circle
Plane does not pass through center of sphere

82. Equator
Great circle
Each meridian
Half a great circle

83. Great Circle Route Shortest distance between two points on a sphere
Used for airplane travel

86. Special Projections
Robinson
Goode’s

87. Robinson Projection
Combines the good parts of several other map projections
Minimal distortion of most of the Earth's land masses
Antarctica & northernmost landmasses are still greatly distorted
Commonly considered the best map representation of the size and shape of the Earth's landforms

89. Goode’s oceans interrupted to show the continents
true shape to continents

90. Collecting data about the Earth from far above the Earth’s surface
Remote Sensing
Collecting data about the Earth from far above the Earth’s surface

91. The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Arrangement of electromagnetic radiation according to wavelengths
All travel at the speed of light in a vacuum
km/s

92. Wavelength Distance between two successive peaks Gamma shortest
Radio longest

93. Frequency Number of waves that pass a point per second Gamma = highest
Radio = lowest

94. Remote Sensing Techniques
Satellites
Landsat
Topex/poseidon
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Sea Beam

95. Landsat Satellites
Receives reflected wavelengths of energy emitted by Earth’s surface
Visible
IR (infrared)
Used for
Earth’s features (rivers, forests…)
Movement of Earth’s plates
Earthquakes
Pollution

97. Topex/Poseidon Satellite
Uses radar to map features on the ocean floor
Tidal currents
Global ocean currents
Uses echo to determine distance
Time from sent signal to received signal

99. The Geographic Positioning System (GPS)
Radio-navigation system of 24+ satellites
High frequency microwaves
Determine exact position on the Earth
Precise latitude & longitude
Other uses include
Detect earthquakes
Create maps
Airplane/ship navigation
Track wildlife

100. GPS satellites triangulate points on the Earth’s surface.

101. Using remote sensing satellites in space, the GPS system can locate points to within inches of its actual location.

102. Sea Beam
Uses sonar from a ship to map the ocean-floor features