Abstract
Choropleth mapping is an essential visualization technique for exploratory spatial data analysis. Visualizing multiple choropleth maps is a technique that spatial analysts use to reveal spatiotemporal patterns of one variable or to compare the geographical distributions of multiple variables. Critical features for effective exploration of multiple choropleth maps are (1) automated computation of the same class intervals for shading different choropleth maps, (2) dynamic visualization of local variation in a variable, and (3) linking for synchronous exploration of multiple choropleth maps. Since the 1990s, these features have been developed and are now included in many commercial geographic information system (GIS) software packages. However, many choropleth mapping tools include only one or two of the three features described above. On the other hand, freely available mapping tools that support side-by-side multiple choropleth map visualizations are usually desktop software only. As a result, most existing tools supporting multiple choropleth-map visualizations cannot be easily integrated with Web-based and open-source data visualization libraries, which have become mainstream in visual analytics and geovisualization. To fill this gap, we introduce an open-source Web-based choropleth mapping tool called the Adaptive Choropleth Mapper (ACM), which combines the three critical features for flexible choropleth mapping.
Highlights
A choropleth map visualizes different values of measurement or a property with different shading or coloring across different geographic regions [1]
To visualize data in a choropleth map, class intervals are computed according to a classification scheme, and a graduated color palette is used to differentiate polygons belonging to each class
To fill the gap in choropleth mapping implementations, we developed an open-source Web-based choropleth mapping tool called the Adaptive Choropleth Mapper (ACM), which integrates the three critical components mentioned above
Summary
A choropleth map visualizes different values of measurement or a property with different shading or coloring across different geographic regions [1]. To reveal the spatiotemporal patterns of a particular variable (e.g., Figure S1) or to compare the spatial distributions of different variables within the same region (e.g., Figure S2), it is often necessary to create multiple choropleth maps. In this case, each map represents a different variable or time-step. Using the ACM, users can (1) automatically compute and set the same class intervals for one or more choropleth maps, (2) visualize the local spatial structure of choropleth maps with the click of one button, and (3) link multiple choropleth maps, with each representing a different variable, for a side-by-side comparison. The conclusion section summarizes this study and mentions where users can access the ACM, which is provided as free and open-source software to support open science
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