Cartographic Products Research Articles

Invisible favelas

This article presents the first part of the results of a study on the presence and/ or absence of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas in the city’s cartography. Different data sources were used: research in the municipal archives—including the Rio’s first aerial photographs ever made, cartographic records and infrastructure maps from the 1920s and 1930s; research in building codes; and research on digital cartographic platforms. The aim of the article is to investigate when and how the urban phenomenon of favelas officially appears in the city’s records and to reflect on how this late and inconsistent recognition may have affected the existence of the phenomenon itself, since its lack of official recognition created bureaucratic barriers to public administration actions. The argument of this article is that cartographic production has kept the favela an invisible part of the city and how, especially in recent decades, this invisibility has been a political choice. The article concludes that the choice for invisibility has contributed to these large territories becoming deeply embedded in the city’s urban fabric.

Surface Reconstruction from SLAM-Based Point Clouds: Results from the Datasets of the 2023 SIFET Benchmark

The rapid technological development that geomatics has been experiencing in recent years is leading to increasing ease, productivity and reliability of three-dimensional surveys, with portable laser scanner systems based on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology, gradually replacing traditional techniques in certain applications. Although the performance of such systems in terms of point cloud accuracy and noise level has been deeply investigated in the literature, there are fewer works about the evaluation of their use for surface reconstruction, cartographic production, and as-built Building Information Model (BIM) creation. The objective of this study is to assess the suitability of SLAM devices for surface modeling in an urban/architectural environment. To this end, analyses are carried out on the datasets acquired by three commercial portable laser scanners in the context of a benchmark organized in 2023 by the Italian Society of Photogrammetry and Topography (SIFET). In addition to the conventional point cloud assessment, we propose a comparison between the reconstructed mesh and a ground-truth model, employing a model-to-model methodology. The outcomes are promising, with the average distance between models ranging from 0.2 to 1.4 cm. However, the surfaces modeled from the terrestrial laser scanning point cloud show a level of detail that is still unmatched by SLAM systems.

Разработка концепции познавательного картографирования

The article deals with the idea of cognitive mapping, which is going through a new round of development today and is aimed at understanding the surrounding world with the help of specialized cartographic products, taking into account certain aspects. The author indicates the main objectives of government programs related to spreading scientific knowledge and development of civil science, stated by the government of the Russian Federation. The previously published cognitive cartographic products are examined; the research method and that of cognitive mapping are used. A list of corresponding production is given; it requires theoretical justification and description, as well as developing conceptual components of geospatial cognitive models-and-map-creating idea. Three aspects of the concept of cognitive mapping are described; they are personal characteristics of the user, functional features of the mentioned method and principles for creating geospatial cognitive models and maps

Avaliação da precisão da técnica Structure from Motion aplicada ao Mapeamento Fotogramétrico de Corredores

The advantages offered by the use of RPA technology combined with the algorithms implemented by the SfM technique and its variants have made Photogrammetry supported by RPA and SfM an economical, fast and widely used solution in various branches of Engineering. Despite many studies on the accuracy achieved in digital cartographic products generated through these technologies, little is discussed about the case of corridors. In this context, the objective of this work is to investigate the positional accuracy achieved in the mapping of a 1.3 km long corridor through the adoption of different amounts of control points and different amounts of lanes. Accuracy assessment was performed based on the Mean Square Error (NDE) values of the checkpoints and trend analysis. The experiments showed that the adoption of control points positioned every five and ten photogrammetric bases can achieve accuracy between 2-2.6 GSD and eliminate planimetric and altimetric statistical trends in the RMSE values of the checkpoints that adopt two or three bands. In addition, the experiments performed showed that increasing the number of bands does not necessarily imply a decrease in the NDE values of checkpoint discrepancies.

MONITORING OF BOUNDARIES OF IMMOVABLE OBJECTS OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE BY CARTOMETRIC METHOD

Today, the most effective methods of studying polygonal objects of historical and cultural heritage are cartometric and remote (mainly based on the processing of remote sensing data). If necessary, also use archeology, but only after using the specified methods. This work presents the application of the cartometric method using GIS technologies on the example of determining the boundaries of Jewish cemeteries in the village of Gornostaypil, Kyiv region, which is located on the border of the Chernobyl thirty-kilometer exclusion zone, and in the village of Olyka, Volyn region. Today, the territory of the cemeteries is not used for burials, and in the Soviet period, in the village of Gornostaypil, it was built up with administrative and economic buildings, in the village of Olyka, partly by the private sector. Both archival and modern cartographic products and remote sensing data served as input data. Thus, all cartographic products are small-scale, due to the display of objects and the generalization of the border and area of cemeteries, they are displayed distorted, so their use is conditioned by the study of the dynamics of the elevation of cemeteries. To display the historical boundaries of objects in the modern urban planning picture, plans of cemeteries on a scale of 1:500 were created using geodetic methods using GNSS surveying.

Lithostructural Control in the Development of Potholes in the Rock Bed of the Carnaúba River, Seridó Geopark, NE Brazil

Granitic forms resulting from turbulent flow, with hydraulic vortices, characterize the rocky bed of the lower course of the Carnaúba River, in a geosite of the Seridó Geopark, in the Seridó Oriental microregion, Northeast Brazil. These forms constitute a variety of types of potholes that individually represent various stages of evolution, in addition to reflecting the variation in the erosive potential of river flow throughout the Quaternary. From a bibliographical review, fieldwork (quantification and measurements of the potholes), high-resolution photogrammetry and morphostructural analysis of the generated cartographic products, it was possible to establish a correlation between the preferential orientation of the potholes and the direction of the planes of weakness, as well as the classification of potholes by morphometric parameters. In this work it was demonstrated that the efficiency of hydraulic vortices is associated with discontinuity structures and the mineralogical composition of granite facies, with abrasive erosion being responsible for sculpting potholes, with different dimensions and geometries. In the rocky bed of the Carnaúba River, the small potholes deepen and their diameter evolves into cylindrical shapes as the turbulent vertical flow increases, eventually becoming sigmoidal. The lateral potholes, located on the walls of the river channel, are deeper than they are wide, and represent a destructive phase of evolution.

Virtual reality in geoeducation: the case of the Lesvos Geopark

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of cartographic results obtained from data acquired with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to the management procedures of geoheritage monuments, specifically in geoeducation. 2D orthophotomaps and 3D textured meshes of a fossil site in the Lesvos Geopark, Greece, which has been monitored since 2018, were generated. The data recordings were collected using a UAV at different flight altitudes for three different cartographic scales. After acquiring UAV and Global Navigation Satellite Systems data, the resulting cartographic products were used to create educational material on geosites. This material was used to deliver lectures to students in various settings: (a) in situ at the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, (b) live in a traditional classroom, (c) remotely via e-class software, and (d) in a collaborative Virtual Reality environment. Feedback was provided by students through customized questionnaires, and their knowledge acquisition was assessed post-lecture with specially designed assignments. The final section of this work compares learning experiences and knowledge acquisition across these different environments. The results contribute to the debate on 2D and 3D cartography in geoeducation, quantifying the value of new materials in understanding spatial and geographic features and improving geoheritage management.

Compound hazard mapping for tropical cyclone-induced concurrent wind and rainfall extremes over India

India is the worst affected region in the world by tropical cyclones (TCs), causing an average 2% annual GDP loss. TCs instigate many other natural hazards that have a compounding effect on the adversely affected population and present significant challenges to the resilience of emergency response systems and infrastructure. Hence, any risk assessment on TC is inherently multivariate/compound in nature. This study investigates co-occurring wind and rainfall extremes during TCs across India (1979–2020) using a novel quasi-Lagrangian approach, focusing on location-specific hazards. Eastern coastal states and adjacent inland areas experience the highest frequency (≥10 cyclones in 40 years) of concurrent extremes (wind gusts ≥ 16 m/s and rainfall ≥ 18 mm/h). Whereas duration-wise, the eastern coastal states and Gujarat state experience frequent concurrent extremes lasting more than a day annually, with the Krishna–Godavari delta region particularly vulnerable to highly severe events (duration of concurrent extremes ≥ 24 h). This study provides a high-resolution cartographic product of compound hazard from TC-induced extremes for the first time over the entire India, highlighting regional heterogeneity and aiding targeted national-level risk mitigation and adaptation planning.

Organic prodution in Minas Gerais: analysis of the cooperation circle controlled by certifiers

The present essay aims to identify, analyze, and propose diagnoses regarding cooperation circles, theorized by geographer Milton Santos, in the production of organic food, focusing on municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It aims to highlight the main interactions and connections between organizations associated with and linked to the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) and various educational institutions, which influence the production process towards a model of organic, participatory, and solidarity-based agriculture. The work also explores how these interactions manifest concretely in the formation of circles linked to PGS entities, such as Participatory Conformity Assessment Bodies (PCABs) and Social Control Organizations (SCOs). As results, the research presents cartographic products related to these agents, through an analysis of their activities at municipal and state levels, emphasizing how these connections can challenge the conventional certification process associated with predominant productive circles. Furthermore, a heterogeneous distribution of these circles is observed in the municipalities of Minas Gerais, where each presents its own scale of representativeness, focusing on different levels of production and interconnection. This typology of dynamics is evident in several municipalities of the state, underscoring the diversity of approaches, along with the importance of decentralizing the agroproductive model, promoting an organic, sustainable, and inclusive agriculture that meets local and regional needs and fosters the resilience of rural communities.

A Novel Drone Design Based on a Reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Wildfire Management

Our study introduces a new approach, leveraging robotics technology and remote sensing for multifaceted applications in forest and wildfire management. Presented in this paper is PULSAR, an innovative UAV with reconfigurable capabilities, able of operating as a quadcopter, a co-axial quadcopter, and a standalone octocopter. Tailored to diverse operational requirements, PULSAR accommodates multiple payloads, showcasing its adaptability and versatility. This paper meticulously details material selection and design methods, encompassing both initial and detailed design, while the electronics design section seamlessly integrates essential avionic components. The 3D drone layout design, accomplished using SOLIDWORKS, enhances understanding by showcasing all three different configurations of PULSAR’s structure. Serving a dual purpose, this study highlights UAV applications in forest and wildfire management, particularly in detailed forest mapping, edge computing, and cartographic product generation, as well as detection and tracking of elements, illustrating how a UAV can be a valuable tool. Following the analysis of applications, this paper presents the selection and integration of payloads onto the UAV. Simultaneously, each of the three distinct UAV configurations is matched with a specific forest application, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. Lastly, computational validation of the UAV’s main components’ structural integrity is achieved through finite element analysis (FEA), affirming the absence of issues regarding stress and displacement. In conclusion, this research underscores the efficacy of PULSAR, marking a significant leap forward in applying robotics technology for wildfire science.

Science in the service of politics. The cartographic representation of a local territorial context of the Kingdom of Naples in the early nineteenth century

The erudite priest Marciano Di Leo (1751–1819), a prominent personality in the historical and geographical panorama of his time, not only in his home territory, authored a vast literary and poetic production, but also tried his hand at producing some maps, referring to a province of the Kingdom of Naples. At a time when the principles of geodetic cartography had become increasingly known, even locally, hand in hand with improvements in technology and accuracy of measurements, the author reflects the historical narratives of progress of the European (and Neapolitan) Enlightenment and translates them into an unpublished manuscript of statistical, historical, and geographical nature, accompanied by numerous maps of various scales. The rediscovery of a largely unknown—and therefore not very thorough—minor cartographic production underscores the spread even in more marginal contexts of the most innovative ideas and increasingly precise scientific foundations in the cartographic-mathematical representation of the territory. It also illustrates the role of a number of intellectuals in the service of the political choices of their time, in an attempt-often unrealized-to bring about a decisive change of course in public administration, in accordance with Enlightenment ideals and in the spirit of reform that spread throughout Europe thanks to the French Revolution.

Analysis and systematization of technical means and technologies of augmented reality in cartography

Relevance. In modern cartography, the introduction of advanced digital technologies is taking place continuously, increasing the quality and demand for cartographic products. One of such innovative directions is augmented reality technology, with which you can expand the content of the map using electronic mobile devices. The spread of augmented reality is facilitated by the widespread penetration of high-speed mobile Internet not only into large cities, but also in rural areas, as well as the reduction in the cost of electronic devices and services. Depending on the direction of application of augmented reality in cartography, the approach to the choice of software and hardware is changing. Aim. Analysis and systematization of the technical means and technologies of augmented reality in cartography. Objects. Augmented reality technologies in cartography, augmented reality technical means and their components. Methods. Content analysis of information on technologies, hardware and software for augmented reality in cartography. Results. The authors have analyzed hardware and software tools of augmented reality in cartography. They proposed the options for working with augmented reality in the form of scenario plans for three types of augmented reality in cartography: marker, markerless and spatial technologies. The minimum technical requirements of developers for the use of existing cartographic and navigation applications were highlighted. The paper considers a number of digital environments for implementation of augmented reality elements in cartography. The advantages of each of them were noted. The authors compiled a block diagram of a typical hardware-software complex of an augmented reality system in cartography and geoinformatics. They systematized types of sensors that solve geoinformation and cartographic tasks using augmented reality technologies.

National-scale Geochemical Survey: Distribution of chemical elements in stream sediment of South and Central Asia

This work was carried out as the Pakistani, Uzbekistani, Tajikistani, and Kyrgyzstani contribution to the National-scale Geochemical Survey of South and Central Asia (NGSSCA) project, the objective of which was to document and study the amounts and distribution of chemical elements in stream sediment of South and Central Asia where such national-scale geochemical mapping is launched for the first time. In the framework of the NGSSCA project deployed in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, 9237 stream sediment samples (<2 mm grain-size fraction in alpine desert and mountainous area) were collected at an average density of 1 sample site/100 km2, on the basis of a common stream sediment sampling protocol. The resultant compositional data sets and cartographic products will vastly benefit future mineral exploration activity, surficial (and even solid Earth) geochemical processes studies (e.g., chemical weathering), and environmental evaluation. Eight elements of economic interests (e.g., Ag, Sb, W, Mo, Li, Be, Cu, and Co) are selected to demonstrate their distribution pattern in stream sediment and the main controlling factors. It's concluded that the anomalies for the selected elements in the NGSSCA project can thus be directly linked to different geogenic sources, e.g., underlying bedrock, soil type, mineralization or ore deposits, and large-scale fault systems. Based on the results and the integrated anomaly maps, some new target areas for the corresponding metallic mineralization are predicted, which will provide a basis for further mineral exploration.

Measuring Efficiency and Accuracy in Locating Symbols on Mobile Maps Using Eye Tracking

This study investigated the impact of smartphone usage frequency on the effectiveness and accuracy of symbol location in a variety of spatial contexts on mobile maps using eye-tracking technology while utilizing the example of Mapy.cz. The scanning speed and symbol detection were also considered. The use of mobile applications for navigation is discussed, emphasizing their popularity and convenience of use. The importance of eye tracking as a valuable tool for testing the usability of cartographic products, enabling the assessment of users’ visual strategies and their ability to memorize information, was highlighted. The frequency of smartphone use has been shown to be an important factor in users’ ability to locate symbols in different spatial contexts. Everyday smartphone users have shown higher accuracy and efficiency in image processing, suggesting a potential link between habitual smartphone use and increased efficiency in mapping tasks. Participants who were dissatisfied with the legibility of a map looked longer at the symbols, suggesting that they put extra cognitive effort into decoding the symbols. In the present study, gender differences in pupil size were also observed during the study. Women consistently showed a larger pupil diameter, potentially indicating greater cognitive load on the participants.

Quantitative Approach for Assessing Infographics in Atlas Cartography

Infographics have become a widely utilized concept in contemporary cartography for visualizing a wide range of data. Despite this, there is a lack of comprehensive scholarly studies addressing the theory of infographics, and cartographers have not yet established a precise definition or unified classification for them. Consequently, cartographic production lacks clear rules and methodologies for systematically incorporating infographic elements. This paper introduces a systematic approach for precisely quantifying and evaluating static cartographic products from the domain of atlas cartography with a focus on their infographic style. The proposed methodology was validated through practical assessments of map samples from various atlases, which were compared with samples of infographics. Case studies analysed input patterns related to spatial components, visualization attributes, and additional design elements. Four indicators—area coverage, graphic load, visual attractiveness, and colourfulness—were defined and quantified by using of GIMP graphic software and recalculated through predefined mathematical formulas. The resulting values provide a quantitative description of tested images in terms of their infographic style. This innovative methodological approach contributes to the unification of contemporary approaches for defining and assessing infographics in maps, atlases, and broader cartographic production

Improving the methodology for monitoring vegetation cover based on type segmentation

Monitoring is an important element for defining sustainable land cover management strategies. The monitoring technique proposed and developed in this work with integrated processing of remote sensing data has the potential to scale and optimize the interpretation of vegetation classes, making the analysis of the territory more detailed. This approach based on multiclass classification of composite images with data preprocessing based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform. The article describes the characteristics and benefits of the uses cloud platform. Three regions, different in their characteristics and climatic features, were chosen as the study area: Voronezh Oblast, Republic of Tatarstan and Perm Krai. The objects of the study were the classes of forest vegetation, arable land and meadow vegetation. The article presents a step-by-step methodology for obtaining and processing Sentinel-2 satellite imagery data. The main steps of the methodology include obtaining a time series of satellite data and processing them, applying a vegetation index to satellite images, selecting reference data for validation, classifying objects using the random forests algorithm. An overview of WorldCover cartographic product from European Space Agency (ESA) and its advantages for use in working with geoinformation data is presented. The classification of target classes of vegetation in GEE cloud platform was carried out. The results of the study contain an analysis of a combination of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for each studied class of vegetation. Implementation of the methodology is important for retrospective analysis and operational monitoring of vegetation cover classes. The method of multi-class segmentation of objects based on time series analysis will significantly improve the accuracy and speed of providing analytics to update information on land use.

All mixed up in the terrain: The geographic knowledge of mamelucos applied by Jesuits in the cartographic production of Paraguayan Backlands (1746-1753)

Cartographic images made by Jesuits in the 18th century turned out to be transnational and locally mixed cognitive experiences, as these missionary agents of a global institution were forced to establish a collaborative relationship with the multicultural spaces where they settled and undertook their activities. One of the cartographic genres developed by the missionaries, the Paraquariae Provinciae, combined information and geographical knowledge of the mamelucos, a mestizo social type of Amerindian with white Portuguese settler which has been widely acknowledged but poorly elucidated by the historiography making process. The present paper aims to address these issues by applying concepts and methods of critical cartography in order to compare maps built by the Jesuits.

Опыт тестирования экспериментальных методов Гидрометцентра России при составлении штормовых предупреждений о неблагоприятных и опасных явлениях погоды

The results of testing a method for very-short-range forecasting of precipitation intensity (for a period up to 12 hours) and wind gusts (up to 2 hours), as well as the technology for the diagnosis of severe convective events based on radar data for use in the operational practice of storm warning about adverse and severe convective weather events are analyzed. Case studies of synoptic conditions for the occurrence of such events are considered. New types of cartographic products of the Cosmo-Ru-2.2 high-resolution numerical model are presented. The benefit from using new experimental methods in operational practice is assessed. Keywords: adverse and severe weather events, nowcasting, precipitation intensity, squall, wind gusts, radar-based diagnosis, DMRL-C, COSMO-Ru2.2 high-resolution numerical model

Assessment of Groundwater Favorability in the Municipality of São Mateus-ES

Purpose: Make an assessment regarding the favorability of exploring groundwater in the municipality of São Mateus. Theoretical framework: Guaranteeing the availability of water regularly and with good quality for everyone, without threatening public health, remains a challenge for the semi-arid regions of the country, especially for diffuse communities in large centers, which do not have adequate water infrastructure. Method/design/approach: The methodology used in the research begins with a bibliographical review on the topic, as well as obtaining data relating to wells registered with SIAGAS E AGERH between the years 2019, 2020 and 2021; creation of cartographic products using ArcGisTM 10.1 software; characterization of aquifer systems in the region; definition of areas with greater favorability for the exploitation of groundwater, as well as the influence of the depth of drilled wells on the flow rates obtained. Results and conclusion: The three aquifer systems defined for the study area were characterized, namely the fractured, Barreiras and Coberturas. The Barreiras aquifer system has wells with higher flows. However, the importance of adequate planning and control by the public authorities regarding the exploitation of water in this system must be highlighted, as, as a result of intensive pumping, salt water can advance into the freshwater zone of the aquifer. Research implications: The advancement of studies regarding the availability and potential of groundwater contributes to the implementation of more efficient management of water resources, as well as promoting the expansion of specific knowledge on how reserves inherent to underground water dynamics are exploited locally. Originality/value: Trazer reflexões a partir da avaliação quanto a favorabilidade hídrica no município de São Mateus, de forma a garantir uma segurança hídrica tanto quantitativa, quanto qualitativa para as comunidades desta região, encontra-se em conformidade com uma das metas da Agenda 2030 para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável.

A review on eye movement analysis in map reading process: the status of the last decade

Eye tracking constitutes a valuable tool for the examination of human visual behavior since it provides objective measurements related to the performed visual strategies during the observation of any type of visual stimuli. Over the last decade, eye movement analysis contributed substantially to the better understanding of how visual attention processes work in different types of maps. Considering the clear need for the examination of map user reaction during the observation of realistic cartographic products (i.e. static maps, animated maps, interactive and multimedia maps), a critical amount of experimental studies were performed in order to study different aspects related to map reading process by the cartographic community. The foundation of these studies is based on theories and models that have been developed in similar research domains (i.e. psychology, neuroscience etc.), while the research outcomes that produced over these years can be used directly for the design of more effective and efficient maps. The aim of the present article is to summarize and present the current panorama of the existing eye tracking studies in cartographic research appeared over the last decade. Additionally, methodological contributions (including analysis tools) of cartographic society in the field of eye movement analysis are reported, while existing challenges and future perspectives are also discussed.