Cartographic Products Research Articles

Generalization of the underwater relief image using the spline approximation method on a vector electronic chart

Special attention is paid to the need for reasonable generalization aimed at adequately displaying the characteristic features of the seabed relief profile in accordance with the principle of navigational isosurface in electronic visualization of underwater relief. It is assumed that as a result of generalization of the bottom relief, safety contours can be extracted directly, since they represent traces of a cross-section of the profile of the underwater relief with horizontal planes. A hypothesis has been put forward on the applicability of the B-spline approximation for modeling a safety contour in order to effectively implement a practical guarantee against grounding a ship. A modification of the safety contour based on the control of the smoothness of the constructed curve in the form of bending of a serpentine B-spline structure has been tested. An analysis of the optimality of configuring B-splines on a variable type of supports is carried out with the determination of preference for the cubic case. The straightening of the safety contour focuses on local deformation while maintaining strategic descriptive characteristics. The use of the smoothing procedure on the deep side of the safety contour is justified, provided that the basis points of the synthesized curve are artificially preserved. The data of the author’s computational experiment on the accuracy of calculation by cubic B-splines with a result two orders of magnitude higher than theoretically predicted are presented. It is noted that the technologies of automated processing of bathymetric survey results do not replace the human factor, but provide the potential to unlock new cognitive capabilities of an expert in the transition from lithographic publications to digital cartographic products. The arsenal of basic piecewise approximation is interpreted as the variability of the model of an additive B-spline neural network to provide an incentive for the use of artificial intelligence to generalize contour lines of marine subjects. It is emphasized that the spline technology, by its mathematical architecture, is basically devoid of the computational problem of dimensionality, which serves as an additional factor for the use of piecewise approximation in solving complex navigation tasks.

Mapping the liquid territories of the Danube Delta (Romania): The atlases of the European Commission of the Danube

The European Commission of the Danube (ECD) 1856–1939 published an impressive number of maps, the most important being included in four atlases. However, despite previous efforts, until 1870, no precise map of the Danube Delta based on a unitary triangulation survey has been published. This article examines the mapping effort to recreate the triangulation network containing all the 110 points, based on the distances specified in the 1874 atlas, landmarks discovered during fieldwork and other reference layers used for georeferencing the 1870, 1886 and 1902 maps. Moreover, it offers supplementary information about ECD's vision of the liquid territories and their central feature: water and its representation on cartographic material. In our explanation, we explore the differences between various cartographic products and other sources of information used by the European Commission of the Danube to update its navigation charts. By reproducing these mapping efforts, we highlight the technical challenges for accurately mapping the Danube Delta's everchanging territory. Furthermore, by carrying out the work on digitising and indexing available cartographic material and validating them for accuracy we deliver an enhanced resource that can provide a new understanding for these maps, given their political and economic message. Finally, in this article we offer some reflections on the possible propaganda role the atlases may have played, as the accurate map building role of the ECD does not only assert technical mastery, but also makes a statement of control over the mapped territory.

Анализ обеспеченности регионов Российской Федерации туристскими картами

Russia is a vast country with a wide variety of natural, cultural and historic places of interest. Therefore, domestic tourism is a favorite leisure activity for many citizens, and an appreciable source of income in many regions of the country. An important means of developing domestic tourism are maps. A good tourist map broadens the user`s horizons and attracts his attention to new previously unfamiliar places. In this regard, development of domestic tourism involves, among other things, increasing the volume of cartographic production and improving its quality. However, for further successful development of the industry, it is necessary to analyze its present and past experience. So, the authors assessed the provision of the RF entities with tourist maps. Hard copies from The Cartographic Collection of The Russian State Library were used as initial data. The number of published maps compiled for different regions were compared with the official reports of Federal State Statistics Service on the number of visiting tourists. The results showed that a significant part of the mentioned product in the territories was published in the 1980-1990s. Modern maps (published after 2010) cover approximately one third of them. So it turns out, that such maps are often compiled not for the entire area, but for its parts most interesting for tourists. In the opinion of the authors, such an approach contributes to artificial reduction of people’s horizons and underestimation of the region’s potential. No direct relationship was found between the volume of the tourist flow and the provision of the entity with maps. In conclusion, the authors propose a procedure for quantitative assessment of the matter considered, which will allow ranking the territories by the level of solving it. Fulfillment of this task is the immediate prospect of the study. In our plans there is an analysis of provision of the RF regions with digital and electronic tourist maps, including web ones

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

In the Plots of Neoliberalism: the Impact of AirBnb on Hotel Industry and the Real Estate Market in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

With a market value of nearly US$136 billion (Nasdaq, 20242), AirBnb stands as the foremost hospitality platform in the world, with operations spanning across most countries. Introduced in Brazil in 2012, Airbnb is now present in every state of the country, dominant in cities with massive tourist influx, though it faces stiff competition from other smaller platforms. Despite the discernibly increasing impact of AirBnb in different places, only a few studies about Brazil have been carried out. In recognition of this gap, the main objective of this text is to analyze its impacts in the two largest Brazilian metropolises, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, considering its effects on hotel occupancy rates, ADR and RevPAR as well as on real estate market trends. As a theoretical premise, this text considers the relationship between AirBnb, the hotel industry and the real estate market as an expression of neoliberalism in the production of urban spaces in a developing country, based on the construction of a ‘market society’, on the competition between individuals and on their self-entrepreneurship (Andrade; Côrtes; Almeida, 2021). The methodological approach employed for this study comprises literature and documentary research, exploratory (considering the real estate) and comparative data analysis (on AirBnb listings and on hotel occupancy rates, ADR and RevPAR), as well as a cartographic production. The data about AirBnb was obtained from the AirDna Platform including the whole years of 2021, 2022, 2023 and January 2024, and concerning the real estate market in both cities, the main data source was SECOVI, a private entity that represents the economic category of real estate purchase, sale, rental and management companies. The results show that, given the significant geographical differences between the cities analyzed, AirBnb has produced a specific topology in each of them. Furthermore, although no evidence was found that this platform has had a significant impact on hotel occupancy rates, ADR and RevPAR in these cities in recent years, the competition between AirBnb and hotel industry is considered unfair. Finally, there are signs of an impact on the real estate market typologies in both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where there has been an increase in real estate launches explicitly aimed at seasonal rentals.

PLATAFORMAS AÉREAS REMOTAMENTE PILOTADAS COM CÂMERA RGB PARA O MAPEAMENTO DE VIVEIROS COMERCIAIS DE TOMATE DE MESA

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are already a reality in Brazil. They are used in different fields of knowledge to obtain digital products that contribute to the identification, monitoring, control, and precision of the agricultural decision process. However, the cost-benefit of applying this technology to produce seedlings in commercial tomato nurseries needs better evaluation. This research analyzes the use of an RPAS with RGB camera over areas of table tomato seedlings and compares the cartographic products with the information obtained through semi-structured interviews with rural property owners in the States of Goiás, Minas Gerais, and the Federal District (Brasília). The results were not divided into external area applications and internal (greenhouse) mapping, as adopting technology for monitoring the seedling production process inside greenhouses is still economically unfeasible compared to human identification, thus not justifying the investment. Nonetheless, images of the external area provide crucial information for planning a nursery, considering its structural aspects and adequate disposal. Keywords: Seedling production; Digital Image Processing; UAV; Drones.