Geographic Information System Project Research Articles

Considerations from the development of a local spatial data infrastructure

The development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) is often the victim of an excessive focus on data and standards. In this paper we use the hermeneutics of Gadamer and Habermas to understand the problem of how SDIs can succeed. We use Gadamer's concept of phronesis to show how being an application-driven project is a key to success, and draw on Habermas's ideas to show the importance of emancipatory knowledge in the implementation of SDIs. A case study on a geographic information system (GIS) project in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is presented. The project has been evolving for 15 years; it started with a focus on data and standards and generated a strong and active spatial data infrastructure for the city. The reasons for success were many; here we highlight the application-driven nature of the project, along with the combination of multiple disciplines and multiple levels of expertise in its design and implementation team. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A GIS-based approach to spatio-temporal analysis of environmental pollution in urban areas: A case study of Prague's environment extended by LIDAR data

Environmental pollution of urban areas is one of key factors that state authorities and local agencies have to consider in the decision-making process. To find a compromise among many criteria, spatial analysis extended by geostatistical methods and dynamic models has to be carried out. In this case, spatial analysis includes processing of a wide range of air, water and soil pollution data and possibly noise assessment and waste management data. Other spatial inputs consist of data from remote sensing and GPS field measurements. Integration and spatial data management are carried out within the framework of a geographic information system (GIS). From a modeling point of view, GIS is used mainly for the preprocessing and postprocessing of data to be displayed in digital map layers and visualized in 3D scenes. Moreover, for preprocessing and postprocessing, deterministic and geostatistical methods (IDW, ordinary kriging) are used for spatial interpolation; geoprocessing and raster algebra are used in multi-criteria evaluation and risk assessment methods. GIS is also used as a platform for spatio-temporal analyses or for building relationships between the GIS database and stand-alone modeling tools. A case study is presented illustrating the application of spatial analysis to the urban areas of Prague. This involved incorporating environmental data from monitoring networks and field measurements into digital map layers. Extra data inputs were used to represent the 3D concentration fields of air pollutants (ozone, NO 2) measured by differential absorption LIDAR. ArcGIS was used to provide spatial data management and analysis, extended by modeling tools developed internally in the ArcObjects environment and external modules developed with MapObjects. Ordinary kriging methods were employed to predict ozone concentrations in selected 3D locations together with estimates of variability. Higher ozone concentrations were found above crossroads with their heavy traffic than above the surrounding areas. Ozone concentrations also varied with height above the digital elevation model. Processed data, spatial analysis and models are integrated within the framework of the GIS project, providing an approach that state and local authorities can use to address environmental protection issues.

XML Web Service‐based development model for Internet GIS applications

Most of the current Internet Geographic Information System (GIS) applications cannot be shared and are not interoperable because of their heterogeneous environments. With the growth of Internet GIS, many difficulties have occurred in integrating GIS components because of their diversity. The main objective of this study is to suggest a new development model for dynamic and interoperable Internet GIS applications. The model is based mainly on the dynamic integration of Internet GIS components by applying Extensible Markup Language (XML), XML Web Service, Geography Markup Language (GML), and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), etc. The relevant technologies of Internet GIS were reviewed thoroughly, and then a new model was designed. During the design of the new model, typical examples of GIS Web Service components were suggested, together with practical structures for applications using these components. Six examples of components and four types of applications were suggested, and they were experimentally implemented for model validation and improvement. The suggested model and components will enable easier and more rapid development of Internet GIS applications through the dynamic integration of distributed GIS components. Users will be able to avoid redundancy and consequently reduce both cost and time during each GIS project.

Analysis and improvement of the product delivery system of a beer producer in Ankara

We outline our analysis of the product delivery system of a major beer producer in Ankara, Turkey. We demonstrate a savings potential of up to 25% of distribution costs from the implementation of a number of suggested improvements, most notably that of reducing the number of weekly deliveries to a portion of the customers, and of constructing a geographical partitioning of the city that ensures a balanced distribution of the delivery workload over the days of the week. A geographic information system (GIS) is used to extract coordinate and distance information to be used in the partitioning and sequencing problems. A discussion of the difficulties involved in implementing a GIS project in Turkey is included.

Global Offshore Hazardous Materials Sites GIS

Underwater dumpsites or hazardous material sites lie in every ocean on the earth. A geographic information system (GIS) project documents the locations and associated data of Global Offshore Hazardous Materials Sites (GOHMS) potentially posing threats to human health, safety, navigation, commercial fishing, and the environment. Nearly 350 sites are currently in the project. This paper discusses some of the history of hazardous materials disposal and loss at sea, primarily off the United States coast between 1945 and 1970 when few guidelines existed to geographically document an underwater site. Although not publicly distributed at present, the GOHMS GIS project is intended to add value to existing historical information by providing site investigators and responders easy access to waste stream locations and other spatial data through NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration and the National Marine Sanctuaries Program.

Development of an implementation plan for a geographic information system: case of Lincoln County

Many small to mid-size public agencies are facing a problem of how to develop and implement Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies in their operations. Since most of the information in government agencies has a spatial context, GIS has significant capabilities to integrate data from disparate databases and display information in new and unique ways for decision-making. GIS technologies can have applications and benefits across the enterprise; however, this enterprise-wide nature often hinders implementation. Local government agencies face significant organizational issues including serving a diversity of interests for data quality and database integration, oversight by publicly elected officials, and a lack of resources and technical expertise. This fictional and normative case describes a typical situation in a mid-size county. The case portrays an organizational environment that provides the basis for students to put themselves in the role of a County Administrator to develop a GIS implementation plan. This plan requires an analysis of the formal and informal organization. Major investigation areas include insight into the organizational issues of personnel relationships, GIS project identification and resource prioiritization. Above all, the goal is to plan development of a functional GIS that will be integrated into ongoing Lincoln County operations to improve organizational efficiencies and to increase services to various stakeholder groups.

Participation through communicative action: A case study of GIS for addressing land/water development in India

Attempts to alleviate land degradation and water scarcity in arid/semi-arid regions of India have historically been carried out within the ambit of government schemes implemented disparately by concerned departments. These sectoral methods are being increasingly replaced by a watershed-based approach in which local communities are encouraged to assume ownership of development programs, albeit within the government's overarching control. This decentralized model of governance has also in some cases had a positive impact on the more effective use of ICTs like Geographic Information System (GIS) in locally relevant applications. In this paper, the need for integrating disparate knowledge systems around GIS-based applications to mitigate land degradation, and the facilitating role of participation in achieving such integration, are discussed. It is argued that such participatory processes can be effectively enabled through communicative action whilst taking into consideration the historically existing power asymmetries. The Habermasian Ideal Speech Situation (IDS) provides a conceptual framework to argue how such communicative action can be enabled. This framework is applied to an empirical analysis of a GIS project for land management in India. The paper contributes to unpacking knowledge systems implicated in the use of GIS for addressing land degradation, foregrounding the importance of indigenous knowledge, and in espousing the crucial need to draw upon critical social perspectives in IS research.

Current and Future Geographic Information System Projects within the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and the Potential for One Universal Application

ABSTRACT Geographic information systems (GIS) have a wide range of capabilities, which can be used for a variety of useful applications, such as a resource for oil spill management or a maritime security response tool. These systems provide useful information in a graphically and timely fashion, making it an ideal system for managers making critical decisions. A number of GIS programs have been developed. Among these are the Geographic Specific Tactical Response Plan (GSTRP), Florida Marine Spill Analysis System (FMSAS) and the Maritime Security Strategic Information System (MSSIS). The GSTRP and FMSAS were developed to assist responders in the event of an oil spill, where response time is critical in order to effectively reduce environmental and monetary impact. The MSSIS has been developed to better plan for, react to, or protect the port from a terrorist/criminal threat. All of these programs are similar in scope and function, with overlapping areas of operation. Each also has unique features and together they form an excellent base upon which to build a universal GIS system. Many believe the development of a universal GIS, which combines spill response, maritime security, and potentially other functions would be beneficial to the area, region, and country. This concept was discussed following a presentation of the Alabama and Mississippi Oil Spill GIS at the Regional Response Team (RRT) IV meeting at the beginning of 2002. The Alabama and Mississippi Oil Spill GIS was developed with the intention of building upon the existing systems and adding state of the art technology with additional capabilities and an internet platform to make an all encompassing system. This discussion sparked a future meeting to discuss this potential and the logistics involved in it's undertaking. This paper examines the value and development of a universal GIS within RRT IV. This project also has the potential to address the same maritime security issues as previously discussed, making it a broad application. With this continuity the project could be a living application, which would grow as needs change and technology advances, enabled by the scope of the project and combined resource management and funding.

Main problems in building European environmental spatial data

The Geographical Information @ Geographical Information Systems (GI&GIS) project of the Joint Research Centre is actively involved in assisting in the creation of the European Spatial Data Infrastructure (ESDI), as well as in activities related to the conception, creation and harmonization of pan-European spatial databases relevant for the policies of the European Union (EU), mainly through the support and co-ordination of networks in various thematic fields. Remotely sensed datasets play an important role in the ESDI and it is argued that the creation of an ESDI will greatly impact the GI and the remote sensing communities alike. Hence the main objective of this paper is to make the remote sensing community familiar with the current developments at EU level. This paper also illustrates major issues related to the harmonization of existing national datasets or the creation of new ones having a European or pan-European extent. In particular, the following technical aspects are discussed: terrestrial reference systems, projection systems, core data definition and geospatial metadata.

The 'Nature' of Contiguous Borders: Ease of Interaction, Salience, and the Analysis of Crisis

This paper presents the dataset developed from an NSF-supported project on reconceptualizing borders through the use of geographical information systems (GIS). After presenting an overview of the 301 contiguous land borders which were remeasured in terms of ease of interaction (opportunity), and salience/importance (willingness), the dataset is used to revisit hypotheses dealing with territory and borders, specifically four hypotheses developed by Brecher and Wilkenfeld (1997) from their International Crisis Behavior (ICB) project. The results support the design and purpose of the GIS project of reconceptualizing borders, which breaks away from the dichotomous characterization of states as contiguous or non-contiguous in order to examine the "nature" of borders. Our results do not fit the expectations of the "standard" adversarial proximity conflict model, and demonstrate that the border reconceptualization presented here can be used to investigate a number of related questions in the study of international politics involving both cooperative processes as well as conflictual ones.

Capturing Raster Data From Scanned Thematic Maps Using Desktop Graphics Software

Data capture from paper maps remain a slow and costly part of many Geographic Information System projects. In this paper a simple method is described which makes use of the facilities of desktop graphics software to capture raster data from scanned thematic maps. The first stage is to use the flood fill tool to identify the regions of the map that represent the data values and set them to a separate colour for each thematic category. This edited image is then imported into a GIS, where a specially written majority filter is used to classify any remaining pixels to produce a raster GIS layer. The technique is tested on samples from three maps, giving accuracy levels of over 90% in all cases when compared with digitising the same maps by hand. The technique could be useful for situations where a rapid and simple means of data capture is needed and could be developed further by drawing on techniques for contextual classification rather than relying on a general purpose flood fill algorithm.

The Great Britain Historical GIS Project: From Maps to Changing Human Geography

A major project is building a specifically historical Geographical Information System (GIS) for Britain, mapping the evolving human geography of the past two centuries. This system combines the changing boundaries of administrative units with a large database of historical statistics. This paper focuses on England and Wales, where work is most advanced, and examines the sources for the mapping work, how the GIS is built, the uses of the GIS to map past geographies, and the potential for using mid-nineteenth-century boundaries for mapping much earlier sources including the Domesday Book.

INFOPET.GIS Project: Representation And Geosite Data For Petroleum Exploration

Abstract The Cuban Archipelago is situated in the Caribbean Sea between Yucatan (Mexico), Florida (USA), Haiti and Jamaica, with a total area of 110,860 km2 and more than 1,600 keys or small islands. The offshore shelf area of the Cuban archipelago covers an area of 67,831 km2. Cuba can be divided into two hydrocarbon provinces: the North Province (continental margin carbonates deposited up to the pre-Campanian with synorogenic sediments), which contains most of the fields and discoveries today; and the South Cuban Province (part of the Caribbean Plate volcanic-arc islands, overlain by synorogenic and postorogenic sediments). The latter has been less explored up to the present, and is partially thrusted by the Placetas, Camajuani, and Remedios Tectostratigraphic Units (TSU). Hydrocarbons are trapped most commonly in thrusted, fractured carbonates of Jurassic to Cretaceous age, and also in fractured serpentinites and volcanic rocks. The most proven rock potential is found in the Placetas and Camajuani TSUs, where organically rich, low maturity carbonates show high hydrogen indices and good source potential. At present, more than 20 oil fields have been discovered, including the small old Motembo field (1881), and the largest Varadero (1971). The last discovery, named Puerto Escondido (1997) is still being developed by horizontal drilling. The conservation of this natural and important heritage, has established different approaches, called "geotopi" in Italian, "geologic points of interest" in the Spanish language, and "geosite" in English language. These are defined as singular elements of the environment that contain an extraordinary scientific knowledge(1). In our particular case, we denominate these elements as oil-geosites. The term is designed to include all locations and objectives that include any information or scientific knowledge about petroleum exploration and production. The idea for the compilation of the oil-geosites of Cuba first began to develop in 1985, and the project Oil&Geosite was started in 1998, when the concept of an oil-geosite guide or atlas was developed by leading geologists and cartographers. The Geographical Information Systems (GIS) project "SISTEMA INFORMATICO PARA PETR?LEO (INFOPET.GIS)" was designed and created to solve complex problems in oil computer science. The main purpose of the INFOPET.GIS system is the collection, storage and analysis of oil and gas objectives, and other very important geologic events. The INFOPET.GIS's application is a computer-based tool and a procedure, built around a decision support system involving the integration of spatially referenced data. Project Objectives Management of the topographical information contained in the digital cartographic base. Management of the geologic information contained in the digital cartographic base. Management of the alphanumeric information of the different oil-geosite locations. Creation of the geographical databases with a relational platform for standard desktop mapping. The project is represented by the main screen, a data show, where we explain the history of the work evolution tables, cartographic materials, and slides, pictures, and other parameters concerning both volumes, including an explanatory text about the resources potential of Cuba.

INFOPET.GIS Project: Representation And Geosite Data For Petroleum Exploration

February 01 2002 INFOPET.GIS Project: Representation And Geosite Data For Petroleum Exploration J.E. Gomez-Herrera; J.E. Gomez-Herrera Centro de Investigaciones del Petroleo Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar E. Linares-Cala; E. Linares-Cala Centro de Investigaciones del Petroleo Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar R. Garcia-Sanchez; R. Garcia-Sanchez Centro de Investigaciones del Petroleo Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar M. Yero-Batista; M. Yero-Batista Centro de Investigaciones del Petroleo Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar P. Valdes-Pino P. Valdes-Pino Centro de Investigaciones del Petroleo Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar J Can Pet Technol 41 (02). Paper Number: PETSOC-02-02-TN2 https://doi.org/10.2118/02-02-TN2 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Gomez-Herrera, J.E., Linares-Cala, E., Garcia-Sanchez, R., Yero-Batista, M., and P. Valdes-Pino. "INFOPET.GIS Project: Representation And Geosite Data For Petroleum Exploration." J Can Pet Technol 41 (2002): No Pagination Specified. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/02-02-TN2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsJournal of Canadian Petroleum Technology Search Advanced Search AbstractThe Cuban Archipelago is situated in the Caribbean Sea between Yucatan (Mexico), Florida (USA), Haiti and Jamaica, with a total area of 110,860 km2 and more than 1,600 keys or small islands. The offshore shelf area of the Cuban archipelago covers an area of 67,831 km2.Cuba can be divided into two hydrocarbon provinces: the North Province (continental margin carbonates deposited up to the pre-Campanian with synorogenic sediments), which contains most of the fields and discoveries today; and the South Cuban Province (part of the Caribbean Plate volcanic-arc islands, overlain by synorogenic and postorogenic sediments). The latter has been less explored up to the present, and is partially thrusted by the Placetas, Camajuani, and Remedios Tectostratigraphic Units (TSU).Hydrocarbons are trapped most commonly in thrusted, fractured carbonates of Jurassic to Cretaceous age, and also in fractured serpentinites and volcanic rocks. The most proven rock potential is found in the Placetas and Camajuani TSUs, where organically rich, low maturity carbonates show high hydrogen indices and good source potential.At present, more than 20 oil fields have been discovered, including the small old Motembo field (1881), and the largest Varadero (1971). The last discovery, named Puerto Escondido (1997) is still being developed by horizontal drilling.The conservation of this natural and important heritage, has established different approaches, called "geotopi" in Italian, "geologic points of interest" in the Spanish language, and "geosite" in English language. These are defined as singular elements of the environment that contain an extraordinary scientific knowledge(1). In our particular case, we denominate these elements as oil-geosites. The term is designed to include all locations and objectives that include any information or scientific knowledge about petroleum exploration and production.The idea for the compilation of the oil-geosites of Cuba first began to develop in 1985, and the project Oil&Geosite was started in 1998, when the concept of an oil-geosite guide or atlas was developed by leading geologists and cartographers.The Geographical Information Systems (GIS) project "SISTEMA INFORMATICO PARA PETR?LEO (INFOPET.GIS)" was designed and created to solve complex problems in oil computer science. The main purpose of the INFOPET.GIS system is the collection, storage and analysis of oil and gas objectives, and other very important geologic events. The INFOPET.GIS's application is a computer-based tool and a procedure, built around a decision support system involving the integration of spatially referenced data.Project ObjectivesManagement of the topographical information contained in the digital cartographic base.Management of the geologic information contained in the digital cartographic base.Management of the alphanumeric information of the different oil-geosite locations.Creation of the geographical databases with a relational platform for standard desktop mapping.The project is represented by the main screen, a data show, where we explain the history of the work evolution tables, cartographic materials, and slides, pictures, and other parameters concerning both volumes, including an explanatory text about the resources potential of Cuba. Keywords: strategic planning and management, information management, objective, Reservoir Characterization, Upstream Oil & Gas, database, decision support system, Cuba, Petroleum Geologist, representation Subjects: Decision-making processes, Exploration and appraisal strategies, Information Management and Systems, Reservoir Characterization, Risk Management and Decision-Making, Strategic Planning and Management This content is only available via PDF. 2002. Petroleum Society of Canada You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.

The Development of a Database Management in GIS Applications in Oman

The development of applying database management applications is currently underway within Geographical Information Systems (GIS) applications in the Sultanate of Oman.The establishment of a national database management system in Oman is considered as the backbone that is required within the Geographic Information System project in Oman. The principal of the GIS project in Oman was built upon unifying the used software packages over the sultanate which is ARC/INFO as GIS Package and ORACLE as database management software. These packages are used within the different participating Ministries in the GIS project in Oman.The participating ministries will handle information that are shared between them. The shared information among the different ministries is the attributed data which is defined as descriptive information extracted from geographic features that usually existed on the topographic maps and the ministries maps (utility maps). The map features can be classified into different layers according to the principles of ARC/INFO GIS Package. Accordingly, the main objectives of this research paper is to explain the technique proposed for establishing a national database management system that can handle and manage the shared information amongst the participating ministries in the project. The proposed database design will be made using the ORACLE database management system. Moreover, the paper will handle a proposed idea for linking the geographic map layers with the corresponding attributed database in order to create Geographic Information System applications. As a Conclusion, it is Proposed that all the government GIS departments in the Sultanate will share the same information within a unique national database management which can be considered one of the major benefits in applying database management in the field of Geographic Information Systems.

An Approach to leaching Applied GIS: Implementation for Local Organizations

Geographic information systems (GIS) is a fairly new and evolving curriculum area within geography and other disciplines at colleges and universities in the United States. The challenge of teaching underlying concepts of GIS functionality, the details of computer operation and software interfaces, as well as the contexts of various applications can be a difficult one. At Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a teaching strategy—Client-Life Cycle GIS Project Learning—has been introduced in which students in an upper level GIS course work with local organizations, faculty from other university departments, and governmental entities. This allows students with some GIS background to work with real clients; utilize and operationalize the concepts of the GIS Project Life Cycle; make the connection between data development, analysis, and applications development; provide expertise and needed data to local organizations; and see the utility and impact of their work. A group pilot project from the spring semester of 1998 is discussed to illustrate how students responded to this method of teaching GIS.

Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and relational database management system technology have increasingly provided a foundation for integration and analyses of water environment data in context with other geographically related data.. While large scale GIS projects can pose expensive undertakings, an ever-widening variety of applications are enhancing the understanding and management of natural and human-made systems and the relationships and impacts to each other. The degree of data diversity within a geographic framework employed in many water environment applications today extend to include economic, ecological, physical, political and hydrological, to name a few examples. Technical tools, such as global positioning system (GPS) technology, satellite remote sensing and modeling integration, has allowed GIS to con tinue to expand beyond digital mapping to embrace a growing number of water resource protection and management domains.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Geographic Information System Implementation: Illinois Department of Transportation

An in-depth investigation of the costs and benefits of geographic information system (GIS) implementation in the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is presented. The investigation addresses a critical need to determine the organizational impact and cost-effectiveness of this enter-prisewide information technology to achieve the greatest benefit. IDOT conducted an enterprise wide effort to portray GIS capabilities and to identify candidate GIS projects. Fourteen major GIS projects were selected on the basis of management priority, ease of implementation, and user commitment. A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis was developed over fiscal years 1995 through 2004. Costs were reasonably estimated from historical costs of the GIS investigation effort and future costs of GIS technical support and user area resources. The greatest portions of costs, over the 10-year time frame, were for personnel (67 percent) and consultant services (19 percent). For the more difficult benefits determination, the research employed two categories of benefits: efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency benefits would result from the automation of previous manual efforts, such as special-purpose cartographic production, with GIS outputs. Effectiveness benefits arise from traditionally intangible areas, such as increased integration and accessibility of information for improved decision making. Effectiveness benefits were estimated conservatively for two high-priority areas: accident analysis and program development. The result of the cost-benefit analysis of GIS implementation yielded a net present value of $2.9 million and an internal rate of return of 99.8 percent over the analysis period. This provided IDOT management with knowledge for strategic resource allocation decisions.

Longitudinal Analysis of Age- and Gender-Specific Migration Patterns in England and Wales

Many geographers have argued for the need to incorporate change over time into their analyses (see, for example, Haggett 1965; Hägerstrand 1970; Thrift 1977;Marsh et al. 1988); however, changes to administrative boundaries often mean that demographic statistics collected at two different dates cannot be directly compared. This has made it very difficult to study longitudinal change without resorting to undesirable levels of aggregation, typically to county level in Britain or state level in the United States. This article describes a technique that makes significant advances toward eliminating this problem: a researcher using this technique can compare statistics by standardizing all relevant data on a single set of administrative units. My article builds on the work of the Great Britain Historical GIS Project (Gregory and Southall 1998) and uses net migration as an example.The geographical information system (GIS) is not yet complete, so the article focuses on the methodological issues. These issues could be applied to a wide range of problems in historical geography. More broadly, it is hoped that the article will give some idea of the potential for using GIS to analyze spatially referenced data in the context of social science history.

Clackamas County Department of Human Services Community Health Mapping Engine (CHiME) Geographic Information Systems Project

Clackamas County Department of Human Services Community Health Mapping Engine (CHiME) Geographic Information Systems Project: PDF Only