Geoinformation Management Research Articles

Multipurpose geoinformation management system of territories along the Yenisei meridian

In this work we consider the multiservice geoinformation system, which combines elements of classical GIS techniques, information storage systems for satellite images, and a decision making support system. The system was developed for a wide range of users, including institutions of higher education, the authorities of Krasnoyarsk krai, and business structures. The geoinformation system presents an original architecture, which provides opportunities for statement of management problems. In addition, the system provides topical and reliable data for the solution of these problems.

An assessment of geo-information use during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake response and recommendations to improve future use

The destructive effects of disasters on vulnerable populations will continue to increase as global inhabitants grow in numbers and occupy marginal, often hazard-prone areas. Recent experience has shown that there is a gap between available Geographic Information System technologies and geo-information management tools and their employment during disaster response operations. The goal of this paper is to examine and critique the use of geo-information and related technologies in the Kashmir earthquake of October 2005, discuss what researchers have done to address this topic and make recommendations for improving future geo-information accessibility. This paper draws on observations from the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and available literature to examine impediments to operational geo-information management and utilisation during that relief effort. The paper concludes with recommendations on how to increase the accessibility of geo-information to a diverse group of users and better manage geo-information during future disaster response efforts.

Identifying Strategies for Geo-Information Utilization – A Case Study of Ratnapura Municipality of Sri Lanka

Many organizations in Sri Lanka have been involved in spatial data collection and distribution. However, most of the local authorities have not been using the available spatial data optimally. This can be identified as one of the major reasons contributing to poor performance of the local authorities in the country. The major functions of local authorities fall within the categories of public health and environmental sanitation, public thoroughfare and public utilities. But, at present, the effectiveness and efficiency of local authorities operating under these fields are not up to the expected level. Problems/constraints that come up regarding the usage of Geo-information within the local authorities are one of the identified reasons for the inefficiency and the non-effectiveness. It also has major implications on the current operational practices within the local authorities. This paper discusses this issue in detail by considering Ratnapura Municipality as a case study. The data was collected by using questionnaires, interviews, physical observations and available supported documents. Data analysis aims to identify Geo-information providers related to the Ratnapura Municipality and District Planning Office and compare the requirements, perceptions and activities in acquiring Geo-information between the above two organizations. Comparison between these two administrative levels will help to identify the improvement strategies to utilize Geo-information within the Municipality. This analysis utilizes a technique of Strategic Grids, including grids with Interest vs. Awareness. Such grids identify the improvement strategies for effective and efficient process of Geo-information exchange, targeting to improve present Geo-information usage in the Ratnapura municipality. Major findings can be summarized as: (a) lack of the required capacity of the municipality to cope with Geo-information related work; (b) lack of motivation of the municipality staff from the management level for Geo-information related activities. This situation has been further aggravated due to the lack of an effective linkage between the major Geoinformation providers and the municipality. Key Words: Geo-information Management; Capacity Building; Local Authorities; Disaster Mitigation DOI: 10.4038/suslj.v8i1.1850 Sabaramuwa University Journal Vol. 8(1); December 2008, pp 49-60

RiskCity and WebRiskCity: Data Collection, Display, and Dissemination in a Multi-Risk Training Package

Within the activities of the United Nations University, the ITC School on Disaster GeoInformation Management (UNU-ITC DGIM) at the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) has developed WebRiskCity, an Open Source WebGIS platform for multi-risk assessment. The platform is a support to the RiskCity project, a GIS distance education course for multi-hazard risk assessment. The course has a guide book which gives the theoretical background behind the spatial data requirements for risk and hazard assessment procedures, generation of elements-at-risk databases, vulnerability assessment, qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methods, and risk evaluation. The architecture of WebRiskCity is based on a hierarchic structure similar to the original RiskCity dataset. Different switches for every component of the risk assessment have been defined, and through various menus, the user can select the options for each exercise. Tools for spatial analysis are implemented to compare maps at different scales and for on-line interpretations. A complete educational database was compiled, merging original layers of local authority and simulated data. The purpose of WebRiskCity is to be a tool of knowledge and education for risk assessment, as well as to provide a means of supporting non-academic staff, and non-governmental organizations and stakeholders, whose knowledge in risk management is vital, but often lacks a scientific base.

Potentials and limitations of coordinated spatial and non-spatial information management in protected areas: requirements of park projects in Switzerland

Information management and geoinformation systems (GIS) have become indispensable in a large majority of protected areas all over the world. These tools are used for management purposes as well as for research and in recent years have become even more important for visitor information, education and communication. This study is divided into two parts: the first part provides a general overview of GIS and information management in a selected number of national park organizations; the second part lists and evaluates the needs of evolving large protected areas in Switzerland. The results show a wide use of GIS and information management tools in well established protected areas. The more isolated use of singular GIS tools has increasingly been replaced by an integrated geoinformation management. However, interview partners pointed out that human resources for GIS in most parks are limited. The interviews also highlight uneven access to national geodata. The concept of an integrated geoinformation management is not yet fully developed in the park projects in Switzerland. Short-term needs, such as software and data availability, motivate a large number of responses collected within an exhaustive questionnaire. Nevertheless, the need for coordinated action has been identified and should be followed up. The park organizations in North America show how an effective coordination and cooperation might be organized. 33

Introduction to Integrated Geo-Information Management.

1: Information management.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Spatial data systems.- 1.3 Decision making.- 1.4 Organisations and their objectives.- 1.5 The management of information.- 1.6 Information networks.- 1.7 Information systems.- 1.8 Geo-information systems.- 1.9 Spatial decision support systems.- 2: Data for geo-information systems.- 2.1 Data into information.- 2.2 Describing geographic location.- 2.3 Objects and hierarchies.- 2.4 Maps and cartographic representation.- 2.5 Considerations in using maps.- 2.6 Map-based geo-information systems.- 2.7 Data derived from spatial analysis.- 2.8 Address-based spatial information.- 2.9 Postcodes.- 2.10 Other spatial datasets.- 2.11 Attribute data.- 2.12 Metadata.- 3: Geo-information databases.- 3.1 Choosing the right data structure.- 3.2 Data structures and data models.- 3.3 Spatial data models.- 3.4 Spatial data structures.- 3.5 Problems of three dimensional data.- 3.6 Temporal data model.- 3.7 Database management systems.- 3.8 Physical and logical database design.- 3.9 DBMS structures.- 3.10 Standard query language (SQL).- 3.11 Object-oriented databases.- 4: Integrated approaches to GIS.- 4.1 Benefits of information integration.- 4.2 Integrated data models.- 4.3 Information networks.- 4.4 Integration with existing databases.- 4.5 Open systems environment.- 4.6 Integration frameworks.- 4.7 Corporate solutions.- 4.8 Organisational issues.- 4.9 Implementation strategies.- 4.10 Benefits and costs.- 5: Low cost spatial information systems.- 5.1 Low cost strategies.- 5.2 Development of the microcomputer.- 5.3 Availability of software.- 5.4 Developing technologies.- 5.5 Stand alone solutions.- 5.6 Network solutions.- 5.7 Data availability.- 5.8 Human resourcing issues.- 5.9 Implementation issues.- 5.10 Low cost GIS users.- 6: Copyright and legal issues.- 6.1 Who owns the data?.- 6.2 Law related to information.- 6.3 Access to information.- 6.4 Data ownership and copyright.- 6.5 Added value information.- 6.6 Liability and GIS.- 6.7 Accuracy of information.- 6.8 Inappropriate map usage.- 6.9 Data availability and government policy.- 7: Standards for spatial information.- 7.1 The role of standards.- 7.2 Standards organisations.- 7.3 Data transfer standards.- 7.4 UK National Transfer Format.- 7.5 US Spatial Data Transfer Standard.- 7.6 DIGEST.- 7.7 ASRP Raster Standard.- 7.8 Other standards.- 7.9 Importance of standards.- 8: Analysis functions in GIS.- 8.1 Analysis in GIS.- 8.2 Manipulation versus analysis.- 8.3 Query and manipulation in integrated solutions.- 8.4 Statistical analysis.- 8.5 Modelling of spatial data.- 8.6 Models for managing derived data.- 8.7 Metadatabases and data dictionaries.- 8.8 Developing operating procedures for analytical processes.- 9: Graphical user interfaces.- 9.1 Human-computer interface.- 9.2 User-friendly GIS.- 9.3 Generic interface types.- 9.4 User interfaces for decision support systems.- 9.5 GIS-independent user interfaces.- 9.6 Specific applications of graphical user interfaces.- 9.7 Issues of communication.- 9.8 Help facilities.- 10: Visualisation.- 10.1 Cartographic visualisation.- 10.2 Perception and patterns.- 10.3 Map design issues.- 10.4 Colour and symbolisation.- 10.5 Typology and text placement.- 10.6 Interactive map specifications.- 10.7 Scientific visualisation.- 10.8 Terrain representation.- 10.9 Three dimensional visualisation.- 10.10 Perspective cartography.- 10.11 Visualisaton of temporal information.- 10.12 Virtual reality.- 11: Image-based spatial information systems.- 11.1 Image-based information systems.- 11.2 Vertical aerial photography.- 11.3 Photogrammetric data collection.- 11.4 Recent technical advances.- 11.5 Photo interpretation.- 11.6 Orthophotos.- 11.7 Digital photogrammetry.- 11.8 Seamless aerial photography.- 11.9 Changing role of aerial photography in GIS.- 11.10 Remote sensing.- 11.11 Image analysis.- 11.12 Role of remote sensing.- 11.13 Integrated image-based systems.- 12: Multimedia and hypermaps.- 12.1 The multimedia concept.- 12.2 Multimedia data.- 12.3 Digital video.- 12.4 Sound.- 12.5 Animation.- 12.6 Hypertext concept.- 12.7 Hyperdocuments.- 12.8 Hypertext user interfaces.- 12.9 Hypermaps.- 12.10 Cartographic representation in multimedia.- 12.11 Integrated geo-based multimedia solutions.- Appendix A: Acronyms.- Appendix B: A summary of the main GIS and related software that has been developed for microcomputers.

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article:THE MICROSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF J. B. DANCER. By B. Bracegirdle and J. B. McCormick.ROBOT CALIBRATION. Edited by R. Bernhardt and S. L. Albright.BASIC CARTOGRAPHY FOR STUDENTS AND TECHNICIANS: VOLUME 1. Second edition. Edited by R. W. Anson and F. J. Ormeling.A HALF AND HALF AFFAIR: CHRONICLES OF A HYBRID DON. By D. R. Denman.IMAGE INTERPRETATION IN GEOLOGY. Second edition. By S. A. Drury.VERMESSUNG UND ORTUNG MIT SATELLITES NAVSTAR‐GPS UND ANDERE SATELLITENGESTUTZTE NAVIGATIONSSYSTEME. Second edition. By M. Bauer.HANDBOOK OF THE MOIRE FRINGE TECHNIQUE. By K. Patorski.LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS. Edited by R. Haines‐Young, D. R. Green and S. H. Cousins.INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED GEO‐INFORMATION MANAGEMENT. By S. Cassettari.GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 1994: THE SOURCE BOOK FOR GIS. Edited by D. R. Green, D. Rix and J. Cadoux‐Hudson.CAMERAS, SCANNERS, AND IMAGE ACQUISITION SYSTEMS. Edited by H. C. Marz and R. L. Nielsen.INVENTORY OF WORLD TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING. Volume 3, Eastern Europe, ASIA, Oceania and Antarctica. Compiled by R. Böhme. English language editor R. Anson.POSTPROCESSING VON SAR‐SATELLITENBILDDATEN. By F. Holecz.DISPLAY SYSTEMS. Edited by C. T. Bartlett and M. D. Cowan.STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAYS AND VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS. Edited by S. S. Fisher, J. O. Merritt and M. T. Bolas.

Introduction to Integrated Geoinformation Management by S. Cassettari. Chapman and Hall, London, 1993. No. of pages: 252. Price: £ 17.95 (hardback).

Introduction to Integrated Geoinformation Management by S. Cassettari. Chapman and Hall, London, 1993. No. of pages: 252. Price: £ 17.95 (hardback).