Internet Map Research Articles

Internet and Tourism–Part XXIX: Google Maps

This article reviews Google Maps (URL: http://maps.google.com) which is an Internet mapping service technology and application provided by Google, one of the major search engines in the world. This...

Interactive visualization of marine pollution monitoring and forecasting data via a Web-based GIS

This work implements a Web-based Geographic Information System (Web GIS) for an existing oil spill monitoring and forecasting service, developed in the framework of the MARCOAST project. This is achieved by remotely presenting the results of the oil spill forecasting module via a dedicated Web GIS, which allows authenticated end users to view the simulation results in a geographical context. A number of Web GIS technologies for presentation of dissimilar types of semi-dynamic geographic data are applied and their respective capabilities for publishing and remote presentation of interactive geospatial information, such as oil spill spread animation overlaid on background data (terrain elevation data, satellite imagery, etc.), are described. More specifically, technologies like ESRI ® ArcIMS ® (Arc Internet Map Server) and Open Source GeoServer with OpenLayers client library are implemented. The capabilities of the system for visualization and mapping are illustrated by specific applications concerning the spreading scenarios of oil spills in two selected areas of the Aegean Sea, Greece. The presented Web GIS offers added value in the form of providing the end user with comprehensive and synthetic, both spatial and temporal, environmental information through a remotely customizable user-friendly graphical interface. In this context, its integration to a marine pollution monitoring and forecasting system could result in an enhanced pollution awareness and emergency management tool.

City Structure and Congestion Costs

This paper presents a model and an automated methodology for decomposing congestion costs in cities. We model a city as a directed graph and define the planner’s problem of finding the subgraph minimizing the congestion costs (latency) of endogenously-routing traffic flowing through the subgraph. We show that the minimal total latency subnetwork displays congestion directly proportional to city population. By applying an automated search algorithm on a widely available Internet mapping application, and hence sampling from the empirically implemented subgraphs, the paper estimates the congestion-minimizing distortions of city transit networks in a large sample of United States and Italian cities.

A New Conceptual Model and It's Describing System of Internet Map Symbol

A New Conceptual Model and It's Describing System of Internet Map Symbol

Teaching Cartography in Academia: A Historical Reflection and Discussion of a 2007 Survey of Canadian Universities

Courses in cartography that thrived in university departments of geography in the 1970s and 1980s declined in number in the early 1990s, mostly to accommodate GIS but also partly in response to the cultural turn in geography away from quantitative methods. Today, we are witnessing a revival of mapping and cartography as a result of enhanced software tools for the creation of maps, the Internet and public mapping sites for the creation and dissemination of maps, community cartography projects, and a shift from traditional cartography to representation and geovisualization. As described in this article, a 2007 survey of cartography course offerings at Canadian universities sought to explore whether, and how, this revival has been reflected in the academic teaching of cartography necessary to support aesthetics of map design and tools for geovisualization. The results demonstrate that cartography courses are offered at almost all Canadian universities. At the introductory level, course content does not vary significantly from fundamental principles of cartography. At the advanced level, however, course content is highly varied, embracing the wide range of topics relevant to the new cartography and visualization epistemology of today.

Automatic Spectral Rule-Based Preliminary Classification of Radiometrically Calibrated SPOT-4/-5/IRS, AVHRR/MSG, AATSR, IKONOS/QuickBird/OrbView/GeoEye, and DMC/SPOT-1/-2 Imagery—Part II: Classification Accuracy Assessment

In Part I of this paper, an operational fully automated Landsat-like image spectral rule-based decision-tree classifier (LSRC), suitable for mapping radiometrically calibrated seven-band Landsat-4/-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat-7 Enhanced TM+ (ETM+) spaceborne images [eventually synthesized from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imaging sensor] into a discrete and finite set of spectral categories, has been downscaled to properly deal with spaceborne multispectral imaging sensors whose spectral resolution overlaps with, but is inferior to Landsat's, namely: 1) Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT)-4/-5, Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS)-1C/-1D/-P6 Linear Imaging Self-Scanner (LISS)-III, and IRS-P6 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS); 2) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG); 3) Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR); 4) GeoEye-1, IKONOS-2, QuickBird-2, OrbView-3, TopSat, KOrean MultiPurpose SATellite (KOMPSAT)-2, FORMOsa SATellite (FORMOSAT)-2, Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer type 2 (AVNIR-2), RapidEye, WorldView-2, PLEIADES-1/-2, and SPOT-6/-7; and 5) Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), IRS-P6 LISS-IV, and SPOT-1/-2. LSRC, together with its five downscaled versions, identified, respectively, as the four-band SPOT-like SRC (SSRC), the four-band AVHRR-like SRC (AVSRC), the five-band AATSR-like SRC (AASRC), the four-band IKONOS-like SRC (ISRC), and the three-band DMC-like SRC (DSRC), form the so-called integrated SRC system of systems. In this paper, first, the classification accuracy and robustness to changes in the input data set of SSRC, AVSRC, AASRC, ISRC, and DSRC are assessed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in comparison with LSRC's. Next, ongoing and future SRC applications are presented and discussed. They encompass: 1) the implementation of operational two-stage stratified hierarchical Remote Sensing (RS) image understanding systems discussed in Part I of this paper; 2) the integration of near real-time satellite mapping services with Internet map servers; and 3) the development of a new approach to semantic querying of large-scale multisensor image databases. These experimental results and application examples prove that the integrated SRC system of systems is operational, namely, it is effective, near real-time, automatic, and robust to changes in the input data set. Therefore, SRC appears eligible for use in operational satellite-based measurement systems such as those envisaged by the ongoing international Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Programme and the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) system project.

A Study on Intention to Use in Internet Map Content Characteristics, Trust and User Satisfaction

A Study on Intention to Use in Internet Map Content Characteristics, Trust and User Satisfaction

Internet-scale IP alias resolution techniques

The well-known traceroute probing method discovers links between interfaces on Internet routers. IP alias resolution, the process of identifying IP addresses belonging to the same router, is a critical step in producing Internet topology maps. We compare the performance and accuracy of known alias resolution techniques, propose some enhancements, and suggest a practical combination of techniques that can produce the most accurate and complete IP-to-router mapping at macroscopic scale.

Understanding Edge Connectivity in the Internet through Core Decomposition

Internet is a complex network composed by several networks: the Autonomous Systems, each one designed to transport information efficiently. Routing protocols aim to find paths between nodes whenever it is possible (i.e., the network is not partitioned), or to find paths verifying specific constraints (e.g., a certain QoS is required). As connectivity is a measure related to both of them (partitions and selected paths) this work provides a formal lower bound to it based on core-decomposition, under certain conditions, and low complexity algorithms to find it. We apply them to analyze maps obtained from the prominent Internet mapping projects, using the LaNet-vi open-source software for its visualization.

Resolving IP Aliases in Building Traceroute-Based Internet Maps

Alias resolution, the task of identifying IP addresses belonging to the same router, is an important step in building traceroute-based Internet topology maps. Inaccuracies in alias resolution affect the representativeness of constructed topology maps. This in turn affects the conclusions derived from studies that use these maps. This paper presents two complementary studies on alias resolution. First, we present an experimental study to demonstrate the impact of alias resolution on topology measurement studies. Then, we introduce an alias resolution approach called analytic and probe-based alias resolver (APAR). APAR consists of an analytical component and a probe-based component. Given a set of path traces, the analytical component utilizes the common IP address assignment scheme to infer IP aliases. The probe-based component introduces a minimal probing overhead to improve the accuracy of APAR. Compared to the existing state-of-the-art tool ally, APAR uses an orthogonal approach to resolve a large number of IP aliases that ally fails to identify. Our extensive verification study on sample data sets shows that our approach is effective in resolving many aliases with good accuracy. Our evaluations also indicate that the two approaches (ally and APAR) should be used together to maximize the success of the alias resolution process.

Public Participation GIS: A New Method for Use in National Forest Planning

Abstract In this article we describe and evaluate a public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) methodology for use in national forest planning in the United States. The Internet-based mapping method collects public landscape values and special places data for input into a national forest planning decision support system. The PPGIS method presupposes that, within their existing statutory framework, national forests should be managed for compatibility with the range of values the public holds for those lands and that inadequate understanding, modeling, and documentation of place-specific forest values can negatively affect public acceptance, viability, and the usefulness of national forest plans. In this article we 1) review previous applications of landscape value mapping methods across a variety of planning applications, 2) describe the participatory, Internet mapping method used in three studies of national forests in Arizona and Oregon in 2006 and 2007, 3) present and evaluate the results to show likely future implementation constraints, and 4) based on lessons learned, describe a recommended PPGIS protocol for national forest planning. The results from the three studies demonstrate that an Internet, participatory mapping method, although not without limitations, can be effective in measuring landscape value and special place data for use in a variety of forest planning processes. Because the protocol expands and in a sense democratizes the agency's public participation process, implementation of the PPGIS protocol across the national forest system can help restore public trust in the agency's forest planning processes and forest management decisions.

Fire Information for Resource Management System: Archiving and Distributing MODIS Active Fire Data

Technological advances have driven all aspects of Earth observation data, including improvements realized in sensor characteristics and capabilities, global data processing, near real-time monitoring, value-added products, and the distribution of global products. In particular, the growth of the World Wide Web is contributing to an increase in the global user base. The synergy of remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), Internet, and mobile phone technologies is revolutionizing the way in which satellite-derived information is archived and distributed to users. The Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), a NASA-funded application, is just one of many examples that illustrate the increasing ease with which Earth observation data are accessible to a broad range of users. This paper describes how the delivery of satellite-derived fire information has evolved over the last six years. By understanding user requirements and taking advantage of recent developments in areas such as information management, search, access, visualization, and enabling technologies, FIRMS has expanded the number and range of users that are able to access and utilize satellite-derived fire information. Specifically, we describe how satellite remote sensing and GIS technologies have been integrated to deliver MODIS active fire data to natural resource managers using Internet mapping services and customized e-mail alerts to users in more than 90 countries. We also describe how this web-based desktop application has been transitioned to a mobile service in South Africa to deliver fire information to field staff to warn of fires that may be potentially damaging to both natural resources and infrastructure.

Web Mapping 2.0: The Neogeography of the GeoWeb

AbstractThe landscape of Internet mapping technologies has changed dramatically since 2005. New techniques are being used and new terms have been invented and entered the lexicon such as: mash‐ups, crowdsourcing, neogeography and geostack. A whole range of websites and communities from the commercial Google Maps to the grassroots OpenStreetMap, and applications such as Platial, also have emerged. In their totality, these new applications represent a step change in the evolution of the area of Internet geographic applications (which some have termed the GeoWeb). The nature of this change warrants an explanation and an overview, as it has implications both for geographers and the public notion of Geography. This article provides a critical review of this newly emerging landscape, starting with an introduction to the concepts, technologies and structures that have emerged over the short period of intense innovation. It introduces the non‐technical reader to them, suggests reasons for the neologism, explains the terminology, and provides a perspective on the current trends. Case studies are used to demonstrate this Web Mapping 2.0 era, and differentiate it from the previous generation of Internet mapping. Finally, the implications of these new techniques and the challenges they pose to geographic information science, geography and society at large are considered.

Nano Mapper: an Internet knowledge mapping system for nanotechnology development

Nanotechnology research has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Advances in information technology enable efficient investigation of publications, their contents, and relationships for large sets of nanotechnology-related documents in order to assess the status of the field. This paper presents the development of a new knowledge mapping system, called Nano Mapper (http://nanomapper.eller.arizona.edu), which integrates the analysis of nanotechnology patents and research grants into a Web-based platform. The Nano Mapper system currently contains nanotechnology-related patents for 1976–2006 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), European Patent Office (EPO), and Japan Patent Office (JPO), as well as grant documents from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for the same time period. The system provides complex search functionalities, and makes available a set of analysis and visualization tools (statistics, trend graphs, citation networks, and content maps) that can be applied to different levels of analytical units (countries, institutions, technical fields) and for different time intervals. The paper shows important nanotechnology patenting activities at USPTO for 2005–2006 identified through the Nano Mapper system.

Integrative Technologies in Support of GIS-Based Postdisaster Response

Innovations in interoperability and internet map server (IMS) technology allow for the rapid creation of a targeted, portable, and low-cost solution for postdisaster response and recovery using remotely sensed imagery and other data. This paper will highlight the development of a low-cost and rapidly developed IMS application as a single portal using integrative technologies to access very large data stores, including nationwide geocoding databases, large image Web servers storing multigigabyte remotely sensed imagery, dynamically changing data stored in warehouse databases, and other large IMS applications maintained by federal, state, and local organizations. The system is, therefore, an assembly of existing data through a central portal, with only limited (yet mission critical) data collected at the disaster site, enabling rapid assembly of an overall command and control center for emergency responders and managers, and an information portal to citizens.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE MANAGEMENT APPLICATION

ABSTRACT The Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), a partnership between the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and NOAA'S Office of Response and Restoration (ORR), is leading an effort to develop a data platform capable of intefacing both static and real-time data sets accessible simultaneously to a command post and assets in the field with an open source internet mapping server. The Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA™) is designed to give responders and decision makers ready access to geographically specific data useful during spill planning/drills, incident response, damage assessment and site restoration. In addition to oil spill and chemical release response, this website can be relevant to other environmental incidents and natural disasters, responses and regional planning efforts. The platform is easy to operate, without the assistance of Information Technology or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialists. It allows users to access individual data layer values, overlay relevant data sets, and zoom into segments of interest. The platform prototype is being developed specifically for Portsmouth Harbor and the Great Bay Estuary, NH. The prototype demonstrates the capabilities of an integrated data management platform and serves as the pilot for web-based GIS platforms in other regions.

MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION FLOW IN COMPLEX SHORELINE CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS THOUGH A COMMON SYSTEM FOR SITUATION OVERVIEW AND REPORTING IN THE “M/S SERVER” Incident

ABSTRACT Clean-up operations following coastal oil spills may become complex with respect to handling the information necessary to keep all parts of the organisation updated on the situation and in line with recent developments. After the “M/S Server” struck aground off the island of Fedje, Norway on Friday 12th. of January 2007, and initially spilling 290 tonnes of bunker oil, the weather conditions caused the oil to break up into many small slicks and polluting a high number of shoreline segments. The weather conditions continued to prevent the safe survey of several polluted positions, further complicating the task of creating a full overview of the situation. The 201 positions of the polluted segments involved 13 municipalities, 2 counties and 3 different Regional Pollution Combat Groups as well as the overall management by the Norwegian Coastal Authorities. Surveying of segments, prioritisation, and follow-up of progress involves both practical operational and scientific judgements, and creates paperwork. Both expert groups and on-site operative personnel will carry out surveys and report, and also need information for making decisions. Finding the right amount of data and level of detail to collect requires a common understanding of information needs, as well as the use of common forms. With the goal of reducing the overall time spent on reporting by collecting data centrally and providing a common site to stay informed, a data-based system for handling of information from shoreline clean-up operations was developed in the early days of the operation, as part of a cooperation project between The Norwegian Coastal Authority and NOFO on experience sharing and standardisation of information flow. An internet map service provided a common map of the positions and access to web-reports. Field equipment using semi-rugged PCs and mobile solutions was tried out. This paper focuses on the operational benefits and challenges of updating and coordinating information flow using a common web-based system, in an area where several different reporting procedures and forms had been previously used. Experience is shared with respect to making the system work as a useful true-time tool and not only as a hind-sight database.

The Potential of Maps APIs for Internet GIS Applications

AbstractSince the launching of Maps Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in 2005, many web developers, including geographers and non‐geographers, applauded the freely adaptable tools and used them to spawn numerous Internet applications. The success of the Maps APIs is largely attributable to its no‐cost policy, the availability of global data coverage, dynamic navigation, query capability, and ease of implementation. Despite its versatility in dynamic exploration of geographic data online, the existing Maps APIs lack Geographic Information System (GIS) functionalities compared to other Internet Mapping Services. The goal of this research was to review the potential of the Maps APIs for Internet GIS applications. This research employed the Google Maps API and developed a web prototype that disseminates spatial information of urban sprawl in Mundy Township, Michigan. The results revealed that both vector and raster data could be effectively represented by using the Maps API. Moreover, the Geographic Markup Language (GML) approach illustrated great potential for developing Internet GIS solutions around open specifications. This research suggested several potential solutions to expand the spectrum of GIS operations of the Maps APIs by incorporating the XML‐related technology and extending the JavaScript library.

Maps and the Internet: What a Mess It Is and How To Fix It

The promise of the Internet for cartography has faded into stark realities of commercialism, connectivity problems and confusion about what represents quality in Internet mapping. Accessing the Internet is still problematic and a great digital divide separates the developed from the developing world. Interaction with the online map, the single greatest advantage of maps and the new medium, has been either poorly implemented or not incorporated at all. The commercial aspect of the Internet has been turned upside down. We pay to access the Internet, not for its content. As a result, there is little competition to improve the quality of online maps, other than for bragging rights, and little incentive to create quality content. On top of this, in many parts of the world, access to the Internet by computer is expensive or inconvenient and people prefer to use the Internet through their mobile phone. Almost all new users to the Internet are connecting through mobile devices and a small screen that is hardly suitable for the display of maps. While a de-centralized system like the Internet is impossible to fix in traditional ways, solutions must be found for making the medium more accessible and useful for maps. National and international organizations can play a key role in providing examples of what is possible with maps and the Internet. Low-cost, easy-to-use tools also need to be made available so that online cartographers can create quality content.

Assessing spatial attributes of forest landscape values: an internet-based participatory mapping approach

We designed and developed an internet mapping application to collect data on the locations of forest landscape values across a 2.4 million hectare study area in the province of Alberta, Canada. Four communities in the study area were surveyed and 8053 point locations were mapped for 10 different value types. Importance weights of landscape values were determined through a ranking exercise. Nearest-neighbour and second-order spatial point pattern analysis (K functions) suggested that all value types were significantly clustered across the study area. Recreational, wilderness, existence, and biological diversity values exhibited maximum clustering at larger spatial scales in comparison with educational, economic, historic or cultural, and spiritual values. Maximum clustering was positively related to mean road density and negatively related to mean distance to water, which suggests that landscape features influence the spatial pattern of values by acting as focal points or attractors for values. An applied use of the data for values hotspot detection and community protection zoning in forest fire management planning is presented.