Functional Elements of

GIS
 Three views of GIS
Database. A geographic or geo-database
that links information (attributes) to
location data.
Map. Intelligent maps that show features
and relationships.
Maps of the geographic information
can be used as windows into the
database to support queries and
analysis of the information.
Model. Tools that can be used to derive
new geographic data from existing data
and maps. 2
 A GIS is an integrated
system of users, data,
hardware and software

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GIS provides powerful, flexible
techniques for:
compiling
storing
retrieving
displaying, and
analyzing spatial data

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 Functional Elements of GIS
Data input: bringing data in the GIS environment
Data manipulation: allowing alteration of primary data.
Data output: moving data (or analysis results) out of the
GIS
Data management: controlling access to data and
ensuring data integrity and storage efficiency.
Data retrieval: calling data from a stored format into use
Data display: visualizing primary or derived data.
Data analysis and modeling: gathering insights into
relationships in the data, and modeling spatial
Phenomena
Product generation 5
Data Representation:
Fundamental ways to represent
spatial data
Vector model -- represents a map
by sets of points, lines and
polygons
Raster Data-- set of grid cells
with row and column (X, Y)
locations
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 GIS Maps Contain Layers

GIS organizes the world into layers

of geographic objects that are alike.

Layers Can Contain Features

Features are geographic objects (real or man made)

that can have shape, location and dimension.
features can be modeled as points, lines, or
polygons.
Mine Locations
Streets
Census Blocks
This is referred to as the Vector Data Model

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 Features Attributes
Features are stored in a database
along with information describing
them. The descriptive information
stored with a feature is called the
feature's attributes
Attributes of a street might include
its name, street type, length, street
code, number of lanes, and
pavement type. The attributes of a
park may be its name, area, hours of
operation, and maintenance schedule
Because features and their
attributes are linked, you can easily
access the attributes for any feature
or locate any feature from its
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attributes.
 The Raster Data Model
The Raster Data Model is
used to model spatial
phenomena that vary
continuously over a
Surface and that do not
have discrete dimension
Elevation
Temperature
Rainfall
Noise Levels

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 Surfaces Have Numeric Values
Things like
elevation,
temperature, slope
and precipitation
have measurable
values for any
particular location
on the earths
surface.

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Conceptual model of GIS with location and attribute
data acquired

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Example of a GIS

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Raster vs. Vector Representation

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 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis
Because GIS Data is
organized based upon
location, unlike data
can be overlaid and
analyzed based upon
spatial relationships:
Coincidence
Proximity
Containment
Adjacency
Intersection
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 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis
Suppose we are
interested in the
parts of streets that
are within 500
meters of rivers &
streams in a city

using GIS
software, we can
create a 500 meter
buffer around all
rivers & streams in
our area of interest
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 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis

then we can
overlay our streets
with this new buffer
feature

and finally, we
can clip the streets
to extent of the
buffer feature to end
up with a layer that
describes all streets
within 500 meters of
a river or stream! 16
 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis

Or perhaps we would
like to examine the
Statistical relationship
between two variables.
For example, elevation
and temperature

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 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis
We can overlay our
elevation and
temperature data,
based upon
location

The values from each

data layer can then
be extracted for
corresponding
locations
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 Putting It All Together GIS Analysis

these values can

then be exported to
statistical software
in order to
examine whether
there is a statistical
relationship between
elevation and
temperature
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 Basic database requirements:
a GIS must allow

Incorporation of data from outside

sources
Easily update and alter data
locations, boundaries
attributes
Ask (and answer) data related
questions
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 Data Manipulation Tools

Coordinate and scale changes

Projection change
Edge matching
Query
Windowing (zoom)

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 Data Analysis Tools
Aggregation
Classification
Measurement
Overlay
Merging
Buffering
Networks
Map algebra
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 Product generation

Output can be hard copy, digital

files, or computer displays of
maps
tabular or statistical information
for input to reports and/or models
the digital data files themselves
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 Essential Map Elements
Title Legend
What is your map about? Key
Should be the biggest text on the page Put everything in the legend
Should be descriptive Projection
Feel free to use a sub-title in order to List the projection your map is drawn in
Location Sources
In the title Just like citing sources in a program
Using Graticules Outline data sources, attribute data sources,
With an inset map image data sources
Scale Dates
Scale bar Dates on data sources
Representative fraction Date map drawn
Or both Cartographer
Orientation Put your name on the map
North Arrow Neatline
Be careful about position Everything must be inside the neatline
Drawn for?
Agency, class name
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90m DEM Error Residual: Control TIN

Cartography by Norman S. Bowman, Masters Research,

Geographic Resources Center, Department of Geography,
University of Missouri-Columbia, May 1995