Data science has recently gained much attention for a number of reasons, and among them is Big Data. Scientists (from almost all disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, among others) and engineers (from all fields including civil, environmental, chemical, mechanical, among others) are faced with challenges posed by data volume, variety, and velocity, or Big Data. This book is designed to highlight the unique characteristics of geospatial data, demonstrate the need to different approaches and techniques for obtaining new knowledge from raw geospatial data, and present select state-of-the-art geospatial data science techniques and how they are applied to various geoscience problems.

This is the era of Big Data and computational social science. It is an era that requires tools which can do more than visualise data but also model the complex relation between data and human action, and interaction. Agent-Based Models (ABM) - computational models which simulate human action and interaction - do just that. This textbook explains how to design and build ABM and how to link the models to Geographical Information Systems. It guides you from the basics through to constructing more complex models which work with data and human behaviour in a spatial context. All of the fundamental concepts are explained and related to practical examples to facilitate learning (with models developed in NetLogo with all code examples available on the accompanying website). You will be able to use these models to develop your own applications and link, where appropriate, to Geographical Information Systems. All of the key ideas and methods are explained in detail: geographical modelling; an introduction to ABM; the fundamentals of Geographical Information Science; why ABM and GIS; using QGIS; designing and building an ABM; calibration and validation; modelling human behavior. An applied primer, that provides fundamental knowledge and practical skills, it will provide you with the skills to build and run your own models, and to begin your own research projects.

The coming of age of a technology first developed in the 1950s. All the money spent by the United States space program is not spent looking at the stars. NASA is composed of a vast and varied network of scientists across the academic spectrum involved in research and development programs that have wide application on planet Earth. Several of the leaders in the field of remote sensing and archaeology were recently brought together for a NASA-funded workshop in Biloxi, Mississippi. The workshop was organized specifically to show these archaeologists and cultural resource managers how close we are to being able to 'see' under the dirt in order to know where to excavate before ever putting a shovel in the ground. As the book that resulted from this workshop demonstrates, this fantasy is quickly becoming a reality. In this volume, eleven archaeologists reveal how the broad application of remote sensing, and especially geophysical techniques, is altering the usual conduct of dirt archaeology. Using case studies that both succeeded and failed, they offer a comprehensive guide to remote sensing techniques on archaeological sites throughout North America. Because this new technology is advancing on a daily basis, the book is accompanied by a CD intended for periodic update that provides additional data and illustrations. with contributions by: R. Berle Clay, Lawrence B. Conyers, Rinita A. Dalan, Marco Giardino, Thomas J. Green, Michael L. Hargrave, Bryan S. Haley, Jay K. Johnson, Kenneth L. Kvamme, J. J. Lockhart, Lewis Somers

The Asian "Mega Tsunami" 2004 has struck most of the territorial nations of South Asia including the East Coast of India. The NRDMS Division, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, has conceived and executed on All India Co-ordinated Programme on "Tsunami Disaster Assessment and Mitigation" through various institutions of expertise on Geomatics in Earth System Dynamics and the related natural disasters. The Geomatics technology which includes Arial Photography, Photogrammetry, Satellite Remote Sensing, Digital Image Processing, GPS Surveys, GIS modeling etc. was used in this programme, geo-spatial data bases were created on Tsunami disasters over Natural, Physical and Human Resources and futuristic mitigation strategies were evolved there from. The book illuminates the results of the studies carried out along the Indian Coast and a bird's eye view on the tsunami studies in Norway. In addition, some special papers on the role of mangroves as Tsunami mitigator, Impacts o Tsunami over marine water quality, coral ecosystem etc; the administrator's experience over the tsunami crisis management, NGO's perspective, certain societal issues triggered by the killer Tsunami and citizen's perspective, etc. also find a place in this volume.

Geographic Information has an important role to play in linking and combining datasets through shared location, but the potential is still far from fully realized because the data is not well organized and the technology to aid this process has not been available. Developments in the Semantic Web and Linked Data, however, are making it possible to integrate data based on Geographic Information in a way that is more accessible to users. Drawing on the industry experience of a geographer and a computer scientist, Linked Data: A Geographic Perspective is a practical guide to implementing Geographic Information as Linked Data. Combine Geographic Information from Multiple Sources Using Linked Data After an introduction to the building blocks of Geographic Information, the Semantic Web, and Linked Data, the book explores how Geographic Information can become part of the Semantic Web as Linked Data. In easy-to-understand terms, the authors explain the complexities of modeling Geographic Information using Semantic Web technologies and publishing it as Linked Data. They review the software tools currently available for publishing and modeling Linked Data and provide a framework to help you evaluate new tools in a rapidly developing market. They also give an overview of the important languages and syntaxes you will need to master. Throughout, extensive examples demonstrate why and how you can use ontologies and Linked Data to manipulate and integrate real-world Geographic Information data from multiple sources. A Practical, Readable Guide for Geographers, Software Engineers, and Laypersons A coherent, readable introduction to a complex subject, this book supplies the durable knowledge and insight you need to think about Geographic Information through the lens of the Semantic Web. It provides a window to Linked Data for geographers, as well as a geographic perspective for software engineers who need to understand how to work with Geographic Information. Highlighting best practices, this book helps you organize and publish Geographic Information on the Semantic Web with more confidence.

Cartography and geographic information (GI) are remarkably appropriate for the requirements of early warning (EW) and crisis management (CM). The use of geospatial technology has increased tremendously in the last years. ICT has changed from just using maps created in advance, to new approaches, allowing individuals (decision-makers) to use cartography interactively, on the basis of individual user's requirements. The new generation of cartographic visualizations based on standardisation, formal modelling, use of sensors, semantics and ontology, allows for the better adaptation of information to the needs of the users. In order to design a new framework in pre-disaster and disaster management safety/security/privacy aspects of institutions and citizens need to be considered. All this can only be achieved by demonstrating new research achievements, sharing best practices (e.g. in the health area) and working towards the wider acceptance of geospatial technology in society, with the help of education and media.

This book will outline research frontiers and applications of cartography and GI in EW and CM and document their roles and potentials in wider processes going on in information/knowledge-based societies.

Ideal for both undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of geography, forestry, ecology, geographic information science, remote sensing, and photogrammetric engineering, LiDAR Remote Sensing and Applications expertly joins LiDAR principles, data processing basics, applications, and hands-on practices in one comprehensive source. The LiDAR data within this book is collected from 27 areas in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, and Haiti and includes 183 figures created to introduce the concepts, methods, and applications in a clear context. It provides 11 step-by-step projects predominately based on Esri's ArcGIS software to support seamless integration of LiDAR products and other GIS data. The first six projects are for basic LiDAR data visualization and processing and the other five cover more advanced topics: from mapping gaps in mangrove forests in Everglades National Park, Florida to generating trend surfaces for rock layers in Raplee Ridge, Utah. Features Offers a comprehensive overview of LiDAR technology with numerous applications in geography, forestry and earth science Gives necessary theoretical foundations from all pertinent subject matter areas Uses case studies and best practices to point readers to tools and resources Provides a synthesis of ongoing research in the area of LiDAR remote sensing technology Includes carefully selected illustrations and data from the authors' research projects Before every project in the book, a link is provided for users to download data

John Randel Jr. (1787 1865) was an eccentric and flamboyant surveyor. Renowned for his inventiveness as well as for his bombast and irascibility, Randel was central to Manhattan s development but died in financial ruin. Telling Randel s engrossing and dramatic life story for the first time, this eye-opening biography introduces an unheralded pioneer of American engineering and mapmaking.

Charged with gridding what was then an undeveloped, hilly island, Randel recorded the contours of Manhattan down to the rocks on its shores. He was obsessed with accuracy and steeped in the values of the Enlightenment, in which math and science promised dominion over nature. The result was a series of maps, astonishing in their detail and precision, which undergird our knowledge about the island today. During his varied career Randel created surveying devices, designed an early elevated subway, and proposed a controversial alternative route for the Erie Canal winning him admirers and enemies.

The Measure of Manhattan is more than just the life of an unrecognized engineer. It is about the ways in which surveying and cartography changed the ground beneath our feet. Bringing Randel s story into the present, Holloway travels with contemporary surveyors and scientists trying to envision Manhattan as a wild island once again. Illustrated with dozens of historical images and antique maps, The Measure of Manhattan is an absorbing story of a fascinating man that captures the era when Manhattan indeed, the entire country still seemed new, the moment before canals and railroads helped draw a grid across the American landscape."

Analysis, assessment, and data management are core tools required for operation research analysts. The April 2011 conference held at the Helenic Military Academy addressed these issues with efforts to collect valuable recommendations for improving analysts' capabilities to assess and communicate the necessary qualitative data to military leaders. This unique volume is an outgrowth of the April conference and comprises of contributions from the fields of science, mathematics, and the military, bringing Greek research findings to the world. Topics cover a wide variety of mathematical methods used with application to defense and security. Each contribution considers directions and pursuits of scientists that pertain to the military as well as the theoretical background required for methods, algorithms, and techniques used in military applications. The direction of theoretical results in these applications is conveyed and open problems and future areas of focus are highlighted. A foreword will be composed by a member of N.A.T.O. or a ranking member of the armed forces. Topics covered include: applied OR and military applications, signal processing, scattering, scientific computing and applications, combat simulation and statistical modeling, satellite remote sensing, and applied informatics - cryptography and coding. The contents of this volume will be of interest to a diverse audience including military operations research analysts, the military community at large, and practitioners working with mathematical methods and applications to informatics and military science.

This book discusses statistical modeling of single- and multi-channel synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and the applications of these newly developed models in land and ocean monitoring, such as target detection and terrain classification. It is a valuable reference for researchers and engineers interested in information processing of remote sensing, radar signal processing, and image interpretation.

This book is the outcome of the work of contributors who participated in the wo- shop "Mapping Different Geographies (MDG)" in February 2010, held in Puchberg am Schneeberg, Austria. This meeting brought together cartographers, artists and geoscientists who research and practice in applications that focus on enhancing o- to-one communication or develop and evaluate methodologies that provide inno- tive methods for sharing information. The main intention of the workshop was to investigate how 'different' geographies are being mapped and the possibilities for developing new theories and techniques for information design and transfer based on place or location. So as to communicate these concepts it was important to appreciate the many contrasting meanings of 'mapping' that were held by workshop participants. Also, the many (and varied) viewpoints of what different geographies are, were ela- rated upon and discussed. Therefore, as the focus on space and time was embedded within everyone's felds of investigation, this was addressed during the workshop. This resulted in very engaging discourse, which, in some cases, exposed the restrictions that certain approaches need to consider. For participants, this proved to be most useful, as this allowed them to appreciate the limits and restrictions of their own approach to understanding and representing different geographies. As well, the workshop also was most helpful as a vehicle for demonstrating the common ground of interest held by the very diverse areas of endeavour that the workshop participants work within.

Spatial Analysis for Radar Remote Sensing of Tropical Forests is based on the authors' extensive involvement in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mapping projects, targeting the health of an earth ecosystem with great relevance for climate change studies: the tropical forests. The subject is developed from a vantage point provided by analysis in a combined space, scale (frequency), time, wavelength, polarization domain. The combination of space and scale offers the capability to zoom in and out like a virtual microscope to the resolution in tune with the underlying ecological phenomenon. It also enables statistical measures (correlations) related to the forest spatial distribution in case of backscatter, or to the canopy height variations in case of interferometric observations. The time dimension brings into play measures of the ecosystem dynamics, such as the flooding extent in the swamp forests, deforestation or degradation events. Wavelength and polarization agility extend the abovementioned capabilities by radar observations that are in tune with particular characteristics of the forest and terrain layers. The book's spotlight is on radar spatial random fields, these being populated by either backscatter observations or elevation data from interferometric SAR. The basic tenet here is that the spatial statistic of the fields measured by the wavelet variance (in stationary or non-stationary situations) carries fingerprints of the forest structure. Features: Uniquely focused on specific techniques that provide multi-resolution spatial and temporal analysis of forest structure characteristics and changes. Examines several large and important international remote sensing projects aimed at documenting entire tropical ecosystems. Provides novel wavelet methods for tropical forest structural measures. As the first book on this topic, this composite approach appeals to both students learning through important case studies and to researchers finding new ideas for future studies.

In this book the authors consider the natural environment as an integrated system and describe a cohesive approach to its modelling and prediction. The book emphasises the mathematical representation and numerical simulation of the interactions between the various environmental components and those of the environmental processes, including physical, chemical and biological. Furthermore, it summarises some of the recent progress and new developments in the modelling and prediction of the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, continental hydrosphere, cryosphere, etc. The authors also explore new theoretical frameworks in environmental prediction, such as systems analysis and statistical-dynamic modelling. The applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems in environmental modelling and prediction are discussed. Examples of integrated environmental modelling are given

Map of a Nation tells the story of the creation of the Ordnance Survey map - the first complete, accurate, affordable map of the British Isles. The Ordnance Survey is a much beloved British institution, and Map of a Nation is, amazingly, the first popular history to tell the story of the map and the men who dreamt and delivered it. The Ordnance Survey's history is one of political revolutions, rebellions and regional unions that altered the shape and identity of the United Kingdom over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It's also a deliciously readable account of one of the great untold British adventure stories, featuring intrepid individuals lugging brass theodolites up mountains to make the country visible to itself for the first time.

Object-Oriented Cartography provides an innovative perspective on the changing nature of maps and cartographic study. Through a renewed theoretical reading of contemporary cartography, this book acknowledges the shifted interest from cartographic representation to mapping practice and proposes an alternative consideration of the 'thingness' of maps. Rather than asking how maps map onto reality, it explores the possibilities of a speculative-realist map theory by bringing cartographic objects to the foreground. Through a pragmatic perspective, this book focuses on both digital and nondigital maps and establishes an unprecedented dialogue between the field of map studies and object-oriented ontology. This dialogue is carried out through a series of reflections and case studies involving aesthetics and technology, ethnography and image theory, and narrative and photography. Proposing methods to further develop this kind of cartographic research, this book will be invaluable reading for researchers and graduate students in the fields of Cartography and Geohumanities.

Data science has recently gained much attention for a number of reasons, and among them is Big Data. Scientists (from almost all disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, among others) and engineers (from all fields including civil, environmental, chemical, mechanical, among others) are faced with challenges posed by data volume, variety, and velocity, or Big Data. This book is designed to highlight the unique characteristics of geospatial data, demonstrate the need to different approaches and techniques for obtaining new knowledge from raw geospatial data, and present select state-of-the-art geospatial data science techniques and how they are applied to various geoscience problems.

Human factors play a critical role in the design and interpretation of remotely sensed imagery for all Earth sciences. Remote Sensing and Cognition: Human Factors in Image Interpretation brings together current topics widely recognized and addressed regarding human cognition in geographic imagery, especially remote sensing imagery with complex data. It addresses themes around expertise including methods for knowledge elicitation and modeling of expertise, the effects of different aspects of realism on the interpretation of the environment, spatial learning using imagery, the effect of visual perspective on interpretation, and a variety of technologies and methods for utilizing knowledge in the analysis of remote sensing imagery. Written by leaders in the field, this book provides answers to the host of questions raised at the nexus of psychology and remote sensing. Academics and researchers with an interest in the human issues surrounding the use of remote sensing data will find this book to be an invaluable resource. The topics covered in this book are useful for both the scientific analysis of remote sensing imagery as well as the design and display of remote sensing imagery to facilitate a variety of other tasks including education and wayfinding. Features Brings together remote sensing, environmental, and computer scientists discussing their work from a psychological or human factors perspective Answers questions related to aesthetics of scientific visualization and mathematical analysis of perceptible objects Explains the perception and interpretation of realistic representations Provides illustrative real-world examples Shows how the features of display symbols, elements, and patterns have clear effects on processes of perception and visual search

The oceans cover approximately 71% of Earth's surface, 90% of the biosphere and contains 97% of Earth's water. Since the first launch of SEASAT satellite in 1978, an increasing number of SAR satellites have or will become available, such as the European Space Agency's ERS-1/-2, ENVISAT, and Sentinel-1 series; the Canadian RADARSAT-1/-2 and the upcoming RADARSAT Constellation Mission series satellites; the Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellites, the German TERRASAR-X and TANDEM-X, and the Chinese GAOFEN-3 SAR, among others. Recently, European Space Agency has launched a new generation of SAR satellites, Sentinel-1A in 2014 and Sentinel-1B in 2016. These SAR satellites provide researchers with free and open SAR images necessary to carry out their research on the global oceans. The scope of Advances in SAR Remote Sensing of Oceans is to demonstrate the types of information that can be obtained from SAR images of the oceans, and the cutting-edge methods needed for analysing SAR images. Written by leading experts in the field, and divided into four sections, the book presents the basic principles of radar backscattering from the ocean surface; introduces the recent progresses in SAR remote sensing of dynamic coastal environment and management; discusses the state-of-the-art methods to monitor parameters or phenomena related to the dynamic ocean environment; and deals specifically with new techniques and findings of marine atmospheric boundary layer observations. Advances in SAR Remote Sensing of Oceans is a very comprehensive and up-to-date reference intended for use by graduate students, researchers, practitioners, and R&D engineers working in the vibrant field of oceans, interested to understand how SAR remote sensing can support oceanography research and applications.

Extreme weather and climate change aggravate the frequency and magnitude of disasters. Facing atypical and more severe events, existing early warning and response systems become inadequate both in scale and scope. Earth Observation (EO) provides today information at global, regional and even basin scales related to agrometeorological hazards. This book focuses on drought, flood, frost, landslides, and storms/cyclones and covers different applications of EO data used from prediction to mapping damages as well as recovery for each category. It explains the added value of EO technology in comparison with conventional techniques applied today through many case studies.

Urban development and migration from rural to urban areas are impacting prime agricultural land and natural landscapes, particularly in the less developed countries. These phenomena will persist and require serious study by those monitoring global environmental change. To address this need, various models have been devised to analyze urbanization and the physical, socioeconomic, and institutional factors impacting urban development. The most promising and rapidly developing of these paradigms take advantage of new Geographical Information System (GIS) technology. Modelling Urban Development with Geographical Information Systems and Cellular Automata presents one such cutting-edge model that is more than just predictive. It describes how the model simulates the urbanization process, and it provides theoretical context to promote understanding. Starting with a practical overview of the modelling techniques used in urban development research, the author focuses on the cellular automata model and its greatest strength - the incorporation of fuzzy set and fuzzy logic approaches through which urban development can be viewed as a spatially and temporally continuous process. Real-Life Application to Develop Future Planning Methods The text describes a landmark study underway, in which the fuzzy constrained cellular automata model has been implemented in a GIS environment to simulate urban development in Sydney, Australia. Featuring a survey of associated research and a geographical database for the Sydney simulation, this book answers many general "what if" questions for urban planners and details a new approach that they can adapt to their own testing and evaluation needs. This modeling method will provide researchers and planners with the means to not just predict population trends, but to better prepare for their consequences.

Today, remote sensing technology is an essential tool for understanding the Earth and managing human-Earth interactions. There is a rapidly growing need for remote sensing and Earth observation technology that enables monitoring of world's natural resources and environments, managing exposure to natural and man-made risks and more frequently occurring disasters, and helping the sustainability and productivity of natural and human ecosystems. The improvement in temporal resolution/revisit allows for the large accumulation of images for a specific location, creating a possibility for time series image analysis and eventual real-time assessments of scene dynamics. As an authoritative text, Remote Sensing Time Series Image Processing brings together active and recognized authors in the field of time series image analysis and presents to the readers the current state of knowledge and its future directions. Divided into three parts, the first addresses methods and techniques for generating time series image datasets. In particular, it provides guidance on the selection of cloud and cloud shadow detection algorithms for various applications. Part II examines feature development and information extraction methods for time series imagery. It presents some key remote sensing-based metrics, and their major applications in ecosystems and climate change studies. Part III illustrates various applications of time series image processing in land cover change, disturbance attribution, vegetation dynamics, and urbanization. This book is intended for researchers, practitioners, and students in both remote sensing and imaging science. It can be used as a textbook by undergraduate and graduate students majoring in remote sensing, imaging science, civil and electrical engineering, geography, geosciences, planning, environmental science, land use, energy, and GIS, and as a reference book by practitioners and professionals in the government, commercial, and industrial sectors.

Sixty years after its birth, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) evolved as a key player of earth observation, and it is continually upgraded by enhanced hardware functionality and improved overall performance in response to user requirements. The basic information gained by SAR includes the backscattering coefficient of targets, their phases (the truncated distance between SAR and its targets), and their polarization dependence. The spatiotemporal combination of the multiple data operated on the satellite or aircraft significantly increases its sensitivity to detect changes on earth, including temporal variations of the planet in amplitude and the interferometric change for monitoring disasters; deformations caused by earthquakes, volcanic activity, and landslides; environmental changes; ship detection; and so on. Earth-orbiting satellites with the appropriate sensors can detect environmental changes because of their large spatial coverage and availability. Imaging from Spaceborne and Airborne SARs, Calibration, and Applications provides A-to-Z information regarding SAR researches through 15 chapters that focus on the JAXA L-band SAR, including hardware description, principles of SAR imaging, theoretical description of SAR imaging and error, ScanSAR imaging, polarimetric calibration, inflight antenna pattern, SAR geometry and ortho rectification, SAR calibration, defocusing for moving targets, large-scale SAR imaging and mosaic, interferometric SAR processing, irregularities, application, and forest estimation. Sample data are created by using L-band SAR, JERS-1, PALSAR, PALSAR-2, and Pi-SAR-L2. This book is based on the author's experience as a principal researcher at JAXA with responsibilities for L-band SAR operation and researches. It reveals the inside of SAR processing and application researches performed at JAXA, which makes this book a valuable reference for a wide range of SAR researchers, professionals, and students.

Urban Remote Sensing, Second Edition assembles a team of professional experts to provide a much-needed update on the applications of remote sensing technology to urban and suburban areas. This book reflects new developments in spaceborne and airborne sensors, image processing methods and techniques, and wider applications of urban remote sensing to meet societal and economic challenges. In various sections of the book the authors address methods for upscaling urban feature extraction to the global scale, new methods in mapping and detecting urban landscape features and structures, and mapping and monitoring urbanization in developing countries. Additionally, readers are provided with valuable case studies such as the HEAT (Heat Energy Assessment Technologies) project in Calgary, Canada and the use of VHR (very high resolution) satellite monitoring in Salzburg, Austria to tackle challenges of urban green planning. Features Explores the most up-to-date developments in the field of urban remote sensing Integrates both technical and practical aspects covering all different topics of global urban growth issues Provides new and updated contributions addressing data mining of remotely sensed big data, recent urban studies on a global scale, accuracy assessment and validation, and new technical challenges Examines various applications of urban remote sensing in support of urban planning, environmental management, and sustainable urban development Authors are renowned figures in the field of remote sensing