The demand on local government to do more with less by improving operations, increasing productivity, and making better and more informed decisions increases constantly. On a departmental level Geographic Information Systems are helping meet this demand but the majority of local government organizations do not take the time to understand the GIS needs and opportunities of each and every department. This book: Discusses how towns, cities and counties and their specific departments should actually use GIS Explains the best ways to use GIS tools through many specific case studies and step by step instructions Emphasises local government needs first before offering solutions Gives readers a practical and understandable way of thinking about managing and making GIS successful This book is the guide that details best GIS applications and practices for the 34 departments in local government that can, and should, use GIS technology. It explains in details how, why, and what each department should implement, a clear and understandable explanation of departmental GIS.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com/doi/view/10.1201/9781315146638, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. GIS is used today to better understand and solve urban problems. GIS in Sustainable Urban Planning and Management: A Global Perspective, explores and illustrates the capacity that geo-information and GIS have to inform practitioners and other participants in the processes of the planning and management of urban regions. The first part of the book addresses the concept of sustainable urban development, its different frameworks, the many ways of measuring sustainability, and its value in the urban policy arena. The second part discusses how urban planning can shape our cities, examines various spatial configurations of cities, the spread of activities, and the demands placed on different functions to achieve strategic objective. It further focuses on the recognition that urban dwellers are increasingly under threat from natural hazards and climate change. Written by authors with expertise on the applications of geo-information in urban management, this book showcases the importance of GIS in better understanding current urban challenges and provides new insights on how to apply GIS in urban planning. It illustrates through real world cases the use of GIS in analyzing and evaluating the position of disadvantaged groups and areas in cities and provides clear examples of applied GIS in urban sustainability and urban resilience. The idea of sustainable development is still very much central in the new development agenda of the United Nations, and in that sense, it is of particular importance for students from both the Global South and Global North. Professionals, researchers, and students alike will find this book to be an invaluable resource for understanding and solving problems relating to sustainable urban planning and management.

Mapping Paradigms in Modern and Contemporary Art defines a new cartographic aesthetic, or what Simonetta Moro calls carto-aesthetics, as a key to interpreting specific phenomena in modern and contemporary art, through the concept of poetic cartography. The problem of mapping, although indebted to the "spatial turn" of poststructuralist philosophy, is reconstructed as hermeneutics, while exposing the nexus between topology, space-time, and memory. The book posits that the emergence of "mapping" as a ubiquitous theme in contemporary art can be attributed to the power of the cartographic model to constitute multiple worldviews that can be seen as paradigmatic of the post-modern and contemporary condition. This book will be of particular interest to scholars in art history, art theory, aesthetics, and cartography.

Written by leading global experts, including pioneers in the field, the four-volume set on Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation, Second Edition, reviews existing state-of- the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of hyperspectral data in the study and management of agricultural crops and natural vegetation. Volume II, Hyperspectral Indices and Image Classifications for Agriculture and Vegetation evaluates the performance of hyperspectral narrowband or imaging spectroscopy data with specific emphasis on the uses and applications of hyperspectral narrowband vegetation indices in characterizing, modeling, mapping, and monitoring agricultural crops and vegetation. This volume presents and discusses topics such as the non-invasive quantification of foliar pigments, leaf nitrogen concentration of cereal crop, the estimation of nitrogen content in crops and pastures, and forest leaf chlorophyll content, among others. The concluding chapter provides readers with useful guidance on the highlights and essence of Volume II through the editors' perspective. Key Features of Volume II: Provides the fundamentals of hyperspectral narrowband vegetation indices and hyperspectral derivative vegetation indices and their applications in agriculture and vegetation studies. Discusses the latest advances in hyperspectral image classification methods and their applications. Explains the massively big hyperspectral sensing data processing on cloud computing architectures. Highlights the state-of-the-art methods in the field of hyperspectral narrowband vegetation indices for monitoring agriculture, vegetation, and their properties such as plant water content, nitrogen, chlorophyll, and others at leaf, canopy, field, and landscape scales. Includes best global expertise on hyperspectral remote sensing of agriculture, crop water use, plant species detection, crop productivity and water productivity mapping, and modeling.

1. Provides the fundamentals of feature extraction methods and applications along with fundamentals of machine learning. 2. Discusses in detail the advantages of using machine learning in geospatial feature extraction. 3. Explains the methods for estimating object height from optical satellite remote sensing images using Python, R, QGIS, and GRASS GIS implementations. 4. Includes case studies that demonstrate the use of machine learning models for building footprint extraction and photogrammetric methods for height assessment. 5. Highlights the potential of machine learning and geospatial technology for future project developments.

Written by leading global experts, including pioneers in the field, the four-volume set on Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation, Second Edition, reviews existing state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of hyperspectral data in the study and management of agricultural crops and natural vegetation. Volume I, Fundamentals, Sensor Systems, Spectral Libraries, and Data Mining for Vegetation introduces the fundamentals of hyperspectral or imaging spectroscopy data, including hyperspectral data processes, sensor systems, spectral libraries, and data mining and analysis, covering both the strengths and limitations of these topics. This book also presents and discusses hyperspectral narrowband data acquired in numerous unique spectral bands in the entire length of the spectrum from various ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne platforms. The concluding chapter provides readers with useful guidance on the highlights and essence of Volume I through the editors' perspective. Key Features of Volume I: Provides the fundamentals of hyperspectral remote sensing used in agricultural crops and vegetation studies. Discusses the latest advances in hyperspectral remote sensing of ecosystems and croplands. Develops online hyperspectral libraries, proximal sensing and phenotyping for understanding, modeling, mapping, and monitoring crop and vegetation traits. Implements reflectance spectroscopy of soils and vegetation. Enumerates hyperspectral data mining and data processing methods, approaches, and machine learning algorithms. Explores methods and approaches for data mining and overcoming data redundancy; Highlights the advanced methods for hyperspectral data processing steps by developing or implementing appropriate algorithms and coding the same for processing on a cloud computing platform like the Google Earth Engine. Integrates hyperspectral with other data, such as the LiDAR data, in the study of vegetation. Includes best global expertise on hyperspectral remote sensing of agriculture, crop water use, plant species detection, crop productivity and water productivity mapping, and modeling.

Maps are tools used to understand space, discover territories, communicate information, and explain the results of geographical analysis. This practical handbook is about thematic cartography. With more than 120 colorful amazing illustrations, numerous boxed texts, definitions, and helpful tools, this step-by-step introduction to cartography is both the art of understanding the world and a powerful tool for explaining it. Through many hands-on tests, the reader will learn how to produce an interesting and communicative map applied to any spatial theme. Written by experienced scholars and experts in cartography, this book is an excellent resource for undergraduate students and non-cartographers interested in designing, understanding, and interpreting maps. It includes practical exercises explained in the form of a game and provides a concise, accessible, and current address of cartographic principles, allowing readers to go deeper into cartographic design. It can be read from beginning to end like an essay or just by dipping into it for information as needed.

This book explores the applicability of multiple remote sensors to acquire information relevant to restoration and conservation efforts in wetlands using data collected from airborne and space multispectral/hyperspectral sensors, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and a hand-held spectroradiometer. This book also examines digital data processing techniques such as object-based image analysis, machine learning, texture analysis, and data fusion. After an introduction to the Everglades and to remote sensing, the book is divided into four parts based on the sensor systems used. There are chapters on vegetation mapping, biomass and water quality modeling, applications of hyperspectral data for plant stress analysis and coral reef mapping, studies of airborne LiDAR data for coastal vulnerability analysis and DEM improvement, as well as chapters that explore a fusion of multiple sensors for different datasets. Features Introduces concepts, theories, and advanced processing techniques A complete introduction of machine learning, object-based image analysis, data fusion, and ensemble analysis techniques in processing data from multiple remote sensors Explains how multiple remote sensing systems are applied in the wetland ecosystems of Florida The author had been teaching and using both systems and her research is widely recognized Multi-sensor System Applications in the Everglades Ecosystems provides a comprehensive application of remote sensing techniques in the Florida Everglades and its coastal ecosystems. It will prove an invaluable resource for the restoration and conservation of the Florida Everglades and beyond, for global wetlands in general. Any professional, scientist, engineer, or student working with remote sensing and wetland ecosystems will reap enormous benefits from this book.

Traditional methods for handling spatial data are encumbered by the assumption of separate origins for horizontal and vertical measurements, but modern measurement systems operate in a 3-D spatial environment. The 3-D Global Spatial Data Model: Principles and Applications, Second Edition maintains a new model for handling digital spatial data, the global spatial data model or GSDM. The GSDM preserves the integrity of three-dimensional spatial data while also providing additional benefits such as simpler equations, worldwide standardization, and the ability to track spatial data accuracy with greater specificity and convenience. This second edition expands to new topics that satisfy a growing need in the GIS, professional surveyor, machine control, and Big Data communities while continuing to embrace the earth center fixed coordinate system as the fundamental point of origin of one, two, and three-dimensional data sets. Ideal for both beginner and advanced levels, this book also provides guidance and insight on how to link to the data collected and stored in legacy systems.

This book shows how to build a "INFelecPHY GPS Unit" (IEP-GPS) tracking system for fleet management that is based on 3G and GPRS modules. This model should provide reliability since it deals with several protocols: 1) HTTP and HTTPS to navigate, download and upload in real time the information to a web server, 2) FTTP and FTTPS to handle in a non-real time the files to the web application, and 3) SMTP and POP3 to send and receive email directly from the unit in case of any alert. Similar to a mobile device, but without screen for display, it is multifunctional because it links to a GPRS module, a camera, a speaker, headphone, a keypad and screen.

Wireless Sensor Networks overcome the difficulties of other monitoring systems. However, they require further efficiencies for Outdoor Environment Monitoring (OEM) applications due to their harsh operational conditions, huge targeted areas, limited energy budget, and required 3D setups. A fundamental issue in defeating these practical challenges is deployment planning. The deployment plan is a key factor of many intrinsic properties of OEM networks, summarized in connectivity, lifetime, fault-tolerance, and cost-effectiveness. This book investigates the problem of WSNs deployments that address these properties in order to overcome the unique challenges and circumstances in OEM applications.

The explosion of public interest in the natural environment can, to a large extent, be attributed to greater public awareness of the impacts of global warming and climate change. This has led to increased research interest and funding directed at studies of issues affecting sensitive, natural environments. Not surprisingly, much of this work has required the innovative application of GIS and has led to a crucial research question: How should the environment be represented, modeled, analyzed, and visualized within a GIS? With contributions from recognized international experts, Representing, Modeling, and Visualizing the Natural Environment explores the interplay between data representation, modeling, and visualization in environmental studies. It reviews state-of-the-art GIS applications for the natural environment and presents them in the context of a range of recent studies. This focus identifies analytical challenges and illustrates broader opportunities for applying GIS within other areas of the sciences and social sciences. The integrated approach reflects the need for a single volume covering all aspects While many texts cover aspects of GIS application within an environmental context, few of these books focus specifically on the natural environment nor do they integrate the questions that encompass the full process of enquiry associated with GIS application in studies of the environment. The thirteenth volume in the widely recognized Innovations of GIS series, this book investigates each of these questions in turn, explicitly addressing all aspects of GIS application in the natural environment.

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.

GIS for Sustainable Development examines how GIS applications can improve collaboration in decision making among those involved in promoting sustainable development. This volume reviews leading GIScience, providing an overview of research topics and applications that enable GIS newcomers and professionals to apply GIScience methods to sustainable spatial planning. Divided into three parts, the book begins with an introduction to the issues of sustainability, focusing on concepts concerning GIS adoption and use within public organizations that are planning development. Part II focuses on GIScience methods, which can be used to support sustainable development and solve environmental problems. Part III presents research projects and best practices relating to different areas of application within the field. This text provides the latest research findings, delivers complete references to related publications, and supplies you with a complete reference framework for each topic.

This book explains the fundamentals and intricacies of telegeoinformatics. The book is divided into three parts: Theories and Technologies; Integrated Data and Technologies; and Applications. These sections are divided into smaller contributed chapters, each of which addresses a topic crucial to the understanding of telegeoinformatics. This volume covers the concepts and technologies related to GIS and geoprocessing, remote sensing, the GPS, and wireless systems. It also explores the main issues of integrated data and technologies in LBC, LBS, mediated reality, and mobile augmented reality systems. The final part discusses applications of telegeoinformatics in emergency response, mobile inspection data collection, and ITS.

Have you ever considered how much effect information technology has on society throughout the world? Progress often places lower income and marginalized communities at a distinct disadvantage. Community Participation and Geographic Information Systems, however, offers a detailed look at numerous incidences around the world where communities have actually taken control of the technology and really used it to their advantage. This is presented in the form of case studies and models such as Philadelphia's neighborhoods, the Atlanta Project, and neighborhood revitalization in Minneapolis, reflect on public participation in GIS concepts, best practices, constraints and opportunities.

The use of computers in cartography has made it a lot easier for map makers to transform data from one map projection to another and experiment with alternative representations of geographical data. Yet this has also created new challenges and opportunities for map projection scientists. Small Scale Map Projection Design focuses on numerical map projection research, and is written from the perspective of the map projection user. It demonstrates how advances in the measurement of map projection distortion and in the development of low error map projections can help map makers decide what type of map projection is best for their purpose, and shows how they can eventually design their own tailor-made map projections. A number of significant contributions have been made to the subject over recent decades, and these are reviewed along with a substantial amount of original, unpublished material. This theoretical material is tied to practical applications and issues such as map projection use, optimization and selection, which are far too often carried out with simple rules-of-thumb methods.

One of the ongoing problems researchers in geography and GIS have is studying data that is inherently spatial over a long period of time. One of the main hurdles they have to overcome is the study of groups of people classified by their socio-economic status (one of the main means for governments, companies and research organisations to group together segments of the population). The amount of data collected by governments, business and research organisations has increased markedly in recent years. Geographic Information Systems have been more widely used than ever before for the storage and analysis of this information. Most GIS can handle this information spatially rather than temporally, and have difficulty with the management of socio-economic time series, which relate to spatial units. Accordingly, this book covers the issues ranging from the formal model to differentiate aspects of spatio-temporal data, through philosophical and fundamental reconsideration of time and space to the development of practical solutions to the problem. This book draws together an interdisciplinary group of scientists in the field of geography, computing, surveying and philosophy. It presents the definitive sourcebook on temporal GIS as applied to socio-economic units.

Optical Properties and Remote Sensing of Inland and Coastal Waters discusses the methodology and the theoretical basis of remote sensing of water. It presents physical concepts of aquatic optics relevant to remote sensing techniques and outlines the problems of remote measurements of the concentrations of organic and inorganic matter in water. It also details the mathematical formulation of the processes governing water-radiation interactions and discusses the development of bio-optical models to incorporate optically complex bodies of water into remote sensing projects. Optical Properties and Remote Sensing of Inland and Coastal Waters derives and evaluates the interrelationships among inherent optical properties of natural water, water color, water quality, primary production, volume reflectance spectra, and remote sensing. This timely and comprehensive text/reference addresses the increasing tendency toward multinational and multidisciplinary climate studies and programs.

Written by leading global experts, including pioneers in the field, the four-volume set on Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation, Second Edition, reviews existing stateof- the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of hyperspectral data in the study and management of agricultural crops and natural vegetation. Hyperspectral remote sensing or imaging spectroscopy data has been increasingly used in studying and assessing the biophysical and biochemical properties of agricultural crops and natural vegetation. Volume III, Biophysical and Biochemical Characterization and Plant Species Studies demonstrates the methods that are developed and used to study terrestrial vegetation using hyperspectral data. This volume includes extensive discussions on hyperspectral data processing and how to implement data processing mechanisms for specific biophysical and biochemical applications such as crop yield modeling, crop biophysical and biochemical property characterization, and crop moisture assessments. The concluding chapter provides readers with useful guidance on the highlights and essence of Volume III through the editors' perspective. Key Features of Volume III: Covers recent abilities to better quantify, model, and map plant biophysical, biochemical water, and structural properties. Demonstrates characteristic hyperspectral properties through plant diagnostics or throughput phenotyping of plant biophysical, biochemical, water, and structural properties. Establishes plant traits through hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy data as well as its integration with other data, such as LiDAR, using data from various platforms (ground-based, UAVs, and earth-observing satellites). Studies photosynthetic efficiency and plant health and stress through hyperspectral narrowband vegetation indices. Uses hyperspectral data to discriminate plant species and\or their types as well as their characteristics, such as growth stages. Compares studies of plant species of agriculture, forests, and other land use\land cover as established by hyperspectral narrowband data versus multispectral broadband data. Discusses complete solutions from methods to applications, inventory, and modeling considering various platform (e.g., earth-observing satellites, UAVs, handheld spectroradiometers) from where the data is gathered. Dwells on specific applications to detect and map invasive species by using hyperspectral data.

Recent studies indicate that - due to climate change - the Earth is undergoing rapid changes in all cryospheric components, including polar sea ice shrinkage, mountain glacier recession, thawing permafrost, and diminishing snow cover. This book provides a comprehensive summary of all components of the Earth's cryosphere, reviewing their history, physical and chemical characteristics, geographical distributions, and projected future states. This new edition has been completely updated throughout, and provides state-of-the-art data from GlobSnow-2 CRYOSAT, ICESAT, and GRACE. It includes a comprehensive summary of cryospheric changes in land ice, permafrost, freshwater ice, sea ice, and ice sheets. It discusses the models developed to understand cryosphere processes and predict future changes, including those based on remote sensing, field campaigns, and long-term ground observations. Boasting an extensive bibliography, over 120 figures, and end-of-chapter review questions, it is an ideal resource for students and researchers of the cryosphere.

Combining GIS concepts and fundamental spatial thinking methodology with real programming examples, this book introduces popular Python-based tools and their application to solving real-world problems. It elucidates the programming constructs of Python with its high-level toolkits and demonstrates its integration with ArcGIS Theory. Filled with hands-on computer exercises in a logical learning workflow this book promotes increased interactivity between instructors and students while also benefiting professionals in the field with vital knowledge to sharpen their programming skills. Readers receive expert guidance on modules, package management, and handling shapefile formats needed to build their own mini-GIS. Comprehensive and engaging commentary, robust contents, accompanying datasets, and classroom-tested exercises are all housed here to permit users to become competitive in the GIS/IT job market and industry.

Maps have always been a fundamental tool in archaeological practice, and their prominence and variety have increased along with a growing range of digital technologies used to collect, visualise, query and analyse spatial data. However, unlike in other disciplines, the development of archaeological cartographical critique has been surprisingly slow; a missed opportunity given that archaeology, with its vast and multifaceted experience with space and maps, can significantly contribute to the field of critical mapping. Re-mapping Archaeology thinks through cartographic challenges in archaeology and critiques the existing mapping traditions used in the social sciences and humanities, especially since the 1990s. It provides a unique archaeological perspective on cartographic theory and innovatively pulls together a wide range of mapping practices applicable to archaeology and other disciplines. This volume will be suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as for established researchers in archaeology, geography, anthropology, history, landscape studies, ethnology and sociology.

1. Uses advanced geospatial technology to study fragile Himalayan ecosystems and their sustainability. 2. Focuses on land use/land cover changes (LULCC) a leading aspect of environmental changes caused by human-induced activities in rapidly developing areas. 3. Includes case studies from Indian Himalayan, Nepal, and Afghanistan regions. 4. Provides satellite data and spatio-temporal analyses to assess and monitor land cover and land use in the Himalayas. 5. Discusses vegetation trends and forest fires related to ongoing geohazards and climate change.

Coordinates are integral building tools for GIS, cartography, surveying and are vital to the many applications we use today such as smart phones, car navigation systems and driverless cars. Basic GIS Coordinates, Third Edition grants readers with a solid understanding of coordinates and coordinate systems and how they operate as well as valuable insight into what causes them to malfunction. This practical and comprehensive guide lays out the foundation of a coordinate system and the implications behind building it as it elaborates on heights, two coordinate systems, and the rectangular system.The previous editions described horizontal and vertical datums such as the North American Datum 1983 (NAD 83) and the North American Vertical Datum 1988 (NAVD 88). Both will be replaced in 2022 or thereabouts. The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) plans to replace NAD83 with a new semi-dynamic terrestrial reference frame for North America and a new vertical datum will replace NAVD88. The foundation of the new vertical datum will be a temporally tracked gravimetric geoid. The interim period is intended to smooth the transition to the new paradigm and this new edition explores the changes and provides assistance in understanding them.