Since its founding in 1964, the IMF Institute has provided macroeconomic management training to over 20,000 officials from almost all of the International Monetary Fund's 183 member countries more than 13,000 at IMF headquarters in Washington, and about 8,000 overseas. This volume compiles some of the analysis that the Institute uses in its macroeconomic training to address key questions that policymakers face in managing their national economies. The chapters, by IMF staff and external economists, cover salient topics in monetary, fiscal, and exchange rate management and show that there are no definitive prescriptions for effective economic policymaking, but rather a range of options, and that any course of policy action has explicit pros and cons.

20 years ago, from July 8 to 20, 1990, 60 researchers gathered for two weeks at Castillo-Palacio Magalia in Las Navas del Marques (Avila Province, Spain) to discuss cognitive and linguistic aspects of geographic space. This meeting was the start of successful research on cognitive issues in geographic information science, produced an edited book (D. M. Mark and A. U. Frank, Eds., 1991, Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space. NATO ASI Series D: Behavioural and Social Sciences 63. Kluwer, Dordrecht/Boston/London), and led to a biannual conference (COSIT), a refereed journal (Spatial Cognition and Computation), and a substantial and still growing research community. It appeared worthwhile to assess the achievements and to reconsider the research challenges twenty years later. What has changed in the age of computational ontologies and cyber-infrastructures? Consider that 1990 the web was only about to emerge and the very first laptops had just appeared! The 2010 meeting brought together many of the original participants, but was also open to others, and invited contributions from all who are researching these topics. Early-career scientists, engineers, and humanists working at the intersection of cognitive science and geographic information science were invited to help with the re-assessment of research needs and approaches. The meeting was very successful and compared the research agenda laid out in the 1990 book with achievements over the past twenty years and then turned to the future: What are the challenges today? What are worthwhile goals for basic research? What can be achieved in the next 20 years? What are the lessons learned? This edited book will assess the current state of the field through chapters by participants in the 1990 and 2010 meetings and will also document an interdisciplinary research agenda for the future.

China Satellite Navigation Conference (CSNC) 2013 Proceedings presents selected research papers from CSNC2013, held on 15-17 May in Wuhan, China. The theme of CSNC2013 is: BeiDou Application: Opportunities and Challenges. These papers discuss the technologies and applications of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the latest progress made in the China BeiDou system especially. They are divided into 9 topics to match the corresponding sessions in CSNC2013, which broadly covered key topics in GNSS. Readers can learn about the BeiDou system and keep abreast of the latest advances in GNSS techniques and applications. SUN Jiadong is the Chief Designer of the Compass/BeiDou system, and the Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); JIAO Wenhai is a researcher at China Satellite Navigation Office; WU Haitao is a professor at Navigation Headquarters, CAS; SHI Chuang is a professor at Wuhan University.

The book consists of peer-reviewed papers from the 9th symposium on Location Based Services (LBS) which is targeted to researchers, industry/market operators and students of different backgrounds (scientific, engineering and humanistic). As the research field is developing and changing fast, this book follows up on current trends and gives suggestions and guidance to further research. This book offers a common ground bringing together various disciplines and practice, knowledge, experiences, plans and ideas on how LBS can and could be improved and on how it will influence both science and society. The book comprises front-end publications organized into sections on: spatial-temporal data acquisition, processing & analysis; positioning / indoor positioning; way-finding / navigation (indoor / outdoor) & smart mobile phone navigation; interactions, user studies and evaluations; innovative LBS systems & applications.

The aim of the book is to present and discuss new methods, issues and challenges involved in geoinformatics' contribution to making transportation more intelligent, efficient and human-friendly. It covers a wide range of topics related to transportation and geoinformatics. The themes are divided into four main sections: Transport modeling, Sensor data and services, Intelligent transport systems, and Transport planning and accessibility.

This book documents the state of the art in the use of remote sensing to address time-sensitive information requirements. Specifically, it brings together a group of authors who are both researchers and practitioners, who work toward or are currently using remote sensing to address time-sensitive information requirements with the goal of advancing the effective use of remote sensing to supply time-sensitive information. The book addresses the theoretical implications of time-sensitivity on the remote sensing process, assessments or descriptions of methods for expediting the delivery and improving the quality of information derived from remote sensing, and describes and analyzes time-sensitive remote sensing applications, with an emphasis on lessons learned. This book is intended for remote sensing scientists, practitioners (e.g., emergency responders or administrators of emergency response agencies), and students, but will also be of use to those seeking to understand the potential of remote sensing to address a range of pressing issues, particularly natural and anthropogenic hazard response.

This is a detailed description of the steps leading from raw signals measured in space, to calibrated comparable long term data sets, to its final form: useful information for user communities. Examples of applications and data validations result from different investigations in the Mediteranean area. An appendix summarizes useful formulas of the evaluation of satellite data.

China Satellite Navigation Conference (CSNC) 2015 Proceedings presents selected research papers from CSNC2015, held during 13th-15th May in Xian, China. The theme of CSNC2015 is Opening-up, Connectivity and Win-win. These papers discuss the technologies and applications of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the latest progress made in the China BeiDou System (BDS) especially. They are divided into 10 topics to match the corresponding sessions in CSNC2015, which broadly covered key topics in GNSS. Readers can learn about the BDS and keep abreast of the latest advances in GNSS techniques and applications. SUN Jiadong is the Chief Designer of the Compass/ BDS, and the academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); LIU Jingnan is a professor at Wuhan University. FAN Shiwei is a researcher at China Satellite Navigation Office; LU Xiaochun is an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

China Satellite Navigation Conference (CSNC) 2015 Proceedings presents selected research papers from CSNC2015, held during 13th-15th May in Xian, China. The theme of CSNC2015 is Opening-up, Connectivity and Win-win. These papers discuss the technologies and applications of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the latest progress made in the China BeiDou System (BDS) especially. They are divided into 10 topics to match the corresponding sessions in CSNC2015, which broadly covered key topics in GNSS. Readers can learn about the BDS and keep abreast of the latest advances in GNSS techniques and applications. SUN Jiadong is the Chief Designer of the Compass/ BDS, and the academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); LIU Jingnan is a professor at Wuhan University. FAN Shiwei is a researcher at China Satellite Navigation Office; LU Xiaochun is an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Recent years in North America have seen a rapid development in the area of crime analysis and mapping using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. In 1996, the US National Institute of Justice (NIJ) established the crime mapping research center (CMRC), to promote research, evaluation, development, and dissemination of GIS technology. The long-term goal is to develop a fully functional Crime Analysis System (CAS) with standardized data collection and reporting mechanisms, tools for spatial and temporal analysis, visualization of data and much more. Among the drawbacks of current crime analysis systems is their lack of tools for spatial analysis. For this reason, spatial analysts should research which current analysis techniques (or variations of such techniques) that have been already successfully applied to other areas (e.g., epidemiology, location-allocation analysis, etc.) can also be employed to the spatial analysis of crime data. This book presents a few of those cases.

This book provides a comprehensive and advanced overview of the basic theory of thermal remote sensing and its application in hydrology, agriculture, and forestry. Specifically, the book highlights the main theory, assumptions, advantages, drawbacks, and perspectives of these methods for the retrieval and validation of surface temperature/emissivity and evapotranspiration from thermal infrared remote sensing. It will be an especially valuable resource for students, researchers, experts, and decision-makers whose interest focuses on the retrieval and validation of surface temperature/emissivity, the estimation and validation of evapotranspiration at satellite pixel scale, and the application of thermal remote sensing. Both Prof. Huajun Tang and Prof. Zhao-Liang Li work at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), China.

This book focuses on the use of open source software for geospatial analysis. It demonstrates the effectiveness of the command line interface for handling both vector, raster and 3D geospatial data. Appropriate open-source tools for data processing are clearly explained and discusses how they can be used to solve everyday tasks. A series of fully worked case studies are presented including vector spatial analysis, remote sensing data analysis, landcover classification and LiDAR processing. A hands-on introduction to the application programming interface (API) of GDAL/OGR in Python/C++ is provided for readers who want to extend existing tools and/or develop their own software.

Nowadays 3D Geoinformation is needed for many planning and analysis tasks. For example, 3D city and infrastructure models are paving the way for complex environmental and noise analyzes. 3D geological sub-surface models are needed for reservoir exploration in the oil-, gas-, and geothermal industry. Thus 3D Geoinformation brings together researchers and practitioners from different fields such as the geo-sciences, civil engineering, 3D city modeling, 3D geological and geophysical modeling, and, last but not least, computer science. The diverse challenges of 3D Geoinformation Science concern new approaches and the development of standards for above- and under-ground 3D modeling, efficient 3D data management, visualization and analysis. Finally, the integration of different 3D approaches and data models is seen as one of the most important challenges to be solved.

Major natural hazards have sparked growing public concern worldwide. This book provides new information on Typhoon Impact and Crisis Management using satellite remote sensing technology, linking the natural sciences and social sciences in typhoon studies. It examines remote sensing observations of typhoons (hurricanes), typhoon impacts on the environment, typhoon impacts on marine ecosystems, typhoon impacts and global changes, typhoon (hurricane) impacts on economics, and crisis management for typhoon (hurricane) disasters.

The Workshop Proceedings reflect problems of advanced geo-information science with a special emphasis on environmental and urban challenges. The Proceedings incorporate papers presented by leading scientists doing research on environmental issues from modeling to analysis, information processing and visualization. As well as practitioners engaged in GIS and GIS applications development. The Proceedings pay close attention to the problems of scientific and technological innovations as well application opportunities such as getting environmental and global warming problems under control, as well as the monitoring, planning and simulation of urban systems with respect to economic trends as related to: Artificial intelligence; GIS ontologies; GIS data integration and modeling; Environmental management ; Urban GIS; Transportation GIS; GIS data fusion; GIS and corporate information systems; GIS and real-time monitoring systems; GIS algorithms and computational issues; Landscape studies; Global warming; GIS and the Arctic sea; Novel and emerging GIS research areas; Maritime and environmental GIS; and Coastal GIS.

Reference systems and frames are of primary importance for many Earth science applications, satellite navigation as well as for practical applications in geo-information. A precisely defined reference frame is needed for the quantification of, e.g. Earth rotation and its gravity field, global and regional sea level variation, tectonic motion and deformation, post-glacial rebound, geocenter motion, large scale deformation due to Earthquakes, local subsidence and other ruptures and crustal dislocations. All of these important scientific applications fundamentally depend on a truly global reference system that only space geodesy can realize. This volume details the proceedigns of the IAG Symposium REFAG2010 (Marne la Vallee, France, October 4-8, 2010) The primary scope of REFAG2010 was to address today's achievements on theoretical concepts of reference systems and their practical implementations by individual space geodetic techniques and their combinations, underlying limiting factors, systematic errors and novel approaches for future improvements.

Modern Earth System Monitoring represents a fundamental change in the way scientists study the Earth System. In Oceanography, for the past two centuries, ships have provided the platforms for observing. Expeditions on the continents and Earth's poles are land-based analogues. Fundamental understanding of current systems, climate, natural hazards, and ecosystems has been greatly advanced. While these approaches have been remarkably successful, the need to establish measurements over time can only be made using Earth observations and observatories with exacting standards and continuous data. The 19 peer-reviewed contributions in this volume provide early insights into this emerging view of Earth in both space and time in which change is a critical component of our growing understanding.

Historical archives of vertical photographs and satellite images acquired for other purposes (mainly declassified military reconnaissance) offer considerable potential for archaeological and historical landscape research. They provide a unique insight into the character of the landscape as it was over half a century ago, before the destructive impact of later 20th century development and intensive land use. They provide a high quality photographic record not merely of the landscape at that time, but offer the prospect of the better survival of remains reflecting its earlier history, whether manifest as earthworks, cropmarks or soilmarks. These various sources of imagery also provide an opportunity to examine from the air areas of Europe and beyond whose skies are still not open to traditional archaeological aerial reconnaissance. Tens of millions of such images are held in archives around the world, but their research potential goes very largely untapped. A primary aim of this volume is to draw to wider attention the existence, scope and potential access to historical archival aerial and satellite photographs, in order to encourage their use in a range of archaeological and landscape research. By drawing attention to this massive archival resource, providing examples of its successful application to archaeological/landscape questions, and offering advice how to access and utilise the resource, the volume seeks to bring this material to wider attention, demonstrate its huge potential for archaeology, encourage its further use and stimulate a new approach to archaeological survey and the study of landscape evolution internationally.

This 200 page revised edition of Microsoft Mapping includes the latest details about SQL Server 2014 and the new 3D and Streetside-capable map control for Windows 10 applications. It contains updated chapters on Microsoft Azure and Power Map for Excel plus a new chapter on Bing Maps for Universal Windows. The book tells a story, from beginning to end, of planning and deploying a single geospatial application built using Microsoft technologies from end-to-end. Readers are expected to have basic familiarity with the fundamentals of developing for Microsoft platforms (some understanding of basic SQL, C#, .NET, and WCF); as readers work through the book they will build on their existing skills so that they will be able to deploy geospatial applications for social networking, data collection, enterprise management, or other purposes. Microsoft Mapping Second Edition provides: The only full book for developers who want to create location-aware apps using the Windows 10 platform Fully working code samples that show the concepts in use with ASP.NET 4.5 and Windows 10. Complete solutions to the common problems of geospatial development: visualization, hosting and localization of services are all explained. Demonstrates how the Bing Maps API can be connected to the Azure Cloud in order to provide a stand-alone mapping bolt-on with little additional up-front cost and great reliability. Unique coverage of how the Bing Maps API can be implanted within Windows and Windows Phone applications for Windows 10 applications to provide a robust service tailored to the capabilities of each device.Coverage of the new Windows 10 Bing Maps control, which supports viewing Streetside and aerial data.

Earth Observation interacts with space, remote sensing, communication, and information technologies, and plays an increasingly significant role in Earth related scientific studies, resource management, homeland security, topographic mapping, and development of a healthy, sustainable environment and community. Geospatial Technology for Earth Observation provides an in-depth and broad collection of recent progress in Earth observation. Contributed by leading experts in this field, the book covers satellite, airborne and ground remote sensing systems and system integration, sensor orientation, remote sensing physics, image classification and analysis, information extraction, geospatial service, and various application topics, including cadastral mapping, land use change evaluation, water environment monitoring, flood mapping, and decision making support. Geospatial Technology for Earth Observation serves as a valuable training source for researchers, developers, and practitioners in geospatial science and technology industry. It is also suitable as a reference book for upper level college students and graduate students in geospatial technology, geosciences, resource management, and informatics.

Spatial Modeling Principles in Earth Sciences presents fundamentals of spatial data analysis used in hydrology, geology, meteorology, atmospheric science and related fields. It examines methods for the quantitative determination of the spatial distribution patterns. This book brings together the material from the current literature in earth sciences and practical examples. It provides a sound background of philosophical, logical, rational and physical principles of spatial data and analysis, and explains how it can be modeled and applied in earth sciences projects and designs. It collects information not previously available in one source, and provides methodology for the treatment of spatial data to find the most rational and practical solution. The book is a valuable resource for students, researchers and practitioners of a broad range of disciplines including geology, geography, hydrology, meteorology, environment, image processing, spatial modeling and related topics.

David Stevens Space-based information, which includes earth observation data, is increasingly becoming an integral part of our lives. We have been relying for decades on data obtained from meteorological satellites for updates on the weather and to monitor weather-related natural disasters such as hurricanes. We now count on our personal satellite-based navigation systems to guide us to the nearest Starbucks Coffee and use web-based applications such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth to study the area of places we will or would like to visit. At the same time, satellite-based technologies have experienced impressive growth in recent years with an increase in the number of available sensors, an increase in spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions, an increase in the availability of radar satellites such as Terrasar-X and ALOS, and the launching of specific constellations such as the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), COSMO- SkyMed (COnstellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation) and RapidEye. Even more recent are the initiatives being set-up to ensure that space-based information is being accessed and used by decision makers, such as Sentinel Asia for the Asia and Pacific region and SERVIR for the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Hydrogeology is a topical and growing subject as the earth's water resources become scarcer and more vulnerable. More than half of the surface area of continents is covered with hard rocks of low permiability. This book deals comprehensively with the fundamental principles for understanding the hydrogeological characteristics of rocks, as well as exploration techniques and assessment. It also provides in depth discussion on structural mapping, remote sensing, geophysical exploration, GIS, groundwater flow modelling and contaminant transport, field hydraulic testing including tracer tests, groundwater quality, geothermal reservoirs, managed aquifer recharge, and resources assessment and management. Hydrogeological aspects of various lithology groups, including crystalline rocks, volcanic rocks, carbonate rocks and clastic formations have been dealt with separately, using and discussing examples from all over the world. It will be an invaluable text book cum reference source for postgraduate students, researchers, exploration scientists and engineers engaged in the field of groundwater development in fractured rocks. Applied Hydrogeology of Fractured Rocks - Second Edition is thoroughly revised and extended with a new chapter, updated sections, many new examples, and expanded and updated references.

Geomatics is a neologism, the use of which is becoming increasingly widespread, even if it is not still universally accepted. It includes several disciplines and te- niques for the study of the Earth's surface and its environments, and computer science plays a decisive role. A more meaningful and appropriate expression is G- spatial Information or GeoInformation. Geo-spatial Information embeds topography in its more modern forms (measurements with electronic instrumentation, sophisticated techniques of data analysis and network compensation, global satellite positioning techniques, laser scanning, etc.), analytical and digital photogrammetry, satellite and airborne remote sensing, numerical cartography, geographical information systems, decision support systems, WebGIS, etc. These specialized elds are intimately interrelated in terms of both the basic science and the results pursued: rigid separation does not allow us to discover several common aspects and the fundamental importance assumed in a search for solutions in the complex survey context. The objective pursued by Mario A. Gomarasca, one that is only apparently modest, is to publish an integrated text on the surveying theme, containing simple and comprehensible concepts relevant to experts in Geo-spatial Information and/or speci cally in one of the disciplines that compose it. At the same time, the book is rigorous and synthetic, describing with precision the main instruments and methods connected to the multiple techniques available today.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management, held in Barcelona, Spain, in April 2015. The 10 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 45 submissions. The papers address new challenges in geo-spatial data sensing, observation, representation, processing, visualization, sharing and managing. They concern information and communications technology (ICT) as well as management of information and knowledge-based systems.