The Association of Geographic Information Laboratories for Europe (AGILE) was established in early 1998 to promote academic teaching and research on GIS at the European level. Since then, the annual AGILE c- ference has gradually become the leading GIScience conference in Europe and provides a multidisciplinary forum for scientific knowledge prod- tion and dissemination. GIScience addresses the understanding and automatic processing of geospatial information in its full breadth. While geo-objects can be represented either as vector data or in raster formats these representations have also guided the research in different disciplines, with GIS researchers concentrating on vector data while research in photogrammetry and c- puter vision focused on (geospatial) raster data. Although there have - ways been small but fine sessions addressing photogrammetry and image analysis at past AGILE conferences, these topics typically played only a minor role. Thus to broaden the domain of topics the AGILE 2009 con- rence it is jointly organized with a Workshop of the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), dedicated to High Re- lution Satellite Imagery, organized by Prof. Christian Heipke of the Le- niz Universitat Hannover. This collocation provides opportunities to explore commonalities - tween research communities and to ease exchange between participants to develop or deepen mutual understanding. We hope that this approach enables researchers from the different communities to identify common - terests and research methods and thus provides a basis for possible future cooperations."

In June/July 2008 the Institute for Geoinformation and Cartography at the Vienna University of Technology organized a scientific colloquium in this city, where 15 well-known scientists presented their ideas on research for the upcoming decade. This book contains papers prepared by the participants as well as by other researchers. The eighteen papers in this book reflect the opinion of a core group of Geoinformation scientists about future research topics. Dealing with these topics poses multiple research questions for the coming years

This book provides extensive insight on remote sensing of coastal waters from aircraft and space-based platforms. The primary focus of the book is optical remote sensing using passive instruments, to measure and analyze the coastal aquatic environment. The authors have gathered information from a variety of sources, to help non-specialists grasp new techniques and technology, to quickly produce useful data

The GeoInfo series of scientific conferences is an annual forum for exploring research, development and innovative applications in geographic information science and related areas. This book provides a privileged view of what is currently happening in the field of geoinformatics as well as a preview of what could be the hottest developments and research topics in the near future.

This book focuses on the modeling and management of spatial data in distributed systems. The authors have structured the contributions from internationally renowned researchers into four parts. The book offers researchers an excellent overview of the state-of-the-art in modeling and management of spatial data in distributed environments, while it may also be the basis of specialized courses on Web-based geographical information systems.

This volume contains the extended papers selected for presentation at the ninth edition of the International Symposium on Web & Wireless Geographical Information Systems 2 (WGIS 2009) hosted by the National Centre for Geocomputation in NUI Maynooth 2 (Ireland). WGIS 2009 was the ninth in a series of successful events beginning with Kyoto 2001, and alternating locations between East Asia and Europe. We invited s- missions that provided an up-to-date review of advances in theoretical, technical, and 2 practical issues of W GIS and Intelligent GeoMedia. Reports on ongoing implemen- tions and real-world applications research were particularly welcome at this symposium. 2 Now in its ninth year, the scope of W GIS has expanded to include continuing - vances in wireless and Internet technologies that generate ever increasing interest in the diffusion, usage, and processing of geo-referenced data of all types - geomedia. Spatially aware wireless and Internet devices offer new ways of accessing and anal- ing geo-spatial information in both real-world and virtual spaces. Consequently, new challenges and opportunities are provided that expand the traditional GIS research scope into the realm of intelligent media - including geomedia with context-aware behaviors for self-adaptive use and delivery. Our common aim is research-based innovation that increases the ease of creating, delivering, and using geomedia across different platforms and application domains that continue to have dramatic effect on today's society.

National parks, wildlife refuges and sanctuaries, natural reserves, conservation areas, frontier lands, and marine-protected areas are increasingly recognized as essential providers of ecosystem services and biological resources. As debates about climate change and sustainability intensify, protected areas become more important as indicators of ecosystem conditions in particular environments or in comparison with adjacent environments. The first book of its kind, Remote Sensing of Protected Lands showcases state-of-the-art remote sensing applications for the inventory and monitoring of protected areas. Contributions from renowned scholars and experts from around the world are organized into four sections covering the use of remote sensing in: Changing landscapes and change detection Inventory, mapping, and conservation Inventory and monitoring of frontier lands Decision support for the management of protected lands A View of Both the Forest and the Trees Combining reviews of theories and methods with analysis of case studies, the book gives readers both a systematic view of the field and detailed knowledge of specific topics. Case studies explore key topics in the context of a wide range of protected areas, including national parks in the United States and Canada, the Albertine Rift in eastern Africa, the Amazon forests, the Changbai Mountain region in Northeast Asia, the frontier lands in Siberia and the Tibetan Plateau, and marine protected areas along the tropical and temperate Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Alongside each case study, the book examines advanced remote sensing technologies such as airborne and spaceborne high spatial resolution imageries, multispectral and multitemporal time series data, satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), and the integration of r

The 6th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites for Earth Observation, initiated by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), was again hosted by DLR, the German Aerospace Center. The participation of scientists, engineers, and managers from 24 countries reflected the high interest in the use of small satellites for dedicated missions applied to Earth observation. The contributions showed that dedicated Earth observation missions cover a wide range of very different tasks.

World-renowned experts in spatial statistics and spatial econometrics present the latest advances in specification and estimation of spatial econometric models. This includes information on the development of tools and software, and various applications. The text introduces new tests and estimators for spatial regression models, including discrete choice and simultaneous equation models. The performance of techniques is demonstrated through simulation results and a wide array of applications related to economic growth, international trade, knowledge externalities, population-employment dynamics, urban crime, land use, and environmental issues. An exciting new text for academics with a theoretical interest in spatial statistics and econometrics, and for practitioners looking for modern and up-to-date techniques.

This 4th volume of LIGHT SCATTERING REVIEWS is devoted to modern knowledge and milestones in both experimental and theoretical techniques related to light scattering and radiative transport problems. It consists of 3 chapters comprising 12 contributions written by leading world experts in their respective fields. The general focus of the book is on single light scattering and radiative transfer. The three chapters are devoted to experimental studies in the optics of light scattering media.

The first chapter consists of three parts: In the first part, the main properties of scattering matrices are presented in a systematic way, together with polarimetric decomposition theorems in a great detail. The Green s function techniques for plane wave scattering by nonspherical particles is introduced in the second part. Different conceptual advantages and disadvantages of various numerical schemes developed in the past for the calculation of light scattering and absorption properties of small particles are discussed. The chapter concludes with studies of representations of the rotation group and T-matrix methods as applied for the calculation of optical properties of small particles with various habits.

The second chapter of the book describes recent results in the broad area of forward and inverse problems of the radiative transfer. The first paper surveys techniques for theoretical studies of light scattering and polarization of molecular atmosphere. The application of time-dependent radiative transfer equation for cloud remote sensing and the peculiarities of radiative transfer of fluorescent and bioluminescent light in biological tissues are then considered, together with the importance of optical imaging in clinical and pre-clinical applications. The applications of the linearized radiative transfer equation and inverse problems for a particular case of the spherical atmosphere are included.

The final chapter of the book covers recent advances in the experimental studies in the field of light scattering media optics. The instruments, measurements, and data processing used in experimental studies of optical properties of small particles using an imaging technique are extensively described before a study of aerosols in a controlled environment using static and dynamic light scattering. The book ends with a description of advances in dynamic light scattering techniques.

This fourth volume gives a valuable picture of recent developments in the areas of single light scattering, radiative transfer in particulate media (e.g., terrestrial atmosphere and tissues), and inverse problems for multiple scattering media. It will further facilitate studies in light scattering media optics and aid researchers across various scientific fields, including astronomy, meteorology, biophysics, medical optics and geophysics."

This book presents a selection of innovative ideas currently shaping the development and testing of geographical systems models by means of statistical and computational approaches. It spans all geographic scales, deals with both individuals and aggregates, and represents natural, human, and integrated spatial systems. This book is relevant to researchers, (post and under)graduates, and professionals in the areas of quantitative geography, spatial analysis, spatial modelling, and geographical information sciences.

These Proceedings of the Third International Workshop introduce research results in the areas of information integration, development of GIS and GIS-applications for a wide spectrum of information systems varying considerably in purpose and scale. The new class of GIS - intelligent GIS - is considered, including principles of their building and programming technologies. Special attention is drawn to the development of ontologies and their use in GIS and GIS-applications.

This volume of proceedings is a collection of refereed papers resulting from the VI Hotine-Marussi Symposium on Theoretical and Computational Geodesy. The papers cover almost every topic of geodesy, including satellite gravity modeling, geodynamics, GPS data processing, statistical estimation and prediction theory, and geodetic inverse problem theory. In addition, particular attention is paid to topics of fundamental importance in the next one or two decades in Earth Science.

The Internet has redefined how maps are used. No longer restricted to paper, maps are now transmitted almost instantly and delivered to the user in a fraction of the time required to distribute maps on paper. They are viewed in a more timely fashion. The Internet presents the map user with both a faster method of map distribution and different forms of mapping. This book provides an international perspective on this growing area of information dissemination.

The Introduction to Bayesian Statistics (2nd Edition) presents Bayes theorem, the estimation of unknown parameters, the determination of confidence regions and the derivation of tests of hypotheses for the unknown parameters, in a manner that is simple, intuitive and easy to comprehend. The methods are applied to linear models, in models for a robust estimation, for prediction and filtering and in models for estimating variance components and covariance components. Regularization of inverse problems and pattern recognition are also covered while Bayesian networks serve for reaching decisions in systems with uncertainties. If analytical solutions cannot be derived, numerical algorithms are presented such as the Monte Carlo integration and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods.

This book covers fundamental aspects of spatial data modelling specifically on the aspect of three-dimensional (3D) modelling and structuring. Realisation of "true" 3D GIS spatial system needs a lot of effort, and the process is taking place in various research centres and universities in some countries. The development of spatial data modelling for 3D objects is the focus of this book.

This volume emphasizes the applications and implications of the Geospatial Web and the role of contextual knowledge in shaping the emerging network society. There is a clear focus on applied geospatial aspects. The book has contributions from a very active research community. Containing chapters from renowned researchers and practitioners, this volume will be invaluable to all interested in this field.

The capabilities of modern technology are rapidly increasing, spurred on to a large extent by the tremendous advances in communications and computing. Automated vehicles and global wireless connections are some examples of these advances. In order to take advantage of such enhanced capabilities, our need to model and manipulate our knowledge of the geophysical world, using compatible representations, is also rapidly increasing. In response to this one fundamental issue of great concern in modern geographical research is how to most effectively capture the physical world around us in systems like geographical information systems (GIS). Making this task even more challenging is the fact that uncertainty plays a pervasive role in the representation, analysis and use of geospatial information. The types of uncertainty that appear in geospatial information systems are not the just simple randomness of observation, as in weather data, but are manifested in many other forms including imprecision, incompleteness and granularization. Describing the uncertainty of the boundaries of deserts and mountains clearly require different tools than those provided by probability theory. The multiplicity of modalities of uncertainty appearing in GIS requires a variety of formalisms to model these uncertainties. In light of this it is natural that fuzzy set theory has become a topic of intensive interest in many areas of geographical research and applications This volume, Fuzzy Modeling with Spatial Information for Geographic Problems, provides many stimulating examples of advances in geographical research based on approaches using fuzzy sets and related technologies.

Recognized and advocated as a powerful tool, the role of remote sensing in identifying, mapping, and monitoring soil salinity and salinization will continue to expand. Remote Sensing of Soil Salinization: Impact on Land Management delineates how to combine science and geospatial technologies for smart environmental management. Choose the Right Techniques for the Job An overview of soil salinity assessment using remote sensing technologies, the book describes a variety of sensors, ranging from ground-based to airborne and satellite-borne, and their use in a diversity of geographical regions and environmental settings from coastal to inland saline areas. It provides guidance on how to identify and choose the right remote sensing tools and data sets required based on the purpose of the study and the environmental setting. Organized into three sections, the book covers: Section I: Soil Salinity and Remote Sensing: The Object and the Tool - Focuses on the relationships between the landscape-object salinity and the remote sensing tools Section II: Trends in Mapping Soil Salinity and Monitoring Salinization Using Remote and Proximal Sensing - Provides a variety of case studies dealing with soil salinity mapping and monitoring the process of salinization Section III: Diversity of Approaches to Modeling Soil Salinity and Salinization - Demonstrates the diversity of approaches used in modeling soil salinity and salinization in space and time Combines Fundamentals, the Latest Technology, and Practical Examples The book includes analyses of basic issues of remote detection, such as the spectral behavior of salt types and vegetation influence, and evaluations of currently available remote sensing platforms delineating their advantages and disadvantages. The accompanying CD-ROM provides color images that enhance the mat

This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of how aerosols form in the atmosphere through in situ processes as well as via transport from the surface (dust storms, seas spray, biogenic emissions, forest fires etc.). Such an analysis has been followed by the consideration of both observation data (various field observational experiments) and numerical modeling results to assess climate impacts of aerosols bearing in mind that these impacts are the most significant uncertainty in studying natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change.

In the wake of the so-called information technology revolution, many stakeholders from the public and private sectors (including citizens) have indeed grown accustomed to the promise and usability of spatial data infrastructures (SDI) for data access, use, and sharing. Analyzing the obstacles as well as the processes and mechanisms of integration and implementation, Spatial Data Infrastructures in Context: North and South investigates the technological and the non-technological aspects of the widespread adoption of spatial data infrastructures. Supporting theoretical issues with empirical studies, the editors pay particular attention to the non-technological aspects of organizational, financial, and legal issues including owner rights, liability, copyrights, and compatibility with precedent and supercedent laws. The authors also highlight the importance of understanding the local environment and circumstances in the process of tailoring the approaches to the conditions that characterize societies of different cultural, institutional, and economic settings. Designed to improve the accessibility, interoperability, and affordability of spatial data, the book focuses on the increasing challenges associated with integrating individuals and organizations into a network to support (1) public authorities and administrations at various levels, (2) thematic user communities, (3) enterprises, and (4) citizen-oriented society as a whole. It addresses the implementation and development of spatial data infrastructures for a wide range of themes, applicable technical standards and protocols, and specific organizational issues unique to data policy. Highlighting the potential for profound changes to the access, use, and exchange of spatial data for citizens, organizations, and geographically related applications, and therefore to the role and interaction of the stakeholders from the public and private sectors, this timely contribution provides new insights into improving our understanding of the increasing relevance, applicability, and value of spatial data infrastructures.

Generating a satisfactory classification image from remote sensing data is not a straightforward task. Many factors contribute to this difficulty including the characteristics of a study area, availability of suitable remote sensing data, ancillary and ground reference data, proper use of variables and classification algorithms, and the analyst's experience. An authoritative text, Advances in Environmental Remote Sensing: Sensors, Algorithms, and Applications compiles comprehensive review articles to examine the developments in concepts, methods, techniques, and applications as well as focused articles and case studies on the latest on a particular topic.

Divided into four sections, the first deals with various sensors, systems, or sensing operations using different regions of wavelengths. Drawing on the data and lessons learned from the U.S. Landsat remote sensing programs, it reviews key concepts, methods, and practical uses of particular sensors/sensing systems. Section II presents new developments in algorithms and techniques, specifically in image preprocessing, thematic information extraction, and digital change detection. It gives correction algorithms for hyperspectral, thermal, and multispectral sensors, discusses the combined method for performing topographic and atmospheric corrections, and provides examples of correcting non-standard atmospheric conditions, including haze, cirrus, and cloud shadow.

Section III focuses on remote sensing of vegetation and related features of the Earth's surface. It reviews advancements in the remote sensing of ecosystem structure, process, and function, and notes important trade-offs and compromises in characterizing ecosystems from space related to spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions of the imaging sensors. It discusses the mismatch between leaf-level and species-level ecological variables and satellite spatial resolutions and the resulting difficulties in validating satellite-derived products.

Finally, Section IV examines developments in the remote sensing of air, water, and other terrestrial features, reviews MODIS algorithms for aerosol retrieval at both global and local scales, and demonstrates the retrieval of aerosol optical thickness (AOT). This section rounds out coverage with a look at remote sensing approaches to measure the urban environment and examines the most important concepts and recent research.

The impact of anthropogenic activities on our atmospheric environment is of growing public concern and satellite-based techniques now provide an essential component of observational strategies on regional and global scales. The purpose of this book is to summarise the state of the art in the field in general, while describing both key techniques and findings in particular. It opens with an historical perspective of the field together with the basic principles of remote sensing from space. Three chapters follow on the techniques and on the solutions to the problems associated with the various spectral regions in which observations are made. The particular challenges posed by aerosols and clouds are covered in the next two chapters. Of special importance is the accuracy and reliability of remote sensing data and these issues are covered in a chapter on validation. The final section of the book is concerned with the exploitation of data, with chapters on observational aspects, which includes both individual and synergistic studies, and on the comparison of global and regional observations with chemical transport and climate models and the added value that the interaction brings to both. The book concludes with scientific needs and likely future developments in the field, and the necessary actions to be taken if we are to have the global observation system that the Earth needs in its present, deteriorating state. The appendices provide a comprehensive list of satellite instruments, global representations of some ancillary data such as fire counts and light pollution, a list of abbreviations and acronyms, and a set of colourful timelines indicating the satellite coverage of tropospheric composition in the foreseeable future. Altogether, this book will be a timely reference and overview for anyone working at the interface of environmental, atmospheric and space sciences.

One of the key methods of reducing and dealing with criminal activity is to accurately gauge and then analyse the geographical distribution of crime (from small scale to large scale areas). Once the police and government know what areas suffer most from criminal activity they can assess why this is the case and then deal with it in the most effective way. Crime mapping and the spatial analysis of crime data have become recognised as powerful tools for the study and control of crime. Much of the emerging demand for more information and detailed crime pattern analysis have been driven by legislative changes, such as the UK's new Crime and Disorder Act which has placed a joint statutory duty on Police Forces and Local Authorities to produce crime and disorder audits for their areas. The book sets out methods used in the fields of Geographical Information Systems and highlights areas of best practice, examines the types of problems to which spatial crime analysis can be applied, reviews the capabilities and limitations of existing techniques, and explores the future directions of spatial crime analysis and the need for training. It centres on a series of case studies highlighting the experiences of academics and practitioners in agencies centrally involved in the partnership approach to crime prevention. Practitioners and academics not only in the UK but also worldwide should be interested in the book as an up-to-date information resource and a practical guide.

First established in 1993 with a conference in Elba, Italy, COSIT (the International C- ference on Spatial Information Theory) is widely acknowledged as one of the most - portant conferences for the field of spatial information theory. This conference series brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines for intensive scientific - changes centered on spatial information theory. COSIT submissions typically address research questions drawn from cognitive, perceptual, and environmental psychology, geography, spatial information science, computer science, artificial intelligence, cog- tive science, engineering, cognitive anthropology, linguistics, ontology, architecture, planning, and environmental design. Some of the topical areas include, for example, the cognitive structure of spatial knowledge; events and processes in geographic space; incomplete or imprecise spatial knowledge; languages of spatial relations; navigation by organisms and robots; ontology of space; communication of spatial information; and the social and cultural organization of space to name a few. This volume contains the papers presented at the 9th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory, COSIT 2009, held in Aber Wrac'h, France, September 21-25, 2009. For COSIT 2009, 70 full paper submissions were received. These papers were carefully reviewed by an international Program Committee based on relevance to the conference, intellectual quality, scientific significance, novelty, relation to previously published literature, and clarity of presentation. After reviewing was completed, 30 papers were selected for presentation at the conference and appear in this volume. This number of papers reflects the high quality of submissions to COSIT this year.