GIS APPLICATIONS TO CARTOGRAPHY
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2017/2018
- Teacher
- PAOLO CIAVOLA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- GEO/04
Training objectives
- Remote Sensing is one of the main sources of data useful for environmental studies. It has become of wide usage for some decades for numerous earth science topics. The recent technological advancement, that involves all the Earth Observation fields (platforms, sensors, software, etc.) renews the interest for Earth Scientists in RS applications.
Nowadays, cartographic representation and production are conducted in a GIS (Geographic Information System) environment. The GIS is the preferred tool to manage spatial/geographic data: from their collection, passing through the analysis and ending with the maps production.
The main aim of this course is to offer to the student the basic knowledge useful to process the most commonly used satellite platforms (e.g. Landsat, Sentinel). Data analysis and interpretation will be conducted benefitting from the usage of GIS software. The scientific bases and the theoretical background that support these disciplines (basic physics of RS and GIScience) will be briefly presented. After an introduction on the most used methodologies for data processing, the lectures focus will be on the images and the modules more useful in geoscience applications.
Many territorial operators use RS and GIS to study and manage environmental phenomena. Thus the knowledge of these tools is useful not only for students interested in pursuing a research careeer but can also be spent also in a professional work environment.
The theoretical lectures will be always followed by the illustration of how to apply the method ina practical case study. The practical exercises at the PC aim to understand some of the main RS and GIS capabilities:
-How to build of a Geodatabase
-How to visualize single bands, false color composition and undertake contrast stretching
- How to build a DEM and undertake spatial analysis
-Principles of photointerpretation and cartographic production (geomorphological, geological, risk mapping, etc.).
The main aim is to offer to the student the base knowledge to understand and use principal GIS functions. Also the scientific fundaments and the theoretical background (GIScience) that support the use of this tool will be briefly presented. After an introduction on the more used methodologies, the lessons focus will be on the modules useful in the geoscience applications (Geoinformatics).
Many territorial operators use the GIS to study and manage environmental phenomena. Thus the tool, useful to research, can be spent also in professional works.
The theoretical competences will be always followed by the illustration of an applicative case study. The practical exercitations at PC aim to acquire the main GIS capabilities:
-build of a Geodatabase
-pre-processing and optimization of different data: topography, remote sensing, survey
-visualization and basic spatial analysis
-interpretation and cartographic production (geomorphological, geological, risk mapping, etc.). Prerequisites
- Basic computer knowledge. The course and the exercises will be given in Italian but the GIS software allows to set-up an interface in English. However, the practical and theoretical exams must be taken in Italian
Course programme
- The course includes 48 hours of teaching divided between theoretical lessons and practical computer exercises (24 hours).
The following main topics will be covered during the theoretical lessons:
Brief review of basic cartography concepts as used in Italy: the shape of the shape Earth, geoid and ellipsoid, coordinate system,s Datum and projections. The Italian cartography. Interpretation of maps: relief analysis, symbols in topographic and thematic maps. Errors and uncertainty in geodata, numerical cartography and online data. (8 hours)
Geomatics. The science and technology of problem solving. Introduction to GIS and historical hints. GIS principal applications. The representation of geographic data, vector and raster models. Topology and spatial analysis. (8 hours)
Remote Sensing definitions and physical basis. Atmospheric windows and spectral response. Passive and active sensors, LiDAR. Spectral signature and spectroscopy. Pre-processing, atmospheric and geometric correction. Main satellite and aerial platforms. Image enhancement: false color composition. Pan sharpening and image filtering. (8 hours)
Practical PC exercises will be undertaken on the main theoretical topic as listed below:
Spatial data implementation, georeferencing, the construction of a Geo-database.
Extraction of a topographic profile from a DTM, exporting scaled datasets and data analysis applied to the drawing of a geological cross-section in GIS.
Image and DEM analysis.
Enhancing visualization and representation for geomorphological and geological mapping. Didactic methods
- The lessons will be theoretical, case studies and practical exercises at the computer laboratory
Learning assessment procedures
- One PC exercise: that will be on a combination of GIS procedures.
One written exam: starting from the discussion on the exercise results, theoretical questions will be asked on some of the topics explained in the theoretical lessons Reference texts
- Lecture notes
Free web book: Geospatial Analysis 5th Edition. 2015 (de Smith, Goodchild, Longley)
http://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/
Tutorial Canadian Center of Remote Sensing.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/node/9309
Introduction to Remote Sensing (5th Edition). 2011 (J. B. Campbell and R. H. Wynne). Guilford Press, New York, USA, 667 pp.
Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation (7th Edition). 2015 (Thomas Lillesand, Ralph W. Kiefer, Jonathan Chipman). Wiley, 736 pp.
