GEOGRAPHIC PHENOMENA

AND ITS GIS LINK

P.L.N. Raju

Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Group

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS)
Indian Space Research Organisation
Department of Space
Dehardun
raju@iirs.gov.in

Geographic Phenomena
What is it?
Geographic Phenomena refers to
a process/activity/existence in our
real world
i.e., Anything meaningful on the
Earth

GP: Examples

GP: Examples

How to Represent in Computer

Source: www.pritchettcartoons.com/cartoons/painter.jpg

Do We Represent Same

Source: ITC

We need a Uniform Framework/Definitioniirs

Ultimate Aim

Geographic
phenomena

Computer
representations

Geo-Scientific
Visualization
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GP: More Explanation

Geographic

phenomenon is something
of interest that:
Can

be named or described (What)

Can be georeferenced
(Where)
Can be assigned a time (interval) at which
it is/was present
(When)
What if one of them is missing?
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GP: More Explanation

In GIS, we have to have
WHAT?
WHERE?

Description
Location

Current GIS software do not provide any

facility to incorporate time
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Types of Geogric phenomena

In the Earth, we see different kind of
things/phenomena.
Broadly we can group them into 2 categories

Man Made Things

Natural Things

- Discrete
- Continuous

TYPES OF GEOGRAPHIC PHENOMENA

A field is a geographic phenomenon for which, for
every point in the study area, a value can be
determined. (Eg., temperature, barometric
pressure and elevation)
An object is usually a well distinguishable,
discrete, bounded entity. The space between
objects are potentially empty.
Field is most of the time Natural
Object is most of the time Man Made

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Tell the Phenomenon

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Tell the Phenomenon

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SELF EVALUATION
Quiz time:
1. Can you NAME any two Discrete
phenomena, which are Natural?
2. Can you NAME any two Continuous
phenomena, which are Man Made?

SPATIAL DATA MODELING

Geographic
phenomena

Computer
representations

Visualization

Object
Field
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GEOGRAPHIC FIELDS

Fields can be discrete or continuous,

In a continuous field, the underlying function is assumed to

be continuous. (temperature)
i.e., Changes in field values are gradual.
In a Continuous field we can determine a measure of
change per unit of distance anywhere. (for elevation, this
measure would be slope)
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GEOGRAPHIC FIELDS

Discrete fields, divides the study space in mutually

exclusive, bounded parts, with all locations in one
part having the same field value. (Can you give me
some examples????)

Difference between Discrete Field and Object

Discrete fields as well as objects make use of
bounded features.
A discrete field still assigns a value to every location.
Space between Objects are empty
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CONTINUOUS & DISCRETE FIELDS

Landuse
Elevation

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Which Phenomenon is this?

t
z

s
q
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GEOGRAPHIC PHENOMENA

Fields

Continuous
Temperature

Objects

Discrete
Landuse

Buildings
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SPATIAL DATA MODELING

Geographic
phenomena

Computer
representations

Visualization

Object - Discrete
Field Discrete
or Continuous

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GEOGRAPHIC OBJECTS

Objects position in space is determined by

a combination of one or more of the
following parameters:
Location

(where is it?)
Shape ( what form is it?)
Size ( how big is it?)
Orientation (in which direction is it
facing)
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OBJECTS: REPRESENTATION
Shape
0-dimensional

1-dimensional

2-dimensional

3- dimensional

Size

Orientation

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BOUNDARIES
Phenomena Which have boundaries:
-

Discrete fields
Objects

Two different types of boundaries:

Crisp boundaries
Fuzzy boundaries
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FUZZY BOUNDARIES (NATURAL)

Different colors of
algae

Source: ITC

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FUZZY BOUNDARIES (MAN-MADE)

Built-up areas

Source: ITC

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FUZZY BOUNDARIES (DYNAMIC)

Source: ITC

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SPATIAL DATA MODELING

Geogr. phenomena Computer

Visualization
representations
Object Discrete

Location
Objects Vector
Shape
Size
Point
Orientation
Boundaries:Crisp/Fuzzy Line

Field Discrete or
Continuous

Polygon
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FIELD REPRESENTATION
Option 3: find a symbolic
representation
(3.0678x2 + 20.08x 7.34y)

Option 1: store
as many points
as possible
Spatial autocorrelation:
First Law of Geography

Option 2:

Finite number of
locations with
Elevation
Interpolation
function
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Computer representation
Option 4:
Features

Tessellation

Sampling

Tessellated Output

SPATIAL DATA MODELING

Geogr. phenomena Computer

Visualization
representations
Object Discrete
Location, Shape
Size, Orientation
Crisp
Fuzzy

Field Discrete or
Continuous

Objects Vector
Point, Line & Polygon

Tessellation Raster
regular tessellation
Irregular tessellation

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REPRESENTATION OF FIELDS
Field

Tessellation

TIN

Vector representation

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OBJECTS IN VECTOR & RASTER

Vector

Raster

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Spatial Data modeling

Geogr. phenomena Computer

Visualization
representations
Object Discrete
Location, Shape
Size, Orientation
Crisp
Fuzzy

Field Discrete or
Continuous

Objects Vector
Point, Line & Polygon

TIN
Tessellation Raster
regular tessellation
Irregular tessellation

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Bertins visual variables

Spatial Data modeling

Geogr. phenomena Computer

Visualization
representations Color
Object Discrete
Location, Shape
Size, Orientation
Crisp
Fuzzy

Field Discrete or
Continuous

Objects Vector

Point, Line & Polygon

TIN
Tessellation Raster
regular tessellation
Irregular tessellation

Size
Value
Orientiation
Shape
Grain
Orientation
Animation iirs