2.

Digital Mapping

The functions of ICS Map Server provide the user with the complete ability to produce
specific-to-application cartographic files in a way never before available.

2.1 Functions of ICS Map Server

DIGITAL MAPPING
ICS Map Server allows to :
- generate data files representing terrain height geographic files, also called DEM, DTM or
DTED. These files can be used with the ATDI programs or in other packages. The finished
files have a GEO extension, and the working files have an IC2 extension.
- generate overlay files that can be used in the ATDI programs with the terrain files. These
are the files that allow the user to relate the results of simulations to social features, such as
roads and towns. The finished files have either a IMG (map image) or SOL (ground clutter)
extension. The working files have a IC1 extension.
- allow modification of the above files, such that they can still be used with the ATDI series
of files. This powerful feature allows the user to change the terrain database to incorporate
new information, or to change the image file to add specific information.
- generate geo-coded and / or tiled images that can be exported as standard image files to
other applications.

In order to accomplish these functions, ICS Map Server is capable of performing the following
operations :
- import data files generated by image scanners in TARGA, TANGENT, TIFF and ASRP
formats.
- import existing digital terrain maps in NTF, DTED and Flat Raster formats.
- export data files generated by image scanners in TARGA, BMP and TIFF formats.
- export digital maps in Planet and Flat Raster formats.
- allow the geo-coding of both image and terrain files, irrespective of the initial map projec-
tion used.
- allow conversion from lat-long and DCW formats into UTM grid format.
- allow terrain maps to be generated from contour lines shown on map image files.
- allow files to be joined together to form larger areas, or data to be cut from files to allow
smaller areas to be stored in a file.
- allow terrain maps and overlay images to be aligned.

ICS Map Server5.x - Principles - Section 2 page 3

2.2 Digital Mapping

The process of using a paper map to represent an area of the surface of the Earth is well
established. It is understood that each point on a map relates to a point on Earth, and that
moving along the map in a particular direction corresponds to moving in that direction in real
life.

In order to determine how far one would have moved in real life if one traced out the distance

DIGITAL MAPPING
on a map is a function of the distance travelled and the scale of the map. The same is true of
digital maps, although the data may be stored in a very different way to that shown on a map.

In the production of raster map digital files, the first step is always the scanning of the
original image. Scanners do not scan continuously across and down a page, instead they store
values in discrete steps, usually indicated by dots per inch (dpi).

When a map image is scanned, the various shades are converted into pixels containing index
values to a 65 236 colour palette. Because we need to create cartographic files where we will
be able to access each point using co-ordinates, the pixel spacing has to be managed so that
one pixel on the image corresponds to n meters on the ground.

A raw scanned image is not aligned, therefore, a geometric transformation is required. In

order to resolve this, we need to record three distinct pieces of information.

- Scanner resolution - what is the resolution required in order to obtain the desired pixel
spacing ?
From a quality point of view, a map image should be scanned at a resolution higher than 100
DPI (Dots per Inch) in order to be able to read printed characters. As a rule of thumb, a 1:N
scale map will produce a good quality image with a pixel size of around N/10000.

- The geographical limits of the file - ie the geographical co-ordinates it covers.

Ideally, we should be able to identify a particular location on the map by knowing what the
location of the top left hand corner of the map is, and how many meters to the East and South
of that location our target location is. In order to do that, we have to carefully select the
projection of the map we use.

- The projection of the map.

Maps are inherently complicated, because the intention is to represent a sheroid (the Earth)
on a flat, two dimensional image. Many different methods of projection are used in mapping
- Mercator, Gnomic and Lambert being only three.
Most of the maps are projected so that the scale is uniform across the whole of the area. In
order to achieve this on areas as large as a country, a unique projection is defined and applied
to all representations. Usually, conversion algorithms are available to convert from the uni-
versal DMS co-ordinates into the specific metric grid and vice-versa.

In most of the cases, we want to keep the original map grid as the reference. It will later allow
to join maps and work continuously across the area on which it is applied. Therefore, we
ICS Map Server5.x - Principles - Section 2 page 4
want to align the image with the grid horizontally and vertically, so that we can access the
grid co-ordinates of one point using the North West co-ordinates and the displacement in X
and Y.

ICS Map Server allows to perform the process of geo-coding, which is a mathematical
method of transforming every pixel of the source image into a geographically defined image.

DIGITAL MAPPING

ICS Map Server5.x - Principles - Section 2 page 5