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GIS GeoReferencing

The document discusses georeferencing raster data like scanned maps and images by using ground control points to assign proper coordinate systems and allow overlay and analysis with other geospatial data in a GIS. Control points link known locations on raster data to spatially referenced data and polynomial transformations are used to warp and rectify raster datasets into the correct map coordinates.

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Nawanjana Maheepala
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352 views29 pages

GIS GeoReferencing

The document discusses georeferencing raster data like scanned maps and images by using ground control points to assign proper coordinate systems and allow overlay and analysis with other geospatial data in a GIS. Control points link known locations on raster data to spatially referenced data and polynomial transformations are used to warp and rectify raster datasets into the correct map coordinates.

Uploaded by

Nawanjana Maheepala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lecture 6

Georeferencing images and


scanned maps

GIS AND REMOTE SENSING


Hemalie Nandalal
Georeferencing
Correctly positioning data to its true world
location
Georeferencing
Raster Data sets don't normally contain spatial
reference information
– Scanned maps
– Aerial photographs
– Satellite images
Georeferencing
Frequently digital geographic data are acquired
by scanning aerial photographs or paper
maps.
Once the data are input they need to be
assigned their proper map coordinates so that
they will occupy a real world space
Georeferencing defines the location of a dataset
using known map coordinates and assigns it a
coordinate system
Georeferencing
Georeferencing raster data allows it to be
viewed, queried, and analyzed with other
geographic data
GIS environment such as ArcMap, raster
datasets (such as images) are georeferenced
using a control layer which contains known
coordinates and is used as a point of reference
for the georeferencing process.
Control Points
• Generally, you will georeference your raster
dataset using existing spatial data (target
data), such as a vector feature class, that
resides in the desired map coordinate system.
• The process involves identifying a series of
ground control points—known x,y
coordinates—that link locations on the raster
dataset with locations in the spatially
referenced data (target data).
Control Points
• Control points are know locations for a
physical feature that can be identified.
• These are the points you will be using to
georeference your image.
• Control points can be collected using GPS,
determined using tics on a paper map, or from
known features from a base layer
Adding Control Points
Control points
• Known coordinate points on the paper map
• The corners of a map are very often used
• GPS coordinates taken at visible clear points
Control points acts as
• Links that define common points in each
coordinate system.
Control points should be distributed over the area
of interest
GPS points of known locations
Known features from a base layer
Tics on a paper map
Adding Control Points
The control points are used to build a
polynomial transformation that will convert
the raster dataset from its existing location to
the spatially correct location
The connection between one control point on
the raster dataset (the from point) and the
corresponding control point on the aligned
target data (the to point) is a link
Control ‘Links’
• If possible, spread out the links over the entire
raster dataset rather than concentrating them in
one area
• Typically, having at least one link near each corner
of the raster dataset and a few throughout the
interior produces the best results.
Control ‘Links’
Georeferencing Process
• Create Links
• Look at the link table for acceptable RMS on each
Point.
• Remove links with error that is too high
– It is better to keep a link that you are sure is correct. If a
link has a high RMS but is correctly located on the image
removing it will improve the reported RMS but add error
to the map.
• Select the order of transformation
• Rectify the map selecting the resample method
Geometric Transformation
• Geometric transformation is the process of
converting a digital map from one coordinate
system to another by using a set of control
points and transformation equations.

• There are several types of transformations, we


will make use of the first order polynomial
transformation
Transformation
When created enough links, can transform—or
warp—the raster dataset to permanently
match the map coordinates of the target data
Have the choice of using a polynomial, spline, or
adjust transformation to determine the
correct map coordinate location for each cell
in the raster.
Transformations
First Order Polynomial Transformation

Affine transformation
x’ = Ax + By + C y’ = Dx + Ey + F
 where x and y are coordinates of the input layer and x’ and
y’ are the transformed coordinates.
 The C and F parameters control shift in origin (translation)
 A, B, D, E control scale and rotation
 their values are determined by comparing the location of
source and destination control points.
First Order Polynomial Transformation

Affine transformation
• Scales, skews, rotates, and translates
• 6 unknowns( A,B,C,D,E,F) so a minimum of
three “displacement links” required
• Usually estimated via statistical techniques which minimize RMSE
• This requires four links minimum but more usually used to “average
the error”
• Little benefit from more than 18-30 links
First Order Polynomial Transformation

Affine transformation
• The most common choice
• Scales, rotates, and translates the data
• Does not independently scale the axes, nor
introduce any skew.
• It maintains the aspect ratio of the features
transformed (e.g. squares remain squares)
• Four unknowns (A,B,C,F) thus requires a
minimum of two displacement links
ArcGIS Georeferencing Steps
• The general steps for georeferencing a raster
dataset are:
• Add the raster dataset that you want to align with
your projected data in ArcMap.
• Add control points that link known raster dataset
positions to known positions in map coordinates.
• Save the georeferencing information when you’re
satisfied with the alignment (also referred to as
registration).
• Optionally, permanently transform the raster
dataset.
Saving Georeferencing Results in ArcGIS

Update Georeferencing
– Adds world file only, which contains
transformation parameters for rasters
– Image file unchanged
Saving Georeferencing Results in ArcGIS

Rectify
– Rewrites image file
– Use if need to do spatial analysis on file, in
which case choose GRID as output type
– New square output cells created, so issue
arises how the raster values are assigned
from input to output cells since the source
will have been “warped”
– Can select appropriate re-sampling
technique
Rectify select the grid
values depending upon the
re-sampling technique
selected

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