Lecture 1
Introduction to GIS
GIS 443
Outline
GIS overview
GIS data and layers
GIS applications and examples
Software overview
GIS Tutorial 1 overview
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Lecture 1
GIS OVERVIEW
What is GIS?
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are
computerized systems designed for the
storage, retrieval and analysis of
geographically referenced data
GIS uses advanced analytical tools to
explore at a scientific level the spatial
relationships, patterns, and processes of
cultural, biological, demographic, economic,
geographic, and physical phenomena
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Unique capabilities of GIS
GIS stores related geographic features
in separate collections of files called
map layers
Map layers can be reused easily and
assembled into any number of map
compositions and overlaid for analysis
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GIS answers the following
Location: What is at...? Where is it?
Condition: Status of features?
Trends: What has changed since...?
Patterns: What spatial patterns exist?
Modeling: What if…?
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Scale of GIS data
Global to local
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Types of GIS data models
Two types:
1. Vector data model (points, lines, polygons)
2. Raster data model (grid of square cells)
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1. Vector data
Map features
Points, lines, polygons
Feature attributes
Every feature has attributes (e.g. name, area,
population)
Shape Name Class Pop2000 State
Point New York City 8,008,278 NY
Point Los Angeles City 3,694,820 CA
Point Chicago City 2,896,016 IL
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2. Raster Data
Stored electronic image
or picture taken as an
aerial photograph or
satellite image
Composed of a rectangular array of
square cells, called pixels, with a number
in each cell representing the solid color fill
of that cell
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The evolution of GIS
Computerized Years
Early Specialized Connect &
Years Years Collaborate
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Special thanks to Eric Hoel, Matt McGrath, and Graig Gillgrass of ESRI, UC 2009
Early years – 1960s
Roger Tomlinson
“Father of GIS”
Canadian Geographic Information System
First computerized GIS
Assisted in regulatory procedures of land-use
management and resource monitoring
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Early years – 1960s and 1970s
GPS (Global Positioning Systems)
Space based positioning, navigation and timing
system
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
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Specialized years (1980s and 1990s)
Desktop GIS applications released
ArcINFO (ESRI)
Map Info
ArcGIS (ESRI)
Mapguide (Autodesk)
Bentley Map, PowerMap (Bentley Systems)
Geomedia (Intergraph)
Smallworld (GE)
Grass, uDig, URDAS
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Current and future GIS
Desktop GIS
Advanced analysis and geoprocessing tools
Mobile GIS
GIS web solutions
ArcGIS Online
ArcServer
Google Earth
Bing maps
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Lecture 1
GIS DATA AND LAYERS
GIS example
Identify polluting companies and their
proximity to populations in poverty,
water features, or schools
Start with
Data (obtained from Databases)
Create Map layers
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Databases
Not easy to interpret
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Political features
Municipalities
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Physical features
Lakes, rivers, etc.
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Administrative data
Schools
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Interactive GIS
Identify features on map
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Interactive GIS
Select features in table and map
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Proximity selections
Polluting companies near water
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Buffers
Schools and children within 2 mile buffer of polluting company.
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Data shown as GIS layers
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Statistics to support visuals
US Census data (tracts within pollutant
buffers)
The mean percentage of total population in
poverty in these tracts is 23.25% as opposed to
9.54% who are outside of these tracts.
The mean percentage of children under the age
of 18 living in poverty within these tracts is 26%
as opposed to 11.74% of children living in
poverty who are outside of these tracts.
The mean median income of the tracts whose
centroid is within the top/multiple polluter buffers
is $29,290 as opposed to a mean median income
of $53,690 for those outside of these buffers.
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Statistics to support visuals
Schools
There are 25 schools within the top/multiple
pollutant buffers.
The total enrollment of these schools is 1754
students.
Of these schools, there are 1.9% Native
American, 7.3% Asian, 25.3% Black, 8.2%
Hispanic, and 20.7% White students.
This supports racial inequalities found by
environmental justice projects.
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Lecture 1
GIS APPLICATIONS AND
EXAMPLES
GIS Industries
http://www.esri.com/industries.html
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GIS Examples
Infrastructure siting
For example, public works official wants to
Water & Sewer pipelines know what streets or sidewalks will be
affected by potential floods
Highways, roadways & railways
Buildings, residences, etc.
Monitoring programs
In-door air quality
In-door energy consumption
surface- and/or ground-water monitoring
2-D & 3-D modelling
Optimization of energy consumption
Hydrological models for flood control
Slope stability
GIS451 Environmental Geographic Information Systems
GIS Examples
Environmental assessments
Phase I & II assessments
Environmental monitoring programs
Surface water quality
In-door air quality
For example, you may want to protect certain
Endangered species monitoring species around work zones
• Collect attribute data which can
Environmental modelling include:
• Climate
watershed management programs • Elevation
• Slope
climate change • Vegetation
• Merge data to discover probable
contaminant fate & transport nesting areas
• Buffer distance around road and work
models, etc zone
GIS451 Environmental Geographic Information Systems
Lecture 1
SOFTWARE OVERVIEW
ArcGIS 10.3.x
Made up the following Modules:
1. ArcMap (2-D visualization)
2. ArcCatalog (data storage & management)
3. ArcToolbox (geospatial analysis tools)
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1. ArcMap (Desktop GIS)
Main menu
Standard
toolbar
Map
document
Table of window
contents
Identify
results
window
Tools
toolbar
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Map documents
(.mxd) extension
“Points” to layers
Saves layer colors, symbology, etc.
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Tutorial 1-1.mxd
Two layers
USCities (red points, restricted to major cities)
USStates (yellow polygons)
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Adding map layers
Separate files added to a map document
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2. ArcCatalog
Arranges and manages geographic
information in workspace folders and
geodatabases.
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Geodatabases
The geodatabase is a "container" used to
hold a collection of datasets (GIS features,
tables, raster images, etc).
Country layer
World.gdb
Graticule layer
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3. ArcToolbox
Advanced tools
with form-based
input by users
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Data
\EsriPress\GIST1\Data\
Map layers, file geodatabases,
data tables, etc.
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Maps
\EsriPress\GIST1\Maps\
Map documents
Starting place for tutorials
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MyAssignments
\EsriPress\GIST1\MyAssignments\
Empty folders
Location to save end of chapter assignments
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MyExercises
\EsriPress\GIST1\MyExercises\
Location to save tutorial exercises
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Summary
GIS overview
GIS data and layers
GIS applications and examples
Software overview
GIS Tutorial 1 overview
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