Principles of Geographical Information Systems

Peter Allan Burrough

ISBN 10: 0198233655 / ISBN 13: 9780198233657

Published by Oxford University Press, 1998

About this Item

Abnutzung / Risse - leicht; Vergilbt / ausgeblichen. This book offers a fresh perspective on the successful Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment, originally published in 1986. It emphasizes that GIS are not merely tools for electronic map-making but are essential for managing our physical and social environments. Their applications extend to political decision-making, market research, utility management, and automated navigation systems. The text provides a solid theoretical foundation for GIS, addressing the often-overlooked aspects in other literature. It explores spatial data, which typically fall into two paradigms: precisely defined entities in space, like land parcels, and the continuous variation of attributes, such as temperature or rainfall. Detailed methods for modeling these phenomena and storing them in spatial databases are discussed, including geostatistics for interpolating from discrete points to continuous fields. Practical examples illustrate the use of spatial data in solving diverse issues, such as site-location analysis, land degradation, optimizing timber extraction, and analyzing the redistribution of Chernobyl radioactivity. The book also highlights data quality concerns and the impact of statistical errors on spatial modeling results. Fuzzy logic and continuous classification methods are introduced as approaches to integrate the two spatial paradigms. Finally, the text examines current developments in global.

Seller Inventory # 713848e2-e3d6-493c-afba-3b2cc3c48e14

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Principles of Geographical Information Systems
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198233655
• ISBN 13: 9780198233657
• Binding: Softcover
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Condition: Fine

About this title

Synopsis

This book is a completely new version of the highly successful Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment which was first published in 1986.

GIS are not just used for electronic map-making but today are major tools for the management of our physical and social environment. GIS are used to assist political decisions and play a part in market research, in the management of utility services, in automated navigation systems and in many other fields.

This book presents a strong theoretical basis for GIS, which is often lacking in other texts. Spatial data are usually based on two, dichotomous paradigms, exactly defined entities in space, such as land parcels, or the continuous variation of single attributes, such as temperature or rainfall. Methods for modelling both kinds of phenomena and storing them in spatial databases are described in detail, including the use of geostatistics for interpolating from points to continuous fields. Examples of how spatial data and an analysis of their spatial interactions are used to solve a wide range of practical problems ranging from site-location analysis through land degradation, the optimizing of timber extraction from forests and the redistribution of Chernobyl radioactivity by floods are explained clearly and in detail.

Much attention is paid to the problems of data quality and how statistical errors in spatial data can affect the results of spatial modelling based on the two paradigms of space. Fuzzy logic and continuous classification methods are presented as methods for linking the two spatial paradigms. The book concludes with an investigation of current developments in providing spatial data for the whole world over the Internet.

As such the new volume provides a comprehensive and concise introduction to the theory and practice of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Targeted at undergraduates, graduates, and professionals in disciplines such as physical and human geography, hydrology, geology, environmental science, cartography, epidemiology, radioecology, agriculture, spatial planning, land tenure, and land evaluation the book explains why spatial data and the information systems based on them are important in the modern world.

About the Author

Peter Burrough is Professor of Physical Geography, Utrecht University
Rachael McDonnell is College Lecturer at Hertford College, University of Oxford