Articles

Validation Report loaded into local GIS. All non-conforming features in the data are identified with coloured arrows to pinpoint where the error is located. The rule that the feature has broken is also displayed next to the arrow.

Explaining Socium, a Cloud Based GIS Data Validation Service

Geo Contributor

Abbie Beckford, Customer Relations and Marketing Manager at Socium, shares insight about the new launch and what the benefits of ...

Animation of Southern Lights (Aurora Australis)

Caitlin Dempsey

This animation of the Southern Lights was recorded on September 11, 2005, four days after a solar flare sent an ionized gas of protons and electrons known as plasma towards the earth.  

An orange traffic sign that says" TRUCKERS; Your GPS is LYING. Big Rigs WILL NOT make it up this road.

Online Mapping Sites

Caitlin Dempsey

Web mapping is now vital to most people, providing virtual geography and driving directions on a daily basis.

Nokia’s Crowdsourcing GIS Effort

Caitlin Dempsey

Nokia recently launched Map Creator (in beta), tossing its hat into the crowdsourcing GIS ring.  While the announcement proclaims, “We’ve ...

Geosk: GIS Data as a Service (Daas)

Caitlin Dempsey

Whats is Geosk and what does it mean for GIS data delivery? Scott Robinson, Director, Global Data Products at Pitney Bowes Business Insight, explains what Geosk means for GIS Data as a Service (DaaS) and how cloud computing can be used to delivery GIS data online.

Churchill Globe by Bellerby Globemakers.

Gifts for Geographers and GISers

Caitlin Dempsey

If you're trying to figure out the ideal gift for the GISer or geographer on your list, check out these great ideas for your Christmas and holiday gift shopping.

Map of the United States by David McCarter.

Fusing Fine Art with Cartography

Geo Contributor

David McCarter's cartography infuses fine art with map making to create colorful maps.

What is the Public Land Survey and Why Do We Still Use It?

Rachel Quist

Have you ever wondered why on legal documents your house is not listed with your address but rather by parcel ...

Creating Maps for Wikipedia and Printed Materials with ShareMap.org

Geo Contributor

By: Jakub Kaniewski The availability of simple online mapping tools (such as what Google Maps offers) allows those with limited ...

Geography Careers

Rachel Quist

“Well, I guess you can always teach.”  If this is the response you get from friends and family when you ...

Explaining How Dark Sky Works

Caitlin Dempsey

Dark Sky is a short term weather predictor protoype for iOS devices (more about the developers efforts to turn this ...

The Enhanced 24 GPS satellite constellation. Source: Schriever AFB.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Caitlin Dempsey

Few tools have helped change and improve data collection within the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) more than Global Positioning System (GPS).

This station contains a combined GPS and seismometer. Photo: USGS geologist viewing the northeastern slope of Mount Hood from Shellrock monitoring station, Liz Westby, USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory. Public domain, July 16, 2015.

What is GPS?

Rachel Quist

So, what exactly is GPS? How does GPS work?

Bristlecone pine forest in Great Basin National Park. Photo: USGS, public domain.

Island Biogeography of the Great Basin

Rachel Quist

The theory of island biogeography is one of the explanations as to why speciation occurs.

RQ-8A Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) System.

Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for Remote Sensing of Archaeological Sites

Rachel Quist

Unmanned vehicles are becoming more widely available both in the military and civilian sectors for their usefulness for remotely acquiring ...

A constellation of three satellites form the Swarm Earth Explorer mission. Swarm will identify and measure the magnetic signals that stem from Earth’s core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere and magnetosphere – all of which create the magnetic field that protects our planet. This information will provide insight into processes occurring deep inside the planet and yield a better understanding of the near-Earth electromagnetic environment and the impact solar wind has on Earth. Credits: ESA/AOES Medialab

Understanding the Earth’s Gravity with ESA’s Swarm Satellites

Caitlin Dempsey

The European Space Agency will be launching three satellites next year with the objective of studying the earth's gravity.

Updated 3D Global Topo Data from NASA

Caitlin Dempsey

Based on measurements from NASA’s Terra spacecraft, a new 3D topographic map has been released as a joint effort by NASA ...

CryoSat-2

Caitlin Dempsey

CryoSat-2 is the satellite launched by the European Space Agency on April 8, 2010 to collect data in order to ...

Google MapsGL view of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

Google MapsGL

Caitlin Dempsey

GoogleMapsGL which combines Google Maps and Web Graphics Library (WebGL) brings 3D graphics to web browsers without the need to install 3D software.

Detecting Surface Change and Avalanche Mapping

Caitlin Dempsey

Due to the precise measurements take can be taking from InSAR, changes in land movements can be detected as small as a few millimeters.

Making Maps with R

Caitlin Dempsey

R language is a commonly used programming language and open source software that can be utilized by statisticians for statistical ...

What is Geodesign?

Caitlin Dempsey

Recent progress with the use of technology to analyse data from various sorts to a very fine level of granularity ...

WhatWasThere – Augmented Reality

Caitlin Dempsey

WhatWasThere is an augmented reality application that features a growing online database of geolocated historical photos.  You can search for photos ...

Urban Heat Island Analysis

Caitlin Dempsey

Remote sensing methods are being used to monitor thermal radiation in European cities.  Hardscape surfaces such as roof tops and ...

ArcGIS for smartphones.

Data for the People, by the People: Designing Smartphone-based GISystems for Environmental Resource Assessment

Sid Feygin

This article highlights two stand-alone software platforms for building smartphone-based participatory GIS systems, emphasizing each platform's unique benefits.

Conservation Biology and GIS

Caitlin Dempsey

Conservation biologists have come to recognize the importance of GIS in their discipline. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become a ...