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| GIS future
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The future of GIS |
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Many disciplines can benefit
from GIS techniques. An active GIS market has resulted in lower costs and
continual improvements in the hardware and software components of GIS.
These developments will, in turn, result in a much wider application of
the technology throughout government, business, and industry. |
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Global change and climate
history
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Maps have traditionally been used to
explore the Earth and to exploit its resources. GIS technology, as an
expansion of cartographic science, has enhanced the efficiency and
analytic power of traditional mapping. Now, as the scientific community
recognizes the environmental consequences of human activity, GIS
technology is becoming an essential tool in the effort to understand the
process of global change. Various map and satellite information sources
can be combined in modes that simulate the interactions of complex natural
systems.
Through a function known as visualization, a GIS can be used to produce
images - not just maps, but drawings, animations, and other cartographic
products. These images allow researchers to view their subjects in ways
that literally never have been seen before. The images often are equally
helpful in conveying the technical concepts of GIS study subjects to
non-scientists. |
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Adding the element of time |
The condition of the Earth's surface,
atmosphere, and subsurface can be examined by feeding satellite data into
a GIS. GIS technology gives researchers the ability to examine the
variations in Earth processes over days, months, and years. As an example,
the changes in vegetation vigor through a growing season can be animated
to determine when drought was most extensive in a particular region. The
resulting graphic, known as a normalized vegetation index, represents a
rough measure of plant health.
Working with two variables over time will allow researchers to detect
regional differences in the lag between a decline in rainfall and its
effect on vegetation.
These analyses are made possible both by GIS technology and by the
availability of digital data on regional and global scales. The satellite
sensor output used to generate the vegetation graphic is produced by the
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer or AVHRR. This sensor system
detects the amounts of energy reflected from the Earth's surface across
various bands of the spectrum for surface areas of about 1 square
kilometer. The satellite sensor produces images of a particular location
on the Earth twice a day. AVHRR is only one of many sensor systems used
for Earth surface analysis. More sensors will follow, generating ever
greater amounts of data.
GIS and related technology will help greatly in the management and
analysis of these large volumes of data, allowing for better understanding
of terrestrial processes and better management of human activities to
maintain world economic vitality and environmental quality. |
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