Posted: March 30th, 2023

Introduction to Maps and Geography on the Web

Lab 5

Introduction to Maps and Geography on the Web

Directions:

Read through this entire handout.

Answer each question in a separate write-up.

Attach your .doc, .docx or .pdf write-up to Canvas

This lab introduces you to Maps, GIS, Map Projections, and Geography on the Web. It will guide you through various different types of online interfaces used by many Geographers. This lab will also guide you through Examples of Remote Sensing and the imagery produced by the satellites. You will learn how to calculate Latitude and Longitude for various different locations and be able to see them visually. Lastly, you will have a visual representation of various wavelengths with a depiction of San Francisco.

Part 1: Industries Using Geospatial Technology

Geospatial technology is being used in a variety of applications in various different fields today. Go onto: www.esri.com/industriesLinks to an external site. this site provides you with a list of a numerous amount of different fields that are using geospatial technology today and it also describes how GIS is being utilized. Examine a few that are connected to law enforcement & some that are connected to “Natural Resources”

Answer the following questions.

1. How is GIS being utilized in some real-world, on-the-job applications in the fields of public safety & the environment?

2. Who in these fields is using GIS & Why?

Part 2: The Geographic Coordinate System

Another key element of representing data on the map is the coordinate system. The coordinate system relates every location on the map to a location on the earth through a defined system. This is also called georeferencing. One major type of georeferencing is latitude and longitude, which divides the earth into a grid-like coordinate system.

Latitude

Latitude lines are parallel to the earth’s equator. Latitude lines run from 90ºN at the north pole to 0º (the equator) to 90ºS at the south pole. Lines of latitude are noted as being either NORTH, or SOUTH, meaning north or south of the equator. So, for example, the Longitude lines are equidistant lines (they are all the same length) that run from the north pole to the south pole.

Longitude

Longitude lines run from 180ºE to 0º (at the prime meridian which runs through Greenwich, England) to 180ºW. Lines of longitude are expressed as being either EAST or WEST, meaning east or west of the prime meridian. The international date line is located where 180ºW meets 180ºE.

How we divide latitude and longitude

Latitude and longitude lines are expressed in degrees ( º ), minutes ( ‘ ) and seconds ( ” ) with a directional notation (N, S, E or W). Minutes and seconds run from 0 to 60 (e.g. 60 seconds equals one minute, 60 minutes equals one degree). For example, something that was 120 degrees, 10 minutes and 30 seconds west longitude would be denoted 120º10’30″W. The ‘squares’ defined by latitude and longitude are really not squares at all because they are on the spherical earth (though they look like squares on a flat map!).

For example, California is approximately between 30 and 40 degrees north latitude. The vertical lines are lines of longitude. You can read the degrees of longitude along the middle of the earth. For example, California is between 120 and 130 degrees west longitude.

Latitude and longitude can also be expressed in decimal degrees. With decimal degrees, the entire location is compressed into a single number. So, just as 2 1/2 can also be expressed as 2.5, 37° 21′ 45.2082″N and 122° 7′ 42.5172″W can be expressed as 37.362558, -122.128477. Note that in the system of decimal degrees, we have lost the letter designations of N,S,E,W. Instead, latitude in the northern hemisphere is a positive value, latitude in the southern hemisphere is a negative value. A longitude in the eastern hemisphere is a positive value, a longitude in the western hemisphere is a negative value.

Go to: www.latlong.netLinks to an external site.

This website allows you to input the name of a location and state or county and it will return the latitude and longitude.

Answer the following questions.

3. What is the latitude and longitude of the Golden Gate Bridge in degrees and minutes? Show your work

4. What is the latitude and longitude of the Grand Canyon in degrees and minutes?Show your work

National Map

Watch:

Introduction to the The National MapLinks to an external site.

Introduction to the The National Map

Then go to: https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic/Links to an external site.

Answer the following:

5. Search for your own local area- what products are available for you to download?

6. What types of data can be accessed via The National Map besides boundaries & hydrography?

Part 4: Remote Sensed Imagery Online

Go to: Zoom EarthLinks to an external site.

Zoom Earth allows you to view images from different types of remotely sensed data.

In the home page you can select the date that you want to see select ‘August 25th, 2017’ under the daily HD view. Make sure the ‘map labels’ tab is selected in white and then type in ‘Houston’ in the search box and select the search icon.

7. What do you hypothesize is happening based on the color of the map?

8. Press the – button about 5-6 times and zoom out, based on the image was your hypothesis correct?

9. What is the Latitude and Longitude of this area?

Part 5: Difference between Ture Color & False Color Composites

watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pVF8LK_KMsLinks to an external site.

10. What is False Color Imagery?

11. At what wavelength is Infrared?

Part 1: Industries Using Geospatial Technology

GIS is being utilized in some real-world, on-the-job applications in the fields of public safety and the environment. In public safety, GIS is used to analyze crime patterns, identify high-risk areas, and create mapping products to help first responders plan their response and recovery efforts. In the environment, GIS is used to track and monitor natural resources such as forests, water resources, and wildlife populations. It can also be used to analyze environmental data and create mapping products to help with land use planning, conservation, and restoration efforts.

In the field of public safety, GIS is used by law enforcement agencies, emergency management agencies, and other public safety organizations. These organizations use GIS to analyze crime patterns, identify high-risk areas, and plan response and recovery efforts. In the environment, GIS is used by government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private companies to track and monitor natural resources, analyze environmental data, and plan land use and conservation efforts.

Part 2: The Geographic Coordinate System

The latitude and longitude of the Golden Gate Bridge in degrees and minutes are 37° 49′ 0″ N, 122° 28′ 0″ W.
Latitude: The Golden Gate Bridge is located approximately between 37 and 38 degrees north latitude. The bridge is closer to 37 degrees than to 38 degrees, so the latitude is 37 degrees something. To find out what the minutes are, we can estimate the distance between the bridge and the 37-degree line. The bridge is closer to the 49-minute line than to the 48-minute line, so the minutes are 49. Therefore, the latitude is 37 degrees 49 minutes.

Longitude: The Golden Gate Bridge is located approximately between 122 and 123 degrees west longitude. The bridge is closer to 122 degrees than to 123 degrees, so the longitude is 122 degrees something. To find out what the minutes are, we can estimate the distance between the bridge and the 122-degree line. The bridge is closer to the 28-minute line than to the 27-minute line, so the minutes are 28. Therefore, the longitude is 122 degrees 28 minutes west.

The latitude and longitude of the Grand Canyon in degrees and minutes are 36° 6′ 39.264″N, 112° 8′ 27.504″W.
Latitude: The Grand Canyon is located approximately between 36 and 37 degrees north latitude. To find out what the minutes are, we can estimate the distance between the Grand Canyon and the 36-degree line. The Grand Canyon is closer to the 7-minute line than to the 6-minute line, so the minutes are 6.39. Therefore, the latitude is 36 degrees 6 minutes 39.264 seconds.

Longitude: The Grand Canyon is located approximately between 112 and 113 degrees west longitude. The Grand Canyon is closer to 112 degrees than to 113 degrees, so the longitude is 112 degrees something. To find out what the minutes are, we can estimate the distance between the Grand Canyon and the 112-degree line. The Grand Canyon is closer to the 8-minute line than to the 7-minute line, so the minutes are 8.27. Therefore, the longitude is 112 degrees 8 minutes 27.504 seconds west.

Part 3: The National Map

The products available for my local area include topographic maps, imagery, transportation data, land cover data, elevation data, and geographic names data.

Besides boundaries and hydrography, data that can be accessed via The National Map includes transportation, structures, elevation, orthoimagery, and geographic names.

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