TP 1: FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

SYSTEMS

1. Definition

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that uses a variety of sources to
gather and organise, manage, analyse and combine geographically located information, and to
produce and present it, thereby contributing to spatial management in particular.

2. GIS functionalities (the 5 A's) :

Abstraction: information modelling,

Acquisition: retrieving existing information, feeding data into the system, Archiving:
storing data so that it can be easily retrieved and queried, Analysis: responding to queries,
the very heart of GIS,
Display: graphic display.
In other words, a GIS is a computerised environment for analysing digitised spatial
information.
 3. DATA IN GIS

How can the information contained in a map be stored in a computer? What data is processed
by GIS? The following section provides answers to the various questions posed and explains
how data is acquired in a GIS.

• Data acquisition modes

Geographic data comes from a variety of sources and is acquired in a variety of ways. Some
data is measured directly in the field (topographic surveys) or captured remotely (Global
Positioning System, aerial photos, satellite images), or captured from existing maps or plans.
The main data acquisition methods are described below.

a. Scanning
Digitisation i s used to recover the geometry of objects placed on a pre-existing map or plan,
as illustrated in the figure.

It consists of moving a cursor over a plane placed on a table to be digitised and previously set
in coordinates. The table is receptive to the electrical signals emitted by the cursor. It can
locate these signals on the plane of the table with an accuracy of a tenth of a millimetre.
 b. Electronic scanning

Electronic scanning (using a scanner) is another way of capturing an existing plan. It is faster
than manual digitisation.
c. Photogrammetry
Aerial photogrammetry is used systematically to produce medium-scale maps.

d. Satellite images (remote sensing)

Remote sensing is a very convenient way of creating the data to be fed into GIS. It involves
using, under specific and rigorous conditions, either aerial photographs or images recorded
and transmitted by satellite, as illustrated in figure
4. Types of data in a GIS

Generally speaking, for a spatial object to be well described and ready to be used by a GIS, three
items of information must be provided:

• Its geographical position in space

• Its spatial relationship with other spatial objects: topology
• Its attribute, i.e. what the object is, with an identifying character (code)
Geographic information systems enable spatial and related data to be processed.

Spatial data
They determine the spatial characteristics of a geographical entity in which all the graphic
elements are represented and identified:
- Location: coordinates in relation to a graphical reference scale.
- Shape: point, line, surface.
- Size: length, perimeter, surface area.
The information refers to three types of objects
- Point: is designated by its coordinates and the smallest spatial dimension.
- Line: has a spatial dimension consisting of a succession of points close together.
- Polygon (area or surface): is a surface element defined by a closed line or the line that
delimits it.
 4. Data modes in GIS
a. RASTER data

Reality is broken down into a regular rectangular grid, organised into rows and columns,
forming elementary spatial units. This elementary spatial unit is called a pixel (Picture
element). The size of this pixel in units of distance defines the spatial resolution of the image.

b. Vector data (VECTEUR)

The boundaries of spatial objects are described through their elementary constituents, i.e.
points, lines and polygons. Each spatial object is given an identifier that enables it to be it
link it à a table table.
 5. SOFTWARE
1. ArcGIS
2. QGIS
3. Mapinfo
4. GoogleEarth
5. GvSIG
6. OpenLayers
7. Autocad
8. DIVAGis
9. GEOserver
10. SAGA GIS
11.etc

6. Personal work :
Prepare a presentation (no longer than 6 pages on ArcGis and GoogleEarth) and hand it in at the next
session. The work must be :

• In pairs
• Writing by hand, on white sheets (writing in blue and/or black pen only) Contains the
following elements:

• Cover page
• Presentation of the software
• A brief history of the software
• Brief description of the software (interface, tools, etc)