GEOGRAPHIC

INFORMATION SYSTEM
Eng. Siham M. Bataineh
Lecture #1

INFORMATION and DATA

Data is defined as a body of facts or figures, which

have been gathered systematically for one or more

specific purposes.
Information is defined as data which have been

processed into a form that is meaningful to a recipient

and is of perceived value in current or prospective
decision making.

INFORMATION SYSTEM

Figure 1: Changing data into information in an information system.

BASE FOR GIS

Data representing the real world can
be stored, processed and presented in
relatively simplified forms to suit
specific needs. This provides base for
Geographical Information System.

Figure 2: GIS simplifies the real world information to bring it into computer.

DIGITAL PRESENTATION
The

Digital

geography
geography

is

representation
not

equal

itself-any

to

of
the

digital

representation involves some degree

of approximation.

Geographical Information
System
GIS can be defined as A system for Capturing,
storing, checking, integrating, manipulating,
analyzing and displaying data which are spatially
referenced to the Earth. This is normally
considered to involve a spatially referenced computer
database and appropriate applications software.

Geographic Data
Geographic data have three
dimensions:
a. Temporal e.g., 26th December
2004.
b. Thematic e.g., occurrence of
tsunami in Indian Ocean.
c. Spatial e.g., affected area included
south east coast of India.

Information Organization of
Graphical Data
Graphical data, where the most basic
element of information organization
is called as basic graphical element.
There are three basic graphical
elements:
point
line , also referred to as arc
polygon , also referred to as area

FEATURE MODEL

Figure 3: The feature model: Examples of a point feature (elevation

bench mark)
a line feature (river) and an area feature (lake).

Geographic Information

Figure 4: Geographic information has dimensions, areas are two

dimensional and consists of lines, which are one dimensional and consists
of points, which are zero dimensional and consist of a coordinate pair.

VECTOR DATA MODEL

The method of representing geographic
features by the basic graphical elements of
points, lines and polygon is said to be
the vector method

or vector data

model , and the data are called vector

data .

Graphical Data
Graphical data captured by
imaging devices in remote sensing
and digital cartography (such as
multi-spectral scanners, digital
cameras and image scanners) are
made up of a matrix of picture
elements (pixels) of very fine

Raster Data Model

The method of representing
geographic features by pixels is
called the raster method or raster
data model , and the data are
described as raster data .
A raster pixel represents the
generalized characteristics of an area
of specific size on or near the surface
of the Earth.

VECTOR AND RASTER DATA

Figure 5: Storing of spatial data, vector and raster data formats.

RASTER MODEL

Figure 6: The mixed pixel problem.

PIXEL VALUE

re 7: Attribute handling in raster data. Each pixel is assigned a single value wh

esents a real world object. Pixels can only hold numeric data; each pixel value in
raster here represents a feature class.

RESOLUTION
The relationship between cell size

and the number of cells is

expressed as the RESOLUTION of the
raster. A finer RESOLUTION gives a more
accurate and better quality image.

GRID SIZE

Figure 8: Effect of grid size on data in raster format.

REFERENCES
GIS Basics book
SHAHAB FAZAL
Department of Geography
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh