GIS

LET US KNOW OUR WORLD

FROM ABOVE AND FAR
GIS
Geographical
Information Systems
DEFINITION
A geographic information system (GIS) is a
system designed to capture, store,
manipulate, analyze, manage, and present
all types of geographical data. The key word
to this technology is Geography – this
means that some portion of the data is
spatial.
MEANING OF
GIS
It is a system designed to:
 Capture
 Collect
 Store
 Manipulate
 Analyze
 Manage
 Present all types of geographical data
COMPONENTS OF GIS
HOW DOES IT
WORK?
REMOTE SENSING
Accessing or obtaining information or
data without being physically in contact
with the machine or object.
Components of GIS
 Software

 Hardware
 Data
 Processes or methods
Personnel or people.
TYPES OF DATA
 SpatialData observations focus on locations
 Vector Data are XY coordinates points
 Raster Data is made up of pixels(grid cells)
 Attribute Data qualitative for recording and
analysis.
ATTRIBUTE DATA
There are two components to GIS data:
spatial information (coordinate and projection
information for spatial features)
and attribute data.
Attribute data is information appended in tabular
format to spatial features. ... Attribute data provides
characteristics about spatial data.
SPATIAL DATA
Also known as geospatial data or geographic
information it is the data or information that
identifies the geographic location of features and
boundaries on Earth, such as natural or constructed
features, oceans, and more.
Spatial data is usually stored as coordinates and
topology, and is data that can be mapped.
EXAMPLES OF SPATIAL
DATA
A common example of spatial data can be seen in a
road map.
A road map is a two-dimensional object that contains
points, lines, and polygons that can represent cities,
roads, and political boundaries such as states or
provinces.
A road map is a visualization of geographic
information.
SPATIAL DATA
BUFFERING
A buffer in GIS is a zone around a map feature
measured in units of distance or time.
A buffer is useful for proximity analysis.
A buffer is an area defined by the bounding region
determined by a set of points at a specified maximum
distance from all nodes along segments of an object.
RESOLUTION
The clarity of the picture or item.

A measure of the accuracy or detail of a

graphic display, expressed as dots per inch,
pixels per line, lines per millimeter, etc.
SPATIAL
RESOLUTION
Spatial Resolution describes how much detail in a
photographic image is visible to the human eye.
The ability to "resolve," or separate, small details is
one way of describing what we call spatial resolution.
Spatial resolution of images acquired by satellite
sensor systems is usually expressed in meters.
SPECTRAL
RESOLUTION
Data observed by spectral(many colours) sensor that
consists of measurements at one or more bands also
known as Frequency Ranges.
 Normal camera captures 3 bands of light frequencies

High and Low resolution images depend on the pixels.

SATELLITE IMAGES
SENSORS
Panchromatic- sensitive to light
 Radar- on earth to detect surface features
 Lidar and Sonar- laser and sound pulses
 Microwave- strong and penetrate many items
 Multispectral- scanners
TEMPORAL
RESOLUTION
Time difference between satellite images covering the
same geographical area of earth.

NB: it refers to how often the image is taken and how long
the image is sensed each time.

TEMPORARY RESOLUTION specifies how often a satellite

sensor revisits a specific location.
VECTOR DATA
This data is seen by:
 Point: XY Co-ordinates
 Line: XY co-ordinates joined together
 Polygon: two-dimensional figures
RASTER DATA
Satellite and airborne sensors
 Pixels- small regular grid of cells.
DATA
STANDARDISATION
standardization is the process by which
similar data received in various formats is
transformed to a common format that enhances
the comparison process.

For example, street names commonly contain

directions, like North or West.
ADVANTAGES OF DATA
STANDARDISATION
• Ensures a traceability of the data and optimizes the
downstream dataflow.
• Requires less modification in order to perform
statistical analysis.
• Provides an ease of support in creation of analysis
parameters thereby reducing the amount of time
required in submission and regulatory approval.
• Requires minimal oversight and resource allocation.
DATA SHARING
It implies that the data are stored in one
or more servers in the network and that
there is some software locking
mechanism that prevents the same set
of data from being changed by two
people at the same time.
WAYS TO SHARE
DATA
• People on same network can use shared folder
• Using internet
• Emailing- although it is limited files
• Web services
• Database connection
• Application Programming interface(API)
DATA SECURITY
Protection of information to the public: Policies take effect
in this regard.

Reason for security: Company Competitors can spy and take

ideas before the copyrights can be drafted.

For example: In music, copyrights are part of DATA

SECURITY
LAYERING
Layering is the organization of programming
into separate functional components that
interact in some sequential and hierarchical
way, with each layer usually having an
interface only to the layer above it and the
layer below it.
DATA LAYERING