Lab5: Projections in ArcGIS

Map projections are an invaluable aspect of geography. The Earth is a 3-dimensional object and projecting it onto a 2-dimensional surface for navigation and other purposes is an integral part of mapmaking, since not carrying a 3-dimensional geography tool around is much less convenient than one of 2-dimensions. However, the application of map projections can be a double-edged sword if not used properly.

In the case of equal-area map projections, areas are preserved at the cost of relative distance and angles. This type of projection is excellent for accurate representation of the surface area of the world's countries for political purposes but might not be the best choice for navigation. Between the Mollweide and Goode's homolosine projections, there is a discrepancy of roughly 2,000 miles between Washington, D.C. and Kabul.
Equidistant map projections preserve distance at the cost of area and angles. However, they only preserve distance from a central point or line and the further you deviate from that point or line, the less accurate the equidistant measurement really is. This type of map projection is useful in air route mapping, since it relies directly on distance. Between the equidistant conic and South Pole azimuthal equidistant projections, there is a discrepancy of approximately 100 miles.
Lastly is the conformal map projection. Conformal projections allow the preservations of angles locally, allowing the viewing of accurate shapes over small areas. Since the angles are preserved, conformal maps are best suited for navigational purposes. Between the Asia North Lambert conformal conic and North Pole stereographic projections, there is a difference of around 1,200 miles. Ultimately, the various types of map projections have their own advantages and disadvantages since there is no way to project a 3-dimensional map into a 2-dimensional surface without distortion. The trick to using map projections effectively is to know when and where to use each type of projection properly.

Lab4: Introducing ArcMap

The past two weeks of Geography 7 lab section have been devoted to exploring the ins and outs of one of the more prominent GIS programs, ArcGIS. All in all, learning the basics of ArcGIS was a lot of fun and quite an interesting hands-on experience. Watching information being applied to a map firsthand as opposed to seeing pictures of geographic information systems in a slideshow for the first time was pretty remarkable.

The actual process of using ArcGIS was quite easy. With a guide available on PDF, all of the assigned tasks became intuitive and familiar rather quickly. Though following the instructions available on ArcGIS was very straightforward, problems arose when ArcGIS did not do as I told it to do. I encountered some problems with the size and shape of the frame as well as the colors of the graph. For some reason, the frame refused to switch from portrait to landscape and when I exported the graph, its once vibrant hues immediately turned grayscale. Despite these minor setbacks, playing around with ArcGIS for the first time was magical. I started feeling pretty confident about things my second time through the tutorial and my third time through it was just a breeze.

Programs like ArcGIS have a lot of beneficial potential. For instance, its most basic purpose is to provide a way to simplify data. Rather than having to read both a map and one other variable, geographic information systems integrate the two, reducing the chance of confusion and overcomplexity. Additionally, integrating geography with information provides a way to manipulate information in order to convey various interpretations of the data. The ability to interpret the data allows for many real world applications, ranging from effective crime prevention to proper solar panel placement.

While GIS has its benefits, it is not without problems. While little of the general population has access to the software used in developing geographic information systems, these maps can be found everywhere. Whether it be in newspapers, TIME Magazine, or Reader's Digest, geographic information systems are frequently used by publications to shed light on prominent issues. Readers then absorb the information without questioning the source, accuracy, and implementation of the data. Thus, with some clever adaptation, information that could have been used to create an innocent and useful map can just as easily end up providing biased and less than truthful facts.

Lab3: Neogeography

View My Hong Kong - GEO 7 Lab3 in a larger map

For this lab, I constructed a map of various landmarks in Hong Kong. By landmarks, however, I mean places that carry a lot of sentimental value for me rather than places that a tourist would probably visit. I chose this as the theme for my map because, strangely enough, I am starting to get a little homesick my fourth week in. Even stranger yet, I do not miss Belmont, California nearly as much as I miss Hong Kong. This map really puts into perspective the radically different lifestyles I grown accustomed to, as the urban bustle of Hong Kong is nothing like the suburban tranquility of Belmont. Despite its superior public transportation system, going to a friend's house in Belmont would be the equivalent of a day trip in Hong Kong.

Neogeography, as I have discovered in this assignment, can be a lot of fun. It lets ordinary people share their perspectives and views on places others would normally overlook. One website that uses neogeography extensively is Yelp. Yelp is a website that my mom and I, among countless others, use to find reviews of local businesses. The denizens of Yelp review everything, ranging from barbershops to restaurants. In this instance of neogeography, a personal touch is added to a normally inanimate map.

However, despite the known potential of neogeography, there is another side to the story. Neogeography, since it is open to the public, poses a possible threat. If everyone is able to edit a map, it is virtually impossible to verify its accuracy and corroborate its source. Additionally, with neogeography open to the public, the objective aspect of a map is no longer exists, as it is now based on the opinion of an individual. Thus, the accuracy of the map is once again up for debate. Despite these pitfalls, neogeography has the potential to become an integral part of our everyday lives - it already has with Yelp.

Lab2: USGS Topographic Maps

1. Beverly Hills Quadrangle.

2. The Canoga Park, Van Nuys, Burbank, Topanga, Hollywood, Venice, and Inglewood quadrangles.

3. The quadrangle was first created in 1966.

4. The map was created using the horizontal datums North American Datum of 1927 and 1989, and the vertical datum North American Datum of 1929.

5. The scale of the map is 1:24,000.

6.
a) 1/24,000 = 5cm/xcm
x = 120,000cm
120,000cm x 1m/100cm = 1,200m
1,200 meters.

b) 1/24,000 = 5in/xin
x = 120,000in
120,000in x 1ft/12in = 10,000ft
10,000ft x 1mi/5280ft = 1.893939394mi
1.89 miles.

c) 1/24,000 = xin/1mi
1mi x 63,360in/1mi = 63,360in
1/24,000 = xin/63,360in
xin = 63,360in/24,000
2.64 inches.

d) 1/24,000 = xcm/3km
3km x 100,000cm/1km = 300,000cm
1/24,000 = xcm/300,000cm
xcm = 300,000cm/24,000
12.5 centimeters.

7. The contour interval is 20 feet.

8.
a) 34° 4' 0'' N and 118° 28' 36'' W, or 34.067° N and 118.477° W.

b) 34° 0' 27'' N and 118° 30' 36'' W, or 34.008° N and 118.51° W.
c) 34° 7' 10'' N and 118° 27' 37'' W, or 34.119° N and 118.460° W.

9.
a) 580 feet or 176.784 meters.
b) 140 feet or 42.672 meters.
c) 650 feet or 198.12 meters.

10. The quadrangle is in UTM zone 11.

11. The UTM coordinates for the lower left corner of the map is easting 361,500, northing 3,763,000.

12. 1,000,000 square meters.

13.














14. The magnetic declination of the map is 14°.

15. Water flows south in the intermittent stream between the 405 freeway and Stone Canyon
Reservoir.

16.

Lab1: SSC & a Blog

I found this image on a website called Best Country Reports, a website that provides guides to culture, travel, business, and communications in major countries. It is a map of Hong Kong, with increasingly dark hues of red indicating a greater population density. I chose to talk about his map because I was born in Hong Kong and have experienced this remarkably crowded city for myself. It really puts into perspective how sparsely populated the surrounding region is as well.

Source: http://www.bestcountryreports.com/Population_Map_Hong%20Kong.html
Google Images, 2:20 PM, September 28, 2010

This is a map of the south pole that I found on Ambiophonics after a quick Google search. I chose this map because while most maps of the world tend to focus very little on the continent of Antarctica, this one shows it for what it really is. I also found the map rather interesting because one of my high school teachers spent a few months stationed near one of the more prominent locations on the map. Since then, I've always wanted to visit Antarctica.

Source: http://www.ambiophonics.org/Bio.html
Google Images, 2:31 PM, September 28, 2010

Finally, this is a map taken from the website of the Oakland Airport. It shows all of the various stops, stations, and fares of the Bay Area Rapid Transit. I chose to talk about it because I am a Bay Area native and this map has a very special place in my heart. I live just south of where the train line ends on the peninsula side, so any trip to San Francisco almost always requires the use of BART. Over the years, I have become very familiar with the contents of the map and virtually each stop has some memories associated with it.

Source: http://www.flyoakland.com/bart_map.html
Google Images, 2:36 PM, September 28, 2010