LAB 4

     This is the first time that I use geographical software. While completing the tutorial, I encountered some difficulties. One major problem is that the image in the tutorial is slightly different from my screen. For example I can’t find the toolbar in the interface. So it is a little bit hard to follow the tutorial instruction.  Another problem is that when I tried to adjust the map scale, it always jumped back to the original scale. Sometime the map would become ridiculously huge. In spite of all these difficulties, this software is relatively easy to use and it is very useful. By using this software, we can add data to a map, edit geographical data, work with table and lay out map. Another thing I particularly like about Arcmap is that user can customize his/her own map. You can change the colors and apply different shade on it. Overall, Arcmap is user-friendly and useful.

      There are both potential and pitfalls of GIS. A huge positive aspect of GIS is that it is very effective to organize and edit complex data. Lots of geographical information can be easily added to a map. Also, multiple layers are helpful in hiding and showing in important data. They are also helpful in creating a map with a particular purpose. The large range of colors and shapes that can be added on a map provide a clearer viewing to the general public. The digital map that GIS created can serve different purposes as well as help user to visualize the map. It also can be updated easily.

     GIS also has an advantage in editing, creating points, lines and polygenes. There are lots of useful tool to draw a map. In addition, user can analyst huge amount of data by creating table and separating layers. It is also very easy to view a map in GIS because you can zoom in when you want to see a specific location and zoom out when you want to see the whole layout of the map.

      There are certain pitfalls as well. I think GIS is user-friendly only because I have a tutorial to follow. I can’t imagine that I make maps on GIS if I have nothing except the software alone. GIS is certainly less user-friendly than Google map. Not everyone has the patient to get familiar with GIS operation because it requires lots of time to do so. After completing the tutorial, I still feel that I have much more to learn about GIS. GIS is only designed for those who like geography and those who are experts

      In conclusion, GIS is a relatively sophisticated software that can analyst and process huge amount of data. It has lots of potential to visualize complicated data and maps information. Although it is not as user-friendly as Google map, it is great for the academic purpose.

week3 lab

View A TOUR TO HANGZHOU, CHINA in a larger map">

The pitfalls, potential and consequences of neogeography

Neogeography has transitioned the map making process from cartographers to the general public. Especially after some websites lilk google map has released an API(application programming interface), map making doesn't require that much acadamical understanding of the geography and expertise on cartography as it did before. Consequensely, people start to make their own maps, which maybe be less acurrate but more personal and more entertaining.  Neogeography has lots of potential on introducing geography to massive amout of people. Also as people have maken their own maps, they put lots of information on the map,like travel guide, restaurant information etc. This large volume of information sharing make mashup map more like a personal blog and social network. In a nutshell, all of this has pushed geography to the general public and has made geography be more available and understandable to normal people.

Though neogeography has lots of potential and advantages, it has some inevitable downfalls. As the application on google map is so easy to use. There is a large proportion of map makers who lack of basic knowledge of geography  making their own maps. So those maps' accuracy and reliablity are always in question. After all, map making is not just about having fun. The map we make should be useful to people instead of misleading.  In addition , neogeography might mislead people into thinking  that it can replace the traditional way of map making.

In spite of all the pitfalls Neogeography it has, it is still a pretty innovative way of providing a more accessable and easy-use geographical tool to the general public. Nowadays, geography is not a field that only scientists can set their foot on. It now has becamed a website application which lots people can easily get access to.

The impact made by neogeography are obiviously to be seen in our dialy life. It has improved our life quality in a large amout. There are boundless opportunities for neogeography in the future.

lab 2

LAB 2 

PANQIAN XU

1.     What is the name of the quadrangle?

 Beverly Hills, CA 1995 quadrangle

2.     What are the names of the adjacent quadrangles?

Canoga Park, Van Nuys, Burbank, Topanga,  Hollywood, Venice ,Inglewood

3.     When was the quadrangle first created?

 1966

4.     What datum was used to create your map?

Horizontal datum: North American datum of 1927 and 1983

Vertical datum: National geodetic vertical datum of 1929

5.     What is the scale of the map?

1:24000

6. At the above scale, answer the following:

a) 5 centimeters on the map is equivalent to how many meters on the ground?

5*24000/100=1200meters

b) 5 inches on the map is equivalent to how many miles on the ground?

5*2.54*24000*                  0.0000062137=1.8937mile

c) one mile on the ground is equivalent to how many inches on the map?

1mile= 1 609.344meters=160934.4cm, 160934.4/24000=6.7056cm=2.615184inches

d) three kilometers on the ground is equivalent to how many centimeters on the map?

3km=3000m=300000cm, 300000/24000=12.5cm

7.What is the contour interval on your map?

20feets

8. What are the approximate geographic coordinates in both degrees/minutes/seconds and decimal degrees of:

a) the Public Affairs Building

North: 34degree 4 minute 16second=34.07

East: 118 degree,26minute 34 second=118.44

b) the tip of Santa Monica pier;

34 degrees 4minutes 30seconds North=34.075

118degrees 26minutes 30seconds West=118.44

c) the Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir;

   West: 118 degrees 24 minutes 40 seconds   118.41 degrees

   North: 34 degrees 6 minutes 30 seconds      34.11 degrees

9. What is the approximate elevation in both feet and meters of:

a) Greystone Mansion (in Greystone Park);

570feets=0.3048*570meters=173.736meters

b) Woodlawn Cemetery;

140feets=42.672meters

c) Crestwood Hills Park;

750feets=228.6meters

10. What is the UTM zone of the map?

Zone 11

11. What are the UTM coordinates for the lower left corner of your map?

 3763000meters northing

  361500meters  easting

12. How many square meters are contained within each cell (square) of the UTM gridlines?

1,000,000 square meters

13. Obtain elevation measurements, from west to east along the UTM northing 3771000, where the eastings of the UTM grid intersect the northing. Create an elevation profile using these measurements in Excel (hint: create a line chart). Figure out how to label the elevation values to the two measurements on campus. Insert your elevation profile as a graphic in your blog.

14. What is the magnetic declination of the map?

It is positive 14 degrees

15. In which direction does water flow in the intermittent stream between the 405 freeway and Stone Canyon Reservoir?

From North to South.

16. Crop out (i.e., cut and paste) UCLA from the map and include it as a graphic on your blog.

asignment week1

This map is called Da Ming Hun Yi Tu. It is made by ancient Chinese people 600 hundred years ago.Chinese people made this world map based on their limited understanding of the world.Though it is far beyond accurate, it is still a very sophisticated map at that time.This handmade map depicts almost the entire Asia with China at the center.I found this map really interesting because it has been through hundreds years history and it still has pretty high quality. It shows  ancient China's developed sophisticated mapping techniques.

 

This map is called The Internet's "black holes". The darken areas in the map represent the 15 countries that limit or prohibit their citizen's access to internet as way of censoring the free flow of information. Actually I am a chinese so I found this map really amusing. In China, there are certain websites blocked by government such as Facebook. Whenever I try to log in Facebook in China, it always shows that"page is not found"A map like this clearly shows the countries with repressive governments have eliminated freedom within Internet in order to control citizen's communication and information.

http://bigthink.com/ideas/21222)

This map is from the Historical Altas by William R. Shepherd,1923.It is a historical map of the Germanic Kingdoms and the East Roman Empire in 486.The Germanic Kingdoms are given a surface coloring. This map of Europe after "the fall of Rome" depicts the distribution of the Germanic tribes and the extent of the Eastern Rome. It also foreshows the reconstruct of new Europe in The Middle Age. I like this map because it visualizes the progression of human history. 

(http://historymedren.about.com/library/atlas/natmapgermanic.htm)