Cartographic expeditions to Greenland refer to the series of mapping and exploration missions undertaken to chart the geography, topography, and resources of Greenland over the centuries. These expeditions have played a crucial role in understanding the island's landscape, climate, and indigenous cultures, as well as its potential for resource development. ### Historical Context 1.
Cartography and Geographic Information Science (GIScience) are closely related fields focused on the representation, analysis, and understanding of geographical information. ### Cartography Cartography is the art and science of creating maps. It involves the design, production, and use of maps to communicate spatial information effectively. Cartographers employ various techniques to convey data about geographical features, such as topography, population density, land use, and transportation networks.
Cartography of Latin America refers to the art and science of map-making specific to the countries and regions within Latin America. This encompasses a variety of maps that depict geographical, cultural, political, and economic features of Latin American countries. Key aspects of cartography in this context include: 1. **Geographical Features**: Maps that display physical geography, including mountains, rivers, forests, and climate zones.
Cartopology is a relatively new field that integrates concepts from cartography (the art and science of map-making) and topology (the mathematical study of spatial properties and relationships). While the term itself may not be widely recognized or established, the concept often revolves around understanding how spatial relationships and geographic data can be represented, manipulated, and analyzed in a way that emphasizes their inherent properties, regardless of their specific geometric forms.
In cartography, a cartouche is a decorative motif used to enclose a map's title, scale, legend, or other important information. It is often ornately designed, giving maps an artistic touch while also helping to highlight key textual information. The term "cartouche" originally comes from the French word for a scroll or a roll of paper, and it is sometimes associated with a frame that resembles an elongated oval or a shield shape.
Chart datum is a reference level used in nautical and hydrographic charts to measure water depths. It is an important concept in maritime navigation, as it provides a standard baseline from which depths and heights are measured. Chart datum is usually defined as a specific level of a tidal system, and it can be based on various criteria, such as mean sea level, lowest astronomical tide (LAT), or mean low water springs (MLWS).
Chorography is a branch of geography that focuses on the description and mapping of particular regions or areas. It involves the study of the physical and cultural characteristics of specific places, emphasizing their spatial relationships, landforms, climate, vegetation, and human activities. Chorographers produce detailed accounts of landscapes, often combining cartography, environmental studies, and local history to provide a comprehensive view of a region.
Climate TRACE (Tracking Real-time Atmospheric Carbon Emissions) is an initiative aimed at providing accurate and timely data on greenhouse gas emissions globally. Founded in 2020, it leverages advanced technologies such as satellite imagery, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to monitor and analyze emissions from various sources, including power plants, factories, and transportation.
The Coastline Paradox refers to the counterintuitive observation that the measured length of a coastline can vary significantly depending on the scale of the measurement tool used. This phenomenon arises from the fractal nature of coastlines and the complexity of their shapes.
A compass rose is a figure on a map or nautical chart that displays the orientation of the cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—as well as intermediate directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest). It provides a visual reference to understand direction and navigation. Typically, the compass rose is depicted as a circular design, with the directions often labeled and the north point typically indicated by a prominent or stylized arrow.
A contour line is a line on a map that connects points of equal elevation above a given level, such as sea level. Contour lines are used in topographic maps to represent the three-dimensional shape of the terrain on a two-dimensional surface. Each line indicates a constant elevation, and the spacing between contour lines reveals the steepness of the terrain: closely spaced lines indicate steep slopes, while lines that are far apart indicate gentle or flat areas.
Counter-mapping refers to a participatory mapping process that challenges conventional power dynamics in the creation, representation, and use of geographic information. It is often employed by marginalized communities or groups to assert their rights, interests, and identities against dominant narratives and official maps created by authorities, governments, or corporations.
Critical cartography is an interdisciplinary approach that challenges traditional practices of map-making and the power dynamics inherent in cartographic representation. It examines how maps can both reflect and shape social, political, and cultural structures, often reinforcing dominant narratives while marginalizing alternative viewpoints. Key aspects of critical cartography include: 1. **Social Constructivism**: Recognizing that maps are not neutral representations of reality but are socially constructed artifacts that reflect the values, beliefs, and biases of their creators.
Cultural mapping is a process that involves documenting, analyzing, and visualizing the cultural resources, activities, and dynamics of a specific community or region. It provides a way to understand the cultural landscape by identifying the various elements that contribute to the identity and character of a place. These elements can include: 1. **Cultural Assets**: This encompasses historical sites, museums, art galleries, theaters, libraries, and other institutions that play a role in the cultural life of the community.
D. R. Fraser Taylor is a prominent Canadian geographer and a recognized authority in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cartography, and digital mapping. He is known for his work in developing techniques and methodologies for spatial data analysis and visualization. Taylor has been involved in various academic and research endeavors, contributing to the understanding of geographical information science and its applications across different disciplines.
DTED stands for Digital Terrain Elevation Data. It is a format used for representing terrain elevation data, typically in a raster format, which consists of elevations above a defined reference level (usually sea level) at specific locations. DTED is primarily used by military and civilian applications for tasks such as terrain analysis, simulation, mission planning, and geospatial analysis. The data is organized into a grid of elevation points, with each point representing the elevation of the terrain at that location.
A digital line graph is a graphical representation of data that shows trends over time or sequences. It typically consists of points plotted on a coordinate system, connected by straight lines, to illustrate changes in values across a given period or across different categories. Digital line graphs are widely used in various fields such as finance, science, and statistics to visualize data trends, compare different sets of data, and make interpretations more accessible.
A Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) is a type of digital image that represents rasterized data, typically derived from scanned maps or other source documents. DRGs are commonly used in geographic information systems (GIS) and cartography to provide a digital version of paper maps or aerial photographs. The key characteristics of DRGs include: 1. **Raster Format**: This means that the image is composed of a grid of pixels, where each pixel represents a color or a value.
The term "drying height" can refer to a few different concepts depending on the context, but it is most commonly associated with agriculture, horticulture, and food processing. Here are a couple of interpretations: 1. **Agricultural Context**: In agriculture, drying height may refer to the vertical height at which crops (especially grains or forage) are placed during the drying process to facilitate air circulation and moisture removal.