ABSTRACT
Housing in Potsdam varies from flats in redeveloped prefabricated high-rise buildings to apartments in historical townhouses to condominiums in Germany’s first gated community. Increasing demographic development and a stagnant public housing sector generate potential for spatial conflicts. For the time being in-depth GIS-based spatial analysis of the housing market lacks. This article analyses spatial trends and distribution patterns of the Potsdam housing market, using geostatistical methods implemented in free opensource geographic information systems (FOS GIS). To assemble a spatially differentiated picture of the housing market, methods such as spatial interpolation techniques and spatial declustering are applied. The analysis presented here is based on a representative sample of recent housing market data from 2009. The study provides a basis for discussion of a generic approach to housing market analysis based on free opensource geoinformation systems.

Abstract: Problem statement: The areas of Faliraki and Delta Pinaeus river is presented with downgrade in natural resources that has a direct affect on the future development of these areas. The research investigated (i) whether land uses have downgraded the coastal areas (ii) to which degree the determination of land uses can play an important role in the reduction of environmental problems and in the protection of an area. Approach: An exploratory descriptive statistics and a comparative method were used on the employment in the productive sectors, built-up development and tourist development In addition to this, personal interviews took place with the people in charge of technical services of corresponding municipalities.

GIS as a Planning Support System for the Planning of Harmonious Cities
It has long been the desire of human beings to be harmonious with the physica environment, society and inner self. In China, the earliest harmonious concept is yin-yang which originates from the Book of Change (I-ching), a Chinese book often associated with fortune-telling and Taosim. It can be dated back 3,000 years to the transition period between the Yin (1600-11 00 B.C.) and Chou dynasties (11 22-256 B.C.). Yin represents softness (weak, submissive) and yang represents strength (strong, dominant). While being opposite, they work in harmony. The balance of yin and yang is needed to create a harmonious system. Yin-yang is often applied to Chinese medicine in which the balance of the yin and yang will lead to good health. When applied to cities, yin can represent the natural environment and yang the urban development. The balance between urban development and the natural environment will lead to sustainable cities.

Power to the people
January was an important month for GIS Development. We came out with our 150th issue and we held our flagship event, Map India 2010. The theme of the event was “Defining a Geospatial Vision for India”. With 1200 plus delegates, 28 countries and 41 exhibitors, clearly the vision was full of promise; and why not? While on the one hand Joseph Stiglitz calls for another round of stimuli for the economy of the developed world, on the other hand India shows a seven percent growth amongst all the gloom and doom. President Obama declares that India will not wait and to protect American jobs he promises to withdraw tax reliefs to companies who take jobs out of America. All these are part of this vision which shows India’s strong growth.

ABSTRACT
In the Republic of China on Taiwan, photogrammetry is widely applied to topographic mapping, land use classification, water and soil conservation, and civil engineering projects; while remote sensing techniques are used for weather forcasting, damage investigation, natural resources monitoring, and agriculture and forest inventories. The equipment and techniques of digital mapping are increased and improved to provide data for the geographic information system (GIS) which consists of nine data bases, namely: natural environment, natural resources and ecology, environmental quality, social and economic, fraffic network,land,regional and urban planning, public pipe line and topographic map date bases. The islandwide digital elevation model has been scanned with 4Ox40 m intervals. Photogrammetry and remote sensing courses are taught in the departments of survey engineering at the Chungcheng Institute of Technology and the Chengkung University, and also taught in departments of geography, geology, forestry and civil engineering at other universities and colleges.

This book opens a new pathway for global mapping that is focused on a specific land use theme, such as irrigated or rain-fed croplands and classes within these themes. Since croplands use most of the water consumed by humans, specific knowledge of irrigated and rain-fed croplands will be critical for precise estimates of water use. At present and in the coming decades, irrigated and rain-fed cropland area mapping is
crucial for food security studies. Throughout this book, various subjects pertaining to global croplands are discussed comprehensively.

ABSTRACT

In the current study we proposed a new band ratio combination by using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) image. The new proposed band ratio hasbeen tested for its effectiveness in four regions in the study area. This proposedband ratio (5/3, 3/1, 7/5 in RGB respectively) with the help of supervisedclassification technique were succeeded in discrimination of different types ofrock units. The results revealed that by using the proposed band ratio it was soeffective to discriminate different granitic phases (Kadabora region); serpentinitesfrom metasediments and sheared granites (El Mayite region); mollase type Hammamat sediments from metavolcanics and metasediments (Wadi El-Miyahregion); and serpentinites from metavolcanics (El-Baramiya region). The resultsdemonstrate the accuracy and suitability of using this band ratio as a powerfultool in lithological mapping and the data was verified by field investigation andprevious studies.

Geospatial industry is firmly rooted in Middle East. Political will, abundant resources, high degree of awareness and aspiration to excel have made governments in the region to invest in latest applications, making it a fertile  ground for geospatial technologies.

One of the enduring impressions of any visit to the Middle East (ME) is the ‘forest’ of tower cranes. Building activity seems to be never ending in this part of the world. There is another activity, equally vigorous though not as visible and that is the building up of spatial data infrastructures in the states that make up the GCC. Beginning with Qatar, the efforts have spread to all the states and significant progress has been made. As Zul Jiwani points out, the necessary ingredients for this success are a patron, a field clear of the baggage of legacy, a receptive clientele and adequate financial resources. Understanding the user needs and catering to a variety of users from security agencies to the public drives many of these efforts. Each agency has its own way of meeting its user needs. As systems mature, so do users and the needs grow.

Abstract
Background: Various geographic information systems (GIS) are now widely used to map the distribution of diseases and mortality. However, the mapping of raw mortality rates has been found to be inappropriate since it does not account for the spatial heterogeneity of the population at risk. Bayesian techniques have therefore been suggested as a solution to the problem. Methods: Annual mortality rates for each of the 39 villages of the study area in the Kossi Province in northwest Burkina Faso were calculated using midyear populations of children under five. Two mapping techniques were then used. Firstly, the GIS software ArcView was used to map the crude mortality rates. Secondly, the data were smoothed by the method of empirical Bayes estimation. The geostatistical prediction method of Kriging was then used to spatially interpolate the data for successive years. Results: No spatial pattern is identifiable from the circles representing mortality rates drawn on the map using ArcView. The circles are scattered over the study area and comparing annual distributions between them is difficult. The maps produced by the Bayesian technique also do not show a clear spatial trend pattern. However, they indicate the tendency of villages in the northeastern region to produce higher incidence or risk values, confirming the results of an earlier study reporting a significant cluster of high childhood mortality in the same area.

Abstract: This study represents a part of an ongoing research program to evaluate the lithologic mapping capabilities of NigeriaSat-1. Rafin Gabas is located in Nasarawa state and falls within the Younger Granite province of Nigeria. Wolframite and cassiterite have been found to occur within this area.The topographical map of the study area was generated from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Data). The DEM was converted into a contour map using the ERDAS and ArcView softwares. The NigeriaSat-1 image of the area was subjected to various image processing techniques such as edge enhancement, Principal component analysis and filtering. Samples from wolframite-bearing-quartzite-veins were analysed and old tin mines were studied. The various ancillary data were integrated in ILWIS software. Geological information such as lithological boundaries and lineaments were derived from the NigeriaSat-1 image. The lineaments were found to occur in the NE-SW direction and they range in length from 300 Km to 2.5 Km and some cut across rock boundaries. The results of the XRF analysis show an average of 62% Wo . Tailings from the old mines were observed to 3 contain some amounts of Cassiterite which could be reworked. The various data generated were integrated in a GIS environment and a mineral probability map was produced.

Summary
Geospatial information is data referenced to a place—a set of geographic coordinates—which can often be gathered, manipulated, and displayed in real time. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced information. In recent years consumer demand has skyrocketed for geospatial information and for tools like GIS to manipulate and display geospatial information. Global Positioning System (GPS) data and their integration with digital maps has led to the popular handheld or dashboard navigation devices used daily by millions. The federal government and policy makers increasingly use geospatial information and tools like GIS for
producing floodplain maps, conducting the Census, mapping foreclosures, and responding to natural hazards such as wildfires and hurricanes. For policy makers, this type of analysis can greatly assist in clarifying complex problems that may involve local, state, and federal government, and affect businesses, residential areas, and federal installations.

Peter Folger
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy
June 8, 2009

Ettlingen (ots)

Innovative Produkte zum effizienten Betrieb und Unterhalt von Versorgungsnetzen präsentiert die IDS GmbH auf der E-world energy & water vom 10. bis 12. Februar 2009 in Essen (Halle 2, Stand 116). Schwerpunkt sind Instandhaltungs- und Workforce-Management-Lösungen für Versorger und Industrieunternehmen sowie deren Integration in die vorhandene Systemlandschaft, wie z.B. Netzleitsystem, GIS und ERP.

IDS GmbH: Jessica Wettstein

28.01.2009 | 11:14 Uhr

7th LEIBNIZ CONFERENCE OF ADVANCED SCIENCE

SCHWERPUNKTE der Programmgestaltung sollen sein:

1. Sensorsysteme für Prozess- und Zustandsüberwachung

• Industrieautomatisierung (Einsatz drahtloser sowie lichtleiterverbundener Sensorsysteme)
• Umweltmonitoring (Umweltüberwachung von Flüssen oder unbewohnten Gegenden, Präzisionslandwirtschaft)
• Health-Monitoring für kritische Komponenten, Geräte, Systeme, Anlagen in Industrie, Verkehr und Service
• Sensorsysteme in Wertschöpfungsketten (Überwachung und Optimierung von Produktions- und Logistikprozessen)

2. Energieversorgung und -einsparung

• Autarke Energieversorgung durch mechanische, thermische, Strahlungs- und andere Wandler
• Energiegewinnung und optimierte Verteilung im Netz
• Energiespeicherung in Batterien und Superkondensatoren zur Bufferung
• Energieverbrauchsminimierung durch Hardware und Software
• Energieeinsparung mit Hilfe von Sensorsystemen

State of the Blogosphere / Report 2008

Introduction

Welcome to Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2008 report, which will be released in five consecutive daily segments. Since 2004, our annual study has unearthed and analyzed the trends and themes of blogging, but for the 2008 study, we resolved to go beyond the numbers of the Technorati Index to deliver even deeper insights into the blogging mind. For the first time, we surveyed bloggers directly about the role of blogging in their lives, the tools, time, and resources used to produce their blogs, and how blogging has impacted them personally, professionally, and financially. Our bloggers were generous with their thoughts and insights. Thanks to all of the bloggers who took the time to respond to our survey.

IDRISI Andes Guide to GIS and Image Processing

April 2006

J. Ronald Eastman/Clark Labs/Clark University

A submission to Infrastructure Australia

AUSTRALIAN SPATIAL INFORMATION ASSOCIATION

The Australian Spatial Information Business Association represents the spatial information industry’s interests on issues specific to spatial businesses. The members are significant producers, managers and users of spatial data infrastructure and provide value- added services to government and industry. However the industry and its productive relationship with the Australian community, face some serious constraints in the development and use of spatial data infrastructure that should be addressed urgently.

15/10/2008

REMOTE SENSING OF RICE-BASED IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE: A REVIEW

The ‘Green Revolution’ in rice farming of the late 1960’s denotes the beginning of the extensive breeding programs that have led to the many improved rice varieties that are now planted on more than 60% of the world’s riceland (Khush, 1987). This revolution led to increases in yield potential of 2 to 3 times that of traditional varieties (Khush, 1987). Similar trends have also been seen in the Irrigation Areas and Districts of southern New South Wales (NSW) as the local breeding program has produced many improved varieties of rice adapted to local growing conditions since the 1960’s (Brennan et al., 1994). Increases in area of rice planted, rice quality, and paddy yield resulted (Brennan et al., 1994).

CSIS Discussion Paper No. 91

Mizuki Kawabata*, Rajesh Bahadur Thapa**, and Takashi Oguchi*
*Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
** Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
September, 2008

Cooperation among different fields of study is important in developing a systematic method of GIS education. We examined inter-field cooperation, particularly that between geography-related and computer/information-related fields for education programs at US colleges and universities that award GIS-related degrees or certificates. Academic fields were classified using ten major classes of the Dewey Decimal Classification system. In the 2007-08 academic year, about 40% of GIS education programs were based on cooperation between two or more different fields, and about 20% involved cooperation among more than three fields. Approximately 10% of GIS education programs were based on cooperation between geography-related and computer/information-related fields, most of which also involved some other fields in various disciplines. Inter-field cooperation in GIS education in the US is considerably more advanced than that in Japan.

Tropical Storm Gustav [2008/09/02]

A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TODAY.

REPEATING THE 400 AM CDT POSITION…31.7 N…93.4 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD…NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…35 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…985 MB. THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ON GUSTAV. FUTURE INFORMATION ON THIS SYSTEM CAN BE FOUND IN PUBLIC ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER…UNDER AWIPS HEADER TCPAT2 AND WMO HEADER WTNT32 KWNH…BEGINNING AT 10 AM CDT.

Laboratoire IRISA/INRIA/Universit´e de Rennes 1

Résumé
Cet article se situe dans un contexte de génération de modèles 3D d’environnements urbains. La méthodologie présentee doit permettre le recalage initial d’un modèle SIG avec une vid´eo, de fac¸on automatique. Elle se d´ecompose en deux parties. Tout d’abord, un recalage approximatif est effectué grâce aux données GPS disponibles et en utilisant la théorie de la géométrie épipolaire. Ensuite, la pose (position et orientation de la caméra dans le rep`ere du SIG) ainsi que des correspondances 3D/2D sont estimées simultanément à l’aide d’une méthode basée RANSAC. Les tests sur deux séquences réelles ont validé cette approche et montré des résultats de recalage satisfaisants.