Surficial Mapping

Code:

MSIGOT010

Acronym:

GSUP

Instance: 2013/2014 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geography
Course/CS Responsible:	Masters in Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Planning

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MSIGOT	29	MSIGOT - Study Plan	1	-	6	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To understand the different methods of acquiring three-dimensional data, in the creation of Digital Terrain Models (DTM) in the viewing, exploring and extracting of derived information. Getting information from DTMs to generate hypsometric maps, maps of slopes, maps of hillside exposure, shaded relief maps, intervisibility maps, calculating volumes and profiles. Integrating the information to build a small geographic model where various data will be used, particularly for surfaces obtained by interpolation.

Learning outcomes and competences

To understand the different methods of acquiring three-dimensional data, in the creation of Digital Terrain Models (DTM) in the viewing, exploring and extracting of derived information. Getting information from DTMs to generate hypsometric maps, maps of slopes, maps of hillside exposure, shaded relief maps, intervisibility maps, calculating volumes and profiles. Integrating the information to build a small geographic model where various data will be used, particularly for surfaces obtained by interpolation.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Spatial interpolation 
1.1 General concepts – Tobler’s first law of geography 
1.2 Global, local, exact and inexact interpolators 
1.3 Interpolation methods - Voroni; IDW; Spline; Kriging; Kernel 

2. Digital Terrain Models (DTM) 
2.1 General concepts 
Definition of altitude 
Basic concepts for using three-dimensional data 
Data acquisition for constructing DTMs 
Data sources for generating DTMs 
Errors linked to three-dimensional data 
2.2. Raster DTM (theory and practical) 
Procedures for constructing a raster DTM 
2.3 Vector DTM – Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) 
Procedures for constructing a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) 
Triangulation methods 

2.4 Pros and constrains of raster and vectorial DTMs 

3. 3D visualisation and representation (theory and practical) 
Three-dimensional visualisation tools 
Visualisation of relief and reflectance models. Shaded relief maps. 
Generating isolines from DTMs 
Visualisation of 2D and 3D data 
Extrusion of geographic entities 

4. Getting information from a DTM (theory and practical) 
Statistical analysis of a DTM 
Cost surfaces 
Slopes and hillside orientation 
Shaded relief maps 
Intervisibility calculation 
Calculation of volumes 
Profiles 
Exposure maps 
Level curves 
Hypsometric maps 
Drainage network and hydrographical basins 

LIDAR data

Mandatory literature

El-Sheimy, N.; Valeo, C.; Habib, A.; Digital Terrain Modeling: Acquisition, Manipulation And Applications, Artech House, 2005. ISBN: 978-1580539210
Felicísimo, A. M.; Modelos digitales del terreno: introducción y aplicaciones en las ciencias ambientales, Pentalfa, 1994
Kennedy, H.; Introduction to 3D Data: Modeling with ArcGIS 3D Analyst and Google Earth, Wiley, 2009. ISBN: 978-0470381243
Matos, J.; Fundamentos de Informação Geográfica, LIDEL, 2008. ISBN: 9789727575145
Wilson, J. & Gallant, J.; Terrain Analysis: Principles and Applications, John Wilson & Sons, 2000. ISBN: 0471321885

Complementary Bibliography

Florinsky, Igor V.; Digital terrain analysis in soil science and geology, Elsevier, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-12-385036-2

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theory component: explanation of material followed by discussion; Practical component: production of individual work under lecturer supervision.

Software

ArcGis
Google Earth

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	0,00
Teste	60,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

Mandatory attendance of 75% of classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

To be established according to the rules in force.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Acoording to FLUP rules.

Classification improvement

Acoording to FLUP rules.