Module 1: What Makes A
GIS
Created by: Scott Kelly 2010

Spatial or
Geographic
Data
• Raster
• Vector
• Tabular
Hardware
• Computer
• GPS
• Satellites
• Others
Software
• Desktop
• Online
• Database
WWW & Cloud
Human Element
• Users
• Clients
Outputs
• Maps
• Posters
• Response Info

From ESRI’s book “What is ArcGIS 9.2?”

1. Raster “World Viewed as a Grid”
1. Satellite imagery (radiation bands displayed as a picture)
2. Aerial photographs (picture in computer)
3. Digital Elevation Models (each pixel records elevation)
4. Triangulated Irregular Networks (3D surface)
2. Vector “World Viewed as a Graph”
1. Point
2. Line
3. Polygon
4. Groups of features

FID Lat Long Altitude Terrain
1 35.18496925 -111.6574068
2099 rocky
2 35.18458737 -111.658433
2103 grass
3 35.18635863 -111.6601333
2102 grass
4 35.18593384 -111.6603491
2105 grass
5 35.18508165 -111.6603346
2102 rocky
6 35.18468586 -111.6600713
2103 woody
7 35.18449727 -111.659868
2102 woody
8 35.1840324 -111.6599888
2104 grass
9 35.1832787 -111.6601719
2103 aqua
10 35.18283396 -111.660175
2106 rocky
11 35.18232996 -111.6601418
2109 woody
1
7
0
0
Elk
3
2
9
24
8
0
36
Antelope Rednecks Snow Royalty
19
0
0
1
0
3
T
F
F
Mark
Paul
Scott comment
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Amber 08-JUL-10 11:55:09AM
Brent 08-JUL-10 11:56:04AM
Liz 08-JUL-10 11:56:54AM
• Attribute tables of vector or raster data
• Standalone related tables
• Origin of other data, i.e. feature classes
• Analysis and Selection
• Cross understanding and data organization
• Metadata

Polygon feature class of
Glen Canyon National
Recreation Area boarder
Polygon feature class of the state boundary
Raster image basemap
These point feature classes represent locations of interest such as
Cummings Mesa.
All spatial objects have an attribute table.
Line feature class of Arizona roads

Image Source: Trillium Wood Golf Club
Temp

1. Store Data
2. Distribute/Publish Data
3. Share/Joint Projects
4. On The Fly/Batch Processing
5. Enterprise Management
6. Data Management
7. Security of Data

Coconino County GIS http://gis-map.coconino.az.gov/ccgis/index.asp

Arizona Geographic Information Council http://sco.az.gov/website/arizonamap/viewer.htm

Flagstaff Recreation Atlas http://grail.nau.edu/flag_rec/

TOPO! Explorer, TOPO! State Series,
& Delorme Topo USA

Data & Community
Arizona GAP Vegetation Data Natural Resource Conservation
Arizona Regional Image Archive(ARIA) Service Soil Data Mart
The Arizona State Cartographer's NPS Data Store
Office
GIS Data Depot
The National Map
The USDA Geospatial Gateway
USGS Seamless Data Distribution
USFS Forest Inventory Data Online
(FIDO)
The National Atlas of the United
States of America
Geospatial One-Stop (GOS)
Colorado Plateau Environmental
Metadata Clearinghouse
The National Biological Information
Infrastructure (NBII) Metadata
Clearinghouse
GRAIL Spatial Data Library

1. Project Planning
2. Data Collection
3. Data Processing
4. Data Maintenance
5. Data Analysis
6. Data Management
7. Security of Data
8. Control of Data Dispersal
9. Output of Products

Different Baselines and Different Variables of Interest result in Different Predictions
For the Future
PRISM Group, Oregon
State University, http://www.prismclimate.or
g, created 10 Jul 2002
Arundel, S., Northern
Arizona University, http://www.geog.nau.edu/g l obal_change/climate_surfac es.html, created 7 Jan 2003
(Duffy et. al, 2003)
(Govindasamy et. al, 2003)
(Cole et. al, 2007)
(Ironside Unpublished Data)

Data Frame
Neatline
Documentation
Scale Bar
Map Title
North Arrow
Map area
Grid
Legend

Map Types
Street/Directional Political/Reference
Historical Thematic Charts

Define the size and shape of the earth
Used as basis for coordinate systems
Variety of models:
- Flat earth
- Spherical
- Ellipsoidal
WGS 84 defines geoid heights for the entire earth

Based on Geodetic Datum
Describe locations in two or three dimensions (ie. X,Y,Z or X,Y)
Local and Global
Common systems
Geodetic Lat, Long (global)
UTM (local)
State Plane (local)
Variety of transformation methods

Data in Google Earth
(Plate Carree)
Data in ArcMap
(AZ State Plane)
Common issue of working between different databases,
Datums, and Projections – Data sometimes does not line up or has conflicts

Any Questions?
Please Contact:
Mark Manone
Training Facility Coordinator
Mark.Manone@nau.edu
(928) 523-9159
“To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

GIS
GPS

This image of the southwest corner of the Colorado Plateau is from the
MODIS satellite system. The image is a combination of bands 7, 2, 1 in that order. This band combination is good for showing burn scars and potential flood areas after a fire. The burn scars show up as a distinct shade of red.
Some of the more noticeable burn scars appear at the bottom center of the image and at the center of the image near the Grand Canyon. Date of image
27mar09, 500 meter resolution, source: http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/faq/#faq03
This image is also from the MODIS satellite system. The image is a combination of bands 3, 6, 7 in that order. The snow and ice appear orange because bands 6 and 7 are very good short-wave infrared bands for reflecting snow and ice. The darker the orange, or more red in color, then the thicker the ice crystals are. Date of image 27mar09, 500 meter resolution, source: http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/#faq03