Examination of the theory and techniques of using digital remotely sensed data for obtaining geographic information of the Earth's surface, including both image enhancement methods and classification strategies for a variety of physical and cultural features. Topics include maldistribution of population, regional disparities in growth rates and income distribution, food production, and world hunger. Discussion of population policies with emphasis on Third World countries. Survey of quantitative methods commonly used in geographic research. Emphasis on spatial analysis techniques.
Students analyze topics of immediate interest.
Graduate standing is prerequisite to all 600-level courses. Advanced examination of principles of map design, including discussions of map design research. Advanced methods of relief and landform portrayal, slope mapping, digital terrain models, and other forms of terrain representation. The study of spatial data structures and their application in digital cartography, geographic information systems, and image processing systems. Raster and vector data structures are examined as well as attribution schemes and topological models.