Read the text and find the answers these questions:

1. What is GIS?

2. What kind of data does GIS handle?

3. What are the sources of hydrographic spatial information?

 

In the information age governments realize that good quality and well managed spatial data are an essential ingredient to economic and commercial development, and to environmental protection.

     GIS (Geographic Information System) is the combination of                                                                    

-   spatial and descriptive data                                                                                                                          

-   computer software and hardware                                                                                                                 

-   and personnel to help manipulate, analyze and present information that is tied to a spatial location.

Spatial data or geographic information is the information that identifies the geographic location of features, e.g. oceans, lakes. Any spatial data can be mapped.

Estimates are that 80% of all data has a spatial component, so the information from most sciences can be analyzed spatially.

For hydrographic purposes, spatial information is quite diverse—it can be aerial photographs or satellite imagery, high resolution sonar data, multi-beam soundings, or LIDAR data.

 

GIS  DIGITAL MAPS

 Read the text and find the answers to these questions:

1. What is the difference between a flat paper map and a GIS digital map?

2. What do GIS maps help to do?

GIS links geographic information to the digital map. A digital map presents information stored as layers in a computer.

 

                                                                            GIS Layers

 Unlike a flat paper map  digital map can show  e.g. where the point is located, how long the road is, and even how many square miles a lake occupies.

For anyone trying to evaluate information or change our world, the best way is to use GIS technology, which is much easier and more effective.

 

MARINE GIS APPLICATIONS

 

Read the text and find the answers to these questions:

1. How does GIS help people do a better job?

2. Does GIS help a student to gain an inestimable advantage in the job market?

 

Most problems facing the world today exist in a geographic context, therefore geography matters in every business and every discipline.

Marine GIS is utilized goals in oceanography, hydrography, navigation, meteorology.

There are a lot of ways GIS is used:

GIS technology allows hydrographers to see the large portion of the planet that is underwater and to map coastal shoreline and  bathymetric bottom.

GIS nautical charts give mariners a three dimensional view of their progress through the water.

A meteorologist might study the paths of hurricanes to predict where and when they might occur in the future. GIS is being used to study the effects of global warming, using maps to study the sea level rise occurring off the coasts and the melt of glaciers.

GIS technology tracks the journey of whales and tuna to preserve species in threatened areas. The System allows experts to map the change in an area to future conditions, for example to estimate flood risk in the river basin.  

 

 ASSIGNMENT

 

1 Match the words with their short definitions

 

1. spatial location

2. personnel

3. information

4. GIS system

 

1. usually a geographic location
2. visualization of analysis of data
3. linking software, hardware, data and skilled persons
4. a thinking explorer who is key to the power of GIS

 

2  Translate the sentences, considering the use of Participle I and Participle II

.

1 GIS provides the end user with the options of setting states and behaviors for each data object.

2 GIS helps experts to find out what's occurring within a set distance of the river.

3 The intelligent digital maps made possible by GIS technology are of great value in every day life.

4 GIS distributes value added hard and soft copy products to end-users.

5 GIS approach provides the means of efficient data management for processed hydrographic data enabling the existence of “intelligent data”

6 They studied the sea level rise occurring off the coasts.

 

3  One statement is false. Which one?

 

1. GIS delivers information through geographic presentation.

2. GIS displays all forms of geographically referenced information.

3. GIS presents two dimensional database

4. GIS links spatial data to the map.

 

5 What word does not fit the others?

Evaluate access estimate assess

Assist aid help aim

Except wait expect 

Aid goal aim target