Lab 4: ArcMap

In this lab, we were introduced to the wonders of the ArcMap software.  Below is my final product after going through the ArcMap tutorial:

     Using the ArcMap software was both an educational and enjoyable experience.  The ArcMap tutorial was very straightforward and certainly eased the navigation through the program.  I thought the formative processes for the different types of maps was very instructive and provided a good introduction to many of the useful tools in ArcMap.  There were several components of this laboratory that I particularly liked, not only for their technicality but for their creative potential.  For example, I really liked how the program was so user-centric.  I know in class we discussed how neogeography focuses on the user while GIS focuses more on authority and administration, but I thought there was a significant amount of user involvement that was crucial to the final product.  I liked having the ability to choose differen color schemes (although the ones for this project were designated by the tutorial) and to select or de-select certain attributes to apply to the map.  In addition, the basic programming language to perform simple calculations (i.e. population density) was very understandable and, I think, could be easily used by anyone, regardless of their programming experience.  Furthermore, I really liked having an active role in the integration of different layers of the map.  It was interesting to see how different themes could be incorporated into one map.

     While my first experience with ArcMap was primarily positive, there were some annoying drawbacks to the program.  First, I thought that data storage and saving was much too complicated.  I am well aware that with today's technology we often take the ease of computers for granted, but I thought finding and storing data required too much effort.  Additionally, I thought that the mandatory use of ArcCatalog was too complicated.  It was difficult to remember to reference different file paths and I think the program would have been more effective if an outside source wasn't required to access data.

     Through my first experience with GIS, I was able to better understand the immesne power it offers.  Using GIS allows for a clear, thematic geographical presentation of many facets of one particular issue.  For example, the maps constructed during the tutorial offered significant information about many effects of the proposed airport expansion.  The different layering options allow the user and the reader to explore many social aspects of one proposed plan.  The presentation options available in the software improve the quality and readability of the maps; thus encouraging their universal understanding.  GIS also provides a technical and concrete analysis of a particular distribtuion which can satisfy inquisitive, quantitative minds.  The software itself is very direct and aside from its cost, easily accessible.  The most significant benefit of GIS is, by far, its ability to integrate various problems into one coherent presentation and to provide a (hopefully) unbiased, scientific perspective.

     Although GIS has substantial benefits, it also has some important pitfalls.  First, much of GIS is left to the map-maker's discretion, and while one would hope the user would include all pertinent information, he also has the ability to withold vital information.  This presentation of certain information could lead to bias that could significantly impact the interpretation of a given map.  GIS is also fairly expensive, and while licenses are available, it is unfortunate that such a useful tool is difficult to access. 

Lab 3: Let's Make a Map

For this assignment, we were asked to use the Google Maps "My Maps" interface to create a mashup map of our own.  As I am a very big classic rock enthusiast and recently watched VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," I thought it would be interesting to map the home towns of the top twenty American artists on the list.  Below is the mapping result (Please be sure to click the link beneath the map for further detail):


View Home Towns of VH1's Top 20 (American) Artists of All Time in a larger map

As you can see, this map exhbits several evident trends both geographically and generationally.  The different colored markers identify the home towns of these top artists and the decades across which the list spans.  Colors were chosen according to the peak years of the artists' careers.  To distinguish between decades, green represents the 1950s, yellow the 1960s, light blue the 1970s, pink the 1980s, and dark blue the 1990s.  Clearly, the majority of these top artists were born on the eastern side of the country, with a substantial concentration in the south.  Two significant historical population trends seem to justify this distribution.  First, the eastern states have a high population density; thus, it would be likely that several talented artists would come from such an area.  Additionally, most of the artists in the southeast, as well as the entirety of the map, peaked in the 1960s, indicating that they were born in the earlier part of the century.  As the eastern part of the country was more heavily populated than the west in the early twentieth century, it seems logical that many of the artists were born in that area.  It is also interesting to note that the chosen artists of the 1980s were all born in the northeast.  Finally, the location of the two music halls of fame is also significant, for their position is fairly central to the majority home town concentration.  This positioning suggests that these locations would receive the greatest amount of traffic or would appeal to the subsequently high concentration of fans living in the same area as the artists' origins.

While this map is particularly interesting, it also possesses a few flaws.  For example, it does not outline the geographical career path of these artists from their home towns, and it is assumed that many of them traveled to become successful in the music industry.  Furthermore, it does not show where certain music trends were popular geographically or differentiated between genres, knowledge which could indicate why a person was inclined to one type of music over another.  These are just some issues that stem from user-created maps availble with neogeography.  Although the map presents valuable information, it cannot show enough to provide the user with a comprehensive understanding of the subject.  In addition, the amateur nature of neogeography may incline a user to question the information being presented to him. While I did my best to research the artists' home towns, I am certainly not an authority on the topic and I relied heavily on other sources for my presentation.

Lab 2: Learning About Topography

To further understand the applications of topography, we were asked to examine the 7.5 Minute Topographic Map of Beverly Hills as provided by the USGS.  Here is some pertinent information deduced from the map:

1. The name of the quadrangle is the Beverly Hills Quadrangle.
2. The names of the adjacent quadrangles are as follows: Canoga Park, Van Nuys, Burbank, Topanga, Hollywood, Venice, and Inglewood.
3. According to the information provided on the map, topographic information for the Beverly Hills area was compiled in 1966.  Boundaries were subsequently verified in 1998, indicating that the quadrangle was first created in that year.
4. The North American Datum of 1927 and 1983 were used to create the map.
5. The scale of the map is 1: 24,000.

6. At the above scale:

    a) 5 centimeters on the map is equivalent to 1200 meters on the ground.

    b) 5 inches on the map is equivalent to 1.89 miles on the ground.

    c) one mile on the ground is equivalent to 2.64 inches on the map.

    d) three kilometers on the ground is equivalent to 12.5 centimeters on the map.

7. The contour interval is 20 feet.

8. Listed are the approximate geographic coordinates in both degrees/minutes/seconds and decimal degrees of:

This data was taken from the map and then recorded and tabulated using Microsoft Word.

9. Found below are the approximate elevations in both feet and meters of:

a) Greystone Mansion (in Greystone Park): Elevation 570 ft = 173.736 m.

b) Woodlawn Cemetery: Elevation 140 ft = 42.672 m.

c) Crestwood Hills Park: Elevation 640 ft = 195.072 m.

10. The UTM zone is of the map is Zone 11 North.

11. The UTM coordinates for the lower left corner of the map are ³⁷63 Northing, and ³62 Easting.

12. Each cell (square) of the UTM gridlines contains 9,290,304 m².

13. Along the UTM northing 3771000, measurements were obtained where the eastings of the UTM grid intersect the northing.  An elevation profile using these measurements was created in Microsoft Excel. Two measurements of the UCLA campus are specifically noted.

 

14. The magnetic declination of the map is 14°.

15. The intermittent stream between the 405 freeway and Stone Canyon

Reservoir flows South, from an elevation of approximately 1100 ft to an elevation of about 900 ft.

16. Finally, here is a graphic of the UCLA campus as shown on the Beverly Hills Quadrangle: