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Three-dimensional (3D) geographic information systems (GIS) are vital for urban planning and architectural design, enabling detailed visualization and analysis of urban landscapes. However, the growing size of 3D city data and the transition to web environments cause performance challenges for real-time applications. This study addresses the need for optimizing 3D spatial analyses for the web using Quadtree data structures and multiprocessing tools. Optimization scenarios based on data size and hardware configurations are evaluated, and the best hosting plans for GIS applications on cloud services are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having the ability to reproduce empirical results is foundational to the scientific process. Increasingly, there is an emphasis within the research community to create workflows which are not only reproducible but also replicable in that analytical approaches can be applied to new data. However, a disproportionate number of technical solutions designed to foster reproducibility and replicability have focused on data analysis, particularly within geography. This paper argues for greater attention on a phase of the research process which precedes analysis and is often taken for granted – that of data acquisition. Through code examples using the R Project for Statistical Computing, this paper demonstrates a path toward replicable spatial data acquisition for both secondary and primary data acquisition, with a focus on crowdsourced geographic information. The modular approach demonstrated is flexible in that it allows for straightforward replication but also enables extension to new spatial questions. Such work is valuable because it conserves labor, promotes research provenance, and allows for more robust analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polar regions are increasingly at the center of attention as the hot spots of climate crisis as well as tourism development. The recent IPCC reports highlight several climate change risks for the rather carbon-intensive and weather-based/dependent polar tourism industry in the Arctic and the Antarctic. This study presents the scholarly state-of-knowledge on tourism and climate change in the polar regions with a literature survey extending beyond the Anglophone publications. As a supporting tool, we provide a live web GIS application based on the geographical coverages of the publications and filterable by various spatial, thematic and bibliographical attributes. The final list of 137 publications indicates that, regionally, the Arctic has been covered more than the Antarctic, whilst an uneven distribution within the Arctic also exists. In terms of the climate change risks themes, climate risk research, i.e. impact and adaptation studies, strongly outnumbers the carbon risk studies especially in the Arctic context, and, despite a balance between the two main risk themes, climate risk research in the Antarctic proves itself outdated. Accordingly, the review ends with a research agenda based on these spatial and thematic gaps and their detailed breakdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hujan adalah proses pengembalian air yang telah diuapkan ke atmosfer menuju ke permukaan bumi. Karakteristik surah hujan di Kabupaten Pemalang dapat dipahami dengan menganalisis, data curah hujan yang terjadi di Kabupaten Pemalang. Untuk analisis curah hujan, data diperoleh dari Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Pemalang yang termasuk dalam data di tahun 2021 sampai dengan tahun 2022. Data yang digunakan adalah data curah hujan maksimum. Curah hujan yang turun di permukaan bumi dipengaruhi oleh banyak faktor sehingga tidak merata di wilayah sungai. Hal ini dapat dipahami melalui lokasi. jumlah, dan pola sekarang stasiun hujan yang tepat. Namun pendirian stasiun hujan pada umumnya hanya untuk kebutuhan mendesak saja, tanpa memperhatikan pengembangan sumber daya air secara keseluruhan. Topografi wilayah ini kompleks dan beragam, dan iklim. Kabupaten Pemalang dipengaruhi oleh fenomena muson dan La Niña. Cuasa pada musim hujan didominasi oleh angin barat dari Samudera Hindia dan Asia, sedangkan pada musim kemarau didominasi oleh angin timur. Curah hujan tahunan rata-rata adalah 2.000- 4.000 mm dan suhu berkisar antara 30°C. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode poligon Thiessen, Berdasarkan metode poligon, Tyson untuk menghitung data rata-rata curah hujan di wilayah Pemalang diperoleh rata-rata curah hujan wilayah pada bulan Oktober, 2022 sebesar 448 mm. Kawasan Kabupaten Pemalang luasnya 3 kilometer persegi. seharusnya ada 7 stasiun hujan, tapi di alam bebas ada 8. Hal ini bagus, karena meningkatkan keakuratan data surah hujan yang akan dikumpulkan karena cakupan wilayah Kabupaten Pemalang cukup luas.

GISTARU (Geographic Information System for Spatial Planning) is a web-based and GIS-based information system in Indonesia that makes it easy for the public to access spatial information. In GISTARU, there are an Online Spatial Plan (RTR Online) and an Interactive Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR) application. This research aims to; Identify and analyze the use of the Online Spatial Plan (RTR Online) website and Interactive Detailed Spatial Planning (RDTR Interactive) application in GISTARU and as well as identify the requirements for developing the website and application. In addition, the research outcomes are analyzed in terms of their contribution to the development of smart cities. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and website searches related to GISTARU, RTR Online, and RDTR Interactive at the national, provincial, and district or city levels. In-depth interview analysis is carried out through selected cases. The results showed that most regions in Indonesia have an integrated spatial pattern with GISTARU. However, there were inconsistencies in the RTR Online and RDTR Interactive data entry in GISTARU. In the meantime, relatively few spatial structure data are integrated with RTR Online. The Interactive Detailed Spatial Plan application is now operational in the majority of Indonesian provinces. The only province in which all regions have implemented interactive RDTR is DKI Jakarta. This Geographic Information System for Spatial Planning is very useful for achieving the goal of smart cities, particularly related to public services in the smart governance dimension.

In the context of territorial planning, cities with the capacity to limit the impact of stress and adapt to the event to return to normal functioning as quickly as possible are called resilient cities. Emergency management using new technologies is a crucial task in building the urban resilience of a community. Among the necessary information requested by the rescue center (firefighters, police...) is your address; in order to navigate to an address, you must locate it and search for the best route. To facilitate this task, a set of solutions has been proposed by the development of an integrative technology called WEB GIS. With the advent of the Internet, web mapping, or the distribution of maps via the web, is an expanding field thanks to the development of ingenious solutions. The integration of WEB GIS into governance seems necessary. Its integration into local governance will promote social progress. In this work, our main objective was to develop a path toward the design of a dynamic WEB GIS system for local address administrations and to serve the citizen. The WEB GIS that we have developed also allows in the management of addresses, to carry out a set of geographical queries on the study area and thematic analyses for decision support; it also allows sharing this information. We believe that collaboration and the flow of information between different actors will undoubtedly lead to a more appropriate configuration of real-time address search operations. Our solution will help create a new mode of emergency management in Algiers. With this application, a lot of time is shortened because locating the victim and sending them paramedics, or response teams used to take a few minutes, but using our proposed technology, it is done in seconds and in a timely manner, allowing for a quick and efficient response to rescue the victim, avoiding many complications that could lead to death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Web GIS has been supposed as a useful tool in improving the spatial thinking abilities of students, most existing empirical studies were seldom undertaken in an educational programme providing rather limited geo-technological training to students. This study focuses on tutorial sessions of a tourism geography course in a Singaporean university, in which students usually engaged with very few GIS and other geospatial technologies. Combining a standardised assessment, that is Spatial Thinking Abilities Test, and semi-structured interviews, the study suggests that the implementation of Web GIS, collaborating with students' major background and pre-existing GIS experience, efficiently enhanced their performance in spatial thinking abilities test; moreover, the exposure to GIS practices during tutorial sessions also stimulated students' interest in using GIS and enhanced self-efficacy, which further equipped students with stronger motivation to continue learning geography. The paper contributes to existing debates around (Web) GIS as a pedagogical tool through incorporating qualitative interview materials into the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good agricultural development planning requires an accurate and real-time database. This is very important to see the development and level of welfare of farmers as the spearhead of food security. Sungai Kakap Sub-district, Kubu Raya Regency is one of the sub-districts with the number of Gapoktan (23), Poktan (284), the number of members (6305) with Field Agricultural Extension Workers (PPL) since 2019 totalling 9 civil servants and 14 people helping themselves. The number of PPLs is not proportional to the number of farmer group members, making supervision of agricultural activities difficult. The presentation of information in the form of Web GIS is expected to be a solution so that assistance, guidance, and counselling carried out by the government through the agriculture office can be right on target. The purpose of this research is to build a Web GIS-based Agricultural Information System in Sungai Kakap District so that it can be used as a model for agricultural monitoring activities in other areas. The engineering method in this research uses Remote Sensing and Waterfall methods. Remote Sensing is a method of building spatial data using aerial photo interpretation techniques, while Waterfall is used to build a web GIS as a place to display spatial data. The result of this research is Software Engineering in the form of a Web GIS-based Agricultural Information System Application. This Web GIS application can then be used as a tool to monitor the agricultural activities of each farmer group member in each farmer group.

ABSTRACTGovernment agencies have utilized Web Geographic Information Systems (GIS) dashboards to collect and disseminate spatial information on COVID-19. However, not all maps on these dashboards adhere to established cartographic principles. This article explores the extent of the cartographic issues by surveying state governments’ official COVID-19 websites in the United States on February 11, 2021. The results indicate that out of the fifty states, thirty-one (62.0%) incorrectly used unnormalized data in choropleth maps, sixteen (32.0%) used normalized data, and three (6.0%) did not employ choropleth maps. Among states using normalized data correctly, we identified other cartographic problems, including inappropriate data class divisions and suboptimal enumeration units. As dashboards serve as authoritative sources for health information, issues in map creation can influence public perception of the health crisis. These findings underscore the need for map standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of health information in the Web GIS era.

Open-source software applications, especially those useful for GIS, have been used in the field of geology both in research and teaching at the University of Urbino for decades. The experiences described in this article range from land-surveying cases to cartographic processing and 3D printing of geological models. History of their use and development is punctuated by trials, failures, and slowdowns, but the idea of using digital tools in areas where they are traditionally frowned upon, such as in soil geology, is now rooted in and validated by applications in projects of various types. Although the current situation is not definitive, given that the evolution of information technology provides increasingly faster tools that are performance-oriented and easier to use, this article aims to contribute to the development of methodologies through an exchange of information and experiences.

This study presents a web-based application developed for the efficient management of large 3D city models (3DCMs) which are challenging in terms of browsers' memory limits and network traffic management. The application offers functionalities such as 3D tiling, web-based visualization, 3DCM generation from 2D data, and 3D spatial analysis. It complies with international standards and utilizes open-source software components. The application includes a 3D tiling tool that implements the OGC 3D Tiles Standard, allowing users to partition their 3DCMs into optimized tiles for storage, transmission, and rendering. A web-based procedural modeling tool enables users to generate 3DCMs from 2D building footprint data without the need for complex modeling languages. A 3D spatial analysis component empowers users to perform comprehensive spatial analyses within the web-based environment. Leveraging modern web technologies facilitates precise and efficient spatial computations. To provide standardized visualization, the application features a viewer and client application built using HTML5 and WebGL technologies. This viewer adheres closely to the 3D Tiles Standard, enabling immersive navigation and interaction with 3DCMs. By combining these components, this web-based application handles the management of large 3DCMs, offering enhanced visualization, analysis, and model generation capabilities. It represents a milestone in web-based 3D city model management, prioritizing international standards and open-source principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A geographic information system (GIS) is a technical system which is supported by computer software and hardware systems. It focuses on the geographical information related to the whole or part of the earth's surface. It is used for collecting, storing, managing, calculating, analyzing, displaying, and describing geographical information. It has inherent advantages in processing geographic data and plays an indispensable role in the sustainable detection of natural resources, natural disaster risk management, urban sustainable development planning, etc. With the continuous development of technology, the integration of GIS with emerging technologies such as big data, cloud services, and artificial intelligence creates new geographic information systems and entirely new development directions. The GIS architecture is of great value for the efficient execution of GIS systems. In this process, as the organizational form of GIS systems, the GIS architecture is also constantly evolving with the intersection and integration of GIS and other technologies. This research reviews a large amount of literature on component technologies, 3D technologies, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and so on, at home and abroad and analyzes and elaborates on the current development status and trends of GIS software architecture. It discusses in detail the characteristics and future development directions of different GIS software architectures in different periods and makes delicate descriptions of their hierarchical features. This study aims to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of architectures in different stages, the interactivity from the user's perspective. On this basis, it studies the development trends of GIS integrated with big data and artificial intelligence, summarizes the laws and experience of the evolution of its system architecture, and analyzes the technological drivers of each evolution and their impact on GIS applications. Reviewing the evolution history of GIS frameworks is expected to provide guiding references for more efficient GIS system architecture research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-source software applications, especially those useful for GIS, have been used in the field of geology both in research and teaching at the University of Urbino for decades. The experiences described in this article range from land-surveying cases to cartographic processing and 3D printing of geological models. History of their use and development is punctuated by trials, failures, and slowdowns, but the idea of using digital tools in areas where they are traditionally frowned upon, such as in soil geology, is now rooted in and validated by applications in projects of various types. Although the current situation is not definitive, given that the evolution of information technology provides increasingly faster tools that are performance-oriented and easier to use, this article aims to contribute to the development of methodologies through an exchange of information and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the didactic educational use of Web GIS in the framework of SMART learning and its potential to help students' practice geospatial thinking. Using qualitative, exploratory action research methods, four classroom experiences were designed, developed, implemented, and analyzed. The findings support the claims that the use of Web GIS facilitates geographic knowledge and enhances spatial and digital competencies and skills. Additionally, in line with the SMART framework and perspective on learning, these findings indicate that such classroom approaches promote autonomous learning, is adaptable in diverse settings, and is motivating for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the entry of Emilia-Romagna Regional Law No. 24/2017 Disciplina regionale sulla tutela e l'uso del territorio, the processes guiding the development of the territory have profoundly changed, in principle, in the structuring through processes of participation and how contents are expressed and represented. Concepts such as the containment of soil consumption as a non-renewable resource; regeneration of urbanized territories; protection and enhancement of land, including agricultural land; protection and enhancement of historical and cultural elements; and promotion of greater levels of knowledge of the territory and its existing built heritage are the main principles of the law that give foundational importance to the entire process of forming the knowledge framework and strategic lines that structure General Urban Plans, which are designed to express planning contents through an ideogrammatic type of cartography. The analysis of the law and its contents also becomes an opportunity to reflect on the tools through which the governance of the territory is implemented, from GIS to web GIS up to the changes in the graphic language through which the planning principles are expressed, with specific reference to the planning tools of Parma, on which the new General Urban Plan (PUG) is being defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This paper introduces a neural-network-based landscape search engine tool for the state of Wisconsin. It provides several examples of how the application works and suggests avenues for future research. The task of image retrieval is common in the world of data science and deep learning, but it has received less attention in the field of remote sensing. The authors seek to fill this gap in research through the presentation of a web-based landscape search engine for the US state of Wisconsin. The application allows users to select a location on the map and to find similar locations based on terrain and vegetation characteristics. It utilizes three neural network models—VGG16, ResNet-50, and NasNet—on digital elevation model data, and uses the NDVI mean and standard deviation for comparing vegetation data. The results indicate that VGG16 and ResNet50 generally return more favorable results, and the tool appears to be an important first step toward building a more robust, multi-input, high resolution landscape search engine in the future. The tool, called LSE Wisconsin, is hosted publicly on ShinyApps.io. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To present information on infectious diseases caused by viruses clearly and track the changes of data in real-time, data visualization can be used preferentially considering that it can identify problems behind data accurately. In this paper, based on the SuperMap Online platform and Tianditu, a national platform for common geospatial information services, a risk level map of infectious diseases distribution area is made by Web GIS and cartography. Meanwhile, the platform plays an important role in information collection, management, analysis, prevention and control, and release of measures when a major health event spreads. The method shows many advantages, such as various visualization means, ease to be published and shared, simple operation, and programming realization, which may be taken as technical references for solving the same type of visualization application problems. The research also facilitates the data visualization and monitoring of the spread of infectious diseases in major health events, and can effectively provide services for monitoring, decision-making, dispatching, and handling the spread of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural development planning requires an accurate and real-time database. This is important to see the development of agricultural activities and the welfare of farmers as the spearhead of food security. The number of Field Agricultural Extension Officers that are not proportional to the number of farmers makes it difficult to monitor agricultural activities. Presentation of information in the form of Web GIS is expected to be a solution so that assistance, guidance, and counseling by the government through the agricultural service can be right on target. The purpose of this research is the establishment of a GIS Web-Based Agricultural Information System in Sungai Kakap District so that it can be used as a model for agricultural monitoring activities in other areas. The engineering method in this activity is to design an information system based on the analysis of the needs of the Field Agricultural instructors. The result of this work is Software Engineering in the form of a GIS Web-based Overlay Agricultural Information System Application. This GIS Web application can then be used as a tool for monitoring agricultural activities in Sungai Kakap District, Kuburaya Regency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster risk reduction education (DRRE) is a strategy to mitigate the harmful effects of disasters. The implementation of DRRE in schools is on the rise, and Web GIS technology in DRRE is becoming increasingly prevalent. However, little knowledge exists about whether students can improve their understanding of disaster risk reduction (DRR) through Web GIS technology and which factors affect their learning of web hazard maps. This study has provided materials and curricula for DRR education in Chinese and Japanese high schools, and utilized them eight times in the classroom between 2020 and 2022. These classes had three forms of implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic: online, onsite, and online-onsite mixed. The students first answered a pretest. Then they learned about DRR using the explanatory web pages and the web hazard maps with answering quizzes shown on the pages. After that, they answered a posttest and a questionnaire. Most students show improved results after using the digital DRR materials. It is pronounced for the onsite implementations, whereas the online-onsite mixed implementation was less effective. The pretest scores for the implementations using local disaster cases are low, but the subsequent improvement is significant. The ability of students to utilize electronic devices affects the learning of GIS-related content rather than other aspects. The frequency of daily usage of online maps and daily attention to disaster prevention and mitigation affect learning the entire materials. Increasing the use of online hazard maps is a key to realizing social DRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ increasing use of cloud-based Geographical Information Systems (Web GIS) in an interactive way in Spanish secondary schools highlights the importance of researching the effectiveness of this new approach. This study employs action research qualitative methods, through direct teacher observation, and quantitative methods to analyze student grades following first use of Web GIS. Specifically, the research involved: a) Design: organizing a geopolitics’ lesson plan, with seven tasks, for a sample comprising 92 students at K10 level (15-16 years old); b) Comparison: contrasting the results of a traditional written exam following the use of two technologies (namely, Web GIS and a conventional PowerPoint presentation); c) Data collection: analyzing quantitative data via a descriptive and inference study of grades (involving a geopolitics exam; geography and history final term; Grade Point Average -GPA-; and the average grade of the entire term’s 10 curriculum subjects); d) Direct observation: assessing class interactions in which students are assisted with both technology (Web GIS or PowerPoint) and the clarification of concepts. The results demonstrate that Web GIS is a useful learning tool in geopolitics, with students getting better grades and no significant gender differences. Direct observation confirms how Web GIS technologies engage students; assist ‘ubiquitous learning’ from any place and at any time; improve their understanding of data analysis and spatial concepts; and enhanced digital competencies. Highlights: -Web GIS engage students in learning geopolitics and enable them to obtain better grades. -Students improve their understanding of spatial concepts using Web GIS.

Geography, as a discipline which examines the earth, aims to increase analytical thinking skills by instilling spatial thinking (ST) skills in students. The youth who enrich a sense of space with these talents will effectively solve the spatial problems they encountered. In the modern world, where spatial issues are frequently being faced with, ST is extremely important for analyzing and interpreting data. Geographical information systems (GIS) appear as a method commonly used to process data and transform it into spatial information. In this context, despite the renewal of the secondary education (SE) geography curriculum in Türkiye, with the components required for the use of GIS at the SE level, prevented the use of GIS in SE from reaching the desired level. Developments in technologies have also caused significant changes in the field of GIS with the power of cloud technologies and, the work done in the personal computer environment has been moved to the internet environment. Web GIS applications, which can be used via a web browser, are much easier to use than desktop software and can reach many users from any device with the internet. Within the scope of the study, a sample application was designed to use web GIS tools in geography teaching. With the application, it is possible to assess the students’ achievements in the geography lessons regarding verbal and spatial data. Thus, it was aimed to ensure the active participation of the students in the geography lessons, develop their ST ability, and perception of space.

Geography, as a discipline which examines the earth, aims to increase analytical thinking skills by instilling spatial thinking (ST) skills in students. The youth who enrich a sense of space with these talents will effectively solve the spatial problems they encountered. In the modern world, where spatial issues are frequently being faced with, ST is extremely important for analyzing and interpreting data. Geographical information systems (GIS) appear as a method commonly used to process data and transform it into spatial information. In this context, despite the renewal of the secondary education (SE) geography curriculum in Türkiye, with the components required for the use of GIS at the SE level, prevented the use of GIS in SE from reaching the desired level. Developments in technologies have also caused significant changes in the field of GIS with the power of cloud technologies and, the work done in the personal computer environment has been moved to the internet environment. Web GIS applications, which can be used via a web browser, are much easier to use than desktop software and can reach many users from any device with the internet. Within the scope of the study, a sample application was designed to use web GIS tools in geography teaching. With the application, it is possible to assess the students’ achievements in the geography lessons regarding verbal and spatial data. Thus, it was aimed to ensure the active participation of the students in the geography lessons, develop their ST ability, and perception of space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of geographic information systems (GIS) based on the internet (Web GIS) created new opportunities for the use of GIS technology in education. In the present study a learning environment was developed which incorporates the project-based learning (PBL) methodology based on Web GIS technology. In this context, 3 research projects (GIS based projects) were designed and implemented. Project 1 and 2 combined fieldwork and GIS, and the topic was related to local community issues. Project 3 was an internal project since it was conducted only in the computer lab with data collected from the internet. In order to investigate the effectiveness of this learning environment in students' engagement, a quasi-experimental study was conducted on 58 senior high school students. A pre-test was conducted in advance and a post-test upon concluding all three projects. The results reveal the pedagogical value of the aforementioned learning environment, since it provides multiple pedagogical benefits, having a positive effect on students' engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public administrators, responsible for urban planning, face great challenges to organize and understand the large volume of data generated by cities. These are essential information for public policies. In this context, the present work aimed to analyze georeferenced data and urban parameters, focusing on improving processes related to the planning of sustainable and smart cities. Therefore, a case study was developed in Belo Horizonte. The data were analyzed based on guidelines prescribed by ISO 37.122/2019 and ISO 37.123/2019. The methodology adopted consist of identifying gaps, prioritizing urban parameters, as well as consolidating georeferenced data in a Web GIS platform to study urban problems. The analyzes led to study problems and parameters related to flooding and geological hazards (erosion and silting, landslides, groundwater contamination, and resulting from excavations) as well as their environmental and social causing and aggravating factors. After consolidating the data, it was possible to identify that the parameters (i) population density, (ii) minimum soil permeability coefficients and (iii) demarcation of preservation areas had a great impact when associated with environmental conditions (vegetation, use and occupation soil and topography). In this sense, this work contribute to improve methodologies for analyzing the urban environment with a focus on preventing and mitigating these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government agencies have utilized Web Geographic Information Systems (GIS) dashboards to collect and disseminate spatial information on COVID-19. However, not all maps on these dashboards adhere to established cartographic principles. This article explores the extent of the cartographic issues by surveying state governments’ official COVID-19 websites in the United States on February 11, 2021. The results indicate that out of the fifty states, thirty-one (62.0%) incorrectly used unnormalized data in choropleth maps, sixteen (32.0%) used normalized data, and three (6.0%) did not employ choropleth maps. Among states using normalized data correctly, we identified other cartographic problems, including inappropriate data class divisions and suboptimal enumeration units. As dashboards serve as authoritative sources for health information, issues in map creation can influence public perception of the health crisis. These findings underscore the need for map standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of health information in the Web GIS era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing wildfire activity and rapid population growth in the wildland–urban interface (WUI) have made more Americans exposed to wildfire risk. WUI mapping plays a significant role in wildfire management. This study used the Microsoft building footprint (MBF) and the Montana address/structure framework datasets to map the WUI in Montana. A systematic comparison of the following three types of WUI was performed: the WUI maps derived from the Montana address/structure framework dataset (WUI-P), the WUI maps derived from the MBF dataset (WUI-S), and the Radeloff WUI map derived from census data (WUI-Z). The results show that WUI-S and WUI-P are greater than WUI-Z in the WUI area. Moreover, WUI-S has more WUI area than WUI-P due to the inclusion of all structures rather than just address points. Spatial analysis revealed clusters of high percentage WUI area in western Montana and low percentage WUI area in eastern Montana, which is likely related to a combination of factors including topography and population density. A web GIS application was also developed to facilitate the dissemination of the resulting WUI maps and allow visual comparison between the three WUI types. This study demonstrated that the MBF can be a useful resource for mapping the WUI and could be used in place of a national address point dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Various applications have been developed worldwide to contain and to combat the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this context, spatial information is always of great significance. The aim of this study is to describe the development of a Web GIS based on open source products for the collection and analysis of COVID-19 cases and its feasibility in terms of technical implementation and data protection. Methods With the help of this Web GIS, data on this issue were collected voluntarily from the Cologne area. Using house perimeters as a data basis, it was possible to check, in conjunction with the Official Topographic Cartographic Information System object type catalog, whether buildings with certain functions, for example residential building with trade and services, have been visited more frequently by infected persons than other types of buildings. In this context, data protection and ethical and legal issues were considered. Results The results of this study show that the development of a Web GIS for the generation and evaluation of volunteered geographic information (VGI) with the help of open source software is possible. Furthermore, there are numerous data protection and ethical and legal aspects to consider, which not only affect VGI per se but also affect IT security. Conclusions From a data protection perspective, more attention needs to be paid to the intervention and post-processing of data. In addition, official data must always be used as a reference for the actual spatial consideration of the number of infections. However, VGI provides added value at a small-scale level, so that valid information can also be reliably derived in the context of health issues. The creation of guidelines for the consideration of data protection, ethical aspects, and legal requirements in the context of VGI-based applications must also be considered. Trial registration The article does not report the results of a health care intervention for human participants

The task of image retrieval is common in the world of data science and deep learning, but it has received less attention in the field of remote sensing. The authors seek to fill this gap in research through the presentation of a web-based landscape search engine for the US state of Wisconsin. The application allows users to select a location on the map and to find similar locations based on terrain and vegetation characteristics. It utilizes three neural network models—VGG16, ResNet-50, and NasNet—on digital elevation model data, and uses the NDVI mean and standard deviation for comparing vegetation data. The results indicate that VGG16 and ResNet50 generally return more favorable results, and the tool appears to be an important first step toward building a more robust, multi-input, high resolution landscape search engine in the future. The tool, called LSE Wisconsin, is hosted publicly on ShinyApps.io.

In the United States, tracking time-sensitive critical information such as evacuation notices for approaching natural hazards like hurricanes poses a significant challenge. This difficulty arises from the rapid issuing and distribution of these notices by numerous local authorities that may span multiple states. Additionally, evacuation notices often undergo frequent updates, and they are distributed through various online portals lacking standard formats. Unlike weather warnings, there is no centralized database for live (or past) evacuation notices. To meet the demand of data for crisis-related government notices, we developed an approach to detect and retrieve locally issued hurricane evacuation notices in real time. Evacuation-related text data were collected mainly through spatially targeted information retrieval. These data were then manually labeled and used to train natural language processing (NLP) models. The NLP models in turn classified all text data into one of the three notice categories, i.e., mandatory evacuation notices, voluntary evacuation notices, and not an evacuation notice. The classification of mandatory evacuation notices achieved a very high accuracy (recall = 96 %). These NLP models, when applied to future hurricanes, will provide real-time evacuation notices for situation awareness to higher-level government agencies and news outlets. The archived evacuation notices serve as a valuable resource for scholars to study government responses to weather warnings and individual behaviors influenced by evacuation history. Our research framework may extend to other disaster types, allowing for rapid and targeted retrieval, classification, redistribution, and archiving of real-time government orders and notifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) along with e-governments initiatives and the new digital world, during Covid-19, forced users to look for Free Open Source Software (FOSS) solutions, to serve different normal or specific needs, which is the real drawback of some Commercial software. The digital world is here and it needs modern management using advanced FOSS technology. We will present an overview of the Architecture of the Free Open Source Web GIS platform to demonstrate its easiness, practicality, and ability to perform effectively and better than commercial GIS tools. The developed platform proposed will be explained based on the succession of published applications of a project which is a "Sewage Infrastructure Network". A Web Map application for the project has been developed; starting from loading the software and data collection to publishing the results on the web. The Add-ons and other complementary software tools were used for full GIS creation and functions with database management, Applications, and an easy online updating of the published data. Applications, publishing, and easy online updating at low cost are major issues to future success and the OS is the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) are utilised in geophysical exploration to provide quick and cost-effective measurements. VES was utilised to explore groundwater at Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic's permanent campus in Birnin Kebbi. Eighteen (18) Vertical Electrical Soundings (Schlumberger array, maximum AB/2 spacing 100 m) were conducted, with data collected using an ABEM terameter (SAS 300c) to determine the geoelectric units in the subsurface strata and to delineate groundwater potential in the area. The acquired field data was evaluated using (IPI2win), which provides the interpretation of apparent resistivity in an ohm.meter. The resistivity and thickness of subsurface layers were used to analyse the data. Three to five (3-5) unique strata were identified in the research region, including topsoil, which is mostly sand, clayey sand/lose sand, sandy clay/fine sand, and clay unit. Water bearing aquifer exists at layer three in some identified VES locations, such as VES 3, VES5, VES13, and VES14, with thickness and associated resistivity values of 40.5 m, 37.5 m, 45.8 m, 60 m, and 173 ohm.m, 148 ohm.m, 222 ohm.m, and 432 ohm.m, respectively. As a result of the electrical resistivity data, acceptable accurate results may be obtained that can be used to comprehend stratigraphy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) has changed the way people think and interact with the world. The main objectives of this paper are: (i) to provide an overview of 10 years (2010–2020) regarding the creation/development of GIS open-source applications; and (ii) to evaluate the GIS open-source plugins for environmental science. In the first objective, we evaluate the publications regarding the development of GIS open-source geospatial software in the last 10 years, considering desktop, web GIS and mobile applications, so that we can analyze the impact of this type of application for different research areas. In the second objective, we analyze the development of GIS open-source applications in the field of environmental sciences (with more focus on QGIS plugins) in the last 10 years and discuss the applicability and usability of these GIS solutions in different environmental domains. A bibliometric analysis was performed using Web of Science database and VOSViewer software. We concluded that, in general, the development of GIS open-source applications has increased in the last 10 years, especially GIS mobile applications, since the big data and Internet of Things (IoT) era, which was expected given the new advanced technologies available in every area, especially in GIS.

To prevent and handle forest and land and forest fire (karhutla), the Ministry of Environment and Forestry assembled a patrol team that conducts a daily task to observe directly to the hotspot location as an indication for land fire. Currently, the patrol team reported the investigation result into a group chat. This method consumed many storage spaces and not suitable for formal reporting. This study aims to develop a front-end module for a web GIS application that visualizes the patrol team's daily report. The application has its data recapitulation method and able to create a formal report. The data used in this study are a set of the report that collected in 2016 by Sumatera and Kalimantan patrol team. The steps to build this application include communication, integrate with the API from the back-end system, developing functional needs, software testing, and the last is software release. The application was build using HTML and CSS for its interface and Javascript and API from the back-end module for its content management. The system uses Google Maps services and library to support the functionalities of the application. The unit testing method's test result shows that the module runs well and can afford all of the required functionality. In addition, the system testing result that the ratio between actual error and expected error is equal to 1. This result indicates the functions of the system are working properly according to the use cases of the system.

Geographic technologies and perspectives are important for understanding health issues because places and locations influence human health and diseases. Despite the increasing use of a geographic information system (GIS) in health research, and the explosion of new and emerging technologies, little is known about their potential as educational tools for health geography and the effectiveness for student learning. Focusing on air-sensing and web GIS technologies, this article presents an innovative pedagogical strategy to integrate these technologies as tools for field-based learning in health geography and discusses the effectiveness and challenges of this teaching method. A class project, undertaken in a university health geography course, was developed to offer students hands-on training and real-world experience with state-of-the-art technologies. It consisted of (1) a lecture and pre-fieldwork training; (2) field data collection using a low-cost, GPS-enabled portable air-pollution sensor; (3) data visualization using web GIS; and (4) sharing the findings through a web-based story map application. The successful implementation of the teaching method, as indicated by students' positive comments, demonstrated that such class projects can reinforce students' knowledge of air pollution and health risks; improve their technical, critical thinking, and research skills; and prepare students for entering a technology-driven society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geodetic networks development begun in Kenya and Africa as a whole at the dawn of 20th century. Consequently, enormous geodetic data has been realized. In Kenya, the data was recorded in form of paper trigonometric cards, paper topographic maps, and paper cadastral map sheets and centrally archived in the ministry of lands and physical planning headquarters in Nairobi. This was to assist locate and visualize suitable survey of Kenya geodetic pillar of interest to user. However, the user still has to commute to the headquarters in order to physically acquire coordinate information of any pillar in the country. This circumstance has fabricated a framework that has triggered accumulation of millions of paper records. The effectiveness and efficiency of serving the users is greatly undermined by the manual process. Therefore, an alternative solution is necessary to alleviate dependence on an outdated manual process. As a result, this study sought to fill this gap by designing a web geoportal for management of geodetic control networks and user access which incorporates making of payments of coordinates in different systems remotely. The geoportal comprises of an integration of a database management system, a server configuration and a website with an automated data access through a payment gateway. Java scripts and python programming languages were used. The final platform has the following capabilities: spatial visualization, co-ordinates system conversion, online payment, and request and access of data remotely. We foresee that the system will aid the ministry of lands and physical planning to disseminate geodetic information to users efficiently and effectively while tracking revenue payments.

The availability of updated and easy access to geospatial data and information is the main thing in disaster mitigation and sustainable spatial planning. This needs to be supported by the rapid development of technology in the aspect of spreading data and spatial information via the internet. The Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is realized as an implementation of spatial data distribution. SDI is an integrated mechanism to make it easier for spatial data users to access, search, share, and use spatial data and information. Built upon the background statements, the research does intend to develop a web-app which is functioned as a data repository, viewer, and also simple processing (web GIS). To design and develop a disaster geospatial online application web-app that has an integrated function (repository-web GIS) following the directions and input from user feedback becomes the fold of the research. . The importance of putting the user needs in building a web-app to be used by anyone universally is more realistic and practical. The user interface is very essential in bridging communication between users and web mapping systems. User-centred design (UCD) implemented by gathering input and feedback from users. UCD describes the process of ensuring interface success throughout the design and development of the interface. GeoNode has chosen as the platform since it is open-sourced, and commonly used for managing and publishing geospatial data. Based on respondents' assessment of the quality of content/information that important to be developed in a disaster website, it is recognized that providing reliable and up-to-date data and information (69%) and the accuracy of data and information (74%) are the most important things to develop in the InDITA application. the most important features to respondents are the spatial data display feature/map viewer (89%). The design of InDITA was built interactive and user-friendly which designed as an application that accommodates simple viewer, data repository, and web GIS functions. The interactive design emerged as the demand for app users.

In order to solve the problems that traditional graphic display system needs to maintain two versions of drawings at the same time, the use of third-party tools leads to abnormal data association, 3 d system modeling and high maintenance costs, based on open source GIS server GeoServer, client OpenLayers and other tools, a set of automatic process to quickly publish CAD into Web GIS service is designed. On the basis of graph theory, the motion trajectory is abstracted mathematically, and the topological structure diagram is dynamically generated according to the card reader arranged on the roadway diagram and the auxiliary lines drawn. The A* search algorithms with no heuristic function and with heuristic function were used to generate the motion trajectory respectively for the two localization methods of region localization and precise localization. A controlled smooth playback animation is achieved by proportionally inserting intermediate points between vertices. Through the above research, a set of low-cost, easy to maintain, can support both regional positioning and accurate positioning of the human movement track playback system.

With the increasing availability of web mapping application programming interfaces, those tasked with the job of developing and designing web-based geographic information systems (Web GIS) are faced with the question of how to (re)develop new and existing capabilities. While Web GIS often reproduces features currently available within desktop GIS, usage requirements often demand it be both easier to use and more specific in its purpose. As GIS has become more integrated with evolving web technologies, many semantic ways in which GIS functions depend on specific user interactions (UX) where underlying functions are abstracted to user interfaces (UI). Our study explores the utilization of concept maps to facilitate learning about Web GIS within the context of an online graduate GIS course. Specifically, our project involves a case study that illustrates the following: 1) a design and implementation of having students create concept maps as part of the learning process around building custom Web GIS; 2) a discussion of how an instructor can approach the assessment of student-built concept maps; 3) an illustration of how student-build concept maps can encourage student interaction specific to course content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]