Cartographic Foundations-Fundamental Concepts

Cartographic Foundations-Fundamental Concepts

1. The reference surface of the Earth

   • Shape and size
     • *Earth is nearly spherical (6371 km of radius) with vertical variations of 20 km 
     • Geoid
       • Surface which the force of gravity is everywhere perpedicular. Polar radious shorter than the equatorial radius. Gravity. F=m*a
       • Vertical reference datum for heights on maps
     • Ellipsoid
       • Horizontal reference datum for large scale
       • Orthometric height
     • Sphere
       • Horizontal reference datum for small scale
   • Movement
     • The rhumb line (Loxodrome)
       • Straight line- Conformal Mercator
       • Line that cross the meridians with a constant angle
         • Line with constant bearing or constant azimut.  In equi-angle projections this will be a stright line but doesn't means is the shortes distance ONLY if correspond to a paralele or a meridian
     • Great circles G (orthodrome)
       • Straight line- Gnomic projection
       • Line of the shortest distance
         • in 3D is a line because the experiment of the apple. The shortest distance is the plane that contains both points.  In 2D looks longes-like an arc (plane on 2D is a curve).
   • Representation
     • Map scale
       • distance on the map : distance on the earth surface ALSO RF
     • Scale Factor
       • reciproco de la escala

2. Fundamental Concepts

   • Coordinate Systems
     • Geographic coordinate system
       • Latitud
         • Angle from the ecuator
           • Paralles
       • Longitud
         • Angle form the poles-Greenwich
           • Meridians
     • Planes coordinates
       • N-E
       • Polar
   • Characteristics of maps
     • Map-related
       • Similar in content and map scale ranges
       • Different in dimensions, projections, symbolization and perception
     • Map
       • map is a REDUCED and ABSTRACT GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION of the earth with ACCURATE MATHEMATICAL REFERENCE and SYMBOLIZATION
       • Reduced scale fro the reallity
       • Abstraction of the reallity
       • Accurate mathmatical reference
       • Meaningful symbolization
   • Categories of cartographic presentations
     • PURPOSE
       • Topographic or general maps
       • Thematic map (themes)
       • Navigation maps
     • GRAPHIC STRUCTURE
       • Line map
       • Image map
     • ORGANIZATION
       • Map series
       • Individual map
       • Atlas
     • USAGE FORMAT
       • Wall map
       • Table map
       • Pocket map
     • DURATION OF VALIDITY
       • Durable map
       • instant map
     • USE OF FREQUENCY
       • reusable
       • one-time
     • PUBLICATION DATE
     • PRESENTATION FORM
       • Static map
       • interactive map
       • Web map
   • The cartographic process
     • SYMBOLIZATION
       • Reallity to grpahics
     • MAP DESIGN
       • General plan
         • projection, data selection, lyout...
       • Special plan
         • symbolization, color,..
     • EXECUTION
     • MAPS USES
       • Reading
         • Symbolization
       • Analysis
         • comunicate the message
       • Intrepretation
         • Reasoning and solve problems