Publisher's Synopsis
Geographical Information Handling Research and Applications Edited by Paul M. Mather University of Nottingham, UK Geographical Information Handling Research and Applications presents the results of the ESRC/NERC Joint Programme on Geographical Information Handling. The book provides an excellent summary of the state–of–the–art in GIS research, as well as providing examples of applications of GIS in economic, social and environmental areas. The contents fall into three sections: Basic Research; Environmental Applications of GIS; and Economic and Planning Applications of GIS. Research issues include computer architectures, generalization effects, error diffusion, data structures, database design, GPS, and the humancomputer interface. Case studies show how information on land cover/land use change, ecological and hydrological modelling, and geomorphological analysis of digital elevation models can be used within an environmental GIS, while economic and planning applications include aspects of natural hazard assessment, rural planning, property management, regional planning, and local authority use of GIS. The authors are all leading researchers in GIS, and introductory contributions are provided by the Chairmen of NERC and ESRC, the Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey and the Managing Director of LaserScan Limited. This book represents a significant statement of GIS research and applications, and will be of value to a wide range of researchers and users of GIS.
