Lab 7 Week 8

The first map, Number of People 2000, displays the number of people residing in each state according to the 2000 US Census.  The values were calculated by the US Census Bureau and adapted visually.  The color ramp works well for this data because there is no need for significant color changes.  The values are simple and only need to show simple differences.

In the second map, Population Density 2000, the population per square mile is shown.  The values were calculated by dividing the population by the area of the counties.  This color ramp works well to highlight the changes in population density, as places of high population density such as southern California are extremely dark and distinct while places of lower population density such as North Dakota are extremely light.

The third map, Difference 1990 to 2000 Number of People, exhibits the differences in population from the 1990 census to the 2000 census.  The values were attained by finding the difference between the two sets of data.  The data from 1990 was subtracted from the 2000 data to find the difference in population.  The color ramp works very well because it is easy to recognize the areas that increased in population from the areas that decreased in population since the ramp is divided in to two distinct colors.

The fourth map shows the percent change in the total population.  The values were calculated by taking the values by dividing the population change value by the 2000 population value.  The color ramp works well for the same reason that the third map's ramp works well, the two distinct colors make it easy to differentiate the areas that had a positive percent change in population and a negative percent change.

Week 7 Lab 6

This map exhibits a portion of the coast of Southern California near Ventura County.  It includes an interesting juxtaposition of sea level land including waterways such as bays surrounded by hills at a significantly higher elevation.

Extant information

 Left: -119.514722221924

Right: -118.856111110769

Top: 34.5961111102217

Bottom: 34.2172222213073

GCS_North_American_1983

Lab 5 Week 6 Projections in Arc GIS

GCS uses a 3D surface to plot points on a projection.  Latitude and longitude is used to locate a point as they represent angles from the center of the earth.  The mercator form of projection is a plane coordinate system as it splits the earth into zones which preserves direction.  It distorts the size of geographic objects and does not show both poles.

The bonne projection, which appears to have a similar shape to a heart, preserves the area of the map.  There is no distortion along the central meridian and all of the parallels have the same scale as the central meridian in concentric circles.  It is a pseudo conic projection with extremely distorted shape.  The sinusoidal projection also preserves the area via a pseudo conic projection.  There is no distortion on the central meridian or the equator, however the shape can be distorted especially near the poles.  The features in this projection are more concentrated together than in the GCS map, for example.

The equidistant conic world map, as indicated by its name, preserves distance and is crated by conic projection.  It has the same scale along all the meridians with a pacman shape to it.  Both area and shape are extremely distorted, it appears as though antarctica is slowly eating up the world while the other landmasses are clumped together.  The plate caree world map is a plane projection map with no distortion along the equator.  It preserves distance, however these two maps exhibit differing distances between DC and Kabul because they are not on the same meridian.  As they are slightly skewed, the distances are not equal. The map appears to be more elongated, as the continents are oddly wide and short.

Week 4 Lab

 This map shows the placement of schools within the county as well as an outline of where the noise pollution from the airport reaches.  This map attempts to solve the problem of figuring out which schools are effected by the presence of the airport and its noise pollution.  Thus the map indicates that funds to reduce noise distractions in schools only needs to be allocated to two schools as only two schools lie within the noise contour.

This map indicates what the land surrounding the airport is allocated for.  The graph indicates the amount of each type of land allocation that falls within the noise contour.  Since the graph indicates that a majority of the land parcels effected are agricultural, there is little worry that there will be a significant backlash from the surrounding community especially if there are plans to expand the airport.  However the problem, for example, of whether or not expansion that would lead to a larger noise contour would lead to backlash from the community is likely because there are few if any residential areas within the curent contour, however there is a great a deal of residential zoning in close proximity.

The newest map indicates the population density of the area.  The darker the green, the more dense the population.  This map allows the viewer to see population density in relation to the area around the airport as well as major roads.  This map could be used to see where there needs to be more roads or more frequent road maintenance because where the population is more dense, the traffic on the roads tends to be denser, resulting in traffic and worn roads.

The top map shows where a hypothetical extension of Airport Drive would be placed.  This solves the problem of where the road would extend to as it does not intersect with any existing landmarks.  The precise nature of the plan which takes into account a grid-like system as the road would be parallel to the existing roads.  This map lays out a distinct plan for the extension of Airport Drive.

This is a finished product of a set of data proposing how would be best to expand the airport.  The map gives the viewer a point of reference by making use of an extant rectangle.  The zoning and population information is taken into account as well as the information concerning school placement.  The noise contour follows the path of the runways, thus expansion of the runway system would also expand the noise contour.  Given the information it would make sense for the airport to expand either north or east, as the increase in the size of the noise contour would not have a large effect on residents of the area.