GIS Terms

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Across
  1. 6. A conceptualized framework that provides the ability to capture and analyze spatial and geographic data
  2. 10. A data model that represents the world as a surface divided into a regular grid of cells (pixels).
  3. 11. A method of determining relative positions of objects using the geometry of triangles, specifically the distance from three or more known points.
  4. 13. A large collection of points in a 3D coordinate system (x, y, z). These points are the raw output of a LiDAR scan before they are processed into a Raster surface like a DSM.
  5. 14. The compass direction that a slope faces (e.g., North-facing vs. South-facing). This is crucial for studies involving sunlight or snowmelt.
  6. 17. The inherent distortion or selective inclusion of data by a cartographer, which can intentionally or unintentionally change a viewer’s perspective of a region.
  7. 18. The art, science, and technology of making maps. It involves the study of how to effectively communicate complex spatial information through a visual medium.
  8. 19. Lines on a map joining points of equal elevation.
  9. 22. The standard generic term for satellite navigation systems that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage.Example: A modern smartphone that increases accuracy by "talking" to multiple satellite networks simultaneously, such as the U.S. GPS, Europe’s Galileo, and Russia’s GLONASS.
  10. 24. Physical locations on the Earth's surface with high-accuracy known coordinates (longitude, latitude, and elevation). They are used as "anchors" to align aerial or satellite imagery to the real world.
  11. 25. A coordinate-based data model that represents geographic features as points, lines, and polygons.
  12. 26. A U.S.-owned utility that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. It is one specific type of constellation within the broader GNSS.
Down
  1. 1. The process of manipulating and modeling geographic data to uncover patterns and solve complex problems.
  2. 2. The measurement of the rate of change of elevation (the "steepness") for each cell of a raster.
  3. 3. The Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding the planet's geometric shape, orientation in space, and gravity field.
  4. 4. An individual's internalized representation of a landscape, shaped by their personal experiences and frequent routes.
  5. 5. A visualization technique that shows the magnitude of a phenomenon as color in two dimensions.
  6. 7. A systematic transformation of the 3D coordinates of the Earth onto a 2D plane (a flat map).
  7. 8. A database or spreadsheet linked to geographic features, containing "what" information about the "where."
  8. 9. A model of global mean sea level that is used to measure precise surface elevations. While a Spheroid is a smooth mathematical shape, the Geoid accounts for local gravity variations.
  9. 12. A three-dimensional shape obtained by rotating an ellipse about one of its axes; used in GIS to approximate the Earth's non-perfect spherical shape.
  10. 15. A remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (variable distances) to the Earth. This is the primary way modern DTMs and DSMs are created.
  11. 16. A reference system or mathematical model of the Earth's surface used to coordinate locations.
  12. 20. A zone of a specified distance around a map feature, used for proximity analysis.
  13. 21. A grayscale 3D representation of the surface, with the sun's relative position taken into account for shading the terrain. It makes flat maps look 3D and "bumpy."
  14. 23. The set of rules and visual variables (color, size, shape, texture) used to represent geographic features on a map.