451-234 Environmental Visualisation and Mapping

451-105 Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing (451-205 prior to 2003) or an equivalent subject

Upon completion of this subject students should have developed an understanding of the principles and techniques associated with environmental mapping, analysis and environmental visualisation.

Topics include an introduction to conceptual models of space, raster data models for environmental mapping, raster compression algorithms, the creation of digital elevation models (DEM's) via triangulated irregular network (TIN) algorithms and other interpolation approaches, methods of storing raster data, map algebra and cartographic modelling, methods of raster data analysis, boolean logic, measurement of cartographic distance, analysis of cell neighbourhoods, zonal operations, non-euclidian distance, landuse suitability modelling; development and application of environmental visualisation; and technical aspects of visualisation, including image manipulation, three-dimensional modelling and transformations, the geometry of perspective, hidden line algorithms, shading and rending, colour, texture capture and mapping, ray tracing and animation. Applications of environmental visualisation for planning and management in built and natural environments are reviewed.

One 3-hour written examination, plus assignments and practical exercise reports totalling not more than 40 pages. The relative weighting of the assessment components will be provided to students at the beginning of the subject.