This week we’ve considered ‘distance’ from different angles (so to speak):
- as a property that can be preserved with projections
- as a property that depends on modality and can be expressed with respect to time
- as an attribute that seems more related to the subjective concept of proximity than the more definite property of length
Please find an example of a map that conveys a sense of distance and comment on it below.
Citation:
United Parcel Service. “Business days in transit from: SAINT LOUIS, MO 63124” (map). No scale. http://www.ups.com/maps/results?zip=54940. Accessed on March 4, 2010.
Key Words:
Distance map, planimetric, image on a computer screen, geographic, time, distance, manipulable object, unknown sources, graphics software, toponyms, fiat boundaries.
Discussion:
This map, which appears to be displayed on the Mercator projection, shows the number of business days it takes a package to get from St. Louis, MO (63124), to all other places in the U.S. A different color is used for the number of days that it takes a package to reach its destination (i.e. yellow is used for 1-day transit time). Distance is represented as time on this map. This is probably why a scale is not included (i.e. it has no meaning since the map is only concerned with how LONG it takes a package to reach its destination, not how far that destination is located from St. Louis).
The way in which actual distances are distorted on this map is interesting in that, logically, it would take a package longer to reach a destination that is farther from St. Louis; this is true in most cases, although there are a few exceptions. For example: it takes a package 4 days to reach all destinations in Alaska; however, it takes a package 5 days to reach the east-central portion of Idaho. This is most likely a result of the fact that east-central Idaho is very mountainous and is mostly National Forest land. Therefore, the population here is probably very small, which in turn means that the demand for packages is very low. This again reinforces how the map is showing distance in terms of time, not “typical” distance units.
State borders are included as reference points; however, the states are labeled with their abbreviations, so they would only be helpful for someone who is familiar with the locations and abbreviations of the 50 states.
My Society/Department for Transport. Untitled (map). Scale: approximately 3 inches to 5 miles, or 1:21,000. Accessed 05 March 2010 from http://www.mysociety.org/2006/travel-time-maps/multimodal-cambridge-surrounds-1333px.png
Keywords: thematic map, tour, image on a computer screen, secondary sources, GIS/graphics software, planimetric, toponyms, travel times, fuzzy boundaries, networks
This map shows the city of Cambridge and uses faintly-visible isochrones and a color gradient to indicate what time one would have to leave to get to a specific destination in the center of the city by 9am using public transport. The intended purpose of the map is to help newcomers decide where to live and/or work. The areas in red presumably require the shortest travel time, and the areas in blue require the most, though the map has no legend or contour interval so it is unclear what the times are. The areas in gray are those from which one cannot make the journey using public transportation (defined by being > 15 minute walk from a station). The most interesting thing about the map is that because of this definition, there are uncolored areas directly adjacent to red zones near the center of the city. If the map were to have a legend, it would be interesting to see the travel time represented with blue. In considering total travel time (time walking + time on train/subway/bus), are some of the uncolored areas actually more proximal to the destination than the blue areas? For example, are there some colored areas that require a 15 minute walk and a 30 minute train ride, and some uncolored areas that require a 20 minute walk and a 5 minute train ride?
Citation: Aloha Airlines. “Route Map” (map). No scale.
http://www.flyingmembers.com/images_airline/aloha_airlines_map.jpg
Key Words: projection, distance, route map, airlines, curved path, path, Hawaii, West Coast, symbology, aesthetic
Aloha Airlines was forced to terminate in 2008 after 61 years of operation—it very well could have been because of this map. This route map is similar to the common route maps that most airlines have that show their flight paths and serviced airports. The Aloha map conflates a local state projection to show the Hawaiian islands with a world projection (possible Mercator) to represent the West coast of the United States. They are overlaid and the islands are shown much closer to the mainland. Distance is certainly not preserved. The distance on the map between Hilo and the island of Maui are the same as between Hilo and San Diego. The curved flight paths between the islands appear far more exaggerated then they should be given the distance between the islands and the projection they are using. This map is interesting because it uses the curved flight path, a result of projection, as a symbol of a flight route. This map is not concerned with preserving distance, showing proximity, or accuracy of the route, but rather to choose an aesthetic and symbology that makes this map a obvious and classic airlines flight route map.
Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue (2004). The Northern East-West Freight Corridor (.pdf). Hofstra University: Dept. of Global Studies and Geography.
http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/conc5en/img/Map_NEW_Corridor.pdf
keywords: data exploration, manipulable object, long exposure, stationary object, image on a computer screen, secondary sources, GIS, planimetric, preserves distance, toponyms, point, line, and shape reference systems, shows networks
This map shows the freight patterns possible in the Arctic circle and some parts of Russia and China. It includes possible northern sea routes and current Trans-Atlantic sea route to rail systems in Northern Europe and Russia. An Azimuthal Equidistant Polar Projection is used, which preserves distance from the North Pole outward but not between features elsewhere on the map. Shapes, most distances, scale, and area are distorted, but the freight network system is preserved. The scale is not represented anywhere on the map, which makes sense because it changes the farther it gets from the Pole.
The map focuses on two different variables – the possible northern sea routes, and the exiting freight transport sequence from Halifax to Vostochny. It differentiates the different kind of transports used, and has a diagram that shows distance and time travelled between key points in that sequence. The time is shown to the tenth of a day, and includes the time it takes to switch transport systems. This diagram is easy to read by itself, but it is a little challenging to relate it to the map below. This is the case partly because the legend is working on three different scales of classification, with some similar colors representing unrelated things that confuse the reader. The representation of freight time travelled is shown separately from the map, but in fact might be the most interesting data and should have been better integrated.
Forgot to put the keywords in the last post.
Keywords: thematic map, tour, a long exposure, unknown sources, distance
http://www.hipkiss.org/data/maps/london-geographical-institute_the-peoples-atlas_1920_the-world-principal-steamship-lines-and-isochronic-chart_3012_3992_600.jpg
Cox, Andrew and Matthew Ericson. “Travel Times on Commuter Rail” (map). New York: New York Times, 2007. No scale. http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/03/17/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/20070318_TRAIN_GRAPHIC.html. Accessed on 4 March 2010.
Keywords: data exploration, map printed in newspaper, tour, GIS software (?), temporal relations, networks, line and point reference symbols
This map visually depicts travel times from Manhattan to stations in regional commuter rail systems during the evening rush. Travel time to a certain station is depicted through the station icon’s distance from the Manhattan icon. Station icons are located on shaded concentric circles radiating out from the Manhattan icon; these circles represent increasing travel time in 15 minute intervals. Color-coding of station symbols indicate the speed trains travel to reach given stations (while this information is interesting, the train travel times seem mostly anecdotal–though perhaps you can infer geographic distance between stations based on the given time it takes to travel between them and the speed traveled by trains between stations).
While the map doesn’t preserve geographic distance, it attempts to preserve some sense of directionality (I think…). Trains routes are not portrayed as straight lines along which stations are proportionately spaced based on travel time. Rather, routes curve and zig zag in rail networks titled as “Long Island Railroad,” “New Jersey Transit,” and “Metro-North.”
The map’s attempt to symbolize travel time as distance from the Manhattan station icon creates confusion when trying to preserve topographic relations. Some train routes connect at certain stations, but these station points can only occupy a single “temporal” location, even though the two rails reach these locations from Manhattan in different amounts of time. For example, the Ridgewood station in the Metro-North rail system connects two rails. For these two rails to connect at Ridgewood, one must double-back from the 45-60 min area, into the 30-45 min area. Presumably, a train traveling this rail does not travel back in time. Rather, the map authors chose to preserve topography (the connection of these rails at Ridgewood) rather than displaying temporal distance accurately.
Citation: Mysociety.org. “Multimodal London 20km.” http://www.mysociety.org/2006/travel-time-maps/multimodal-london-20km-1196px.png. Accessed March 4, 2010.
Keywords: Distance cost map, manipuable object, snap shot, primary sources, GIS/Graphics software, planimetric, fuzzy boundaries, networks.
The map shows distance from downtown London as contours at 10 minute intervals. Of use to the commuter or urban planner, the center point is located in Westminster, London and contours radiate out. Presumably walking and driving are incorporated into this analysis, but given the distance and traffic involved, train and tube lines become the major means of travel as little as 2 miles away from the starting point.
This change is evidenced by the appearance of islands on the map following rail lines. The contour surface is stretched the farther one moves from central London, and these islands with tube and rail stops become more and more pronounced. Unfortunately the color scheme is difficult to interpret at some points, and without labels on the contour lines it’s impossible to understand exactly how far each island is away from the center. The background of the map is also interesting given the content; the road network is emphasized over rail and subway connections. This really limits the use of the map: one can determine how long in theory it takes to arrive in each area, but without the network they need another map to determine how to best make that trip.
Citation:
Cartographia. “Traveling on Public Transport” (map). No scale. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cartographia.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/multimodal-london-big-1177px.png&imgrefurl=http://cartographia.wordpress.com/page/2/&usg=__IpML-wrGR9Bcyk4pH1OMfPstGac=&h=1215&w=1177&sz=2449&hl=en&start=7&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=B2kofoDPxzRp7M:&tbnh=150&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcool%2Bmaps%2Bshow%2Btime%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1. Accessed on 5/5/2010.
Key Words:
Data exploration, tour, long exposure, portable object, image on a computer screen, secondary sources, graphics software, GIS, distance, toponyms, point line and area references, contours, travel time map, bona fide boundaries, isolines.
Discussion:
This map shows commuter travel time using public transportation in the immediate vicinity of London. It uses a blue—red color scheme to symbolize the time it takes commuters to get into the city. It is a little counterintuitive that red is used to show shortest travel time, and blue is used to show longest, as the convention of the color red is of a dangerous or less accessible area. The subjectivity of distance in this map is only explained through text. If the map user was a regular traveler on London public transportation, they would likely be able to understand the map quickly without explanation, as it is, however, there is no legend, and the title does not explicitly tell the user what the map shows. Scale is not represented exactly, but the color scheme is laid over an intricate road map, that also shows rail stations. This allows the user to reference different points to understand distance—it is still more accessible to people living in the area than outsiders viewing the map. The reference points could be more effective if a few features were brought to the front, instead of being washed out by the color scheme. For example, if only the rail stations were shown above the colors it would be more effective. In general, this map is effective at showing what it is trying to show.
Citation: London Geographical Institute. “Principle steamship lines and isochronic chart.” No Scale. The People’s Atlas. 1920. http://www.hipkiss.org/data/maps/london-geographical-institute_the-peoples-atlas_1920_the-world-principal-steamship-lines-and-isochronic-chart_3012_3992_600.jpg
Assessed on March 5.
Consistent with other maps in the atlas, the map uses Mercator projection. The scale the map, using the entire world, clearly shows an empirical mentality. Such mentality also manifests in every detail of the map.
This ambitious map expresses distance via time. The lines classify travel time with unequal intervals. The somewhat complicated pattern suggests that the estimation of time are based on major transportation modes (which concerns speed) and established routes of travel (which encompasses seasonal climate and navigation.) The color scheme of the travel time areas illustrates each area as a class with a distinct value (in the same fashion as a geological map.)
Made in the age of steamship, the map uses dotted lines to show the steamship network. Costal cities and islands are carefully labeled as they served as stops on the route. However, simply connecting two dots, such straight lines by no means represent the actual distance of the route. The profile at the bottom tries to convey the absolute length of what is called the “chief routes in the world.” These routes are different from what we are used to see in that they show a loop of travel. The origin and the destination are one, which is London.
I am mostly interested in the method of the map. It would be interesting to see how the data (if any) was visualized.
Citation: mySociety. “Travel times to reach Department of Transport by 9am using public transport.” No Scale. http://www.mysociety.org/2007/more-travel-maps. Accessed on March 5.
Key Words: reference map, geographic, stationary object, image on a computer screen, unknown sources, GIS, planimetric, toponyms, isolines, travel distance map, fuzzy boundaries
Discussion: This is a map of the greater London area centered at the Department for Transport. Shaded areas bounded by isolines show distance from the Department of Transport based on travel time by public transportation. I cannot determine the projection by looking at the map. Location references include locality names and the road and tube network. The purpose of the map must be to determine how far a very general area is from the center because the very lightly shaded transportation network does not allow for finding very specific places and the locales don’t have specified areas. Also, it looks as if the roads and tube network were taken directly from Google Maps and then modified. Since there are only 5 classes of data, the map is very readable in terms of data. The map does have a good sort of sequential color ramp from red to green, which also makes the map readable. I really like the simplicity and efficiency of the legend. I also like that the title and legend are not very prominent on the page, giving full focus to the content of the map. No sources are cited and the methodology is not clear, but it seems that they took transit stops and bus stops and put a small buffer around them to place the isolines.
1. Citation
Marion, Arkansas. “Drivetime Analysis from Marion, Arkansas.” No scale. http://www.marionarkansas.org/images/economic/eco005/pic_drivetimemap.jpg. Accessed 4 March 2010.
2. Keywords
Distance map, reference map, tour, digital, printable, GIS, isochrones, bona fide boundaries
3. Discussion
This map is shows the drive time isochrones in 15-minute intervals centered around Marion, Arkansas (right near Memphis, Tennessee). The base layer includes county lines, city limits, and the major interstates. The resolution of the isochrones appears to be very coarse, based only around data points collected from distances on the major interstates and two other unlabeled data points in between. There is no blending of the lines, and no other data points from any of the surrounding counties; therefore the isochrones are hexagons whose accuracy off the major roads I am highly skeptical of.
This map displays the importance of understanding the map’s purpose, and the dangers of interpolating at a resolution that is overly coarse compared to the extent of the map. Even if the makers had 2 data points between each interstate point, it would make the accuracy of their isochrones far more accurate and useful to travelers/businesses in the area.
Source:
Deasy, CM. “Personal-space bubble”. Designing Places for People. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications,1985.
Keywords: Interpersonal map, vista, snapshot, small figure on a page, unknown sources, pen and ink, distance, shape
I wouldn’t really call this a map. It’s more of a graphical visualization of social distance. The title of the visualization is “Personal Space Bubble”. The graphic illustrates how North Americans define acceptable distance from peers during social interactions.
The graphic is essentially a bird’s eye view illustration of two groups of three people facing in. Group 1 shows intimate distance, three people stand 18 inches apart, which is made clear by a label on the map. Two people in this group are touching. Group 2 shows social distance, three people stand 4 feet apart.
The two groups are near each other, but not facing each other. The distance between the groups is less than the distance between people in group 1. This gap is labeled “not critical” implying that distance to individuals behind oneself does not carry the same personal space connotations as distance in front.
This map is a simple sketch yet it conveys a lot about how people view social distance in different contexts. Even without labels, the distance would be clear because the graphic contains symbols (sketches of people) that provide users with a generalized special unit.
Citation: Shipping Information. “Shipping days in Transit from: West Chicago, Il 60185” (map). No scale. http://www.specialty-graphics.com/Shipping_Information.html. Accessed on 4 February 2010.
Key Words: distance map, geographic, snap shot, portable object, image on computer screen, primary sources, graphics software, planimetric, distance, area, shape, scale, area reference symbols, fiat boundaries
Discussion: This map shows the number of days it takes to ship a package anywhere in the country from the starting point of Chicago, Il. This map is interesting because it symbolizes distance subjectively as a function of time where “time” itself is represented by the somewhat crude and vague interval of a “day”. In this case though, using “days” as a time interval makes the most sense because people will be relying on the map to figure out how long it will take a package to get from one place to another. Since the shipping companies only guarantee that a certain amount of distance will be covered during the span of a normal work day, there is no reliable or accurate way to specify the map beyond that thereby constraining the map’s interval to more general terms. The map does not treat each state as a singular, uniform entity; therefore the state boundaries act as reference points and distance is strictly presented by how far a package can travel based (I assume) on miles per day. Preserving scale is therefore important in terms of preserving distance in relation to area on the map, but not in term of the actual map of the US itself which is simply sets a tangible, familiar framework for people to conceptualize shipping distance in terms of time and physical area and perceived distance covered. The color scheme is absolutely awful and needs some serious help. Otherwise the map is simple, straight forward, and to the point without excess detail or unnecessary detail.
Map: UPS Corporation. Business Days in Transit From Middlebury, VT 05753. No scale. Created via http://www.ups.com/maps/results, 4 March 2010.
Keywords: Data exploration, thematic, geographic, sequence, web-based figure, unknown sources, graphics software, planimetric, time, distance, toponyms, choropleth, networks.
This map was created using a feature on the UPS website that generates maps showing the approximate time it would take to ship a package from any zip-code in the United States. The map is representing distance as distance time; note the areas in Idaho and California which take longer to ship to than surrounding areas due to geographic isolation and/or the transportation networks available. It is a choropleth map, with six colors, each representing a day of travel. The only reference features the map uses are state borders, which makes it hard for those living near the line between two data classes to be sure where they fall, and it is unclear what the base units being used are (county? zip code?) At a finer scale, these shortcomings would be more apparent. but in its current form should serve its function for the vast majority of its audience: as a general estimate of the shipping time. Those users who want a more exact estimate are directed to a separate page with a shipping time calculator. This shows the limitations of the medium: it can display in a digestible way far more information at once than a data table, but some detail is lost. Overall, a highly practical map for everyday usage.
Boingboing:A Directory of Wonderful things (Map). No scale. http://www. boingboing.net/2006/05/26/open_traveltime_maps.html Accessed on March 4th, 2010.
Key Words: Networks, Fuzzy Boundaries, point reference symbols, toponyms, GIS, slide in a presentation, image on a computer screen, stationary object, a snap shot, tour, data exploration.
The linked map represents the time it takes using public transportation to arrive at different points in greater London from Westminster, a point in central London. The red represents less time and the blue represents more time. The boundaries are fuzzy. White lines are drawn around zones which are at a further distances from the center than spaces geographically closer. The map is trying to show the areas in which are closest to central London, in terms of time. Actual kilometric distance is arbitrary. The spatial reality in London is one of topological constraints. It takes longer to arrive in central London from Richmond Park, an area Geographically close to central London, than Hershem. The map is without a numerical representation of the colors. There is not a corresponding amount of minutes attached to the color spectrum. At a finer scale this may be helpful, but the map’s purpose is to represent ideas and convey the time/distance reality commuters face in London. The fields of time show which areas are best connected to Central London. This map is not meant to show commuters amounts of time precisely, but rather areas in which are “closer” to Westminster in terms in time. The colors could be a bit more transparent, considering it is difficult to see the place names. Also, the main transportation lines, both rail and bus, could be an additional layer to the map showing which form of transport is faster.
Travel Times on Commuter Rail
Cox, Amanda and Matthew Erickson (2007). New York Times. New York, NY http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/03/17/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/20070318_TRAIN_GRAPHIC.html Accessed on 4 March 2010.
Keywords:
Data exploration, tour, sequence, portable object, small figure on a page, image on a computer screen, primary sources, Graphics software, planimentric, preserves distance (time cost) and scale, Toponyms, point reference symbols, line reference symbols, fiat boundaries, isolines (time), flow vectors, networks.
Discussion:
This map depicts travel times during the evening rush hour on the major light commuter rail lines leaving Manhattan. It uses an azimuthal equichronic projection centered on Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station, with isochrones at 15-minute intervals. This alone shows the map’s abstraction of spatial relations in favor of preserving measurements of distance based on time cost. Even though Grand Central and Penn Station are two separate stations they are depicted as a singular locus on the map. In addition, relative direction is preserved with the train lines as flow vectors from the central station. Because the map is only relevant to users of light rail lines, the only information included in the map pertains directly to the trains. Stations are represented as points with shade to represent the speed it took to reach that station. It is unclear, however, whether this is in reference to average speed over the trains trip or the speed from the previous station. There are several confusing aspects of the map due to the representation of distance as time-cost. Express stations that are further from the city than local stations will appear closer on the map as they are reached quicker. This creates visually confusing zig-zags on the train patterns. The mapmakers could have easily avoided this by showing separate route paths for express and local lines to more clearly emphasize the relation between distance and time. All in all, however, I feel this is a very effective map for its intended users. The commuters using such a map are likely concerned only with their final destination and the time it takes to get their from the central station, and this information is portrayed clearly and concisely on this map.
Citation: Tom Carden. “Travel Time Tube Map” (map). No scale. http://www.tom-carden.co.uk/p5/tube_map_travel_times/applet/. Assessed on March 4, 2010
Key Words: Reference Map, Distance Map, Tour, Long Exposure, Interactive Object, Java Multimedia, Preserves Distance, Preserves Time, Networks, Isolines
The webpage opens up with a “geographic” map of the London Underground which measures distance in kilometers and preserves the spatial orientation of the underground lines. Each underground line is colored according to the official “London Underground Map’s” standards and major stations are represented as white dots whose names come up when you lay your mouse over it.
Once you click a specific station, the other component of this interactive map is activated which measures travel time from a specific station to every other underground station. The ground of the map is composed of concentric circles which show up surrounding the station you clicked on. These concentric circles are at equal 10 minute intervals and alternate in color (grey and white). The maps are station-specific, thus the center of the concentric rings shifts to the specific station you’ve clicked on. The map avoids measuring time in euclidian space by altering the orientation of the underground network so that train transfers and other factors are considered. Additionally, the scale bar changes from being measured in kilometers in the original geographic map, to one that is measured in minutes.
One criticism I have of this map is that the travel times seem to be very rough estimates and do not consider the various variables which can affect travel time (delays, express lines v. local lines). The map-maker, web-designer Tom Carden, recognizes this problem and addresses it on the bottom of the map, explicitly stating that “times may not be accurate!”. Nevertheless, I think he utilized technology effectively to make a map that represents data that would impossible to represent in a single printed map.
Citation:
Kansai Metropolitan Area. “Typical Driving Time between Osaka and Other Major Cities” (map). no scale. Accessed on March 4, 2010.
URL: http://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/kensei/eng/index08.html
Key Words:
Data exploration map, tour, a long exposure, interactive object, small figure on a page, primary sources, secondary sources, graphics software, GIS, planimetric, distance, scale, toponyms (place names), line reference symbols, territorial maps, bona fide boundaries, proportional symbols, networks
Discussion:
This map is found on a website about features of the Kansai Metropolitan Area and specifically represents typical driving distance between Osaka and other major cities in Japan. This specific map does not show the name and location of major cites, but the other map showing travel time by air and train does. This leads me to believe that the maps are meant to be shown together or to people who are familiar with the location of major Japanese cities. According to the text and noticeable on the maps, the metropolitan area has a highly developed transportation system. This is known even without having the airports, railways, and roads laid out because of how far away from Osaka the one-hour, two-hour, and three-hour boundary line is. This map makes it difficult to see time as a function of distance if the reader is not familiar with the shape and size of Japan or where Osaka is in the country. Without a reference map this map is practically useless without other context because cites and road systems are excluded. The text accompanying the maps is very descriptive of Japan’s transportation system and makes up for what the maps lack. These maps are good to consult for generally how long it will take to get somewhere from Osaka, but planning can not be done directly from these maps. The driving time map has the problem of taking fuzzy boundaries and making them absolute (there is a range of times within each zone that are not represented).
Better link: http://eriklaakso.nu/img/dicken-large.jpg
Strange Maps Blog Based on dickens and Lloyd, 1981. “The unevenness of time-space convergence” No scale. Accessed on 4 March 2010. http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/393-the-unevenness-of-space-time-convergence/
Distance map, geographic, long exposure, stationary object, image on computer screen, unknown sources, graphics software, planimectric, toponyms, line reference symbols,
This map uses an azimuthal equichronic (equidistant by travel time) projection centered near London. Distance as a function of time travel in various modes of transportation is portrayed at the expense of area and shape which are both grossly distorted. Scale is shown through isochronic circles in 2 hour intervals which are concentric about London.
This distortion of shape and area requires an attentive map user. It is interesting to note that while England is distorted, other countries are brought in from a standard mercator projection, even though the map is implying that only certain cities in the countries are accessible in a given time period. Because of this lack of continuity, the map is hard to take seriously. Also, no mode of transportation is specified so it is up to the map user to decide if 6 hours by car is equivalent to 6 hours by plane or train.
European Commission Directorate General Joint Research Center/GDACS. “Tsunami Magnitude 8.75 Near Offshore Maule, Chile” (animated map). No scale. http://www.gdacs.org/reports.asp?eventType=EQ&ID=78821&system=tsunamicalcs&location=CHL&alertlevel=Red&glide_no=&TsID=1860&datetime=20100227&groupid=78809. Accessed on 3 March 2010.
Thematic map, geographic, sequence, interactive object, animation, computer map, primary sources, GIS, planimetric, area symbols, fuzzy boundaries, animated maps of diffusion, Chile tsunami
I was intrigued by the discussion in class this week about the inherent problems with NOAA’s map of the recent tsunami caused by the earthquake in Region del Maule, Chile, so I found a better representation of the same phenomenon. It is an animated map that shows not only the crest of the tsunami (maximum wave height) but also its trough traveling across the Pacific over the course of six hours. The map uses color to show distance relative to the epicenter as a factor of time. It is easy to understand the phenomenon, and to relate it to the passage of time, but difficult to determine exactly how far the tsunami travels because there are no reference points for measurement. Especially given the limited extent of the map, the distance traveled by the tsunami can only be understood by someone familiar with the size of the South American continent as a reference.
The symbology effectively communicates the fuzzy boundaries of the field, and as the map is constantly changing, it is easy to understand not only the reach of the tsunami and the distance of the highest wave from its origin, but also the way the tsunami affects the sea surface at locations throughout the area. The projection is not noted, but distortion of South America seems minimal, and the smaller extent (compared to the NOAA map) means that a distortion of distance or direction is not as readily detectable.
European Commission’s Joint Research Center and World Bank (2009). “Time travel to major cities” (map). No scale. http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/mg20227041.500/mg20227041.500-1_1000.jpg. Accessed on 4 March 2010.
Key words: geographic, stationary object, map on a computer screen, primary sources, secondary sources, GIS, globe, Robinson projection, area reference symbols.
[I guess I’m now the third to choose this map…oh well!]
This map shows “remoteness,” or the time it takes to travel (by land or water) from any given point to the nearest city of 50,000 people or greater. It illustrates remoteness with an array of colors ranging very light yellow to very dark red. The class intervals gradually increase with greater times (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 26 hours, 2, 3, 4, 5 days), though not quite at a geometric rate. The color classes make it easy to distinguish places reachable within 48 hours from those that take longer than 48 hours. This distinction fits well with the statistical finding often published with the map that 10% of the earth (excluding Antarctica) is more than 48 hours away from the nearest city of 50,000+.
Although the actual meaning of the data isn’t fully represented on the map itself (e.g. what a “major city” is), the general message is easy to interpret. The brightness of the yellow spots of cities contrasted with the darkness of the remote areas imitates nighttime satellite images, or the actual light coming from population centers. The significance of including ocean shipping routes is unclear—although they add an additional layer of information to the map, they also distract from the more interesting intra-continental travel times.
The map includes no scale of physical distance, as it is of the whole globe. The projection appears to be Robinson’s—a compromise between equal area and conformal. Although this projection doesn’t preserve shape, area, or distance, none of these are vital to the map because it represents distance/time through color rather than size.
Stover, Carl W (1993). New Madrid Earthquakes 1811-1812 (Isoseismal Map). No Scale. Washington DC: USGS. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1811-1812_iso.php
Key Words: Isoseismal Map, geographic, sequence, stationary object, image on a computer screen, graphics software, areas are preserved but shapes are distorted, planimetric, topnyms, area reference symbols, longitutde and latitude, cross-sections, fiat and bona fide boundaries, distinct areas of intensity.
This map shows a sequence of earthquakes that occurred along New Madrid fault line between 1811 and 1812. Intensity sectors which emanate from the earthquake’s epicenter are represented by thick, arcing black lines that compose the figure of the map The ground is composed of fiat state and national boundaries indicated by a dashed and solid line respectively. In its entirety, this map is an Albers projection where area is preserved by shapes are distorted. The scale is appropriate but the intensity distinctions are a bit vague with an “XI” marking the epicenter and a “II-III” in the furthest sector. These ratings are confusing because they do not correspond to the original magnitude (8.1) but the only purpose they seem to serve is to allow more sections. The map’s emphasis on the east suggests that this area suffered the most damage. The “explanation” key in the bottom is difficult to locate and would make more sense if it were in the bottom left. Similarly, the star-symbol for the epicenter is indistinguishable on the map and, given the title and intensity sectors, it is pretty obvious where the center is. Overall this map’s largest weakness is the ambiguity surrounding the degree of intensity it is representing.
Pique LLC. “patios axo” (graphic) . no scale.
http://www.archdaily.com/50218/high-desert-pavilion-pique/patios-axo/ Accessed on March 4th 2010.
Keywords: Thematic map / Distance map, tour, digital, image on a computer screen, a sequence, portable, primary sources, graphics software, toponyms, point reference symbols, 3D visualization of space,
This by no means is a traditional map but it does graphically represent movement through space over time. The layout is conceived to illustrate patterns of use of outdoor spaces over the course of a day. It is composed of two graphics. The first, illustrates a three dimensional rendering of the spaces of a house with the outdoor spaces highlighted by orange and a division made between public and privet areas. The second, is a combination of a graph, an exploded plan and “tour” illustrated as a path. The “map”/ second graphic symbolizes distance through time and the “tour” path. From the “map”/ second graphic it is easy to understand the times of day that the out door spaces are being used, but the spatial relationship of the points that represent interior spaces is confusing. For example: given the plan of the house, how would one travel from the master bed room through the southern patio to the master bathroom (that seems physically impossible). The scale relationship between the 3D rendering and the plan view of the outdoor spaces in second graphic is inconsistent and the liner spatial relationship is misleading. Regardless, I think this graphic is a creative way to illustrate space, time and procedure in an accessible way.
Caroline Grego
Citation: National Geophysical Data Center. “Calculated Travel Time Map from the Indian Ocean, 24 Dec. 2004.” Map. No scale. .
Keywords:
Distance Map, geographic, a long exposure, portable object, an image on a screen, GIS, planimetric, distance, isolines
Discussion:
This map shows the amount of time it took the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 to travel to other land areas around the ocean. While the map gets its point across by showing the area of origin in a red-to-green color scheme, the map needs more explanation. Each isoline illustrates one hour of time, which is a good and a reference number is given every five lines (so on this map, we only see five and ten). However, the map only shows time traveled; some indication of the magnitude of the tsunami wave would be useful for a reference map, because otherwise you have to just assume the strength of the wave decreases at an even pace as it travels farther away from the origin.
No information about scale or projection is given, either; it appears as though the map is in a projection that distorts distance, which would be problematic for a map that illustrates the distance a tsunami wave goes in a certain amount of time. There are no other reference features on the map, either, such as cities, which would be relevant to see what population centers were affected by the tsunami, or population density, which would serve the same purpose.
It did not include my link for some reason, 2nd try: http://www.ottawaregion.com/About_Ottawa/Geography_and_Climate/geography.php
Citation: Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation. “No Title” (map). No scale. . Accessed on March 4, 2010.
Keywords: reference, manipulable, long exposure, portable, on computer screen, unknown sources, graphics software, planimetric, preserves nothing, toponyms, territorial map, fiat boundaries, isolines
This map as a distance map has many issues, the first of all being the projection which limits the cities that could be reached within these distance zones (representing unknown distances), especially in Canada. Ironically this Canadian website, while mentioning its distance from Toronto and Montreal, does not include these on the map, focusing instead of cities in the US (as well as Mexico City). These city names overlap each other, are under the circles which make them hard to read, and either are hard to match up with their city point or, like Seattle, do not even have one. All this and not to mention that the circles representing distance are not labeled or cited and are not even equal in distance from one another. Overall, not such a good job OCRI.
European Commission and the World Bank (2009). The Remotest Place on Earth (map). Ispra, Italy: New Scientist. .
*Pier stole the glory from me while I was typing up my post.
Key Words: distance map, reference map, geographic, snap shot, image on a computer screen, unknown sources, GIS, planimetric, shape preserved, area reference symbols, distance from population centers, fiat boundaries, fuzzy boundaries, bona fide boundaries
Discussion:
The map uses the Robinson projection (distortion towards the poles) to show how long it would take to travel to the nearest city of 50,000 or more people by land or water. The map uses gradient color, with brighter colors representing areas close to cities. Unfortunately, the gradient of colors is not uniform (0 to 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 6 hours, and then 2 to 3 days, etc). The map shows that “less than 10% of the world’s land is more than 48 hours of ground-based travel from the nearest city.” However, the map does not show Antartica at all, which may have some of the most remote areas in the world. The mapmakers did a good job in their model which combines terrain and access to road, rail and river networks by considering how factors of altitude, steepness of terrain and hold-ups like border crossings affect travel. The use of shipping routes is interesting, but the map does not show how some islands are connected to continents, showing that they are within a day of a city, but now how they are connected to the world. I assume if we included travel by air, the whole world would appear incredibly bright, but it would be an interesting comparison, especially because so much travel is done by air.
Citation: Andrew Nelson. European Commission: Global Environment Monitoring. “Travel time to major cities: A global map of Accessibility”. 2008. http://bioval.jrc.ec.europa.eu/products/gam/index.htm Acessed 4 March 2010.
Key Words: data exploration, geographic, networks, long exposure, stationary object, poster, image on a computer screen, primary sources, secondary sources, GIS, globe, area, distance, point reference symbols, contours, shaded relief, fiat boundaries, fuzzy boundaries, bonafide boundaries, dot density, flow vectors
Discussion: This map displays accessibility information using a cost-distance model on an equal area Mollweide projection. The top and bottom of the map have been cropped to minimize appearance of shape distortion. Scale is provided in terms of travel time, in hours and days, to and from major cities. Bright, warm colors emphasize the mind-blowing connectedness of our world while also commenting on the relative scarcity of remote areas.
Distance is an objective property on the map, with accessibility defined as a cost-distance algorithm. The map was created with a friction-surface on a raster grid, with movement cost defined as the amount of time necessary to move across each areal unit. Overall, this map provides an effective tool for spatial analysis, with important implications for the way in which we perceive our global networks of economic and social interconnectivity. The underlying environmental narrative challenges our perception of the existence of truly wild places, and allows us to more fully understand the extensively and potential impact of human systems.
According to the data source information included on GEM’s website, the friction-surface grid used for this map utilizes a range of travel cost variables, including transportation network information (roads, rail, rivers, shipping lanes) and environmental and political factors (topography, land cover type, political boundaries and other significant fiat boundaries). Travel speed information was calculated based on road type as a proxy for vehicle speed, land cover and slope as speed reduction variables for walking off-road, and rail travel and shipping lanes as a function of average freight vehicle speed. Target raster points include cities over 50,000 residents (taken from the CIESIN human settlement database) and augmented by data from the World Bank database for Air Pollution to account for industrial centers with low population.
Citation: US Trees of Texas. “Delivery Costs” (map). No scale. <> accessed on March 4, 2010.
Keywords: Distance map, tour, snap shot, image on a computer screen, unknown sources, made with internet mapping tool (?), planimetric, toponyms, line, point, and area reference symbols, fiat boundaries
Discussion: This map shows Euclidean distance in 100 miles increments from a central point (US Trees of Texas) as a way for the map user to figure out how much it would cost to have trees delivered to them. The projection of the map is probably Mercator, but the scale is large enough that distortion is not really evident. This map has several important flaws. Beyond simply being visually very unappealing, the information conveyed in the map is misleading. The first major flaw is that the map suggests that delivery cost is calculated using Euclidean distance from the store, when really delivery cost is probably based on how far the delivery truck actually has to drive. Therefore, a map showing distance along the road network would give users a more accurate idea of delivery costs to any given location. Also, this map does not take into account distance that would be added by uneven terrain, again leading to potential underestimation of how much it would cost to have trees delivered. The map should also take care to use a projection that best preserves distances, which Mercator does not. The map also seems to suggest that US Trees of Texas can deliver trees about 200 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico, which is absurd.
Citation: Leadville Trail 100. http://www.leadvilletrail100.com/images/Maps/lt100runmap.jpg.
This map outlines the route of the 50-mile out and back ultra-marathon though the Colorado Rockies. Though the base map looks like a simple USGS topo, complete with elevation data, water features and appropriate landmarks; it is the vertical orientation that provides the most striking sense of distance. In fact, the slight variation in color makes me think that the race route was actually mapped using two separate base maps joined near the middle.
The blue line used to outline the race route stands out clearly against the greens and whites of the mountain terrain, yet the map also provides a distinct awareness about just how much territory the race actually covers. The information provided also allows the reader to evaluate the difficulty of the course. According the the map, the lowest elevation is 9,200 feet while the high point reaches elevations of 12,600 feet in the area around Hope Pass. Aid stations are indicated by name, mile and elevation and apparently there are only 9 along the entire route. These details allow the runner to measure distance not just in miles, but also in endurance output. To know what’s coming and to calibrate physical exertion as a function of spatial distance.
Citation: North Central Texas Council of Governments. “Average Travel Times from DFW Airport – 2025” (map). No scale. http://www.nctcog.org/trans/data/traveltimes/. Accessed on March 3, 2010.
Keywords: Distance map, reference map, Tour, snap shot, digital, printable, portable, figure on a page, primary sources, GIS, planimetric, distance
Discussion:
This map shows average travel times from the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport using a different color for every 15 minutes, which serves as the map scale. The colors used make the different times distinguishable, but perhaps a sequential color scheme would make sense for the data (although it may make it harder to show differences in time). Time is also a logical way of expressing distance, and the 15-minute intervals work since one is usually not concerned with precise times to get to the airport.
The lines appear to be following the road network, so there are some areas that would take, say, 45 minutes, even though the roads are within the 30-minute zone.
I cannot figure out the projection and their technical information accompanying the map does not tell projection, only their methods The map only shows the area surrounding the airport, so any distortion would be minimal assuming they used a projection that is appropriate for their area.
This map would be difficult for people who are not from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to read because there are no reference points except for the airport and the bodies of water. In order to fully use this map one would need to know the general road network and know the general location of where they are staying. The map would be used best in conjunction with an atlas that gives road names and other reference points.
Also important to note is there is no date given for when this map was created, and it’s based on assumed improvements in the road network by 2025.