Geoinformatics

Geoinformaticsis a scientific field primarily within the domains ofComputer Scienceandtechnical geography.^[1]^[2]It focuses on theprogrammingof applications,spatial data structures,and the analysis of objects andspace-time phenomenarelated to the surface and underneath of Earth and other celestial bodies. The field developssoftwareandweb servicesto model and analysespatial data,serving the needs ofgeosciencesand related scientific and engineering disciplines. The term is often used interchangeably withGeomatics,although the two have distinct focuses; Geomatics emphasizes acquiring spatial knowledge and leveraging information systems, not their development.^[2]At least one publication has claimed the discipline is pure computer science outside the realm of geography.^[2]

Overview

In a general sense, geoinformatics can be understood as "a variety of efforts to promote collaboration between computer scientists and geoscientists to solve complex scientific questions".^[3]More technically, geoinformatics has been described as "the science and technology dealing with the structure and character of spatial information, its capture, its classification and qualification, its storage, processing, portrayal and dissemination, including the infrastructure necessary to secure optimal use of this information"^[4]or "the art, science or technology dealing with the acquisition, storage, processing production, presentation and dissemination of geoinformation".^[5]Along with the thriving ofdata scienceandartificial intelligencesince the 2010s, the field of geoinformatics has also incorporated the latest methodology and technical progress from thecyberinfrastructureecosystem.^[6]^[7]

Geoinformatics has at its core the technologies supporting the processes of acquisition, analysis and visualization of spatial data. Both geomatics and geoinformatics include and rely heavily upon the theory and practical implications ofgeodesyandcartography.Geography and earth science increasingly rely on digital spatial data acquired fromremotely sensedimages analyzed bygeographical information systems(GIS),^[8]photo interpretationof aerial photographs, andWeb mining.^[9]Geoinformatics combines geospatial analysis and modeling, development of geospatial databases, information systems design, human-computer interaction and both wired and wireless networking technologies. Geoinformatics usesgeocomputationandgeovisualizationfor analyzinggeoinformation.

Areas related to geoinformatics include:

Research

Research in this field is used to support global and local environmental, energy and security programs. The Geographic Information Science and Technology group ofOak Ridge National Laboratoryis supported by various government departments and agencies including theUnited States Department of Energy.It is currently the only group in theUnited States Department of Energy National Laboratory Systemto focus on advanced theory and application research in this field. A lot of interdisciplinary research exists that involves geoinformatics fields including computer science, information technology, software engineering, biogeography, geography, conservation, architecture, spatial analysis and reinforcement learning.

Applications

Many fields benefit from geoinformatics, including urban planning and land use management, in-car navigation systems, virtual globes, land surveying, public health, local and national gazetteer management, environmental modeling and analysis, military, transport network planning and management, agriculture, meteorology andclimate change,oceanography and coupled ocean and atmosphere modelling, business location planning, architecture and archeological reconstruction, telecommunications, criminology and crime simulation, aviation, biodiversity conservation and maritime transport. The importance of the spatial dimension in assessing, monitoring and modelling various issues and problems related to sustainable management of natural resources is recognized all over the world.

Geoinformatics becomes very important technology to decision-makers across a wide range of disciplines, industries, commercial sector, environmental agencies, local and national government, research, and academia, national survey and mapping organisations, International organisations, United Nations, emergency services, public health and epidemiology, crime mapping, transportation and infrastructure, information technology industries, GIS consulting firms, environmental management agencies), tourist industry, utility companies,market analysisand e-commerce, mineral exploration, Seismology etc. Many government and non government agencies started to use spatial data for managing their day-to-day activities.

References

^Bello, Innocent E. (October 2023)."Critical Issues in the Methods of Data Collection in Geoinformatics and Environmental Sciences".International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research.9(8):18–28.doi:10.56201/ijssmr.v9.no8.2023.pg18.28.
^^a ^b ^cKrawczyk, Artur (9 November 2022)."Proposal of Redefinition of the Terms Geomatics and Geoinformatics on the Basis of Terminological Postulates".ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information.11(11): Krawczyk.Bibcode:2022IJGI...11..557K.doi:10.3390/ijgi11110557.
^G.R. Keller, C. Baru, eds. (2011) Geoinformatics: Cyberinfrastructure for the Solid Earth Sciences, Cambridge University Press, 1st edition, 593pp.
^P.L.N. Raju, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
^Ehlers, M. (2008)."Geoinformatics and digital earth initiatives: A German perspective".International Journal of Digital Earth.1(1):17–30.Bibcode:2008IJDE....1...17E.doi:10.1080/17538940701781975.
^Ma, Xiaogang; Mookerjee, Matty; Hsu, Leslie; Hills, Denise, eds. (2023).Recent Advancement in Geoinformatics and Data Science.doi:10.1130/SPE558.ISBN 978-0-8137-2558-1.
^Z. Sun, N. Cristea, P. Rivas, eds. (2023) Artificial Intelligence in Earth Science, Elsevier,ISBN 9780323917377
^Bouloucos and Brown, ITC Courses in Remote Sensing, GIS and Photogrammetry
^Annamoradnejad, R.; Annamoradnejad, I.; Safarrad, T.; Habibi, J. (2019-04-20)."Using Web Mining in the Analysis of Housing Prices: A Case study of Tehran".2019 5th International Conference on Web Research (ICWR).pp.55–60.doi:10.1109/ICWR.2019.8765250.ISBN 978-1-7281-1431-6.S2CID 198146435.

External links

Geoinformatics Jobs Portal

[Bello2023-1] Bello, Innocent E. (October 2023)."Critical Issues in the Methods of Data Collection in Geoinformatics and Environmental Sciences".International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research.9(8):18–28.doi:10.56201/ijssmr.v9.no8.2023.pg18.28.

[Krawczyk2022-2] Krawczyk, Artur (9 November 2022)."Proposal of Redefinition of the Terms Geomatics and Geoinformatics on the Basis of Terminological Postulates".ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information.11(11): Krawczyk.Bibcode:2022IJGI...11..557K.doi:10.3390/ijgi11110557.

[3] G.R. Keller, C. Baru, eds. (2011) Geoinformatics: Cyberinfrastructure for the Solid Earth Sciences, Cambridge University Press, 1st edition, 593pp.

[4] P.L.N. Raju, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems

[5] Ehlers, M. (2008)."Geoinformatics and digital earth initiatives: A German perspective".International Journal of Digital Earth.1(1):17–30.Bibcode:2008IJDE....1...17E.doi:10.1080/17538940701781975.

[6] Ma, Xiaogang; Mookerjee, Matty; Hsu, Leslie; Hills, Denise, eds. (2023).Recent Advancement in Geoinformatics and Data Science.doi:10.1130/SPE558.ISBN 978-0-8137-2558-1.

[7] Z. Sun, N. Cristea, P. Rivas, eds. (2023) Artificial Intelligence in Earth Science, Elsevier,ISBN 9780323917377

[8] Bouloucos and Brown, ITC Courses in Remote Sensing, GIS and Photogrammetry

[9] Annamoradnejad, R.; Annamoradnejad, I.; Safarrad, T.; Habibi, J. (2019-04-20)."Using Web Mining in the Analysis of Housing Prices: A Case study of Tehran".2019 5th International Conference on Web Research (ICWR).pp.55–60.doi:10.1109/ICWR.2019.8765250.ISBN 978-1-7281-1431-6.S2CID 198146435.

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