Internet Based Cartographic Visualization for a Northern Region of Canada Eva Siekierska, Ken Francis, Jean-Louis Moisan, Dieudonne Mouafo, Sandra Stevenson Mapping Services Branch Geomatics Canada Earth Sciences Sector 615 Booth Street R-701 Ottawa, ON, Canada Canada K1A 0E9 Tel: 613.992.4470 Fax: 613.995.2000 Email:
[email protected]
Abstract In April 1999 a new Territory, Nunavut, was created in Canada’s northern regions. To acknowledge this event Mapping Services Branch produced a special commemorative topographic map of the capital city of Nunavut, Iqaluit and its environment. Further the Mapping Branch began a project to develop new methods of cartographic visualization and geographic information handling suitable for Internet-based communication of geospatial information in northern communities. This paper will describe the basic assumptions for creating this project, the research objectives and the approach taken to obtain results suitable for visualization of information of the city of Iqaluit and its surroundings. The three components of the project, namely cartographic design, animation of three dimensional data and potential applications will be elaborated upon. Finally, the paper will present the results of the research obtained so far and will describe the projectís connections with sustainable development objectives of the Canadian government. 1.0 Introduction to Nunavut In April 1999, after over 25 years of negotiations, a new territory called Nunavut was created in Canada. In the Inuit language of Inuktituk, Nunavut means “Our Land”. It is Canadaís most northern territory, covering 1,994,000 square kilometres, or one-fifth of Canada’s landmass. Until 1966 this region was part of the Northwest Territories and did not send representatives to federal government. In 1996 new electoral districts were created, which give an impetus to establish this region as independent self-governed jurisdiction, thus giving its remote Inuit communities ownership and control over land and resources. This historic Nunavut agreement includes land claim settlements on 350,000 square kilometres of land, including rights to sub-surface minerals. 1.1 Social and Human Characteristics The population of Nunavut is very small, with only 27,500 people living in the territory in 1999. It has also the youngest population in Canada, with 60% of the population under 25. People live in 28 small primarily coastal communities located vast distances apart.
The largest community and capital city of the territory is Iqaluit, which means “place of fish” in Inuktituk. The city had 4,556 inhabitants on April 1, 1999, or 17% of Nunavut’s total population. Iqaluit (64°N) is located on Frobisher Bayís Koojesse Inlet on the southern end of Baffin Island. About two-thirds of the residents of Iqaluit are Inuit. The proportion of Inuit population in other cities is much higher, about 90% (Lanken and Vincent, 1999). Because of their traditional dependence on hunting and fishing, arctic communities developed near lakes, rivers, estuaries, and along ice-free coasts. Today, subsistence hunting and fishing remain an important component of daily life and cultural identity, although the major sources of income are oil, mining, and commercial fishing activities. In this region, human experience reflects both successful adaptations to changing and often harsh environmental conditions and the effects of modern development on small societies dependent on natural resources. The rate of unemployment in Nunavut is very high at 29%. The largest employer in Nunavut is government. Other important sectors include mining, construction and tourism, as well as the traditional occupations of hunting, trapping, fishing and arts and crafts. 1.2 Physical Characteristics and Environmental Issues Nunavut landscapes range from mountains and fjords on the eastern shore of Baffin and Ellesmere islands, through lakes and tundra (a treeless vegetation) of the Barrens on the mainland, to the plateaus and cliffs of the Arctic coast. Nunavut has the coldest weather in Canada. Winter lasts about nine months, with chilling winds and snow even in June, July and August. Precipitation in Nunavut is minimal: most places receive less than 300 millimetres a year and the north-western part of the Arctic Archipelago is polar desert, receiving less moisture than parts of the Sahara Desert. Ice sheets and permanent snow cover northern regions of Nunavut, where average monthly temperatures remain below 0°C all year, causing soil to form permafrost. Tundra vegetation, which flourishes during the short summer season, covers southern areas where temperatures are between 0°C and 10°C for at least one month. The average high temperature in January is minus 27.2°C and in July is plus 10°C. Grise Fjord (77°N) has 24-hour-a-day daylight for four months of the year and round-the-clock darkness for four months of the year. The Nunavut agreement gives Inuit the right to harvest wildlife on land and water and to ensure the conservation of wildlife. While the diversity of wildlife is low, the species are adapted to survive in the territory’s harsh ecosystems and temperature extremes. Foxes, hares and lemmings are relatively abundant throughout Nunavut. The other species include caribou, polar bears, muskox, seals and whales. Caribou and bowhead whales are on the list of endangered species.
1.3 Economic Development Issues Nunavut communities use traditional knowledge while adapting to the global economy and modern technology. Economic development has brought new occupations and with that change in wealth and income distribution and community and family patterns. Nunavut’s economic future is firmly linked to its renewable and non-renewable natural resources: mining and petroleum development, commercial fishing and hunting and eco-tourism. Deposits of copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, uranium, iron and diamonds have been identified, however exploration and development have been limited by the remote and hostile environment and the cost of transportation. Despite acknowledging interest in and appreciation of western technology and the western way of life, most northern communities strongly disagree with the notion that such an acceptance automatically results in the loss of their cultural way of life. Nor are many desirous of completely giving up their traditional subsistence activities for the supposed security of wage employment. The Inuit are rather selective in what they wish to adopt and what they do not. The increasing economic development activities of the region require large amounts of geo-spatial information. New types of maps and cartographic visualization need to be developed, not only for the management of natural resources, but also for the protection of wildlife and environment and for new economic activities such as eco-tourism. Mapping and geographic information systems (GIS) are becoming a basic toolkit of local authorities for effective economic and socio-cultural development of the territory. 2.0 Introduction to the Project To commemorate the creation of Nunavut, Mapping Services Branch published a special topographic map of the Nunavut capital region. During the map compilation process a vast amount of data was generated. When the Cartographic Visualization on the Internet project was initiated in May 1999, the region was selected as a case study. 2.1 General Goals of the Project The general goal of the Cartographic Visualization project is to study cartography within the Internet environment and to develop methodologies for effective cartographic communication of geo-spatial information suitable for the new medium. The Internet is increasingly used for mapping purposes. However, the majority of these maps are produced from within the GIS community and are of poor cartographic quality. The use of the Internet within the context of a national mapping organization should be to produce and disseminate high quality maps, old and new cartographic products and the information and data for which Mapping Services Branch (MSB) is responsible. Therefore, an additional goal of this project is to promote modern use of our products and data without the degradation of cartographic communication standards. At present MSB is using the Internet for marketing, management and access of products and services. Extending the possibilities of the use of the Internet to cartographic visualiza-
tion and the promotion of geo-spatial information would provide multi-faceted, spatiotemporal, geo-referenced information and related knowledge to users in the remote communities. The research result will be communicated via an educational World Wide Web site, which will also serve as a meeting point for the scientific community and cartographic practitioners working in this area. The site will promote good cartographic practice in visual communication at a time when more users are empowered by new technology to make maps on their own. 2.2 Methodology The general approach of the project uses research investigations based on experimentation and testing of various visualization methods. The project is conducted by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a cartographer, geographer, survey engineer and Web design specialist. The main components of the project corresponding to the scientific expertise of the team members are cartographic design issues (cf. section 3), passive and dynamic representation of terrain (cf. section 4), and information integration and potential use (cf. section 5). The primary sources of data used in the project are digital topographic maps in raster and vector format, digital elevation models, aerial photographs, geographical names data and additional data such as satellite images. This information is used or combined to generate new cartographic information such passive and interactive animations of terrain digital elevation models, orthomosaics, 3D animated maps, fly-bys, voice maps, etc. Scientific cooperation is part of the project goals since working in partnership meets present-day realities in most western countries with limited research and development budgets. An effort has therefore made to involve federal departments and local governments, universities and research centres in Nunavut. 3.0 Cartographic Design for the Internet Maps represent highly valuable communication currency. The potential to communicate arises not only in the data that is shown, or the timeliness of the information, but most importantly, in how the information is presented. The design component of cartography is essentially the work of communication. This equation is best understood in terms of how a great quantity of information can be shown with efficiency and clarity. If a four lane highway looks like a stream which looks like a power line which looks like a lake shore which looks like property boundary, the information is lost to all but the authors of the map. Cartographic design opens up this confusion of lines, differentiates sameness, eliminates ambiguity, and imparts understanding to the map. Design takes the previous work of data gathering, geo-referencing and analysis and makes it communicative and meaningful. The Cartographic Visualization on the Internet research and development project understands the importance of design in cartography. Our approach of high-quality cartographic design for the Internet forces the issue of customized maps conceived of, and issued for, a particular need. This conflicts with what is
ordinarily encountered on the Internet: maps which are cropped and chopped to truncate names and decontextualise features, disabling the meaning and message that good cartography should deliver. All cartography must be focused, concentrated and concise. Each map must be intended for each appearance. This approach has given cartography in the Iqaluit Web site a very purposeful appearance. 3.1 Design for Screen and Web These maps were produced specifically for display on a computer screen via the World Wide Web. This means working with the screen as a new medium and accepting its limitations. It is impossible to achieve the crisp, sharply delineated line work in a map that is to be displayed on a computer screen that we can achieve in a map on paper. Instead, we must work with the limitations of the medium by camouflaging stepped line work and jagged looking shorelines with textures and colourations that suggest the feature’s characteristics rather than declaring them. This approach serves to extend the vocabulary of cartographic design. Each map has been sized for non-scroll viewing in the standard 640 pixels x 480 pixels dimension. The 216 colour Web palette has been used, ensuring stable and consistent cross-platform display. This constrained array of 216 colours from which a cartographer may choose is no small challenge for a map designer. It represents a considerable handicap on one of the most expressive elements at our disposal. The work done for the Iqaluit Web site explores colour possibilities within the context of a particular design question. While the surfacing possibilities reflect the tendencies of one situation, the answers emerging from our explorations are, we believe, very promising. 3.2 Voice Maps We have also been interested in integrating sound into our maps. This is not a new research area, but every application demands special consideration to lead to a preferred result. The use of sound lends itself very well to our Iqaluit Web site in the form of spoken expressions of the Figure 1. Location of Nunavut place names in the
first language of the land. The Nunavut Planning Commission has also been working with sound maps. By sharing resources and skills, superior work can be achieved. Research in the use of sound as cartographic information has applications other than spoken place names. Topography can be thought about as an auditory form. By modulating pitch, hills and slopes can be expressed by sound. For example, an increase in elevation (going uphill) would be signalled by an increase in pitch, while a decrease in elevation (going downhill) would be signalled by a decrease in pitch. By varying other qualities such as timbre, land cover can be expressed. Water cover might be given an open sound, similar to a clarinet and this could be contrasted with a tighter, closed sound (similar to an oboe) for a swamp or marsh. A full vocabulary of sounds and tones could be compiled to express a wide variety of landforms. This type of sound application will be explored in the next phase of the project. 4.0 Representation of Terrain Not very long ago, the field of cartography was limited to depicting parts of the surface of the Earth on paper maps at specific scales, using specific projections. This was the passive era for map users, as one had no alternative but to accept the data as offered, with all its inherent advantages and disadvantages. The advent of informatics and specifically electronic communication via the Internet offers much flexibility in the design and distribution of cartographic products. Not only can we offer a digital version of the conventional map, we can also offer users the choice of map content, area, and projection of their preference. At present, it is important to distinguish between what is technically and financially feasible. Further, we are moving into the era of interactive cartography, in which users are able to produce their own maps. Many new cartographic products are available already; these include orthophotos, photomosaics, satellite imagery, digital elevation models, and three-dimensional maps, all of which can be used in a GIS environment. To be more innovative, research is now turning toward cartographic animation. This opens the door to a broad field of application in which one can foresee the production and distribution of passive films that make it possible to fly over a given area to interpret it more effectively, or to make simulated flights near airports, and so on. In this case, the user is only able to observe the scene. But the various cartographic products mentioned above could also be used to generate digital terrain models in virtual reality. In this way, the user could navigate in three dimensions via the Internet. This refers to cartographic virtual reality on the Internet, which is only the first step toward the dynamic representation of terrain. 4.1 Interactive Cartography By interactive cartography, we mean a system whereby users are able to set their own cartographic specifications, such as area of interest, content, symbols used and size (scale factor). The users can construct their own, original representations. Several software packages are available on the market that allow this capability to users.
Within this project, we have chosen to implement one such control criterion as a means of illustrating the principle. In the following example, which depicts part of the town of Iqaluit, we extracted a few layers of information from the national 1:50 000 topographic map sheet: drainage, contour lines, roads and buildings. For each selection offered to the user, we used the following procedure to generate an image containing the information selected:
Figure 2. JavaScript interface for selection of map layers rasterization of vector data, georeferencing of data using aerial photographs, assembly of composite images, and conversion to JPEG format. Using JavaScript programming, we defined certain internal functions for displaying data: an option that allows the user to attach a layer of data to the background image (by clicking on the icons on the left), an option that superimposes a second layer of data on the background image (moving the cursor on the right-hand icon), and a function for displaying a high-resolution image (by clicking on the right-hand icon). Clicking on the central image displays all the data at high resolution. The following figure shows the result obtained by attaching the roads and then superimposing the buildings on the background image.
4.2 Cartographic Animation Cartographic animation refers to any simulated movement generated from cartographic data. In this case, it is the observer (camera) that moves. The animation itself may be passive, in which case the only control the user has is the ability to start or stop the animation, much like a video movie. The animation can also be dynamic, allowing the user to control the movement by functions such as zoom-in, zoom-out, panning, rotation, etc. For passive animation, we have used a specialized software package called Terrain Visualization Publisher, produced by IQ Media. This software uses high-resolution imagery combined with a digital elevation model (DEM) to enable the production of three-dimensional images of the land. By adjusting the cameraís position and the direction and speed of movement, we can define a path similar to a flight line over the ground and record the movie in AVI format at the desired resolution for a duration of our choice. Unfortunately, this generates enormous files that are not conducive to publication on the Internet. We therefore use a streaming technique, which enables the user to start a passive animation as soon as the first image is received. The animation then continues at a rate determined according to the data transfer capacity of the userís workstation. The procedure described below lists the various steps required in processing the data to obtain such a product. By composoite image
By Orthomosaic
Scanning of photos (map and photos)
Scanning of photos
Editing of contour lines Aerial triangulation
Aerial triangulation
Digital elevation model
Digital elevation model
from orthoimage from contour lines
from orthoimage
Enhancement of DEM
Enhancement of DEM
Production of orthomosaic
Top view rendering Assembly of composite images Assembly of 3D file
Assembly of 3D file
Fly path definition
Fly path definition
Recording of film
Recording of film
Conversion to streaming format
Conversion to streaming format
4.3 Cartographic Virtual Reality Publishing dynamic animation on the Internet requires a different technology, called Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) (Hartman and Wernecke 1996). As its name implies, VRML is a language used to describe objects, scenes and a world in three dimensions. This new world can then be published on the Internet where it is
accessible to users via a plug-in. A number of free plug-ins are currently available that enable the user to navigate in the VRML world. Not only can users go where they wish, they can also examine 3D objects by moving around or rotating them or by accessing other worlds via objects that contain hyperlinks. VRML technology requires interactive involvement by the user in real time. A VRML world constructed using cartographic data represents a cartographic virtual reality (U.S. EPA 2000 [on-line], SC and NRCan 1996 [on-line]). Mapping Services Branch is investigating the cartographic virtual reality based on Iqaluit region data. 5.0 Distributed processing and potential use of information The convergence of geospatial-related disciplines with the Internet and electronic mapping is paving the way for new cartographic practices and visual representations. Technological break-through is providing end-users with multiple interactive representations of geo-information and decision-makers with new analytical tools via the Internet. As a result, new mapping concepts and web-based geospatial applications are making their appearance. 5.1 Distributed Geographic Information Distributed geographic information (DGI) is a concept referring to the use of Internet and GIS technologies to access geospatial information in a variety of forms, including maps, images, data sets, analysis operations and reports. This new concept paves
Figure 3. A Basic Distributed Geographic Information Model (from Plewe 1997)
the way to a vast number of new mapping applications, ranging from locating services to optimum routing and direction finding to electronic atlases, from database query to interactive yellow pages, geodemographic and environmental condition maps, and from virtual tourism to e-commerce (Plewe 1997, Harder 1998). A basic DGI is a client / server based application, also known as a multi-tiered server. This model is usually made up of three components:1 a server component to store data and applications; 2 clients which use the data and applications through their desktop Web browser; and 3 network communications to control the flow of information between servers and clients. As an interactive mapping application, a DGI system may be used for capacity building in remote communities like those in Nunavut for data collection and grassroots information gathering. In addition, maps may also be updated even from remote databases over the Internet. A demonstration DGI is being designed for Iqaluit using the Autodesk MapGuide package. Pre-packaged basic cartographic tools or GIS functionality included with the DGI program enable the end user to customize his or her own maps or to perform basic analysis tasks using embedded relational databases (ESRI 1998, Autodesk 1999) 5.2 Change Detection and Urban Feature Extraction Urban planning and development is an important field for mapping applications. The city of Iqaluit is growing rapidly, boosted by its new function as capital city for the new territory. Iqaluitís population has doubled in the last 20 years, and is expected to continue to boom. Therefore, there is a need to identify and quantify the change patterns and to predict the effects on the city and its environment. As well, change detection and time series analysis (TSA) are important applications of GIS, image processing techniques and aerial photographs. In Mapping Services Branch, a collection of air photos of Iqaluit from the years 1948 to 1998 will be used to perform a TSA, using Idrisi32 software. This analysis will help evaluate dramatic changes that have occurred within the Iqaluit urban area in recent years, and may be used to predict the future growth trends of the city growth for use in urban planning (Eastman 1997). An attempt was made to perform an automatic urban feature extraction from a Radarsat-1 SAR image of Iqaluit, using mathematical morphology method and filtering techniques. The result was interesting for urban delimitation but not accurate enough for building extraction, because of insufficient image resolution and also the double-bounce effect (weak radar echo or low backscatter intensity). This may introduce significant errors in location. Better results may be obtained with higher resolution images. Nevertheless, radar illumination of topography provides excellent perception of terrain relief and is useful for integration with other data sets for visualization, especially in three-dimensional visualization.
5.4 Contacts and Partnerships Project results and findings are being shared with both the user community for feedback and input into potential applications and with the scientific community for research and development purposes. This has led to contacts with potential internal and external partners and/or collaborators. Contacts within Geomatics Canada are focused on communication and exchange with other MSB sections and collaboration with other divisions like the National Electronic Atlas of Canada (GeoAccess). Other contacts are currently under way with Canadian universities (Universite du Quebec a Hull, University of Calgary) and government backed initiatives like the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI, also known as GeoConnections) and GEOIDE, a network of research centres aimed to boost geospatial data innovative technology and applications in Canada. Decision-makers and other potential users and audiences in Iqaluit have also shown interest in the project, including the Government of Nunavut, the City of Iqaluit and the Nunavut Research Institute. Joint research proposals have been issued from Nunavut. These include a proposal from The Iqaluit Research Centre for a mapping project based on a 7000-km winter trek across the Canadian Arctic, with support from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth (CLEY) in Nunavut. This project will link 19 communities with recorded information about trails, landmarks or travel corridors between communities. MSB may contribute the GIS and cartographic components of the project. 6.0 Natural Resources Canada’s Sustainable Development activities in the North Natural Resources Canada was the first department of the Government of Canada to be mandated to address sustainable development issues. The Department’s sustainable development strategy contains specific goals relevant to northern communities and to the Departmentís role as a geoscience information provider. NRCan provides geoscience information for resource development and environmental protection in support of sustainable development in Canada’s Arctic. The Department works to build the capacity of northern communities to generate sustainable economic activity based on natural resources. One area in which the Department works to build capacity is in the ability of northern communities ìto use geospatial data and information technology to more effectively plan and manage natural resource development, land-use, and environmental and health protection (NRCan 1998). 6.1. Participation of the Cartographic Visualization Project in NRCan’s Sustainable Development Activities The Cartographic Visualization project contributes to the above sustainable development objectives of NRCan through the development of new cartographic techniques for the Internet and through its case study of Iqaluit, Nunavut. As well, the Cartographic Visualization project team will collaborate in a project implementing the Department’s
Sustainable Development Strategy called the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI). This programís goal is ìto build the capacity of Canadian communities who wish to use the Information Highway to improve their ability to plan and make decisions. The concentration of the program is on natural resources, the environment and other relevant information presented geographically. (NRCan 2000) The Cartographic Visualization project team is to contribute to the Sustainable Communities Initiativeís training component, which focuses on community based applications of geographic information systems and cartography. The team will develop training materials based on expertise gained during the course of the Cartographic Visualization project in the use of the Internet and World Wide Web for geospatial information provision and communication. These training activities, in building the capacity of communities to use geospatial data and information, will contribute to the achievement of NRCan’s sustainable development objectives. Further, as the inhabitants of these northern communities are mostly Aboriginal, the projectís capacity-building aspects also serve sustainable development objectives through strengthening the role of indigenous peoples in environmental, social and economic decision-making (UNCED 1992). 7.0 Summary and Conclusions Design is essential to the communicativeness and meaningfulness of a map. The need for high quality cartographic display in a Web environment leads to the production of customized maps. Achieving this goal requires working with specific palettes, screen resolutions and dimensions. Sound presents other information display possibilities. Sounds can express the topography of the land, while voice-overs pronounce the place names. This provides alternative ways of understanding geographic information, expands possible audiences, and heightens understanding. The investigation into interactive cartography for terrain representation has explored a range of Web-based tools and techniques. Implementation of methods such as streaming video requires a further hardware performance analysis. The examination of cartographic virtual reality using the Iqaluit data is also just commencing. Progress in technology allows cartographers to create advanced geospatial information representation. As a result, geospatial data handling process and visualization has dramatically improved by moving from static into dynamic and interactive electronic mapping. Consequently, more tools to support the establishment of a territorial management information infrastructure are being made available. With the end user capable of interactively controlling the map contents, decisive steps forward have been achieved in exploratory cartography and map use. The knowledge gained in each of the above areas is to be shared through a Web site currently under construction. Through the Web site and in providing training based on the project, steps will be taken to attain sustainable development by building the capacity of Canadaís northern and aboriginal communities to use geospatial information.
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