Online mapping tools

• Mapquest: http://www.mapquest.com
• Google maps: http://maps.google.com
• EPA's Enviromapper: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/em
• MassGIS map viewer
  • Main site: http://mass.gov/mgis/
  • Data layers and download info: http://mass.gov/mgis/database.htm
  • Map viewer: http://mass.gov/mgis/mapping.htm
• MIT OrthoServer:
  • Main site: http://ortho.mit.edu
  • 'Seamless' viewer: http://ortho.mit.edu/nsdi/seamless6.cgi
• Traffic info sites:
  • 'Traffic' tab on Microsoft's Virtual Earth: http://local.live.com/
  • Washington DC traffic (Maptuit/SmartRoute/Westwood-One site via NBC4): http://www.nbc4.com/trafficmaps/index.html
• Geospatial OneStop (Portal for Federal GIS data)
  • http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos
• NCAR weather data
  • Weather modeling example at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR):
  • MM5 (mesoscale model, fifth-generation): http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/index.php?model=gfs
• The (US) National Map
  • http://nationalmap.gov/(cover page)
  • http://nmviewogc.cr.usgs.gov/viewer.htm (direct link to mapping interface)
  • USGS-led effort at coherent, cross-agency national map layers
• Google Earth: http://earth.google.com

Introduction to GIS

• ESRI's ArcGIS software
• Lab exercises #1 from 11.520/11.188: http://mit.edu/11.520/www
• Key ideas
  • Vector ('connect the dots' boundary) model of objects in space
    • Links between objects on map and attributes in table
  • Raster (digital photo as grid cells) model of space and its contents
    • orthophotos and coordinate systems
  • Web services - MITOrtho button in ArcMap
• Map mashups
  • Mass election contributions - Google maps mashup in Boston Globe
    • http://boston.faneuilmedia2.com/gov/detail_map.html?from=top&zip=02116&z=13
  • Other Google maps mashups: http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/#top
  • Tagmaps (Yahoo maps + Flikr photos): http://tagmaps.research.yahoo.com
  • Land ownership in Boston Neighborhoods - 'middleware' tools to control map mashup

Exercise