GI scientists try to solve problems with a geographical component. To find answers to these sort of problems, GI scientists have to simplify the real world - mostly because this real world is too complex. For a simplified representation of the world, GI scientists turn to models. A model is a simplified representation of reality.
In this Learning Path we will focus on ways to classify geographic phenomena in order to model these phenomena as data in a GIS.
This learning path starts with a general description of Geographic Phenomena, followed by a division of these phenomena into fields and objects.
Geographic phenomena come in different "flavours". One type of phenomena is "field" - other is "Object".
Fields can be split into "Discrete Fields" - discussed here - and "Continuous Fields" (next topic).
Fields can be split into "Continuous Fields" - discussed here - and "Discrete Fields" (previous topic).
Geographic Phenomena are either fields (discussed earlier in this learning path) or objects.
Spatial phenomena are either fields or objects. There is also a classification of data types and values. This classification is also referred to as "Data measurement scale".
Spatial phenomena are either fields or objects. There is also a classification of data types and values. This classification is also referred to as "Data measurement scale".
In the practice of spatial data handling, one often comes across questions like "What is the resolution of the data?", or "At what scale is your data set?" Now that we have moved firmly into the digital age, these questions defy an easy answer.