Open map List

Smooth

In cartography, smoothing is a generalization operator used to reduce the complexity of a line or polygon boundary while maintaining its overall shape and essential characteristics. The goal of smoothing is to eliminate unnecessary detail, reduce visual noise, and improve the readability of map features.

Basic

Introduction

Purpose of Smoothing in Cartography:

  1. Enhance Readability – Simplifies intricate details to create cleaner, more legible map features.
  2. Improve Aesthetic Quality – Makes curved or jagged features appear more natural and visually pleasing.
  3. Scale Adaptation – Helps adjust map features appropriately for different levels of detail and zoom levels.

Explanation

Common Smoothing Techniques:

 

  • Bezier Curves – Uses control points to create smooth curves between existing points.
  • Chaikin’s Algorithm – Replaces sharp corners with rounded curves by iteratively refining line segments.
  • Spline Interpolation – Uses mathematical functions to create smooth, continuous curves.

Smoothing is often used alongside simplification, another generalization operator that reduces the number of points in a feature without necessarily maintaining smoothness.

Outgoing relations