Sunday, April 24, 2011

Pictograph - New York

http://www.eriecanal.org/maps.html
The following map is called a pictograph.  This map combines some of the features of a planimetric map in the way that it can show boundaries but it also depicts what is in those bounded areas with more images.  Normally, these images include certain characteristics that are well known for an area.  For example, this map of New York State shows well known buildings and waterways.

Isotherms - U.S.

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/isotherms.htm
This picture is again an example from the "iso" family that we have come to know and love in cartography.  This map shows isotherms, which are lines of constant temperature. In this picture we can see that that there are pockets of warmer areas across the nation there are dips in temperature like over the Rocky Mountains.

Similarity Matrix - 512 photographs

http://www.fxpal.com/?p=eventDetector
A similarity matrix is very similar to a correlation matrix.  A similarity matrix determines the how close the two data points are.  In the picture above the pixels of 512 photographs was analyzed.  Photographer did this by grouping pictures from similar events into distinct categories and then running a similarity matrix to see how the pixels of the different pictures corresponded.  The blue pixels show a correlation of 0 while the red pixels show a correlation of 1.

Steam and Leaf Plot

http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/data/session3/part_d/histogram.html
The steam and leaf plot shown above puts the data in order starting at 520 and ending at 615.  This notation saves space and also works to organize the data somewhat.

Planimetric - Corrective map of the world

http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/Youth/map_compare.htm
This map is a planimetric map that has has heads SPINNING.  This is because this gets into the idea of power of maps and critical geography.  Who says that we have to have Europe at the center of a map like it was in Medieval times?  Who also says that we need to have the map oriented towards the North pole?  It has been shown through history that nations wielded power by positioning themselves at the center of a map.  This map finally gives Australia the upper hand!

Parallel Coordinate Map - 9 Selected Genes

http://vis.lbl.gov/Events/SC07/Drosophila/
Parallel coordinate maps are used to show high-dimensional geometry and to analyze data that is multivariate.  The map above shows the parallel coordinate map of 9 selected genes for all cells within the body.

Planimetric- Marauders Map

http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/10_gadgets_we_wish_were_real_instead_of_reel.php
Marauders map is an example of a Planimetric Map.  This map shows only horizontal variations, unlike a topographic map that shows vertical variations as well as horizontal.  Map features in this type of map can show streets, highways, sidewalks, buildings, lakes, rivers; the list goes on and on.  In Harry Potter's world it  showed the various sections of Hogwarts, as well as dots that moved with the movement of certain individuals that Harry was attempting to track!