Today, maps can be created and used by any individual stocked with just modest computing skills from virtually any location on earth and for almost any purpose. In this new mapmaking paradigm, users are often present at the location of interest and produce maps that address needs that arise instantaneously. Rapid advances in technologies have enabled this revolution in mapmaking by the millions. One such prominent advance includes the possibility to derive maps very quickly immediately after the data has been acquired by accessing and disseminating maps through the Internet. Real-time data handling and visualization are other significant developments, as well as location-based services, mobile cartography, and augmented reality.
Given the importance of Geographical Information Systems and geostatistics across a variety of applications in Earth and Environmental Science, this book is an essential resource for researchers in a variety of fields, including hazards, land surveying, remote sensing, cartography, geophysics, geology, natural resources, environment, and geography.
