Planimetrics
[edit] In Concept
Planimetrics has two roots: “planar [1] ” and “metrics,” which is a form of the suffix “-metry [2] .” Essentially, the word refers to two-dimensional space, and the art of measuring, respectively.
[edit] In Geography
The field of geography requires an innate understanding of planimetrics because there are often cases in which some geographic element has a limitation regarding how well it can be represented in a two-dimensional space.
Planimetrics is fundamental to the creation of maps, the representation of real-life features as seen on a three-dimensional Earth, and accurately portraying them on a two-dimensional surface. Maps are the primary way in which people view geographic information. Planimetric elements are represented on two-dimensional maps as they are seen from the air, or in aerial photography, and often include features such as: roads, building footprints, sidewalks, trails, rivers, lakes, etc[3]. These features are often digitized from orthorectified aerial photography into data layers that can be used in analysis and cartographic outputs[4].
[edit] References
- ^ "planar, a." The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 10 June. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50180681>.
- ^ "-metry, comb. form" The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 10 June. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00308045>.
- ^ http://coastal.lic.wisc.edu/plan-rpt/plan-rpt.htm#Plan_Chapter_1
- ^ Montgomery, Glenn E. and Schuch, Harold C. GIS Data Conversion Handbook. John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2007. Digital. Section viewed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=tOX0J3QnhqgC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=planimetry+geography&source=bl&ots=NS3n_8IpkQ&sig=_YQpHn0kKNbscNvI1ncKI5LFFQM&hl=en&ei=my8tSozNHNGptgfR2_W8CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6#PPA97,M
