- Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics
School of Engineering and Technology
Cyprus University of Technology
Saripolou 2-8, 3036 Achilleos 1 Building, 3rd Floor, Lemesos, Cyprus, P.O Box. 50329, 3603 - 00357 25002184
- Geovisualization, UAV systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Cartography, Thematic Cartography, Geography, and 26 more3D GIS, 3D visualisation, Geographic visualisation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Computational Methods in Cartography, Geovisual Analytics, Scale Issues in Cartography, Archaeological GIS, Island Cartography, Scale selection, Multi-scale Representation, Inset Maps, Cultural Heritage, Game Engines, 3D Reconstruction, Virtual Archaeology, Cash Flow projections, Mapping, Crisis Mapping, Geoinformatics, Applications of Geoinformatics in Earth science, Visualization, Chartography, Scale Issues in visualization, 3D Laser scanning (Architecture), and Digital Archaeologyedit
- Dr. Papakonstantinou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, School of Engine... moreDr. Papakonstantinou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, School of Engineering and Technology at the Cyprus University of Technology.
He holds a Ph.D. in the field of "Cartography & Geoinformatics" with a specialization in Scale issues in Geovisualization from the Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, an MSc in "Cultural Informatics and Communication" from the Department of Cultural Informatics and Communication, University of the Aegean and a degree in Physics from the University of Ioannina.
His main research interests focus on Cartographic Visualization and Geovisualization using Drones for 2D and 3D mapping of spatiotemporal phenomena. Emphasizing the use of UAS in Geovisualization applications. He is researching data acquisition pipelines and visualization methodologies using drones and various airborne sensors for (a) illustrating spatial and/or spatiotemporal patterns, and (b) mapping small-scale spatiotemporal environmental phenomena emphasizing 2D or 3D Geovisualizations and cartographic products. He is investigating the use of RGB, multispectral and hyperspectral cameras, and LiDAR sensors operated from lightweight platforms to visualize various phenomena at different scales.
His work combines computational methods and machine learning algorithms in the automatic detection and mapping of changes in the coastal zone and Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Geovisualization.
Dr. Papakonstantinou was a postdoctoral research fellow funded in 2016 and 2019 by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) for research on a) the "Detection and Mapping Marine Plastic Litter in the Coastal Zone using Unmanned Aerial Systems and Deep Learning Techniques” and b)"The potential use of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) for the Geovisualization and mapping of coastal environments».
He has more than 70 publications in peer-reviewed international journals and international conferences, chapters of books, and Atlases. He was the cartographic editor of the "Atlas of the Greek Islands" and in a large number of maps for research projects.
Furthermore, he has been involved in many research projects as a senior cartography and geoinformatics expert at the Cyprus University of Technology, the Aegean University, and the International Hellenic University.
He serves as a reviewer for the following international journals, ISPRS - International Journal of Geoinformation, MDPI – Remote Sensing, Drones, Geosciences, Sensors,Sci, Sustainability, Springer Applied Geomatics, Reports on Geodesy & Geoinformatics.edit
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Among the emerging applications of remote sensing technologies, the remote detection of plastic litter has observed successful applications in recent years. However, while the number of studies and datasets for spectral characterization... more
Among the emerging applications of remote sensing technologies, the remote detection of plastic litter has observed successful applications in recent years. However, while the number of studies and datasets for spectral characterization of plastic is growing, few studies address plastic litter while being submerged in natural seawater in an outdoor context. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of hyperspectral characterization of submerged plastic litter in less-than-ideal conditions. We present a hyperspectral dataset of eight different polymers in field conditions, taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on different days in a three-week period. The measurements were carried out off the coast of Mytilene, Greece. The team collected the dataset using a Bayspec OCI-F push broom sensor from 25 m and 40 m height above the water. For a contextual background, the dataset also contains optical (RGB) high-resolution orthomosaics.
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Plastic litter has been shown to pose a significant problem in the marine environment and the food chain at all trophic levels. Within the scope of Plastic Project 2018, we investigated the prospective use of imaging technology on... more
Plastic litter has been shown to pose a significant problem in the marine environment and the food chain at all trophic levels. Within the scope of Plastic Project 2018, we investigated the prospective use of imaging technology on airborne and spaceborne platforms in detecting floating plastic litter. Three artificial targets of plastic litter were prepared using PET-1water bottles, LDPE plastic bags and nylon fishing ghost nets. Each target measured 10 m x 10 m fixed by a PVC frame to prevent spillage as well as to make an aggregated target. We evaluated the derived spectral reflectances of these plastic litter targets gathered from the airborne (drone) and spaceborne (Sentinel-2) images. Improved geo-referencing of the high geo-spatial resolution (resampled 10 m) Sentinel-2 images was achieved by utilizing excellent geospatial resolution (<0.03 m) drone images. Further analysis involved determining accurate pixel coverage of each target with future application in quantification...
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Technological progress in Virtual Reality (VR) and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) offers great advantages in the field of cartography and particularly in the geovisualization of spatial data. This paper investigates the correlation... more
Technological progress in Virtual Reality (VR) and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) offers great advantages in the field of cartography and particularly in the geovisualization of spatial data. This paper investigates the correlation between UAS flight characteristics for data acquisition and the quality of the derived maps and 3D models of geological monuments for VR geovisualization in different scales and timeframes. In this study, we develop a methodology for mapping geoheritage monuments based on different cartographic scales. Each cartographic scale results in diverse orthophotomaps and 3D models. All orthophotomaps and 3D models provide an optimal geovisualization, combining UAS and VR technologies and thus contributing to the multitemporal 3D geovisualization of geological heritage on different cartographic scales. The study area selected was a fossilite ferrous site located in Lesvos Geopark, UNESCO. The study area contains a fossil site surrounding various findings. The thre...
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Coastline change and marine litter concentration in shoreline zones are two different emerging problems indicating the vulnerability as well as the quality of a coastal environment. Both problems present spatiotemporal changes due to... more
Coastline change and marine litter concentration in shoreline zones are two different emerging problems indicating the vulnerability as well as the quality of a coastal environment. Both problems present spatiotemporal changes due to weather and anthropogenic factors. Traditionally spatiotemporal changes in coastal environments are monitored using high-resolution satellite images and manned surveys. The last years, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are used as additional tool for monitoring environmental phenomena in sensitive coastal areas. In this study, two different case studies for mapping emerging coastal phenomena i.e. coastline changes and marine litter in Lesvos island, are presented. Both phenomena have increasing interest among scientists monitoring sensitive coastal areas. This paper outlines the integration of UAS for data acquisition and Structure from Motion (SfM) pipeline for the visualization of selected coastal areas in the Aegean Sea. The followed UAS-SfM methodology produces very detailed orthophoto maps. This high resolution spatial information is used for mapping and detecting primarily, marine litter on coastal and underwater zones and secondly, coastline changes and coastal erosion. More specific the produced orthophoto maps analyzed through GIS and with the use of the appropriate cartographic techniques the objective environmental parameters were mapped. Results showed that UAS-SfM pipeline produces geoinformation with high accuracy and spatial resolution that helps scientists to map with confidence environmental changes that take place in shoreline zones.
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Dynamic processes in coastal zones and human activities in the coastal environment produce pressure on cultural heritage, especially in touristic places. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are used as an additional tool for monitoring cultural... more
Dynamic processes in coastal zones and human activities in the coastal environment produce pressure on cultural heritage, especially in touristic places. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are used as an additional tool for monitoring cultural heritage sites in sensitive coastal areas. UASs provide low-cost accurate spatial data and high-resolution imagery products in various spatial and temporal scales. The use of UAS for mapping cultural heritage sites in the coastal zone is of increasing interest among scientists and archaeologists in terms of monitoring, documentation, mapping, and restoration. This study outlines the integration of UAS data acquisition and structure from motion (SfM) pipeline for the visualization of selected cultural heritage areas (ancient harbors) in the coastal zone. The UAS-SfM methodology produces very detailed orthophoto maps for mapping and detecting cultural heritage sites. Additionally, a metadata cataloging system has been developed in order to facilitate...
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Coastline change and human activities in shoreline zones are two factors indicating the vulnerability and the quality of a coastal environment. In this article, coastline evolution and spatiotemporal differences on coastal touristic... more
Coastline change and human activities in shoreline zones are two factors indicating the vulnerability and the quality of a coastal environment. In this article, coastline evolution and spatiotemporal differences on coastal touristic infrastructure are presented as two case studies. Both case studies have increasing interest among scientists monitoring sensitive coastal areas, and for stakeholders evolved in the tourist industry. The study is twofold: monitors the shoreline evolution and examines how the shoreline behavior affects the seasonal anthropogenic touristic infrastructure. Shoreline detection methodology integrates unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or high-resolution satellite images for data acquisition, and geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) for the shoreline recognition and the infrastructure change detection. The methodology used produced robust results in the aspect of mapping and detecting coastline changes, coastal erosion and the human pressure due to speci...
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Περίληψη Η γεωγραφική οπτικοποίηση τα τελευταία χρόνια ενσωματώνει τεχνολογίες διαδικτύου και διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες για την απεικόνιση, τη διάθεση και τη χρήση των τελικών χαρτογραφικών απεικονίσεων. Η διάδραση στην πλοήγηση και την... more
Περίληψη Η γεωγραφική οπτικοποίηση τα τελευταία χρόνια ενσωματώνει τεχνολογίες διαδικτύου και διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες για την απεικόνιση, τη διάθεση και τη χρήση των τελικών χαρτογραφικών απεικονίσεων. Η διάδραση στην πλοήγηση και την εξερεύνηση της πληροφορίας δίδει στην τελική οπτικοποίηση την διαδραστικότητα που απαιτείται για την απεικόνιση νέων δομών και συσχετισμών στην γεωγραφική πληροφορία. Η μελέτη και η απεικόνιση οικονομικών δεδομένων αποτελεί μια διαδικασία η οποία αποσκοπεί στη διερεύνηση της γεωγραφικής διάστασης τους η οποία επιτυγχάνεται με την χωρικοποίηση διαδικασιών, συναλλαγών και στοιχείων οικονομικής φύσεως χρησιμοποιώντας μεθόδους γεωγραφικής ανάλυσης ανακαλύπτοντας νέες γεωγραφικές συσχετίσεις. Τα δεδομένα οικονομικών ροών παρουσιάζουν ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον καθώς περιγράφουν σύνθετες δομές ενώ παράλληλα διατηρούν γεωγραφικές διαστάσεις. Η ποσοτικοποίηση και η ανάλυση τέτοιων δεδομένων γίνεται όλο και πιο επίκαιρη καθώς οι παγκόσμιες σύνθετες οικονομικές διαδικα...
Η γνώση του κλίματος και των μεταβολών του ανά γεωγραφική περιοχή θεωρείται σημανική για μια σειρά από τομείς, όπως η προστασία του περιβάλλοντος, η γεωργία, ο τουρισμός, η πρόληψη φυσικών καταστροφών κ.ά. Στο πλαίσιο του έργου «Γεώκλιμα»... more
Η γνώση του κλίματος και των μεταβολών του ανά γεωγραφική περιοχή θεωρείται σημανική για μια σειρά από τομείς, όπως η προστασία του περιβάλλοντος, η γεωργία, ο τουρισμός, η πρόληψη φυσικών καταστροφών κ.ά. Στο πλαίσιο του έργου «Γεώκλιμα» αναπτύχθηκε ένα ολοκληρωμένο Διαδικτυακό Σύστημα Γεωγραφικών Πληροφοριών, το οποίο έχει τη δυνατότητα διαχείρισης, ανάλυσης, μοντελοποίησης και οπτικοποίησης του συνόλου της πληροφορίας που σχετίζεται έμμεσα ή άμεσα με το κλίμα της Ελλάδας, των παραγόντων που το διαμορφώνουν, τη διαχρονική του εξέλιξη στο παρελθόν και τις εκτιμήσεις για την εξέλιξή του στο άμεσο μέλλον, καθώς και διαφόρων περιβαλλοντικών και κοινωνικοοικονομικών δεικτών, άμεσα σχετιζόμενων με τις κλιματικές μεταβολές. Οι κλιματικές πληροφορίες υπολογίστηκαν αξιοποιώντας μεθόδους χωρικής παρεμβολής, τόσο συμβατικών επίγειων μετρήσεων κλιματικών παραμέτρων, όσο και δορυφορικών παρατηρήσεων, που έχουν το πλεονέκτημα της συνεχούς κατανομής στο χώρο. Το τελικό προϊόν του έργου δίνει τη ...
ABSTRACT Surface fire fuels are the primary source of combustion in most wildland ecosystems. Mediterranean shrubs constitute important understory surface fuels, as they are mainly dry and flammable during the summer fire season. Critical... more
ABSTRACT Surface fire fuels are the primary source of combustion in most wildland ecosystems. Mediterranean shrubs constitute important understory surface fuels, as they are mainly dry and flammable during the summer fire season. Critical forest fuel properties for fire prevention and control are species composition, density, structure, and vertical and horizontal continuity. This paper refers on a three-dimensional visualization system of shrub fuels in different spatial scales that was developed using high-resolution QuickBird satellite imagery and in-situ data of shrublands measured in field surveys at Kratigos National Forest, Lesvos Island, Greece. The main objective was to provide a methodology for the integration of in-situ shrub data (detailed spatial information) and a 3D Graphics Software (Visual 3D Nature) via Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop a useful tool for construction of multi-scale 3D landscape models for fire management. Selection of utilized optical variables and explicit processes were analyzed and presented for the visual optimization of shrub fields in different spatial scales. Emphasis was given not only on the suitability of optical variables regarding visualization, but also on the sources, demands and limitations that were applied in each case. The results showed that the proposed 3D visualization plays a key role in understanding the structure and spatial distribution of surface shrub fuels in different scales for end-users involved into forest fire ecology and management.
ABSTRACT The complex topography of the Greek area poses a significant challenge in creating physically realistic and spatially accurate maps of climate elements. This study aims to assess the potential of a methodology for modeling and... more
ABSTRACT The complex topography of the Greek area poses a significant challenge in creating physically realistic and spatially accurate maps of climate elements. This study aims to assess the potential of a methodology for modeling and mapping the seasonal and annual normals of several climate variables over Greece using several topographical and geographical parameters. Climate data-series for 27 climate elements (air temperature, precipitation, humidity, sunshine duration, cloudiness, air pressure, wind speed, discomfort index and numbers of days with the occurrence of weather phenomena such as frost, storm, fog, snow, etc) were extracted from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service database, for 84 weather stations covering the whole Greek area and extending to 30 consecutive years (1975-2004). A digital elevation model of Greece was used to extract a series of topographical and geographical parameters (latitude, longitude, terrain elevation, slope, orientation and curvature, distance from the seashore, continentality, proximity to mountains etc.) for each climate station involved in the analysis. NDVI data calculated from MODIS Aqua Satellite data are also included in the geographical parameters dataset. First, the relation of the climate elements to the topographical and geographical parameters was investigated based on the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Then a backward stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to add independent variables into regression equation and develop linear estimation models for all the climate parameters. Results are validated against an independent dataset of observations. Finally, correction using residuals was applied to the multiple linear regression models. The topographical and geographical parameters used as independent variables in the multiple regression models were mostly those found to be strongly correlated with the climatic variables. Topography, continentality and latitude contribute most to the air temperature-related climate elements while precipitation-related climate elements are mainly longitudinal and elevation dependent with the distance from the Aegean sea and some terrain characteristics (e.g. slope) contributing as well to these climate elements spatial variability. Mapping of climate normals using the multiple regression interpolation model is quite realistic. The most well known features of the climate regime in Greece are represented in these maps (Figure 1). Validation results revealed a high mapping performance for climate elements such as air temperature, sunshine duration, wind speed, air pressure, discomfort index, number of days with precipitation, snow, Τmin ≥ 20oC and Τmin ≤ 0oC. Less accurate maps were produced for elements with high spatial variability such as precipitation, humidity, cloudiness, number of storm days and days with Τmax &amp;gt; 20oC and Τmax &amp;gt; 30oC. According to the previous results, multiple regression using different topographic and geographic factors has been proved an effective approach for determining the spatial distribution of climatic variables, making possible to map more local climatic features.
ABSTRACT The main aim of this paper is to provide a methodology for the integration of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and 3D Graphic Software (3DGS) in order to form a useful tool for the construction of 3D Landscape models. More... more
ABSTRACT The main aim of this paper is to provide a methodology for the integration of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and 3D Graphic Software (3DGS) in order to form a useful tool for the construction of 3D Landscape models. More specifically the combination of spatial information that can be recovered in great detail for landscape from GIS and its adaptation to 3DGS has the objective of the construction of 3D Landscape models. These models can reproduce in a very precise and detailed manner the topography of the landscape. Using digital geographical data via GIS, three Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) have been created which after necessary adaptations have been transferred into 3DGS. We will study the recovery of geographical data and the construction of 3D landscapes of small, medium and large scales. The processes and methodology of integrating the two technologies will be presented and analyzed reaching conclusions for sizes, formats but also the level of detail of the used files which aims at the optimization of the final result. Emphasis is given to their suitability according to the objective of their visualization but also the sources, demands and limitations that apply in each case. Finally, comments are made on the abilities that researchers obtain from the use of this integrated methodology for the documentation and description of sites of archaeological interest.
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Abstract: Island cartography deals with special cartographic problems confronted in the portrayal of island regions and demands the use of specially developed software tools. One of the most commonly faced problems is the need of inset... more
Abstract: Island cartography deals with special cartographic problems confronted in the portrayal of island regions and demands the use of specially developed software tools. One of the most commonly faced problems is the need of inset map creation for very small ...
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In our days digital technology has pervaded cartography as the cartographic design and production processes ore entirely digital. The increasing power of the information technology permits geo-scientists and more specific geographers and... more
In our days digital technology has pervaded cartography as the cartographic design and production processes ore entirely digital. The increasing power of the information technology permits geo-scientists and more specific geographers and cartographers to create more accurate and detailed geovisualizations at different scales. Mapmaking is on entirely digital process while nearly all map representations ore mode with digital tools. Thus expand the creation of new digital mapping processes. However, many aspects of cartographic design ore still carried out by "manual-digital" workflows. Several attempts have been made to develop algorithmic procedures and software tools in order to help cartographers to tackle specific cartographic problems and to improve the final mopping result. While the design and production of maps, as well as their distribution and visualization are indeed carried out by digital means, many specialized fields of cartography do not yet take full advanta...
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The significance of coastal habitat mapping lies in the need to prevent from anthropogenic interventions and other factors. Until 2015, Landsat-8 (30m) imagery were used as medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. So far, Sentinel-2... more
The significance of coastal habitat mapping lies in the need to prevent from anthropogenic interventions and other factors. Until 2015, Landsat-8 (30m) imagery were used as medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. So far, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery is very useful for more detailed regional scale mapping. However, the use of high resolution orthophoto maps, which are determined from UAV data, is expected to improve the mapping accuracy. This is due to small spatial resolution of the orthophoto maps (30 cm). This paper outlines the integration of UAS for data acquisition and Structure from Motion (SfM) pipeline for the visualization of selected coastal areas in the Aegean Sea. Additionally, the produced orthophoto maps analyzed through an object-based image analysis (OBIA) and nearest-neighbor classification for mapping the coastal habitats. Classification classes included the main general habitat types, i.e. seagrass, soft bottom, and hard bottom The developed methodology applied at the Koumbara beach (Ios Island - Greece). Results showed that UAS’s data revealed the sub-bottom complexity in large shallow areas since they provide such information in the spatial resolution that permits the mapping of seagrass meadows with extreme detail. The produced habitat vectors are ideal as reference data for studies with satellite data of lower spatial resolution.
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The collection of detailed and accurate information about marine habitats and flora species is crucial for mapping, monitoring and management of marine and coastal environments. Remote sensing is widely used to collect information at... more
The collection of detailed and accurate information about marine habitats and flora species is crucial for mapping, monitoring and management of marine and coastal environments. Remote sensing is widely used to collect information at marine environments, while in recent years the potential use of UAS for mapping is examined. The aim of this paper is the creation of a prediction model for the optimal flight windows of UAS, using the programming language R. The methodology examines several limitations of UAS data acquisition over coastal areas, related to environmental conditions, mainly due to weather and sea state. A theoretical protocol that summarizes the parameters that affect the quality of aerial data acquisition, was created. These parameters are related to the weather conditions (wind, temperature, clouds etc.) and oceanographic phenomena (waves, turbidity, sun glint etc.), prevailing in the study area during the UAV flight. The protocol for the collection of accurate and rel...
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Seagrass meadows play a vital role in coastal ecosystems health as constitute an important pillar of the coastal environment. So far, regional scale habitat mapping was implemented with the use of freely available medium scale satellite... more
Seagrass meadows play a vital role in coastal ecosystems health as constitute an important pillar of the coastal environment. So far, regional scale habitat mapping was implemented with the use of freely available medium scale satellite images (Sentinel-2 or Landsat-8). The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have increase the spatial resolution of the observation from meter to sub-decimeter. Using sub-decimeter imagery, seagrass can be mapped in great detail revealing significant habitat species and detect new habitat patterns. In the present study, we suggest a multi-scale image analysis methodology consisting of georeferencing, atmospheric and water column correction and Object- Based Image Analysis (OBIA). OBIA process is performed using nearest neighborhood and fuzzy rules as classifiers in three major classes, a) seagrass, b) shallow areas with soft bottom and c) shallow areas with hard bottom (reefs). UAS very high-resolution data treated as in situ observations and used for traini...
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Abstract. Geography has long sought to explain spatial relationships between social and physical processes, including the spread of infectious diseases, within the context of modelling human-environment interactions. The spread of the... more
Abstract. Geography has long sought to explain spatial relationships between social and physical processes, including the spread of infectious diseases, within the context of modelling human-environment interactions. The spread of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and its devastating effects on human activity and welfare, represent but examples of such complex human-environment interactions. In this paper, we discuss the value of agent-based models for simulating the spread of the COVID-19 virus to support decision-making with regards to non-pharmaceutical interventions, e.g., lock-down. We also develop a prototype agent-based model using a minimal set of rules regarding patterns of human mobility within a hypothetical town, and couple that with an epidemiological model of infectious disease spread. The coupled model is used to: (a) create synthetic trajectories corresponding to daily and weekly activities postulated between a set of predefined points of interest (e.g., home, work), and...
This paper presents a methodological framework, which establishes links among the: i. 3D mapping, ii. 3D model creation and iii. damage classification grades of masonry buildings by European Macroseismic Scale-98 and the application of... more
This paper presents a methodological framework, which establishes links among the: i. 3D mapping, ii. 3D model creation and iii. damage classification grades of masonry buildings by European Macroseismic Scale-98 and the application of geoinformation methods towards 3D mapping and damage assessment after a catastrophic earthquake event. We explore the synergistic exploitation of a Real Time Kinematics system, terrestrial photogrammetry, Unmanned Aircraft Systems and terrestrial laser scanner for collecting accurate and high-resolution geospatial information. The proposed workflow was applied at the catastrophic earthquake of June 12th, 2017 on the traditional settlement of Vrisa on the island of Lesvos, Greece. The Structure from Motion method has been applied on the high-resolution terrestrial and aerial photographs, for producing accurate and very detailed 3D point clouds of the damaged buildings of the Vrisa settlement. Additionally, two Orthophoto maps and two Digital Surface Mo...
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The significance of coastal habitat mapping lies in the need to prevent from anthropogenic interventions and other factors. Until 2015, Landsat-8 (30m) imagery were used as medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. So far, Sentinel-2... more
The significance of coastal habitat mapping lies in the need to prevent from anthropogenic interventions and other factors. Until 2015, Landsat-8 (30m) imagery were used as medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. So far, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery is very useful for more detailed regional scale mapping. However, the use of high resolution orthophoto maps, which are determined from UAV data, is expected to improve the mapping accuracy. This is due to small spatial resolution of the orthophoto maps (30 cm). This paper outlines the integration of UAS for data acquisition and Structure from Motion (SfM) pipeline for the visualization of selected coastal areas in the Aegean Sea. Additionally, the produced orthophoto maps analyzed through an object-based image analysis (OBIA) and nearest-neighbor classification for mapping the coastal habitats. Classification classes included the main general habitat types, i.e. seagrass, soft bottom, and hard bottom The developed methodology appli...
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The Plastic Litter Projects (PLP) are an innovative exploratory application of open-access satellite imagery and drone data for the remote detection of artificial floating marine plastic targets in natural waters. This paper presents the... more
The Plastic Litter Projects (PLP) are an innovative exploratory application of open-access satellite imagery and drone data for the remote detection of artificial floating marine plastic targets in natural waters. This paper presents the second PLP, conducted in the summer of 2019 within a two month period. A main project outcome was the production of an image database containing Sentinel-2 and very high resolution RGB aerial images of artificial marine debris targets. The drone data allow for the precise positioning of the targets in Sentinel-2 images and the derivation of pixel abundance fractions. A reversed linear spectral unmixing methodology was used to calculate the spectral response of the PET target material for each Sentinel-2 10m band. Results suggest that given conditions of low glint, in the case of the PET bottle target, pixels with a relatively small plastic abundance fraction (<40%) can be successfully detected.
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Cartographic design is a process of scale selection, symbolization and placement of geographical information. In Island Cartography scientists are faced with a unique and special cartographic problem, that of land discontinuity, which... more
Cartographic design is a process of scale selection, symbolization and placement of geographical information. In Island Cartography scientists are faced with a unique and special cartographic problem, that of land discontinuity, which arises when scientists want to visualize islands regions with multiple islands of significantly different size. The most efficient cartographic solution, in this situation is the creation of an inset map. Cartographers typically use their judgment to determine the need of an inset. They visually inspect the map and subjectively identify the limits of areas which are “too crowded”, “too small”, ‘too dense” or “too isolated”. Inset maps should be created by cartographers following some specific cartographic rules for position and scale selection. Inset map placement is also influenced by the cartographer’s artistic view. The key factor for insetting in Island Cartography is the “complexity of land discontinuity” comprised of a number of islands that vary...
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The purpose of this paper was to study the influence of cartographic scale and flight design on data acquisition using unmanned aerial systems (UASs) to create augmented reality 3D geovisualization of geosites. The relationship between... more
The purpose of this paper was to study the influence of cartographic scale and flight design on data acquisition using unmanned aerial systems (UASs) to create augmented reality 3D geovisualization of geosites. The relationship between geographical and cartographic scales, the spatial resolution of UAS-acquired images, along with their relationship with the produced 3D models of geosites, were investigated. Additionally, the lighting of the produced 3D models was examined as a key visual variable in the 3D space. Furthermore, the adaptation of the 360° panoramas as environmental lighting parameters was considered. The geosite selected as a case study was the gorge of the river Voulgaris in the western part of the island of Lesvos, which is located in the northeastern part of the Aegean Sea in Greece. The methodology applied consisted of four pillars: (i) scale-variant flight planning, (ii) data acquisition, (iii) data processing, (iv) AR, 3D geovisualization. Based on the geographic...
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The detection of the coastal and Marine Litter (ML) using UAS data in combination with machine learning methods is an important step towards an automated process of detecting and mapping ML concentrations. The Visual Geometry Group-19... more
The detection of the coastal and Marine Litter (ML) using UAS data in combination with machine learning methods is an important step towards an automated process of detecting and mapping ML concentrations. The Visual Geometry Group-19 (VGG19) CNN architecture is used to classify UAS image tiles in two classes; litter and no litter. Testing the geographical transferability of our method to an unseen dataset, we found that the VVG19 CNN obtained an overall accuracy of 83.67 % and an F-score of 81.63%. The produced ML density maps can be used as a decision-making support tool. The integration and visualization of the marine litter and density information facilitate decision-making by all related to the problem stakeholders and decision-makers.
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Marine litter (ML) accumulation in the coastal zone has been recognized as a major problem in our time, as it can dramatically affect the environment, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities. Existing monitoring methods fail to respond... more
Marine litter (ML) accumulation in the coastal zone has been recognized as a major problem in our time, as it can dramatically affect the environment, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities. Existing monitoring methods fail to respond to the spatiotemporal changes and dynamics of ML concentrations. Recent works showed that unmanned aerial systems (UAS), along with computer vision methods, provide a feasible alternative for ML monitoring. In this context, we proposed a citizen science UAS data acquisition and annotation protocol combined with deep learning techniques for the automatic detection and mapping of ML concentrations in the coastal zone. Five convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were trained to classify UAS image tiles into two classes: (a) litter and (b) no litter. Testing the CCNs’ generalization ability to an unseen dataset, we found that the VVG19 CNN returned an overall accuracy of 77.6% and an f-score of 77.42%. ML density maps were created using the automated cla...
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Augmented reality (AR), in conjunction with 3D geovisualization methods, can provide significant support in monitoring geoconservation activities in protected geosites, such as the excavation process in fossil sites. The excavation... more
Augmented reality (AR), in conjunction with 3D geovisualization methods, can provide significant support in monitoring geoconservation activities in protected geosites, such as the excavation process in fossil sites. The excavation process requires a monitoring methodology that will provide a complete and accurate overview of the fossils, their dimensions, and location within the different pyroclastic horizons, and the progress of the excavation works. The main purpose of this paper is the development of a user-friendly augmented map application, specifically designed for tracking the position of petrified tree trunks, providing information for their geometric features, and mapping the spatiotemporal changes occurring in the surrounding space. It also aims to probe whether the rapid acquisition of a 4K video can generate cartographic derivatives of petrified findings during a geosite excavation. A database accumulated 2D and 3D cartographic information, while the geovisualization en...
Geoinformatics plays an essential role during the recovery phase of a post-earthquake situation. The aim of this paper is to present the methodology followed and the results obtained by the utilization of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs)... more
Geoinformatics plays an essential role during the recovery phase of a post-earthquake situation. The aim of this paper is to present the methodology followed and the results obtained by the utilization of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) 4K-video footage processing and the automation of geo-information methods targeted at both monitoring the demolition process and mapping the demolished buildings. The field campaigns took place on the traditional settlement of Vrisa (Lesvos, Greece), which was heavily damaged by a strong earthquake (Mw=6.3) on June 12th, 2017. For this purpose, a flight campaign took place on 3rd February 2019 for collecting aerial 4K video footage using an Unmanned Aircraft. The Structure from Motion (SfM) method was applied on frames which derived from the 4K video footage, for producing accurate and very detailed 3D point clouds, as well as the Digital Surface Model (DSM) of the building stock of the Vrisa traditional settlement, twenty months after the earthquak...
Remote sensing is a promising tool for the detection of floating marine plastics offering extensive area coverage and frequent observations. While floating plastics are reported in high concentrations in many places around the globe, no... more
Remote sensing is a promising tool for the detection of floating marine plastics offering extensive area coverage and frequent observations. While floating plastics are reported in high concentrations in many places around the globe, no referencing dataset exists either for understanding the spectral behavior of floating plastics in a real environment, or for calibrating remote sensing algorithms and validating their results. To tackle this problem, we initiated the Plastic Litter Projects (PLPs), where large artificial plastic targets were constructed and deployed on the sea surface. The first such experiment was realised in the summer of 2018 (PLP2018) with three large targets of 10 × 10 m. Hereafter, we present the second Plastic Litter Project (PLP2019), where smaller 5 × 5 m targets were constructed to better simulate near-real conditions and examine the limitations of the detection with Sentinel-2 images. The smaller targets and the multiple acquisition dates allowed for sever...
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The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over the past years has exploded due to their agility and ability to image an area with high-end products. UAS are a low-cost method for close remote sensing, giving scientists high-resolution data... more
The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over the past years has exploded due to their agility and ability to image an area with high-end products. UAS are a low-cost method for close remote sensing, giving scientists high-resolution data with limited deployment time, accessing even the most inaccessible areas. This study aims to produce marine habitat mapping by comparing the results produced from true-color RGB (tc-RGB) and multispectral high-resolution orthomosaics derived from UAS geodata using object-based image analysis (OBIA). The aerial data was acquired using two different types of sensors—one true-color RGB and one multispectral—both attached to a UAS, capturing images simultaneously. Additionally, divers’ underwater images and echo sounder measurements were collected as in situ data. The produced orthomosaics were processed using three scenarios by applying different classifiers for the marine habitat classification. In the first and second scenario, the k-nearest neighbo...
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Aerial surveys in coastal areas using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) present many limitations. However, the need for detailed and accurate information in a marine environment has made UAVs very popular. The aim of this paper is to... more
Aerial surveys in coastal areas using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) present many limitations. However, the need for detailed and accurate information in a marine environment has made UAVs very popular. The aim of this paper is to present a protocol which summarizes the parameters that affect the reliability of the data acquisition process over the marine environment using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The proposed UAS Data Acquisition Protocol consists of three main categories: (i) Morphology of the study area, (ii) Environmental conditions, (iii) Flight parameters. These categories include the parameters prevailing in the study area during a UAV mission and affect the quality of marine data. Furthermore, a UAS toolbox, which combines forecast weather data values with predefined thresholds and calculates the optimal flight window times in a day, was developed. The UAS toolbox was tested in two case studies with data acquisition over a coastal study area. The first UAS survey was ...
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Abstract A rapidly rising amount of plastic litter on land and at sea is becoming a global wicked environmental problem. Here, we present an innovative exploratory application of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and open-access satellite... more
Abstract A rapidly rising amount of plastic litter on land and at sea is becoming a global wicked environmental problem. Here, we present an innovative exploratory application of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and open-access satellite imagery in remote detection of floating plastics in natural seawater, through a dedicated aquatic environment experiment. We aimed to extract meaningful spectral measurements in near-real scenarios and to compare the geospatial information ranging from moderate to very high resolution. A set of three artificial floating plastic targets were setup for remote detection in the waters close to Tsamakia beach of Mytilene on Lesvos Island, Greece. These floating targets consisted of 100 m2 PET-1 1.5 L water bottles, LDPE plastic bags and nylon fishing ghost nets. Spectral properties of the controlled targets as well as surrounding seawater were investigated for Sentinel-2A satellite data. We demonstrate how UAS very high geospatial resolution images can be useful in improving geo-referencing of satellite images and how UAS can be used to assess the plastic percentage coverage of satellite images. We observed very weak to strong relationships between percentage pixel coverage and the spectral reflectance at p-value
Abstract Seagrass meadows are among the most valuable coastal ecosystems on earth due to their structural and functional roles in the coastal environment. This study demonstrates remote sensing’s capacity to produce seagrass distribution... more
Abstract Seagrass meadows are among the most valuable coastal ecosystems on earth due to their structural and functional roles in the coastal environment. This study demonstrates remote sensing’s capacity to produce seagrass distribution maps on a regional scale. The seagrass coverage maps provided here describe and quantify for the first time the extent and the spatial distribution of seagrass meadows in Greek waters. This information is needed for identifying priority conservation sites and to help coastal ecosystem managers and stakeholders to develop conservation strategies and design a resilient network of protected marine areas. The results were based on an object-based image analysis of 50 Landsat-8 satellite images. The time window of image acquisition was between June 2013 and July 2015. In total, the seagrass coverage in Greek waters was estimated at 2619 km2. The largest coverages of individual seagrass meadows were found around Lemnos Island (124 km2), Corfu Island (46 km2), and East Peloponnese (47 km2). The accuracy assessment of the detected areas was based on 62 Natura 2000 sites, for which habitat maps were available. The mean total accuracy for all 62 sites was estimated at 76.3%.
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Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. The traditional... more
Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. The traditional use of medium spatial resolution satellite imagery e.g. Landsat-8 (30m) is very useful for mapping seagrass meadows on a regional scale. However, the availability of Sentinel-2 data, the recent ESA’s satellite with its payload Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) is expected to improve the mapping accuracy. MSI designed to improve coastline studies due to its enhanced spatial and spectral capabilities e.g. optical bands with 10m spatial resolution. The present work examines the quality of Sentinel-2 images for seagrass mapping, the ability of each band in detection and discrimination of different habitats and estimates the accuracy of seagrass mapping. After pre-processing steps, e.g. radiometric calibration and atmospheric correction, image classified into four classes. Classification classes included sub-bottom composition e.g. seagrass, soft bottom, and hard bottom. Concrete vectors describing the areas covered by seagrass extracted from the high-resolution satellite image and used as in situ measurements. The developed methodology applied in the Gulf of Kalloni, (Lesvos Island - Greece). Results showed that Sentinel-2 images can be robustly used for seagrass mapping due to their spatial resolution, band availability and radiometric accuracy.
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ABSTRACT Γεωγραφική Οπτικοποίηση, Τριδιάστατη Οπτικοποίηση, Εικονική αναπαράσταση. 3D απεικόνιση ηχητικής όχλησης, Κλίµακα οπτικοποίησης. Περίληψη Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται µε την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων... more
ABSTRACT Γεωγραφική Οπτικοποίηση, Τριδιάστατη Οπτικοποίηση, Εικονική αναπαράσταση. 3D απεικόνιση ηχητικής όχλησης, Κλίµακα οπτικοποίησης. Περίληψη Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται µε την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων αποτελεί ένα συνεχώς αυξανόµενο σε χρήση εργαλείο για την λήψη αποφάσεων περιβαλλοντικών επιπτώσεων. Χρησιµοποιείται συχνά ως «µέσο διαλόγου» µεταξύ των φορέων χάραξης πολιτικής και των επιστηµόνων µε την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες κάνοντας δυνατή την περιγραφή και την εξερεύνηση χωρικών δεδοµένων διαφορετικών κλιµάκων. Ταυτόχρονα καθιστά τη µελέτη και την αποκωδικοποίηση της χωρικής πληροφορίας περισσότερο αποδοτικές επεκτείνοντας την εγκυρότητα των περιβαλλοντικών αναπαραστάσεων. Με τον τρόπο αυτό είναι εφικτή από την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και κατ επέκταση από τους πολίτες, η βαθύτερη και πιο αποδοτική µελέτη των επιδράσεων στο τοπίο. Στο παρόν άρθρο αναλύεται η µεθοδολογία κατασκευής, χρήσης και απεικόνισης της απαιτούµενης ψηφιακής χωρικής πληροφορίας για την κατασκευή της τριδιάστατης ψηφιακής απεικόνισης µελλοντικής εγκατάστασης αιολικών πάρκων στο νησί της Λήµνου. Η απεικόνιση αυτή έχει ως στόχο την κατανόηση του µεγέθους της κλίµακας της παρέµβασης καθώς και της οπτικής και ηχητικής όχλησης. Η ακολουθούµενη µεθοδολογία περιλαµβάνει κατασκευή ή κατάλληλη τροποποίηση όλων των απαιτούµενων χωρικών δεδοµένων σύµφωνα µε την οδηγία INSPIRE διασφαλίζοντας την χρήση τους από τα ενοποιηµένα συστήµατα πληροφοριών για τη γη και το περιβάλλον, σύµφωνα µε τα διεθνώς ακολουθούµενα πρότυπα. Τέλος στο παρόν άρθρο γίνεται η καταγραφή και η προτυποποίηση των πρακτικών που ακολουθούνται για τη δηµιουργία φωτορεαλιστικών τριδιάστατων ψηφιακών απεικονίσεων της απαιτούµενης χωρικής πληροφορίας µε στόχο την απεικόνιση της οπτικής και ηχητικής όχλησης αιολικών πάρκων. Visual presentation has been identified as an effective means of communicating landscape related information due to the ease the computer visualisation techniques can use GIS data. Thus the use of three-dimensional representations as a tool of communication for environmental impacts has been increased the last years between policy makers and scientists with the local government and local communities for the description and exploration of spatial data in different scales. 3D geovisualisations are increasing the transparency and the decoding of spatial information by extending the validity of the environmental representations in a more efficient way. This research is concerned with discussing the methodology of 3D visualisation of digital spatial information relating to the potential visual and sound impacts of proposed wind farms development on the island of Lemnos. This paper documents an approach to constructing and modifying all required spatial data, for 3D geovisualisations, according to the INSPIRE directive ensuring their use and integration from GIS systems. Finally the standardization of practices used to create photorealistic three-dimensional digital representations of spatial information related visual and sound impacts of wind farms are recorded and the results are compared with the 2D cartographical approach.
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Το ρωμαϊκό υδραγωγείο Μυτιλήνης, μήκους περίπου 26 χιλιομέτρων, αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα τεχνικά έργα της αρχαιότητας στο νησιωτικό χώρο, το οποίο όμως έχει μελετηθεί ελάχιστα. Η κατασκευή του αποσκοπούσε στην κάλυψη των... more
Το ρωμαϊκό υδραγωγείο Μυτιλήνης, μήκους περίπου 26 χιλιομέτρων, αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα τεχνικά έργα της αρχαιότητας στο νησιωτικό χώρο, το οποίο όμως έχει μελετηθεί ελάχιστα. Η κατασκευή του αποσκοπούσε στην κάλυψη των υδρευτικών αναγκών της πόλεως της Μυτιλήνης κατά τους πρώτους μεταχριστανικούς αιώνες. Η πορεία του ξεκινάει από τις πηγές του όρους Όλυμπος, στο κεντρικό τμήμα του νησιού, και καταλήγει στη Μυτιλήνη (περιοχή αρχαίου Θεάτρου) διασχίζοντας ένα έντονο γεωμορφολογικά ανάγλυφο. Ο στόχος της μελέτης μας είναι η ανακάλυψη, η χαρτογράφηση και η οπτικοποίηση της χωρικής δομής του υδραγωγείου και του γεωμορφολογικού ανάγλυφου μέσα από το οποίο αυτό διέρχεται. Με τη χρήση εργαλείων γεωπληροφορικής, δεδομένων μικρής και μεσαίας χωρικής κλίμακας, υπολογίζεται η πορεία του υδραγωγείου στην αρχαιότητα. Ο υπολογισμός, εκτός από τη χωρική ανάλυση, στηρίζεται σε νέα επιτόπια έρευνα και μελέτη των σωζόμενων τμημάτων του τεχνικού αυτού έργου (υδατογέφυρες, υπόγειοι και λαξευτ...
Coastal areas are remarkable regions with high spatiotemporal variability [...]
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2006 Course lecture and training Course in «3D Visualization and GIS as a tool to empowering the virtual representations on Cultural Heritage“.on the seminar “Digital Documentation of the Defense Systems on the Mediterranean Coasts by the use of GIS and Photogrammetry” in the framework of the project EUROMED HERITAGE II – DEFENCE SYSTEMS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN COASTS” supported by the European commission of the European Union. Kairo , Egypt (24-30 June 2006) In collaboration with:National Center for Documentation of Cultural & Natural Heritage (CultNat) Cairo – Egyptmore
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• UAV derived data products enable detailed 2D and 3Dviz and analysis. • The high resolution and precision orthophoto maps and 3D visualisations cannot be achieved from satellite datasets. • UAV-based data acquisition provides a valuable... more
• UAV derived data products enable detailed 2D and 3Dviz and analysis. • The high resolution and precision orthophoto maps and 3D visualisations cannot be achieved from satellite datasets. • UAV-based data acquisition provides a valuable alternative for mapping and monitoring of coastal zones UAV-based aerial image acquisition provides the required spatial resolution and temporal repetition to map and monitor natural coastal phenomena and changes. • UAV-based remote sensing bridges the gap in scale and resolution between ground observations and imagery acquired from conventional manned aircrafts and satellite sensors. • UAS-SfM pipeline can fulfill the lack of conventional airborne system data acquisition without any loss in the quality and accuracy. • Less than 10cm-scale (x-y-z) accuracy can be achieved for the 3D visualization of beach morphology even for areas with complex topography. Can capture complex shapes allowing for the very detailed representation of coastal features such as hollows, small sand dunes as well as swash zone and beach face.
One of the most important linear features on the earth's surface is coastline, thus the detection and monitoring of coastline is critical. The study of coastal system processes and coastal zone environmental management requires the... more
One of the most important linear features on the earth's surface is coastline, thus the detection and monitoring of coastline is critical. The study of coastal system processes and coastal zone environmental management requires the information about coastlines and their changes. In this study, a methodology that extracts coastline efficiently by processing high-resolution orthophotos derived by UAV is presented. The photogrammetric UAV-based remote sensing approach reveals high-resolution digital surface models of coast. These models were derived from accurate and dense 3D point clouds, which are used for the 3D representation of the coast and can be used for calculating the erosion events of the study area. The methodology examines the capabilities of the integration of UAV data acquisition, GIS, remote sensing, and 3D visualization. Method applied in the Eressos beach, a very touristic sandy beach with large face, on Lesvos Island, Greece. Eressos beach is threatened by erosion which is clearly shown in the results. In addition, several features representing previous sea states were successfully determined in orthophoto map. The difference between the two acquisitions revealed specific areas with erosion and sand movement. Finally, the composition of 3D representation and the orthophoto map exposed vectors representing new beach characteristics e.g. erosion crests, berm zones and sand dunes. Vectors accuracy depends on the beach complexity. In conclusion, UAV's data reveal such information in spatial resolution which permits the study of coast changes with extreme confident. Applications include coast management, port installations and coastal energy projects.
Coastline change and marine litter concentration in shoreline zones are two different emerging problems indicating the vulnerability as well as the quality of a coastal environment. Both problems present spatiotemporal changes due to... more
Coastline change and marine litter concentration in shoreline zones are two different emerging problems indicating the vulnerability as well as the quality of a coastal environment. Both problems present spatiotemporal changes due to weather and anthropogenic factors. Traditionally spatiotemporal changes in coastal environments are monitored using high-resolution satellite images and manned surveys. The last years, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are used as additional tool for monitoring environmental phenomena in sensitive coastal areas. In this study, two different case studies for mapping emerging coastal phenomena i.e. coastline changes and marine litter in Lesvos island, are presented. Both phenomena have increasing interest among scientists monitoring sensitive coastal areas. This paper outlines the integration of UAS for data acquisition and Structure from Motion (SfM) pipeline for the visualization of selected coastal areas in the Aegean Sea. The followed UAS-SfM methodology produces very detailed orthophoto maps. This high resolution spatial information is used for mapping and detecting primarily, marine litter on coastal and underwater zones and secondly, coastline changes and coastal erosion. More specific the produced orthophoto maps analyzed through GIS and with the use of the appropriate cartographic techniques the objective environmental parameters were mapped. Results showed that UAS-SfM pipeline produces geoinformation with high accuracy and spatial resolution that helps scientists to map with confidence environmental changes that take place in shoreline zones.
The aim of this work is twofold: a) the implementation of a computational procedure, where the cartographic rules are defined as mathematical representations, and the geographic datasets are transformed into arithmetic data structures, b)... more
The aim of this work is twofold: a) the implementation of a computational procedure, where the cartographic rules are defined as mathematical representations, and the geographic datasets are transformed into arithmetic data structures, b) the improvement of an existing searching algorithm to a more efficient one, with explicit use of the arithmetic data structures derived from the geographic datasets. This algorithm is implemented by the use of cartographic rules and is a part of a computational procedure which is applied into the Inset Mapper software tool, in order to help cartographers to tackle with the land discontinuity problem encountered in island cartography.
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"Η Χαρτογραφία συχνά καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει προβλήματα για τα οποία η ανάπτυξη ειδικά σχεδιασμένου λογισμικού κρίνεται απαραίτητη. Πιο συγκεκριμένα η Νησιωτική Χαρτογραφία αντιμετωπίζει ιδιαίτερα προβλήματα τα οποία εμφανίζονται κατά... more
"Η Χαρτογραφία συχνά καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει προβλήματα για τα οποία η ανάπτυξη ειδικά σχεδιασμένου λογισμικού κρίνεται απαραίτητη. Πιο συγκεκριμένα η Νησιωτική Χαρτογραφία αντιμετωπίζει ιδιαίτερα προβλήματα τα οποία εμφανίζονται κατά κύριο λόγο στην προσπάθεια απεικόνισης νησιωτικών περιοχών. Το πρόβλημα της «Χωρικής Ασυνέχειας του Γεωγραφικού Χώρου» αποτελεί ένα από τα πιο συχνά προβλήματα και εμφανίζεται κατά την οπτικοποίηση νησιωτικών περιοχών. Στην περίπτωση αυτή η κατασκευή ενός ενθέτου χάρτη αποτελεί την μοναδική και πιο ενδεδειγμένη χαρτογραφική λύση. Στο άρθρο αυτό αναλύεται το πρόβλημα της «Χωρικής Ασυνέχειας του Γεωγραφικού Χώρου», παρουσιάζονται ο τρόπος επίλυσης του με τη χρήση ένθετων χαρτών, καθώς και το θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο και η ομαδοποίηση των χαρτογραφικών κανόνων που διέπουν την κατασκευή ένθετων στη νησιωτική χαρτογραφία όπως ενσωματώνονται στην εφαρμογή Inset Mapper (IM). Επίσης, στο παρών άρθρο παρουσιάζεται μια ολοκληρωμένη περιγραφή όλων των λειτουργιών του IM, καθώς και τα πλεονεκτήματα που αποκομίζουν οι χαρτογράφοι από την χρήση του.
Λέξεις Κλειδιά: Νησιωτική Χαρτογραφία, Ένθετος Χάρτης, Ζητήματα Κλίμακας, Γεωοπτικοποίηση, Υπολογιστική Διαδικασία
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Λέξεις Κλειδιά: Νησιωτική Χαρτογραφία, Ένθετος Χάρτης, Ζητήματα Κλίμακας, Γεωοπτικοποίηση, Υπολογιστική Διαδικασία
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Cartographic design is a process of scale selection, symbolization and placement of geographical information. In Island Cartography scientists are faced with a unique and special cartographic problem, that of land discontinuity, which... more
Cartographic design is a process of scale selection, symbolization and placement of geographical
information. In Island Cartography scientists are faced with a unique and special cartographic problem,
that of land discontinuity, which arises when scientists want to visualize islands regions with multiple
islands of significantly different size. The most efficient cartographic solution, in this situation is the
creation of an inset map.
Cartographers typically use their judgment to determine the need of an inset. They visually inspect the map
and subjectively identify the limits of areas which are “too crowded”, “too small”, ‘too dense” or “too
isolated”. Inset maps should be created by cartographers following some specific cartographic rules for
position and scale selection. Inset map placement is also influenced by the cartographer’s artistic view.
The key factor for insetting in Island Cartography is the “complexity of land discontinuity” comprised of a
number of islands that vary in size and shape creating a complex area surrounded by sea. It is very
common for small and big size islands to coexist, thus rendering representation at the same scale
problematic. The scale of the main map often causes small size islands not to be clearly visible by the map
reader or not to be clearly drawn.
Inset Mapper is a software tool for automated place and scale selection for inset maps that overcomes these
procedure difficulties. IM is developed in MATLAB, along with other pertinent cartographic
functionalities. This software tool attempts to emulate the steps a cartographer takes when deciding where
to place and in which scale within a map to inset. To meet these requirements, IM employs some new
strategies of cartographic representation for the inset placement procedure, and for scale selection, in
multiple inset maps.
Inset Mapper lays out the main and inset maps in four steps. At the first step the user selects the area of the
map to inset, and chooses where IM to search for insets, either the quadrant the above selected area
belongs into or the entire main map area. In the second step IM selects the appropriate scale of the inset
map for the selected area. The choice of the parent scale determines both the size and place of the inset
maps. in the third step IM renders colored boxed areas designating the proposed map placements within
the main map. These preferred inset places depend on the number of natural groups of proposed insets.
Finally, the user selects the preferred inset placement from those proposed by IM. This process can be
repeated, so the cartographer is able to assign more than one insets in the same map.
This paper discusses the theory and application of the algorithms used to choose a map scale, detect areas
suitable for the placement of inset maps and delineate the best inset. These algorithms apply a combination
of cartographic principles and analysis of the represented data. IM employs data clustering algorithms to
select and to propose the best inset place, from a large number of contiguous insets that can be placed on
map. Data clustering is employed to identify natural groups of proposed inset places in the main map. At
the end the inset is placed into the right location within the map using a number of rules and membership
grades for each cluster group. Finally a case study is presented, with Inset Mapper results for multiple
insets on three different maps selected to cover local, regional and continental geographic scales.
information. In Island Cartography scientists are faced with a unique and special cartographic problem,
that of land discontinuity, which arises when scientists want to visualize islands regions with multiple
islands of significantly different size. The most efficient cartographic solution, in this situation is the
creation of an inset map.
Cartographers typically use their judgment to determine the need of an inset. They visually inspect the map
and subjectively identify the limits of areas which are “too crowded”, “too small”, ‘too dense” or “too
isolated”. Inset maps should be created by cartographers following some specific cartographic rules for
position and scale selection. Inset map placement is also influenced by the cartographer’s artistic view.
The key factor for insetting in Island Cartography is the “complexity of land discontinuity” comprised of a
number of islands that vary in size and shape creating a complex area surrounded by sea. It is very
common for small and big size islands to coexist, thus rendering representation at the same scale
problematic. The scale of the main map often causes small size islands not to be clearly visible by the map
reader or not to be clearly drawn.
Inset Mapper is a software tool for automated place and scale selection for inset maps that overcomes these
procedure difficulties. IM is developed in MATLAB, along with other pertinent cartographic
functionalities. This software tool attempts to emulate the steps a cartographer takes when deciding where
to place and in which scale within a map to inset. To meet these requirements, IM employs some new
strategies of cartographic representation for the inset placement procedure, and for scale selection, in
multiple inset maps.
Inset Mapper lays out the main and inset maps in four steps. At the first step the user selects the area of the
map to inset, and chooses where IM to search for insets, either the quadrant the above selected area
belongs into or the entire main map area. In the second step IM selects the appropriate scale of the inset
map for the selected area. The choice of the parent scale determines both the size and place of the inset
maps. in the third step IM renders colored boxed areas designating the proposed map placements within
the main map. These preferred inset places depend on the number of natural groups of proposed insets.
Finally, the user selects the preferred inset placement from those proposed by IM. This process can be
repeated, so the cartographer is able to assign more than one insets in the same map.
This paper discusses the theory and application of the algorithms used to choose a map scale, detect areas
suitable for the placement of inset maps and delineate the best inset. These algorithms apply a combination
of cartographic principles and analysis of the represented data. IM employs data clustering algorithms to
select and to propose the best inset place, from a large number of contiguous insets that can be placed on
map. Data clustering is employed to identify natural groups of proposed inset places in the main map. At
the end the inset is placed into the right location within the map using a number of rules and membership
grades for each cluster group. Finally a case study is presented, with Inset Mapper results for multiple
insets on three different maps selected to cover local, regional and continental geographic scales.
Research Interests:
""In this paper we present the implementation of a parallel searching algorithm, which is used for the insetting procedure in cartography. The calculation time of the above procedure is very long due to the fact that the datasets in... more
""In this paper we present the implementation of a
parallel searching algorithm, which is used for the insetting
procedure in cartography. The calculation time of the above
procedure is very long due to the fact that the datasets in
cartography are maps with large and very large resolution. The
purpose of this proposal is to reduce the calculation time in a
multicore machine with shared memory. The proposed algorithm
and the performance tests are developed in Matlab Parallel
Toolbox.""
parallel searching algorithm, which is used for the insetting
procedure in cartography. The calculation time of the above
procedure is very long due to the fact that the datasets in
cartography are maps with large and very large resolution. The
purpose of this proposal is to reduce the calculation time in a
multicore machine with shared memory. The proposed algorithm
and the performance tests are developed in Matlab Parallel
Toolbox.""
Research Interests:
One of the most important linear features on the earth’s surface is coastline, thus the detection and monitoring of coastline is critical. The study of coastal system processes and coastal zone environmental management requires the... more
One of the most important linear features on the earth’s surface is coastline, thus the detection and monitoring of coastline is critical. The study of coastal system processes and coastal zone environmental management requires the information about coastlines and their changes. In this study, a methodology that extracts coastline efficiently by processing high-resolution ortho-photos derived by UAV is presented. The proposed methodology combines object based image analysis (OBIA) and fuzzy classification. Objects are created by grouping pixels with same spectral characteristic. Classification classes include beach composition (sand, ruble, rocks) and sub-bottom composition (seagrass, sand, algae rocks). Specific rule sets for the fuzzy classification were derived from the objects spectral characteristics. In addition, the photogrammetric UAV-based remote sensing approach reveals high-resolution digital surface models of coast. These models were derived from accurate and dense 3D point clouds, which are used for the 3D representation of the coast and can be used for calculating the erosion events of the study area. The methodology examines the capabilities of the integration of UAV data acquisition, GIS, remote sensing, and 3D visualization. Method applied in two beaches, with different composition: a sandy one with large face and ruble one with small face. Both are threatened by beach erosion. Results showed that coastline, i.e. the down limit of swash zone was detected successfully by the 3D representation and the othophotomap in both cases. In addition several features representing previous sea states were successfully determined in othophotomap in the case of the sandy beach, while the erosion and beach crests were detected in the case of ruble beach. Finally the composition of 3D representation and the othophotomap revealed new vectors representing new beach characteristics e.g. erosion crests, berm zones and sand dunes. Vectors accuracy depends on the beach complexity. In conclusion, UAV’s data reveal such information in spatial resolution which permits the study of coast changes with extreme confident. Applications include coast management, port installations and coastal energy projects.
Research Interests:
"ABSTRACT Surface fire fuels are the primary source of combustion in most wildland ecosystems. Mediterranean shrubs constitute important understory surface fuels, as they are mainly dry and flammable during the summer fire season.... more
"ABSTRACT
Surface fire fuels are the primary source of combustion in most wildland ecosystems. Mediterranean shrubs constitute important understory surface fuels, as they are mainly dry and flammable during the summer fire season. Critical forest fuel properties for fire prevention and control are species composition, density, structure, and vertical and horizontal continuity. This paper refers on a three-dimensional visualization system of shrub fuels in different spatial scales that was developed using high-resolution QuickBird satellite imagery and in-situ data of shrublands measured in field surveys at Kratigos National Forest, Lesvos Island, Greece. The main objective was to provide a methodology for the integration of in-situ shrub data (detailed spatial information) and a 3D Graphics Software (Visual 3D Nature) via Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop a useful tool for construction of multi-scale 3D landscape models for fire management. Selection of utilized optical variables and explicit processes were analyzed and presented for the visual optimization of shrub fields in different spatial scales. Emphasis was given not only on the suitability of optical variables regarding visualization, but also on the sources, demands and limitations that were applied in each case. The results showed that the proposed 3D visualization plays a key role in understanding the structure and spatial distribution of surface shrub fuels in different scales for end-users involved into forest fire ecology and management.
Keywords: Mediterranean Ecosystems, Wildfire Fuels, Spatial Scale,
3D Visualization, High-Resolution Remote Sensing, GIS"
Surface fire fuels are the primary source of combustion in most wildland ecosystems. Mediterranean shrubs constitute important understory surface fuels, as they are mainly dry and flammable during the summer fire season. Critical forest fuel properties for fire prevention and control are species composition, density, structure, and vertical and horizontal continuity. This paper refers on a three-dimensional visualization system of shrub fuels in different spatial scales that was developed using high-resolution QuickBird satellite imagery and in-situ data of shrublands measured in field surveys at Kratigos National Forest, Lesvos Island, Greece. The main objective was to provide a methodology for the integration of in-situ shrub data (detailed spatial information) and a 3D Graphics Software (Visual 3D Nature) via Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop a useful tool for construction of multi-scale 3D landscape models for fire management. Selection of utilized optical variables and explicit processes were analyzed and presented for the visual optimization of shrub fields in different spatial scales. Emphasis was given not only on the suitability of optical variables regarding visualization, but also on the sources, demands and limitations that were applied in each case. The results showed that the proposed 3D visualization plays a key role in understanding the structure and spatial distribution of surface shrub fuels in different scales for end-users involved into forest fire ecology and management.
Keywords: Mediterranean Ecosystems, Wildfire Fuels, Spatial Scale,
3D Visualization, High-Resolution Remote Sensing, GIS"
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The main aim of this paper is to provide a methodology for the integration of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and 3D Graphic Software (3DGS) in order to form a useful tool for the construction of 3D Landscape models. More... more
The main aim of this paper is to provide a methodology for the integration of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and 3D Graphic Software (3DGS) in order to form a useful tool for the construction of 3D Landscape models. More specifically the combination of spatial information that can be recovered in great detail for landscape from GIS and its adaptation to 3DGS has the objective of the construction of 3D Landscape models. These models can reproduce in a very precise and detailed manner the topography of the landscape. Using digital geographical data via GIS, three Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) have been created which after necessary adaptations have been transferred into 3DGS. We will study the recovery of geographical data and the construction of 3D landscapes of small, medium and large scales. The processes and methodology of integrating the two technologies will be presented and analyzed reaching conclusions for sizes, formats but also the level of detail of the used files which aims at the optimization of the final result. Emphasis is given to their suitability according to the objective of their visualization but also the sources, demands and limitations that apply in each case. Finally, comments are made on the abilities that researchers obtain from the use of this integrated methodology for the documentation and description of sites of archaeological interest.
Research Interests:
Γεωγραφική Οπτικοποίηση, Τριδιάστατη Οπτικοποίηση, Εικονική αναπαράσταση. 3D απεικόνιση ηχητικής όχλησης, Κλίµακα οπτικοποίησης. Περίληψη Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται µε την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων αποτελεί ένα... more
Γεωγραφική Οπτικοποίηση, Τριδιάστατη Οπτικοποίηση, Εικονική αναπαράσταση. 3D απεικόνιση ηχητικής όχλησης, Κλίµακα οπτικοποίησης. Περίληψη Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται µε την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων αποτελεί ένα συνεχώς αυξανόµενο σε χρήση εργαλείο για την λήψη αποφάσεων περιβαλλοντικών επιπτώσεων. Χρησιµοποιείται συχνά ως «µέσο διαλόγου» µεταξύ των φορέων χάραξης πολιτικής και των επιστηµόνων µε την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες κάνοντας δυνατή την περιγραφή και την εξερεύνηση χωρικών δεδοµένων διαφορετικών κλιµάκων. Ταυτόχρονα καθιστά τη µελέτη και την αποκωδικοποίηση της χωρικής πληροφορίας περισσότερο αποδοτικές επεκτείνοντας την εγκυρότητα των περιβαλλοντικών αναπαραστάσεων. Με τον τρόπο αυτό είναι εφικτή από την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και κατ επέκταση από τους πολίτες, η βαθύτερη και πιο αποδοτική µελέτη των επιδράσεων στο τοπίο. Στο παρόν άρθρο αναλύεται η µεθοδολογία κατασκευής, χρήσης και απεικόνισης της απαιτούµενης ψηφιακής χωρικής πληρ...
Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται με την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων αποτελεί ένα συνεχώς αυξανόμενο σε χρήση εργαλείο για την λήψη αποφάσεων περιβαλλοντικών επιπτώσεων. Χρησιμοποιείται συχνά ως «μέσο διαλόγου» μεταξύ των... more
Η οπτική επικοινωνία που επιτυγχάνεται με την χρήση των τριδιάστατων αναπαραστάσεων αποτελεί ένα συνεχώς αυξανόμενο σε χρήση εργαλείο για την λήψη αποφάσεων περιβαλλοντικών επιπτώσεων. Χρησιμοποιείται συχνά ως «μέσο διαλόγου» μεταξύ των φορέων χάραξης πολιτικής και των επιστημόνων με την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες κάνοντας δυνατή την περιγραφή και την εξερεύνηση χωρικών δεδομένων διαφορετικών κλιμάκων. Ταυτόχρονα καθιστά τη μελέτη και την αποκωδικοποίηση της χωρικής πληροφορίας περισσότερο αποδοτικές επεκτείνοντας την εγκυρότητα των περιβαλλοντικών αναπαραστάσεων. Με τον τρόπο αυτό είναι εφικτή από την τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση και κατ επέκταση από τους πολίτες, η βαθύτερη και πιο αποδοτική μελέτη των επιδράσεων στο τοπίο. Στο παρόν άρθρο αναλύεται η μεθοδολογία κατασκευής, χρήσης και απεικόνισης της απαιτούμενης ψηφιακής χωρικής πληροφορίας για την κατασκευή της τριδιάστατης ψηφιακής απεικόνισης μελλοντικής εγκατάστασης αιολικών πάρκων στο νησί της Λήμνου. Η απεικόνιση αυτή έχει ως στόχο την κατανόηση του μεγέθους της κλίμακας της παρέμβασης καθώς και της οπτικής και ηχητικής όχλησης. Η ακολουθούμενη μεθοδολογία περιλαμβάνει κατασκευή ή κατάλληλη τροποποίηση όλων των απαιτούμενων χωρικών δεδομένων σύμφωνα με την οδηγία INSPIRE διασφαλίζοντας την χρήση τους από τα ενοποιημένα συστήματα πληροφοριών για τη γη και το περιβάλλον, σύμφωνα με τα διεθνώς ακολουθούμενα πρότυπα. Τέλος στο παρόν άρθρο γίνεται η καταγραφή και η προτυποποίηση των πρακτικών που ακολουθούνται για τη δημιουργία φωτορεαλιστικών τριδιάστατων ψηφιακών απεικονίσεων της απαιτούμενης χωρικής πληροφορίας με στόχο την απεικόνιση της οπτικής και ηχητικής όχλησης αιολικών πάρκων.
Abstract
Visual presentation has been identified as an effective means of communicating landscape related information due to the ease the computer visualisation techniques can use GIS data. Thus the use of three-dimensional representations as a tool of communication for environmental impacts has been increased the last years between policy makers and scientists with the local government and local communities for the description and exploration of spatial data in different scales. 3D geovisualisations are increasing the transparency and the decoding of spatial information by extending the validity of the environmental representations in a more efficient way. This research is concerned with discussing the methodology of 3D visualisation of digital spatial information relating to the potential visual and sound impacts of proposed wind farms development on the island of Lemnos. This paper documents an approach to constructing and modifying all required spatial data, for 3D geovisualisations, according to the INSPIRE directive ensuring their use and integration from GIS systems. Finally the standardization of practices used to create photorealistic three-dimensional digital representations of spatial information related visual and sound impacts of wind farms are recorded and the results are compared with the 2D cartographical approach.
""
Abstract
Visual presentation has been identified as an effective means of communicating landscape related information due to the ease the computer visualisation techniques can use GIS data. Thus the use of three-dimensional representations as a tool of communication for environmental impacts has been increased the last years between policy makers and scientists with the local government and local communities for the description and exploration of spatial data in different scales. 3D geovisualisations are increasing the transparency and the decoding of spatial information by extending the validity of the environmental representations in a more efficient way. This research is concerned with discussing the methodology of 3D visualisation of digital spatial information relating to the potential visual and sound impacts of proposed wind farms development on the island of Lemnos. This paper documents an approach to constructing and modifying all required spatial data, for 3D geovisualisations, according to the INSPIRE directive ensuring their use and integration from GIS systems. Finally the standardization of practices used to create photorealistic three-dimensional digital representations of spatial information related visual and sound impacts of wind farms are recorded and the results are compared with the 2D cartographical approach.
""
Research Interests:
Visual presentation has been identified as an effective means of communicating landscape related information. Thus the use of three-dimensional representations, instead of 2D cartographic approach, as a tool of communication for... more
Visual presentation has been identified as an effective means of communicating landscape related information. Thus the use of three-dimensional representations, instead of 2D cartographic approach, as a tool of communication for environmental impacts has been increased the last years. 3D geovisualisation approaches are used from policy makers and scientists to communicate with the public for the description and exploration of spatial data in different scales. Using digital landscape visualisations are increasing the transparency and the decoding of spatial information by extending the validity of the environmental representations in a more efficient way. This research is discussing the differences between the 2D cartographic representation and 3D visualisation relating to the potential visual and sound impacts of proposed wind farms development on the island of Lemnos. This paper documents an approach of using 3D representations for visibility and noise prediction levels for wind parks as they are derived from a GIS based spatial simulation, for increasing the public understanding of potential aesthetic and noise impacts of the proposed developments.
Research Interests:
"Το ρωμαϊκό υδραγωγείο Μυτιλήνης, μήκους περίπου 26 χιλιομέτρων, αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα τεχνικά έργα της αρχαιότητας στο νησιωτικό χώρο, το οποίο όμως έχει μελετηθεί ελάχιστα. Η κατασκευή του αποσκοπούσε στην κάλυψη των... more
"Το ρωμαϊκό υδραγωγείο Μυτιλήνης, μήκους περίπου 26 χιλιομέτρων, αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα τεχνικά έργα της αρχαιότητας στο νησιωτικό χώρο, το οποίο όμως έχει μελετηθεί ελάχιστα. Η κατασκευή του αποσκοπούσε στην κάλυψη των υδρευτικών αναγκών της πόλεως της Μυτιλήνης κατά τους πρώτους μεταχριστανικούς αιώνες. Η πορεία του ξεκινάει από τις πηγές του όρους Όλυμπος, στο κεντρικό τμήμα του νησιού, και καταλήγει στη Μυτιλήνη (περιοχή αρχαίου Θεάτρου) διασχίζοντας ένα έντονο γεωμορφολογικά ανάγλυφο.
Ο στόχος της μελέτης μας είναι η ανακάλυψη, η χαρτογράφηση και η οπτικοποίηση της χωρικής δομής του υδραγωγείου και του γεωμορφολογικού ανάγλυφου μέσα από το οποίο αυτό διέρχεται. Με τη χρήση εργαλείων γεωπληροφορικής, δεδομένων μικρής και μεσαίας χωρικής κλίμακας, υπολογίζεται η πορεία του υδραγωγείου στην αρχαιότητα. Ο υπολογισμός, εκτός από τη χωρική ανάλυση, στηρίζεται σε νέα επιτόπια έρευνα και μελέτη των σωζόμενων τμημάτων του τεχνικού αυτού έργου (υδατογέφυρες, υπόγειοι και λαξευτοί αγωγοί μεταφοράς υδάτων κ.α.)."""
Ο στόχος της μελέτης μας είναι η ανακάλυψη, η χαρτογράφηση και η οπτικοποίηση της χωρικής δομής του υδραγωγείου και του γεωμορφολογικού ανάγλυφου μέσα από το οποίο αυτό διέρχεται. Με τη χρήση εργαλείων γεωπληροφορικής, δεδομένων μικρής και μεσαίας χωρικής κλίμακας, υπολογίζεται η πορεία του υδραγωγείου στην αρχαιότητα. Ο υπολογισμός, εκτός από τη χωρική ανάλυση, στηρίζεται σε νέα επιτόπια έρευνα και μελέτη των σωζόμενων τμημάτων του τεχνικού αυτού έργου (υδατογέφυρες, υπόγειοι και λαξευτοί αγωγοί μεταφοράς υδάτων κ.α.)."""
Research Interests:
Η χαρτογραφική οπτικοποίηση και η διάθεση της χωρικής πληροφορίας με την χρήση φορητών συσκευών μέσω διαδικτυακών εφαρμογών έχουν επαναπροσδιορίσει τη μεθοδολογία σύνθεσης και τον τρόπο διάθεσης και χρήσης της γεωγραφικής πληροφορίας.... more
Η χαρτογραφική οπτικοποίηση και η διάθεση της χωρικής πληροφορίας με την χρήση φορητών συσκευών μέσω διαδικτυακών εφαρμογών έχουν επαναπροσδιορίσει τη μεθοδολογία σύνθεσης και τον τρόπο διάθεσης και χρήσης της γεωγραφικής πληροφορίας. Όροι όπως Νεογεωγραφία, Εθελοντική Γεωγραφική Πληροφορία, διαδικτυακή χαρτογράφηση (web and mobile mapping), χρησιμοποιούνται για να παρουσιάσουν την νέα αυτή μορφή ανάκτησης της χωρικής πληροφορίας. Στην παρούσα δημοσίευση παρουσιάζονται πιλοτικές εφαρμογές οι οποίες υλοποιήθηκαν στο πλαίσιο μελέτης του Εργαστηρίου Χαρτογραφίας και Γεωπληροφορικής του Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου, για την διερεύνηση των δυνατοτήτων χαρτογραφικής διαδικτυακής απεικόνισης δεδομένων ανοιχτής πρόσβασης τα οποία προέρχονται από Εθελοντική Γεωγραφική Πληροφορία. Η διερεύνηση αφορά την κατασκευή εφαρμογών τόσο σε φορητές συσκευές με λειτουργικό Android, όσο και σε web περιβάλλον με την χρήση και λογισμικών ανοιχτού κώδικα και την χρήση ελεύθερων γεωγραφικών και περιγραφικών δεδομένων (weather, Marine traffic) τόσο σε 2D όσο και σε 3D απεικόνιση .
Abstract
The use of web and mobile applications as means of cartographic visualization and distribution of spatial information have redefined the synthesis, the allocation and the use of geographic information. Terms like Neogeography, Voluntary Geographic Information, online mapping (web and mobile mapping) are used to present the new form of retrieving spatial information in our days. In this paper are presented two demo applications that were implemented in Cartography and Geoinformatics Laboratory University of the Aegean, in order to explore the possibilities of mobile online cartographic representation with the use of open access data derived from voluntary geographic information resources. The study focuses on the implementation of such applications with the use of open source software for mobile devices running Android, and in the adaptation of open source geographic information as well as descriptive information data (weather, Marine traffic) in 2D and 3D form.
Abstract
The use of web and mobile applications as means of cartographic visualization and distribution of spatial information have redefined the synthesis, the allocation and the use of geographic information. Terms like Neogeography, Voluntary Geographic Information, online mapping (web and mobile mapping) are used to present the new form of retrieving spatial information in our days. In this paper are presented two demo applications that were implemented in Cartography and Geoinformatics Laboratory University of the Aegean, in order to explore the possibilities of mobile online cartographic representation with the use of open access data derived from voluntary geographic information resources. The study focuses on the implementation of such applications with the use of open source software for mobile devices running Android, and in the adaptation of open source geographic information as well as descriptive information data (weather, Marine traffic) in 2D and 3D form.
Research Interests:
Περίληψη Η γεωγραφική οπτικοποίηση τα τελευταία χρόνια ενσωματώνει τεχνολογίες διαδικτύου και διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες για την απεικόνιση, τη διάθεση και τη χρήση των τελικών χαρτογραφικών απεικονίσεων. Η διάδραση στην πλοήγηση και την... more
Περίληψη
Η γεωγραφική οπτικοποίηση τα τελευταία χρόνια ενσωματώνει τεχνολογίες διαδικτύου και διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες για την απεικόνιση, τη διάθεση και τη χρήση των τελικών χαρτογραφικών απεικονίσεων. Η διάδραση στην πλοήγηση και την εξερεύνηση της πληροφορίας δίδει στην τελική οπτικοποίηση την διαδραστικότητα που απαιτείται για την απεικόνιση νέων δομών και συσχετισμών στην γεωγραφική πληροφορία. Η μελέτη και η απεικόνιση οικονομικών δεδομένων αποτελεί μια διαδικασία η οποία αποσκοπεί στη διερεύνηση της γεωγραφικής διάστασης τους η οποία επιτυγχάνεται με την χωρικοποίηση διαδικασιών, συναλλαγών και στοιχείων οικονομικής φύσεως χρησιμοποιώντας μεθόδους γεωγραφικής ανάλυσης ανακαλύπτοντας νέες γεωγραφικές συσχετίσεις. Τα δεδομένα οικονομικών ροών παρουσιάζουν ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον καθώς περιγράφουν σύνθετες δομές ενώ παράλληλα διατηρούν γεωγραφικές διαστάσεις. Η ποσοτικοποίηση και η ανάλυση τέτοιων δεδομένων γίνεται όλο και πιο επίκαιρη καθώς οι παγκόσμιες σύνθετες οικονομικές διαδικασίες καταγράφονται και αναλύονται ώστε να προσφέρουν υποστήριξη στα πλαίσια λήψης στρατηγικών αποφάσεων. Μέσα από την παρούσα εργασία αναδεικνύεται ο ρόλος της διαδικτυακής χαρτογραφικής οπτικοποίησης των αποτελεσμάτων γεωγραφικής ανάλυσης και μελέτης οικονομικών δεδομένων παγκόσμιας κλίμακας με σκοπό την ανάδειξη της γεωγραφικής τους διάστασης και των χωρικών συσχετίσεων που αυτά έχουν.
Abstract
Geovisualization last years incorporates internet technologies and online services as a mean for the delivery of the cartographic representations. The ability of the interaction, the navigation and the exploration leads to visualizations with high levels of interactivity for the visualization of the new structures and spatial relationships in geographic information. The geovisulalization of big economic databases is a process which aims to the exploration of the geographic dimension of economic transactions. Thus the use of geographic analysis methods and tools, and geoenrichment processes lead to the discovery of new geographic correlations into big economic data. The visualization of the geographic dimensions of economic data flows globally, has a key role in the description of the complex structures behind global trade. The quantification and analysis of such data is becoming more and more relevant as global complex economic processes are recorded and analysed, in order to support strategies for mergers and acquisitions. This study focuses in the creation of the appropriate online cartographic visualization tool for the representation of the geographical analysis results based on global economic datasets. This tool will help in understanding the geographical dimension and the spatial relationships that Merger Market’s database include for mergers and acquisitions in global scale .
Η γεωγραφική οπτικοποίηση τα τελευταία χρόνια ενσωματώνει τεχνολογίες διαδικτύου και διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες για την απεικόνιση, τη διάθεση και τη χρήση των τελικών χαρτογραφικών απεικονίσεων. Η διάδραση στην πλοήγηση και την εξερεύνηση της πληροφορίας δίδει στην τελική οπτικοποίηση την διαδραστικότητα που απαιτείται για την απεικόνιση νέων δομών και συσχετισμών στην γεωγραφική πληροφορία. Η μελέτη και η απεικόνιση οικονομικών δεδομένων αποτελεί μια διαδικασία η οποία αποσκοπεί στη διερεύνηση της γεωγραφικής διάστασης τους η οποία επιτυγχάνεται με την χωρικοποίηση διαδικασιών, συναλλαγών και στοιχείων οικονομικής φύσεως χρησιμοποιώντας μεθόδους γεωγραφικής ανάλυσης ανακαλύπτοντας νέες γεωγραφικές συσχετίσεις. Τα δεδομένα οικονομικών ροών παρουσιάζουν ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον καθώς περιγράφουν σύνθετες δομές ενώ παράλληλα διατηρούν γεωγραφικές διαστάσεις. Η ποσοτικοποίηση και η ανάλυση τέτοιων δεδομένων γίνεται όλο και πιο επίκαιρη καθώς οι παγκόσμιες σύνθετες οικονομικές διαδικασίες καταγράφονται και αναλύονται ώστε να προσφέρουν υποστήριξη στα πλαίσια λήψης στρατηγικών αποφάσεων. Μέσα από την παρούσα εργασία αναδεικνύεται ο ρόλος της διαδικτυακής χαρτογραφικής οπτικοποίησης των αποτελεσμάτων γεωγραφικής ανάλυσης και μελέτης οικονομικών δεδομένων παγκόσμιας κλίμακας με σκοπό την ανάδειξη της γεωγραφικής τους διάστασης και των χωρικών συσχετίσεων που αυτά έχουν.
Abstract
Geovisualization last years incorporates internet technologies and online services as a mean for the delivery of the cartographic representations. The ability of the interaction, the navigation and the exploration leads to visualizations with high levels of interactivity for the visualization of the new structures and spatial relationships in geographic information. The geovisulalization of big economic databases is a process which aims to the exploration of the geographic dimension of economic transactions. Thus the use of geographic analysis methods and tools, and geoenrichment processes lead to the discovery of new geographic correlations into big economic data. The visualization of the geographic dimensions of economic data flows globally, has a key role in the description of the complex structures behind global trade. The quantification and analysis of such data is becoming more and more relevant as global complex economic processes are recorded and analysed, in order to support strategies for mergers and acquisitions. This study focuses in the creation of the appropriate online cartographic visualization tool for the representation of the geographical analysis results based on global economic datasets. This tool will help in understanding the geographical dimension and the spatial relationships that Merger Market’s database include for mergers and acquisitions in global scale .
Research Interests:
The complex topography of the Greek area poses a significant challenge in creating physically realistic and spatially accurate maps of climate elements. This study aims to assess the potential of a methodology for modeling and mapping the... more
The complex topography of the Greek area poses a significant challenge in creating physically realistic and spatially accurate maps of climate elements. This study aims to assess the potential of a methodology for modeling and mapping the seasonal and annual normals of several climate variables over Greece using several topographical and geographical parameters. Climate data-series for 27 climate elements (air temperature, precipitation, humidity, sunshine duration, cloudiness, air pressure, wind speed, discomfort index and numbers of days with the occurrence of weather phenomena such as frost, storm, fog, snow, etc) were extracted from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service database, for 84 weather stations covering the whole Greek area and extending to 30 consecutive years (1975-2004). A digital elevation model of Greece was used to extract a series of topographical and geographical parameters (latitude, longitude, terrain elevation, slope, orientation and curvature, distance from the seashore, continentality, proximity to mountains etc.) for each climate station involved in the analysis. NDVI data calculated from MODIS Aqua Satellite data are also included in the geographical parameters dataset. First, the relation of the climate elements to the topographical and geographical parameters was investigated based on the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Then a backward stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to add independent variables into regression equation and develop linear estimation models for all the climate parameters. Results are validated against an independent dataset of observations. Finally, correction using residuals was applied to the multiple linear regression models. The topographical and geographical parameters used as independent variables in the multiple regression models were mostly those found to be strongly correlated with the climatic variables. Topography, continentality and latitude contribute most to the air temperature-related climate elements while precipitation-related climate elements are mainly longitudinal and elevation dependent with the distance from the Aegean sea and some terrain characteristics (e.g. slope) contributing as well to these climate elements spatial variability. Mapping of climate normals using the multiple regression interpolation model is quite realistic. The most well known features of the climate regime in Greece are represented in these maps (Figure 1). Validation results revealed a high mapping performance for climate elements such as air temperature, sunshine duration, wind speed, air pressure, discomfort index, number of days with precipitation, snow, Τmin ≥ 20oC and Τmin ≤ 0oC. Less accurate maps were produced for elements with high spatial variability such as precipitation, humidity, cloudiness, number of storm days and days with Τmax > 20oC and Τmax > 30oC. According to the previous results, multiple regression using different topographic and geographic factors has been proved an effective approach for determining the spatial distribution of climatic variables, making possible to map more local climatic features.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The Roman aqueduct of Mytilene is one of the greatest technical works of antiquity in the Aegean, but it has been little studied. Its construction was intended to provide water for the city of Mytilene in the early Christian period. It... more
The Roman aqueduct of Mytilene is one of the greatest technical works of antiquity in the Aegean, but it has been little studied. Its construction was intended to provide water for the city of Mytilene in the early Christian period. It begins on the slopes of Olympus in the central part of the island and reaches the city of Mytilene at the east coast (the area of the ancient Theater) stretching across varied geomorphological terrain, (having in total around 43 kilometers of length). This paper presents results of the preliminary study of the mapping, understanding and conceptualizing of the structure of the aqueduct and that of its geomorphological terrain. Using GIS, we have collected and analyzed data on a small and medium- spatial scale, calculating the way that the aqueduct had in antiquity. The calculation in addition to and apart from this spatial resolution will incorporate knowledge of the existing sections, including water bridges and both above and underground water channels.
Research Interests:
Coastline is one of the most important linear features on the earth's surface, which display a dynamic nature. Coastal zone, and its environmental management requires the information about coastlines and their changes. Thus, coastal zone... more
Coastline is one of the most important linear features on the earth's surface, which display a dynamic nature. Coastal zone, and its environmental management requires the information about coastlines and their changes. Thus, coastal zone monitoring is an important task in environmental protection and coastline detection is a fundamental border for coastal management. Furthermore, coastal management requires rapid, up-to-date, and correct information and coastal movements have primary importance for evaluating coastal erosion. Remote sensing plays an important role in coastal observation and until today is one of the most valuable tools for detecting and monitoring coastlines. Scope of the present paper is to study the spatial distribution of coastline changes in small scale areas. Although the spatial resolution of satellite imagery has significantly improved the last decade, still the information collected may not be adequate enough for medium to small coastal changes. On the contrary, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or a drones), can provide very high resolution images at low-cost for limited area. Last few years drones are used as a mapping tool for environmental monitoring because of their agility and quality imaging abilities. UAV's are a viable alternative for collecting remote sensing data for a wide range of practical applications. They provide digital images with spatial and temporal resolution capable to overcome some of the limitations of satellite imagery and aerial photography. Datasets produced by UAV remote sensing are at such high spatial resolution (1-5 cm) that characteristics of the landscape can be mapped very detailed to two (2D) and three dimensions (3D). On the contrary such small changes are not distinguishable at the spatial resolutions generally obtainable via manned aircraft (10–100 cm) and satellite systems (>50 cm). Furthermore, the ease of deployment and low running costs of the UAV systems allows for frequent missions, providing very high spatial and temporal resolution datasets on-demand. In this study, a methodology that extracts coastline efficiently by processing high-resolution ortho-photos derived by UAV is presented. The proposed methodology combines object based image analysis (OBIA) and fuzzy classification. Objects are created by grouping pixels with same spectral characteristic. Classification classes include beach composition (sand, ruble, rocks) and sub-bottom composition (seagrass, sand, algae rocks). Specific rule sets for the fuzzy classification were derived from the objects spectral characteristics. In addition, the photogrammetric UAV-based remote sensing approach reveals high-resolution digital surface models of coast. These models were derived from accurate and dense 3D point clouds, which are used for the 3D representation of the coast and can be used for calculating the erosion events of the study area. The methodology examines the capabilities of the integration of UAV data acquisition, GIS, remote sensing, and 3D visualization.
Research Interests:
A preliminary study has been undertaken on the assessment of the extent of littering of the coastal waters of eastern Lesvos isl. A UAV was used combined with diving and underwater camera drops for ground-truthing in two areas of... more
A preliminary study has been undertaken on the assessment of the extent of littering of the coastal waters of eastern Lesvos isl. A UAV was used combined with diving and underwater camera drops for ground-truthing in two areas of different environmental conditions. The results show that litter concentrations varied along the coastline in terms of their distribution over the dry beach and the nearshore seabed. Areas with poor or no access show small quantities of litter on the dry beach but extensive littering on the nearshore seabed. The seabed off cliff coasts was found to be full of diverse litter probably due to local hydrodynamics. Specialized geophysical equipment are needed for the quick and precise detection of the deeper-seated debris so as to implement clean-up and protection actions.
Research Interests:
Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. Greece very... more
Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. Greece very recently announced the mapping of seagrass meadows in very coarse resolution (1km) mainly to compromise with EU legislation. This is a major step forward. However, it does not face the risk of seagrass and associated species extinction. According to our understanding there is a need of i) assessing seagrass present state, spatial pattern, and dynamics in a proper spatial and temporal scale, ii) understanding processes of degradation, iii) identifying causes of degradation, and iv) monitoring programs to manage, restore, or create seagrass meadows. Remote sensing and mapping techniques are required for regional scale monitoring. The use of satellite imagery combined with Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) mapping and state of the art processing techniques are presented. Satellite images analyzed through an object-based image analysis (OBIA) and fuzzy classification. Objects created by grouping pixels with the same spectral characteristic. Classification classes included sub-bottom composition e.g. seagrass, soft bottom, and hard bottom. The UAS was used to extract in situ measurements in the form of concrete vectors describing the areas covered by seagrass. The developed methodology applied in 7 areas along Lesvos Island with different characteristics. Results showed that UAS's data revealed the sub-bottom complexity in large shallow areas since they provide such information in the spatial resolution that permits the study of seagrass with extreme confident.
Research Interests:
Coastal environments and their topographic changes have increasing interest among scientists that monitoring degradation in sensitive coastal areas. Topographic changes in beach zones are observed mainly after severe events due to the... more
Coastal environments and their topographic changes have increasing interest among scientists that monitoring degradation in sensitive coastal areas. Topographic changes in beach zones are observed mainly after severe events due to the action of the sea and sea waves. Additionally, human interaction can be a cause of the coastal environment material allocation. For scientists monitoring coastal geomorphology, the availability of topographic datasets at a high vertical accuracy and resolution for mapping and visualizing the beach topography in different time stamps can be an effective monitoring tool. For such studies, digital surface models and 3D visualizations of beach system is fundamental, especially for monitoring sensitive beach zones. This paper outlines the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for data acquisition and Structure from Motion (SfM) pipeline for the 3d visualization of Eressos Beach topography. In this study a vertical takeoff and landing UAS equipped with a non-metric camera was used to acquire aerial images in high resolution (better than 5cm). The SfM pipeline was selected as a fast, inexpensive, automated and robust methodology for the creation of high-resolution 3d visualization of the study area topography. In particular, the SfM process includes: aerial triangulation of UAS derived aerial images, camera calibration, creation of dense-point cloud, production of high-resolution digital elevation and surface models and finally the generation of 3D visualization of the beach zone. This integration indicates that UAS-SfM pipeline can fulfill the lack of conventional airborne system data acquisition without any loss in the quality and accuracy. This study reveals that less than decimeter-scale vertical accuracy can be achieved for the 3d visualization of beach zones even for areas with complex topography.
Research Interests:
Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. The traditional... more
Seagrass meadows play a significant role in ecosystems by stabilizing sediment and improving water clarity, which enhances seagrass growing conditions. It is high on the priority of EU legislation to map and protect them. The traditional use of medium spatial resolution satellite imagery e.g. Landsat-8 (30m) is very useful for mapping seagrass meadows on a regional scale. However, the availability of Sentinel-2 data, the recent ESA's satellite with its payload Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) is expected to improve the mapping accuracy. MSI designed to improve coastline studies due to it's enhanced spatial and spectral capabilities e.g. optical bands with 10m spatial resolution and two blue bands in the spectral domain. The present work examines the quality of Sentinel-2 images for seagrass mapping, the ability of each band in detection and discrimination of different habitats and estimates the accuracy of seagrass mapping. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) data used for estimating the precision of the seagrass detection. After radiometric calibration and atmospheric correction, images analyzed through an object-based image analysis (OBIA). Classification classes included sub-bottom composition e.g. seagrass, soft bottom, and hard bottom. Concrete vectors describing the areas covered by seagrass extracted from the UAS orthophoto maps and used as in situ measurements. The developed methodology applied in areas along Lesvos Island (Greece) with different characteristics. Results showed that Sentinel-2 images can be robustly used for seagrass mapping due to their spatial resolution, band availability and radiometric accuracy. In addition, UAS's data proved extremely valuable, as provide the sub-bottom complexity in an ultra-high spatial resolution that permits the study of seagrass with extreme confidence.
Research Interests:
Η δημιουργία του Άτλαντα των Ελλη- νικών νησιών αποτελεί έναν στόχο που τέθη- κε από την εποχή της δημιουργίας του Εργα- στηρίου Τοπικής και Νησιωτικής Ανάπτυ- ξης to 1992 αφού θεωρήθηκε ότι η σοβαρή ενασχόληση με τα νησιά απαιτεί από τη... more
Η δημιουργία του Άτλαντα των Ελλη-
νικών νησιών αποτελεί έναν στόχο που τέθη-
κε από την εποχή της δημιουργίας του Εργα-
στηρίου Τοπικής και Νησιωτικής Ανάπτυ-
ξης to 1992 αφού θεωρήθηκε ότι η σοβαρή
ενασχόληση με τα νησιά απαιτεί από τη μία
πλευρά τη θεωρητική τεκμηρίωση των ιδι-
αιτεροτήτων του νησιωτικού χώρου και των
πολιτικών εκείνων που μπορούν να αντιμε-
τωπίσουν τα προβλήματα που πηγάζουν από
τα χαρακτηριστικά αυτά αξιοποιώντας τις
σύγχρονες ευκαιρίες και προκλήσεις και από
την άλλη πλευρά τη συστηματική τεκμηρίω-
ση με δεδομένα σε ότι αφορά τα φυσικά χα-
ρακτηριστικά των νησιών, τις κοινωνικοοι-
κονομικές εξελίξεις αλλά και τη κατάσταση
του περιβάλλοντος. Έγιναν πολλές προσπά-
θειες στο παρελθόν μέσα από τη συμμετοχή
σε διάφορα δίκτυα και προγράμματα όπως
το EURISLES τη δεκαετία του ’90 και το EUROISLANDS
πριν μερικά χρόνια.
Το πρόγραμμα «Το Πανεπιστήμιο Αι-
γαίου, ως βασικός παράγοντας για την οικο-
νομική και κοινωνική ανάπτυξη του Αιγαιο-
πελαγίτικου χώρου» του Υπουργείου Εθνικής
Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων με τη χρημα-
τοδότηση της προσπάθειας να καταστεί το
Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου διεθνές κέντρο αρι-
στείας στα θέματα νησιωτικότητας μέσα από
τη σύνδεση της έρευνας με την εκπαίδευση
και τη διεθνή κοινότητα, έδωσε έμφαση σε
δύο ενέργειες:
1. Τη συγκέντρωση και ανάλυση της βι-
βλιογραφίας στα βασικά θέματα που
απασχολούν τα νησιά με τη δημιουρ-
γία ενός ηλεκτρονικού αποθετηρίου
(www.archipelago.aegean.gr)
2. Τη δημιουργία του Άτλαντα των Ελληνι-
κών Νησιών
Το έντυπο που έχετε σήμερα στα χέρια
σας αποτελεί μια προσπάθεια για μια πρώτη
έντυπη συστηματική αποτύπωση των βασι-
κών θεμάτων που απασχολούν τα νησιά με
δεδομένα, πίνακες, χάρτες και αναλύσεις.
Όμως ο Άτλαντας δεν σταματά εδώ, εδώ αρ-
χίζει. Η δημιουργία του Άτλαντα βασίζεται σε
μια βάση δεδομένων που για να παραμείνει
χρήσιμη πρέπει να ενημερώνεται διαρκώς
και να προχωρά σε επικαιροποίηση των ανα-
λύσεων. Ο Άτλαντας δεν φιλοδοξεί να υπο-
καταστήσει την Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή.
Βασίζεται στα στοιχεία που αυτή παράγει
κάτω από μία κλαδική λογική για να παράξει
χωρική πληροφορία για μια ιδιόμορφη και
πολλές δυσκολίες περιοχή όπως είναι τα νη-
σιά.
Γ.Σπιλάνης
Θ.Κίζος
νικών νησιών αποτελεί έναν στόχο που τέθη-
κε από την εποχή της δημιουργίας του Εργα-
στηρίου Τοπικής και Νησιωτικής Ανάπτυ-
ξης to 1992 αφού θεωρήθηκε ότι η σοβαρή
ενασχόληση με τα νησιά απαιτεί από τη μία
πλευρά τη θεωρητική τεκμηρίωση των ιδι-
αιτεροτήτων του νησιωτικού χώρου και των
πολιτικών εκείνων που μπορούν να αντιμε-
τωπίσουν τα προβλήματα που πηγάζουν από
τα χαρακτηριστικά αυτά αξιοποιώντας τις
σύγχρονες ευκαιρίες και προκλήσεις και από
την άλλη πλευρά τη συστηματική τεκμηρίω-
ση με δεδομένα σε ότι αφορά τα φυσικά χα-
ρακτηριστικά των νησιών, τις κοινωνικοοι-
κονομικές εξελίξεις αλλά και τη κατάσταση
του περιβάλλοντος. Έγιναν πολλές προσπά-
θειες στο παρελθόν μέσα από τη συμμετοχή
σε διάφορα δίκτυα και προγράμματα όπως
το EURISLES τη δεκαετία του ’90 και το EUROISLANDS
πριν μερικά χρόνια.
Το πρόγραμμα «Το Πανεπιστήμιο Αι-
γαίου, ως βασικός παράγοντας για την οικο-
νομική και κοινωνική ανάπτυξη του Αιγαιο-
πελαγίτικου χώρου» του Υπουργείου Εθνικής
Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων με τη χρημα-
τοδότηση της προσπάθειας να καταστεί το
Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου διεθνές κέντρο αρι-
στείας στα θέματα νησιωτικότητας μέσα από
τη σύνδεση της έρευνας με την εκπαίδευση
και τη διεθνή κοινότητα, έδωσε έμφαση σε
δύο ενέργειες:
1. Τη συγκέντρωση και ανάλυση της βι-
βλιογραφίας στα βασικά θέματα που
απασχολούν τα νησιά με τη δημιουρ-
γία ενός ηλεκτρονικού αποθετηρίου
(www.archipelago.aegean.gr)
2. Τη δημιουργία του Άτλαντα των Ελληνι-
κών Νησιών
Το έντυπο που έχετε σήμερα στα χέρια
σας αποτελεί μια προσπάθεια για μια πρώτη
έντυπη συστηματική αποτύπωση των βασι-
κών θεμάτων που απασχολούν τα νησιά με
δεδομένα, πίνακες, χάρτες και αναλύσεις.
Όμως ο Άτλαντας δεν σταματά εδώ, εδώ αρ-
χίζει. Η δημιουργία του Άτλαντα βασίζεται σε
μια βάση δεδομένων που για να παραμείνει
χρήσιμη πρέπει να ενημερώνεται διαρκώς
και να προχωρά σε επικαιροποίηση των ανα-
λύσεων. Ο Άτλαντας δεν φιλοδοξεί να υπο-
καταστήσει την Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή.
Βασίζεται στα στοιχεία που αυτή παράγει
κάτω από μία κλαδική λογική για να παράξει
χωρική πληροφορία για μια ιδιόμορφη και
πολλές δυσκολίες περιοχή όπως είναι τα νη-
σιά.
Γ.Σπιλάνης
Θ.Κίζος