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Mapping Time
UMESH BHURTYAL
PASHCHIMANCHAL CAMPUS
Contents 2

Mapping time: 3 Hrs

 Concept of time, Representation of change, single static map, multiple static map,
animated map, Dynamic visualization terminologies, dynamic visualization variables,
cognitive issues, goal of animation design,
What is mapping time? 3

 Mapping time means mapping changes

 may be change in a feature’s geometry, in its attributes, or both
 Examples of changing geometry are the evolving coastline of the
Netherlands, the location of Europe’s national boundaries, or the
position of weather fronts.
 Changes in the ownership of a land parcel, in land use or in road
traffic intensity are other examples of changing attributes.
 Urban growth is a combination of both: urban boundaries expand
with growth and simultaneously land use shifts from rural to urban.
In other words 4

Spatialtemporal Visualization
 https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog486/node/720
The easiest way to show spatial change over time: 5
side by side maps each showing a slice of time.
Single static map 6

 Specific graphic variables and symbols are used to indicate change

or represent an event. Figure a applies the visual variable “value” to
represent the age of built-up areas.

example of the urban growth of the city of

Maastricht, The Netherlands: (a) single map in
which tints represent age of the built-up area;
Multiple static map 7

 A single map in the series represents a “snapshot” in time.

 Together, the maps depict a process of change.
 Change is perceived by the succession of individual maps depicting
the situation in successive snapshots.
 It could be said that the temporal sequence is represented by a
spatial sequence that the user has to follow to perceive the temporal
variation.
 The number of images should be limited since it is difficult for the
human eye to follow long series of maps (Figure b)
Animated Map 8
 Change is perceived to evolve in a single image by displaying
several snapshots one after the other, just like a video clip of
successive frames.
 The difference from the series of maps is that the variation can be
deduced from real “change” seen taking place in the image itself,
not from a spatial sequence (Figure c).
 it is important to have tools available that allow for interaction while
viewing the animation.
 Seeing an animation play will often leave users with many questions
about what they have seen.
Visual variable for animation 9

 six "new" visual variables have been introduced by DiBiase et al.

(1992 ) and MacEachren (1994)
 Moment
 Duration
 Frequency
 Order
 rate of change
 Synchronisation
Moment 10
 The moment that an element in the map changes during a
cartographic animation can be used for temporal as well as non-
temporal animations. An example of a non-temporal animation could
be the appearance of some activity in Spain and Portugal

Figure indicates these countries joining

the European Community, which is
directly related to world-time and
therefore an example of a temporal
animation.
Duration 11

 Duration indicates the duration in real-time an element is visible during

an animation. If province A has twice the amount of annual sunshine
of province B, province A would be highlighted twice as long during
the animation.
 This would of course be an non-temporal use of duration, whereas the
duration in the example in figure below is an example of temporal use
of duration
Frequency 12
 The dynamic visual variable frequency uses the rate of occurrence of
graphical elements.
 the high "blinking" frequency of Schiphol airport indicates its bigger
importance compared to Beek airport in the southern province of
Limburg

frequency can also be

used for temporal
animations
Order 13

 Animation actually is the presentation of individual frames in a given

order. Chronologically showing temporal data is probably the most
used form of cartographic animation. Figure uses this technique to
depict the dates of independence of African states.

Although most used for these temporal animations, order can also be used in non-
temporal animations and sometimes a selective non-chronological sequence is best to
emphasize relations between certain phenomena(weber & butten field, 1993 ).
Rate of change 14
 The rate of change can be described as M/D,
where M is the change magnitude and D is the
duration of each scene.
 With change magnitude (M) the amount of
change of the position and/or attribute value of an
object between to subsequent scenes is described.
 The value of M depends on how dynamic the
phenomenon is and on the pace of the animation
(ie. how many frames per minute). If M increases
while D remains the same, the animation will
become more abrupt and "jerky".
 If D increases while M remains constant, the
apparent change to the viewer decreases.
 These are powerful tools in manipulating the
viewers' perception and should be used with some
care
Rate of Change 15

The visual variable rate of change is illustrated

for (A) geographic position and (B) circle size.
Rate of change is defined as m/d where m is
the magnitude of change between frames or
scenes, and d is the duration of each frame
or scene. For these cases, duration is presumed
to be constant in each frame. (After DiBiase et
al. 1992, 205.)
Synchronization 16

 With synchronization two (or more) phenomena are related to each

other by showing their development synchronously in one animation.
For instance, in given figure the viewer should perceive the effects the
rainfall has some time later on the growth of vegetation.
 This only works for fairly straightforward temporal relationships.
Cognitive Process 17

 Cognitive processes refer to the mental processes involved in

perception, attention, memory, reasoning, problem-solving,
decision-making, and language use. These processes are involved
in how we perceive, process, and use information from the
environment to interact with the world around us.

 Cognitive processes are complex and involve the interaction of

various cognitive functions such as perception, attention, memory,
and reasoning. For example, when we read a sentence, we use our
perceptual system to recognize the letters and words, our
attentional system to focus on the sentence, our memory system to
store the information, and our language system to understand the
meaning.
Cognitive issues with cartography 18

 Perception: Maps rely heavily on visual perception. Cartographers must

be aware of how people perceive visual information, including color,
contrast, and pattern. They must also consider how people perceive
depth and scale in maps.

 Spatial reasoning: Cartography requires a strong understanding of

spatial reasoning. Cartographers must be able to interpret and create
maps that accurately represent the spatial relationships between
objects and locations.

 Attention and memory: Cartographers must consider how people pay

attention to and remember information on maps. They must design
maps that are easy to navigate and that present information in a way
that is easy to remember.
Cognitive issues with cartography 19

 Comprehension: Maps can be complex and difficult to understand.

Cartographers must design maps that are easy to comprehend,
even for people with limited map-reading skills.

 Decision making: Maps are often used to make decisions.

Cartographers must design maps that provide the information
needed for decision making, and they must present that information
in a way that is easy to understand.

 Communication: Maps are a form of communication.

Cartographers must be aware of their audience and design maps
that effectively communicate the intended message.
Goals of animation map design 20

 Enhance understanding: Animation can help to enhance

understanding of complex geographic phenomena by providing a
visual representation of how they change over time. This can be
particularly useful for showing patterns and trends that are difficult to
see in static maps.
 Increase engagement: Animated maps can increase engagement
and interest in geographic phenomena by making them more
dynamic and interactive. This can help to engage viewers and keep
their attention focused on the information being presented.
 Improve communication: Animated maps can help to improve
communication of geographic information by presenting it in a more
engaging and accessible way. This can be particularly useful for
presenting information to audiences with varying levels of geographic
knowledge.
Goals of animation map design 21

 Enable exploration: Animated maps can enable exploration of

geographic phenomena by allowing viewers to interact with the data
and explore patterns and trends over time. This can be particularly
useful for researchers and decision-makers who need to analyze and
interpret geographic data.

 Facilitate decision-making: Animated maps can facilitate decision-

making by presenting data in a way that is easy to understand and
analyze. This can be particularly useful for decision-makers in fields
such as urban planning, transportation, and emergency
management.
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