1. Introduction
Welcome to the first unit in the module ‘Topographic Data Analysis Techniques and Applications’. In this first unit, we have included four sections. The very first section presents an outline of the remainder of the course and explains its intended scope. Necessarily, we have included some aspects of topographic data but excluded others because of the limited time available. We follow this with a look at the definition of topographic data, explaining the history of the technology as well as the meaning of the term itself. In the third part of Unit 1, we move on to look at the many ways that these data can be used to solve ‘real world’ problems. Finally, we consider some sources of global topographic data.
Note that there are no assignments in this first unit that count towards your overall course grade.
Activity
In preparation for the first unit of this module, we recommend that you read the following papers: copies are available on the course Blackboard site in the Reading material folder.
Konecny, G., 1985. The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing – 75 Years Old, or 75 Years Young, Keynote Address, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 51(7), pp 919-933.
Baltsavias, E.P. 1999. Airborne laser scanning: Existing systems, firms, and other resources. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 54(2-3):164-198.