Government 90dn

Mapping the Census

Lecture 3: More on GIS; Spatial Data
Structures;TIGER

Sumeeta Srinivasan
ssrinivasan@cga.harvard.edu

Reference: Unlocking the Census, Ch 2; TIGER documentation www.census.gov;

Introduction to GIS (Huxhold); Geographic Information Systems and Science,
Longley, Goodchild, et al.
Outline
What is GIS?
GIS Data types
Raster vs Vector
Data structures
TIGER data structure for address matching
Geographic Information
Multidimensional
Has volume
Requires projection to flat surface
Analyses require data integration
Unique analysis methods
Geographic Information System
(Definitions)
Container of maps
Computerized tools for solving geographic
problems
Mechanized inventory of geographically
distributed features and facilities
Method for revealing patterns and
processes in geographic information
Geographic Information System
Container of maps
Geographic Information System
Mechanized inventory of geographically
distributed features and facilities
Geographic Information System
Computerized tools for solving geographic
problems
dotdgis.dotd.louisiana.gov
dotdgis.dotd.louisiana.gov/website/GIS-T2006.ppt
Geographic Information System
Method for revealing patterns and
processes in geographic information
 Spills in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville
Hazardous
Mean and Oil Spills
Population Center
Weighted
(close to intersection
Center of Main and Portland
in Cambridge)
(close to
intersection of
Fenway and
Forsyth in Boston)

Directional
Ellipse for
Spills
Directional
Ellipse for
Population
Geographic Information System
(Definitions)
Container of maps
Computerized tools for solving geographic
problems
Mechanized inventory of geographically
distributed features and facilities
Method for revealing patterns and
processes in geographic information
Why Represent?
“Almost all human activities require
knowledge of the Earth”
“Representations help us assemble far more
knowledge than is possible on our own”
“The world is infinitely complex but computer
systems are finite. Representations must limit
detail”
GIS Data Models
Discretize Geographical Reality
field view (regions) vs. object view (objects in a
plane)
Data Model implies spatial sampling and
spatial errors
Rasters and Vectors
How to digitally represent phenomena
conceived as fields or discrete objects?
Field View: Raster
Object View: Vector
“Real World”
Raster vs Vector
Data Structure
Raster Representation Vector Representation
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0 R T point
1 R T
2 H R
3 R line
4 R R
5 R
6 R T T H
7 R T T polygon
8 R
9 R
Lab Exercise 2
Step by step creation of data structures
Point, line and polygon tables
Topology tables
Topology in Data Structures
Defined as the spatial relationships between
neighboring features
Implemented within data structure by defining:
connectivity: Which arcs meet at a node?
area definition: Which arcs make up the
polygon?
contiguity: Which polygons are on the left and
right?
Lab Exercise 1
How to use TIGER data to match up Tuscaloosa
school addresses?
TIGER Files
Lines
z streets, railroads, rivers

Areas
z zip codes, census blocks, tracts, places, counties, etc.

Points
zlandmarks such as churches, schools, and other cultural
features represented in TIGER as points
Linear Address Matching (Streets)
Urban street maps
Four street address numbers ranging from low to high for
each side of a street segment.

Left_from Left_to Right_from Right_to Street_name Type

101 199 100 198 OAK ST

0105 100 Oak St. 198

101 199
0107
(80.731, 40.025) (80.729, 40.025)
Address Matching Major Steps
Schools file
ID Address Class
1437 123 Oak St A

402 333 Pine Av A

855 18 Bay Dr B
Address
Schools
Matching Major Steps
ID Address Class
1437 123 Oak St A

402 333 Pine Av A

855 18 Bay Dr B

Attributes of Streets
From To Street Type Side Parity Street_
2 98 Oak St R E 5950

1 99 Oak St L O 5950

100 198 Oak St R E 6011

101 199 Oak St L O 6011

Address
schools
Matching Major Steps
StoreID Address Class
1437 123 Oak St A Oak St
5950 100 6011 198
402 333 Pine Av A
101 199

Pine Av
855 18 Bay Dr B 123

Attributes of Streets
From To Street Type Side Parity Street_
2 98 Oak St R E 5950

1 99 Oak St L O 5950

100 198 Oak St R E 6011

101 199 Oak St L O 6011

Converting Georeferences
GIS applications often require transforming
data so that they line up
These are standard functions in popular GIS
packages
Street addresses must be converted to
coordinates for mapping and analysis
Using geocoding functions