Geovisualization

Geovisualization, sometimes called cartographic visualization, is a set of tools and techniques for analyzing geographic data with interactive visuals. Unlike traditional static maps, which have limited ability to be explored because their graphics are fixed to the underlying geography, geovisualization uses interactive maps that let users adjust layers, zoom in and out, and change the map’s appearance, usually on a computer screen. It relies on modern microprocessors to update the map in real time as users modify the displayed data. The goal is to build knowledge rather than just store or transmit information, combining geospatial data with human insight to support exploration and decision-making.

The term “visualization” first appeared in cartographic literature in 1953, in an article by geographer Allen K. Philbrick. A 1987 National Science Foundation report redefined it, placing visualization at the intersection of computer graphics, image processing, computer vision, computer-aided design, signal processing, and user interface studies, highlighting its role in creating knowledge and generating hypotheses. Geovisualization emerged as a research field in the early 1980s, largely from the work of French graphic theorist Jacques Bertin. His work on cartographic design and information visualization, like the NSF report, focused on using dynamic visual displays to spark scientific insight and on methods that leverage perception and cognition to aid scientific thinking. The International Cartographic Association formed a Commission on Visualization & Virtual Environments in 1995, and the field continues to grow.

Geovisualization is closely related to scientific visualization and information visualization. Because of its roots in cartography, it contributes to these fields through the map metaphor, which has been widely used to visualize non-geographic information in information visualization and domain knowledge visualization. It also connects to urban simulation.

Geovisualization has been applied in various real-world situations that require decision-making and knowledge creation. In wildland firefighting, firefighters have long used sandbox models to physically simulate terrain and fire for planning. The SimTable, a 3D interactive fire simulator, brings these sandtable exercises to life by modeling fires in any area—including local neighborhoods—using actual slope, terrain, wind, vegetation, and other factors. It was used in Arizona’s largest recorded fire, the Wallow Fire. In forestry, geovisualizers worked with European foresters using CommonGIS and the Visualization Toolkit to explore large spatio-temporal datasets online. The project revealed two main issues: the geovisualizers could not convince the foresters of geovisualization’s usefulness, and the foresters worried about non-experts having uncontrolled access to the data. The geovisualizers emphasized knowledge construction, while the foresters preferred traditional maps for communicating information. In archaeology, geovisualization offers a way to map unearthed environments and explore archaeological data in three dimensions, also fostering new collaborations between archaeologists and computer scientists. For environmental studies, geovisualization tools help multiple stakeholders consider complex interacting factors when studying environmental changes, allowing users to explore a georeferenced model and test different scenarios or policy options to find the best fit. In urban planning, both professionals and the public can use geovisualization to explore real-world environments and model “what if” scenarios based on spatio-temporal data.