The map as knowledge base

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the concept and implementation of a map as a knowledge base. A map as a knowledge base means that the visual map is not only the descriptive compilation of data and design principles, but also involves a compilation of semantic propositions and logical predicates that create a body of knowledge organized as a map. The digital product of a map as knowledge base can be interpreted by machines, as well as humans, and can provide access to the knowledge base through interfaces to select features and other information from the map. The design of maps as a knowledge base involves technical approaches and a system architecture to support a knowledge base. This paper clarifies how a map as a knowledge base differs from earlier map theory models by investigating the knowledge-based concepts of implementation through logical modelling, a knowledge repository, user interfaces for information access, and cartographic visualization. The paper ends with proof of concepts for two types of cartographic data query.

RÉSUMÉ

Ce papier étudie le concept et l’implémentation d’une carte en tant que base de connaissance. Une carte en tant que base de connaissance signifie que la carte visuelle n’est pas uniquement la compilation de données et de principes de conception mais qu’elle implique également une compilation de propositions sémantiques et de prédicats logiques qui constitue un corpus de connaissances organisées comme une carte. Le produit numérique d’une carte en tant que base de connaissance peut être interprété par des machines ainsi que par des humains et peut fournir un accès à la base de connaissance via des interfaces pour sélectionner des objets ou d’autres informations de la carte. La conception de cartes en tant que base de connaissance implique des approches techniques et une architecture système pour soutenir la base de connaissance. Ce papier clarifie la différenciation entre une carte en tant que base de connaissance, de celle issue de modèle antérieur sur la théorie cartographique en cherchant les concepts d’implémentation des bases de connaissance à travers une modélisation logique, un référentiel de connaissance, des interfaces utilisateur pour accéder à l’information et la visualisation cartographique. Le papier s’achève sur une démonstration sur deux types de requêtes cartographiques.

KEYWORDS:

• Cartography theory
• map
• knowledge base
• geospatial semantics
• semantic web

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dalia Varanka is a Research Geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Faculty at Johns Hopkins University. She received her BA degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in Urban and Regional Analysis (1978) and her MA degree in Urban Environmental Geography at the University of Illinois at Chicago (1987). She worked as a research assistant at The Field Museum of Natural History and The Newberry Library in Chicago. Dr Varanka’s PhD degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1994) focused on the spatial information theory and cartography and society. Dr Varanka began her Federal career in 1993 as a Physical Science Technician with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. She joined the USGS in 1997 and has been a Research Grade Evaluation (RGE) scientist since 1999 with the National Geospatial Program. Dr Varanka leads the Geospatial Semantics and Ontology project of the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (http://cegis.usgs.gov/). Dr Varanka teaches a Geospatial Ontology and Semantics course for the Geographic Information Systems degree for the Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs.

E. Lynn Usery is a Senior Scientist of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Director of the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS). He has worked as a cartographer and geographer for the USGS for more than 28 years and a professor of geography for 17 years with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Georgia. He has served as President of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), the Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS), and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). He is a Fellow of CaGIS and UCGIS and received the CaGIS Distinguished Career Award in 2012. Dr Usery is currently a Vice-President of the International Cartographic Association. His primary research areas are in theoretical cartography and geographic information science, geospatial semantics and ontology, CyberGIS, map projections, spatial data models, and data integration.

ORCID

Dalia E. Varanka http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2857-9600

E. Lynn Usery http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2766-2173