Physical Geography Introduction: TERMS

scale fraction

As part of the scale of a map, this is the scale fraction which is the distance related on Earth to the scale of the map that relates the same distance. Large Scale Maps show small areas, while Small Scale Maps show large areas.

geomorphology

Science of Earth surface processes and landforms which are constantly changing under combined influence of human and natural factors.

radar

active sensing system that uses microwave radiation.

time cycles

are the periodic repeating changes that natural systems may undergo. Important time cycles in physical geography range in length from hours to millions of years.

water resources

broad field that couples basic study of location, distribution and movement of water with the utilization and quality of water for human use. EX: river systems or grown water Includes the fields of human geography-regional development and planning, political geography and agriculture and land use.

physical geography

broad real of the subfield of geography which deals with examining the natural processes occurring at the Earth's surface that provide the physical setting for human activities.

human geography

broad realm of the subfield of geography which deals with social, economic and behavioral processes that differentiate places and PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY (see below.)

process

describes how the factors that affect a phenomenon act to produce a pattern at a particular scale. The processes of physical geography operate at multiple scales including global, continental, regional, and local.

spatial object

includes points, lines, polygons as representative of spatial data in the GIS to manipulate information.

geography of soils

includes study of the distribution of soil types and properties and the processes of soil formation.

(geolithic) representation

spective where geographers develop and perfect tools for representing and manipulating information spatially. CARTOGRAPHY-art & sci of making maps is subfield.

biogeography

study of the distribution of organisms at varying spatial and temporal scales as well as the processes that produce these distribution patterns. Water resources and hazards assessment are applied fields that blend both physical and human geography.

isopleth

type of map that show lines of equal value for a continuously varying property. Constructed from individual observations at points. EX: temperature map of isotherms.

global positioning system GPS

uses signals from Earth satellites to show position of an observer.

remote sensing

In GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, an aspect of visual display of spatial relationship includes REMOTE SENSING-acquiring images of the Earth from aircraft or spacecraft and enhancing them to better display spatial information. VERBAL DESCRIPTIONS use the power of words to explain or evoke geographic phenomena. Mathematical models and statistical models predict how a phenomenon of interest varies over space and through time. GRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS store, manipulate and display spatial information in very flexible ways. COGNITIVE REPRESENTATION-refers to spatial relationships as they are stored in the human brain-mental mapping of real space into the subjective space that people experience.

life layer

The layer of shallow surface where lands and oceans meet the atmosphere and where most forms of life are found. Includes the upper 100 meters or 300 feet of the ocean and upper surface of Earth~zone of interaction between all four realms.

geographic information system GIS

a computer based tool for working with spatial data. Works with spatial objects (see below) to manipulate information. 5 ELEMENTS: data acquisition, preprocessing, data management, data manipulation and analysis, and product generation.

map

a paper representation of space showing point, line, or area data-that is,, locations, connections, and regions typically displays characteristics or features of the Earth's surface that are positioned on the map in much the same way that they actually occur on the surface. A Map's Scale links the true distance between place with the distance on the map. (SEE BELOW for SCALE.)

hazards assessments

field that blends physical and human geography. Answers questions of risks such as living close to rivers and oceans with potential flooding damages with the perception of inhabitants to those risks. Integrates the risk with the perception of the risk and how it's interacted with.

coastal and marine geography

field that combines the study of geomorphic processes that shape shores and coastlines with their application to coastal development and marine resource utilization.

atmosphere

gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth which receives heat and moisture and redistributes them returning some heat and all the moisture back to the surface of the Earth. Supplies vital elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen~ALL ESSENTIAL TO sustain LIFE!

spectral signature

is the unique reflective quality that shows colors for objects or surfaces. Vegetation is dark green but bright in the near-infrared.

hydrosphere

liquid realm of the Earth which is principally the mass of water in the world's oceans. Includes the ice in mountains and continental glaciers and fresh water...all subject to gravity. Within the atmosphere, water occurs as gaseous vapor, liquid droplets and solid ice crystals. In the lithosphere, water is found in the uppermost layers of soils and in ground water reservoirs.

map projection

orderly system for displaying the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map. Common map projections include: polar, conic, and cylindrical.

lithosphere

outermost layer of the Earth which provides for the most Earthly life forms and sculpted into landforms creating features such as mountains, hills and plains provide varied habitats for plants, animals and humans. Even the solid rock of the lithosphere has a shallow layer of soil with nutrient elements available to organisms. In the lithosphere, water is found in the uppermost layers of soils and in ground water reservoirs.

spheres

part of systems and cycles that are three overarching themes in physical geography. The four great realms are: atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere (see below for define.)

systems

physical processes that act together in an organized way. A systems approach to physical geography looks for linkages and interactions between processes.

multispectral scanner

process of acquiring digital images.

synthesis

process of putting together ideas from different disciplines and fields assimilating them in different new ways. Particular interest: studies that link to conventional areas of study. EX: biogeographer who study how economic innovation varies from region to region according to cultural and legal factors thus merging the human geography subfields of economics, politics, and sociology.

biosphere

realm that encompasses all living organisms on Earth. Life-forms utilize the gases of the atmosphere, the water of the hydrosphere, and the nutrients of the lithosphere and so is dependent upon all 3 of other great realms. Most is contained on the LIFE LAYER (see below).

scale

refers to the level of structure or organization at which a phenomenon is studied.

pattern

refers to the variation in the phenomenon seen at a particular scale.

digital image

remote sensing that are processed by computer.

geostationary orbit

satellite orbit that keeps the imager always above the same point on the Equator.

Sun-synchronous orbit

satellite orbit used for remote sensing which covers most of the Earth while maintaining similar illumination conditions for repeat images.

climatology

science that describes and explains the variability in space and time of the heat and moisture states of the Earth's surface, especially its land surfaces. (Heat and moisture states are part of what we call weather with CLIMATE as a description of the average weather and its variation at places around the world. This sci also deals with CLIMATE CHANGE both past and future. One of the most rapidly expanding GLOBAL CLIMATE MODELING which attempts to predict how human activities such as converting land from forest to agriculture will change global climate.

cartography

subfield of geography that is the art, sci of making and drawing maps focusing on visual display of spatial relationships which also includes 'remote sensing' which is acquiring remote images of the Earth from aircraft or spacecraft and enhancing them to better displays of spatial information such as relationship. Includes REMOTE SENSING. (see below)

geography

the study of the evolving character and organization of the Earth's surface. It's about the how, why and where human and natural activities occur and how these activities are interconnected. The perspectives of VIEWPOINT, SYNTHESIS and REPRESENTATION define geography as a unique discipline that focuses on how the natural and human patterns of the Earth's physical and cultural landscape change and interact in space and time.

viewpoint

the unique perspective that analyzes the world and its human and natural phenomena. As geographers are interested in how and where something happens, the spatial viewpoint can focus on 3 levels: place level-how processes are integrated at a single location or single region. EX: urban geographer study spatial structure of a city-where neighborhoods and commercial centers devel and take on unique characteristics. Physical geographer-studies climate, ecology and soils of a national park. Space level geographer-how places are interdependent. Economic geographer-examine how flows of goods, information or money connect cities and towns that are of a different sizes and different distances apart. Physical geographer-maps the sources of sediment flowing into the river and chart the downstream effects. Looking at different SCALES-zooming in or out.

Earth visualization tool

tools that integrate remote sensing, GIS, GPS technology to create a visual simulation of the Earth's surface viewable on a networked uter. EX: Google Earth