Lab 3: Neogeography

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Neogeography allows people to share mapping information and spatial experiences in an interactive setting. It exponentially increases the mapping of the Earth's surface, and it introduces mapping in new and innovative ways. Neogeography improves our ability to communicate spatial concepts to others, and it places the field of mapping in the hands of everyday people. These advances have paved the way for anyone with an Internet connection to create a map of their very own, no degree in cartography required.

However, neogeography also introduces new risks to the field of mapping. Since it is available to anyone with an Internet connection, there is a definite lack of accountability. There are no guarantees that these produced maps are accurate or reliable. Furthermore, these maps are now flooding the interweb. It can be highly difficult to determine the validity of maps found through search engines. Neogeography can also be more difficult than expected, since the user is confined by the boundaries of the program that he or she is using. For example, in Google Maps, there are only so many shapes that one can superimpose onto the map. This limits the user's ability to turn the map into something new and innovative.

Lab 2

1. What is the name of the quadrangle?

- Beverly Hills Quadrangle

2. What are the names of the adjacent quadrangles?

- Canoga Park (NW), Van Nuys (N), Burbank (NE), Topanga (W), Hollywood (E), Venice (S), Inglewood (SE)

3. When was the quadrangle first created?

- 1966

4. What datum was used to create your map?

- North American Datum of 1927 (horizontal), North American Datum of 1929 (vertical)

5. What is the scale of the map?

- 1: 24,000

6. At the above scale, answer the following:

a) 5 centimeters on the map is equivalent to how many meters on the ground?

- 1,200 meters

b) 5 inches on the map is equivalent to how many miles on the ground?

- 1.89 miles

c) one mile on the ground is equivalent to how many inches on the map?

- 2.64 inches

d) three kilometers on the ground is equivalent to how many centimeters on the map?

- 12.5 centimeters

7. What is the contour interval on your map?

- 20 feet

8. What are the approximate geographic coordinates in both degrees/minutes/seconds and decimal degrees of:

a) the Public Affairs Building;

- 118̊ 26’18” OR 118.438̊

b) the tip of Santa Monica pier;

- 118̊ 30’ OR 118.5̊

c) the Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir;

- 118 degrees 24’43” OR 118.41 degrees

9. What is the approximate elevation in both feet and meters of:

a) Greystone Mansion (in Greystone Park);

- 570 ft, or 173.74 meters

b) Woodlawn Cemetery;

- 140 feet, or 42.67 meters

c) Crestwood Hills Park;

- 600 ft, or 182.88 meters

10. What is the UTM zone of the map?

- Zone 11

11. What are the UTM coordinates for the lower left corner of your map?

- 3,763,000m northing by 361,500m easting

12. How many square meters are contained within each cell (square) of the UTM gridlines?

- 1 sq km

13. Obtain elevation measurements, from west to east along the UTM northing 3771000, where the eastings of the UTM grid intersect the northing. Create an elevation profile using these measurements in Excel (hint: create a line chart). Figure out how to label the elevation values to the two measurements on campus. Insert your elevation profile as a graphic in your blog.

14. What is the magnetic declination of the map?

- positive 14̊

15. In which direction does water flow in the intermittent stream between the 405 freeway and Stone Canyon Reservoir?

- southward

16. Crop out (i.e., cut and paste) UCLA from the map and include it as a graphic on your blog.