Algebraic Geodesy And Geoinformatics

Charity Mupanga, the resilient and maternal proprietor of Harrods International Bar (and Nightspot) faces her toughest challenge in Dizzy Worms, the final novel in Michael Holman's acclaimed trilogy set in the African slum of Kireba. Faced with a Health and Safety closure, Charity has a week to appeal and the chances of success seem negligible: elections are imminent, and Kireba is due to become a showcase of President Josiah Nduka's 'slum rehabilitation program', backed by gullible foreign donors. But before taking on Nduka and the council, she has a promise to keep – to provide a supply of her famous sweet doughballs to a small army of street children, as voracious as they are malodorous . . . Michael Holman uses his witty satirical pen to brilliant effect in this affectionate portrait of a troubled region, targeting local politicians, western diplomats, foreign donors and journalists, puncturing pretensions and questioning the philosophy of aid.

While preparing and teaching ‘Introduction to Geodesy I and II’ to undergraduate students at Stuttgart University, we noticed a gap which motivated the writing of the present book: Almost every topic that we taught required some skills in algebra, and in particular, computer algebra! From positioning to transformation problems inherent in geodesy and geoinformatics, knowledge of algebra and application of computer algebra software were required. In preparing this book therefore, we have attempted to put together basic concepts of abstract algebra which underpin the techniques for solving algebraic problems. Algebraic computational algorithms useful for solving problems which require exact solutions to nonlinear systems of equations are presented and tested on various problems. Though the present book focuses mainly on the two ?elds, the concepts and techniques presented herein are nonetheless applicable to other ?elds where algebraic computational problems might be encountered. In Engineering for example, network densi?cation and robotics apply resection and intersection techniques which require algebraic solutions. Solution of nonlinear systems of equations is an indispensable task in almost all geosciences such as geodesy, geoinformatics, geophysics (just to mention but a few) as well as robotics. These equations which require exact solutions underpin the operations of ranging, resection, intersection and other techniques that are normally used. Examples of problems that require exact solutions include; • three-dimensional resection problem for determining positions and orientation of sensors, e. g. , camera, theodolites, robots, scanners etc.

Improved geospatial instrumentation and technology such as in laser scanning has now resulted in millions of data being collected, e.g., point clouds. It is in realization that such huge amount of data requires efficient and robust mathematical solutions that this third edition of the book extends the second edition by introducing three new chapters: Robust parameter estimation, Multiobjective optimization and Symbolic regression. Furthermore, the linear homotopy chapter is expanded to include nonlinear homotopy. These disciplines are discussed first in the theoretical part of the book before illustrating their geospatial applications in the applications chapters where numerous numerical examples are presented. The renewed electronic supplement contains these new theoretical and practical topics, with the corresponding Mathematica statements and functions supporting their computations introduced and applied. This third edition is renamed in light of these technological advancements.

The applications of geomatics technology in its broader context have resulted in significant progress in the field of earth science. This book provides brief coverage on some trends in geomatics technology as it relates to earth scientists. The development in geomatics, whether GIS, remote sensing, GPS or photogrammetry, can be seen from trends in the applications of Big Data, Smart City, Internet of Things (IoT), the use of augmented reality and utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and in the impact of machine learning and AI on geomatics.

There is no doubt that today, perhaps more than ever before, humanity faces a myriad of complex and demanding challenges. These include natural resource depletion and environmental degradation, food and water insecurity, energy shortages, diminishing biodiversity, increasing losses from natural disasters, and climate change with its associated potentially devastating consequences, such as rising sea levels. These human-induced and natural impacts on the environment need to be well understood in order to develop informed policies, decisions, and remedial measures to mitigate current and future negative impacts. To achieve this, continuous monitoring and management of the environment to acquire data that can be soundly and rigorously analyzed to provide information about its current state and changing patterns, and thereby allow predictions of possible future impacts, are essential. Developing pragmatic and sustainable solutions to address these and many other similar challenges requires the use of geodata and the application of geoinformatics. This book presents the concepts and applications of geoinformatics, a multidisciplinary field that has at its core different technologies that support the acquisition, analysis and visualization of geodata for environmental monitoring and management. We depart from the 4D to the 5D data paradigm, which defines geodata accurately, consistently, rapidly and completely, in order to be useful without any restrictions in space, time or scale to represent a truly global dimension of the digital Earth. The book also features the state-of-the-art discussion of Web-GIS. The concepts and applications of geoinformatics presented in this book will be of benefit to decision-makers across a wide range of fields, including those at environmental agencies, in the emergency services, public health and epidemiology, crime mapping, environmental management agencies, tourist industry, market analysis and e-commerce, or mineral exploration, among many others. The title and subtitle of this textbook convey a distinct message. Monitoring -the passive part in the subtitle - refers to observation and data acquisition, whereas management - the active component - stands for operation and performance. The topic is our environment, which is intimately related to geoinformatics. The overall message is: all the mentioned elements do interact and must not be separated. Hans-Peter B ahr, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.h.c., Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany.

This second edition includes updated chapters from the first edition as well as five additional new chapters (Light detection and ranging (LiDAR), CORONA historical de-classified products, Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs), GNSS-reflectometry and GNSS applications to climate variability), shifting the main focus from monitoring and management to extreme hydro-climatic and food security challenges and exploiting big data. Since the publication of first edition, much has changed in terms of technology, and the demand for geospatial data has increased with the advent of the big data era. For instance, the use of laser scanning has advanced so much that it is unavoidable in most environmental monitoring tasks, whereas unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs)/drones are emerging as efficient tools that address food security issues as well as many other contemporary challenges. Furthermore, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are now responding to challenges posed by climate change by unravelling the impacts of teleconnection (e.g., ENSO) as well as advancing the use of reflected signals (GNSS-reflectometry) to monitor, e.g., soil moisture variations. Indeed all these rely on the explosive use of “big data” in many fields of human endeavour. Moreover, with the ever-increasing global population, intense pressure is being exerted on the Earth’s resources, leading to significant changes in its land cover (e.g., deforestation), diminishing biodiversity and natural habitats, dwindling fresh water supplies, and changing weather and climatic patterns (e.g., global warming, changing sea level). Environmental monitoring techniques that provide information on these are under scrutiny from an increasingly environmentally conscious society that demands the efficient delivery of such information at a minimal cost. Environmental changes vary both spatially and temporally, thereby putting pressure on traditional methods of data acquisition, some of which are highly labour intensive, such as animal tracking for conservation purposes. With these challenges, conventional monitoring techniques, particularly those that record spatial changes call for more sophisticated approaches that deliver the necessary information at an affordable cost. One direction being pursued in the development of such techniques involves environmental geoinformatics, which can act as a stand-alone method or complement traditional methods.

This book offers a new framework that facilitates the development of more intelligent systems and methods for data analysis and international information sharing, such as the use of satellite imaging and geospatial data to predict changes in weather conditions and shifts in water levels, and to assess the extent of the forest cover remaining on Earth that is visible from space. It brings together the many aspects of science and technology, as well as formula and analytical approaches required for more informed decision-making. It also highlights the vital importance of understanding the technological, economic and social dimensions of environmental projects that have short-term results and long-term impacts. It is unique in that it clearly distinguishes between environmental project management (EnvPM) and green project management (GreenPM), and presents an amalgamation of environmental management and project management concepts, using geospatial methods to form an EnvPM concept. The book sets a benchmark for the professionalism with which environmental projects should be planned, executed, monitored, assessed and delivered. While primarily intended for professionals responsible for the management of environmental projects or interested in improving the overall efficiency of such projects, it is also a useful handbook for managers in the private, public and non-for-profit sectors. It is a valuable resource for students at both undergraduate and master’s levels and an indispensable guide for anyone wanting to develop their skills in modern project management, environmental management and geospatial techniques. ``We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it.'' US President Obama's address to the United Nations on Climate Change and Global warming (2015) hison: This book provides an in-depth, well-researched and science-based approach to applying key project-management and spatial tools and practices in environmental projects. An important read for leaders considering projects that balance social-economic growth against minimising its ill-effects on Planet Earth. - Todd Hutchison, Global Chairman of Peopleistic group.