VISUALIZATION MAPPING METHODS FOR INTERPRETATION OF PHENOMENON DYNAMICS

V. Vozenilek, J. Kanok

Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

vit.vozenilek@upol.cz

Various scientific disciplines deal with the research of the object and phenomenon changes in space and time. Many of them present research projects where the results are presented by means of maps. That is why the task for cartography and geoinformatics is to have sufficient number of visualisation methods, which are able to represent the changes in time. A number of the methods already exist but the research in that sphere is not finished. The existed methods will be improved and new methods will be established.

The representation of dynamics can be expressed by words: movement, process, development, trend, change, rhytm, cycle, formation - duration - end, growth etc. We choose the mapping method according to the word that best fits the represented phenomenon. Before we choose the mapping method we have to evaluate the structure of the dynamic phenomenon. The important thing is not only the meaning of the word but the dynamic phenomenon itself. Finally, we have to take into consideration to whom we represent the result of the visualisation. We have to know the level of professional knowledge of the reader of the final visualisation.

The methods representing the phenomenon dynamics can be divided according to different criteria. One of the possible criteria is - the final representation:

a/ static (eg. graph, diagram, map, 3 and more maps of the same territorium where the phenomenon changes within time)

b/ dynamic ( eg. animation in 2D, animation in 2D/3D)

The authors present samples of the methods for representing the phenomenon dynamics and they aslo present proposition of clasification of the methods dealing with the visualisation of the phenomenon dynamics.