New GIS tools and geospatial data sets for surveying and mapping

This article highlights the advantages that the soil surveyor can gain by analysing high resolution imagery and DEMs in a 3D environment… (more)

Mapping through the ages: the history of cartography

The fascination and interest for the world that we inhabit, has been inherent to human nature since prehistoric times. Some of the cave paintings and other representations on bones and artifacts, which used to be viewed as mere artistic representations, have turned out to be, according to the latest research, maps of hunting areas, streams, routes, and even maps of the stars… (more)

Mapping and monitoring artisanal mining

This article examines how accurately mapping artisanal mining areas will enable the enforcement of mineral rights and the regulation of the informal mining sector as well as assisting in the management of scarce and valuable resources… (more)

A step closer to mapping the Earth in 3D

After a year in service, the German Earth observation satellite TanDEM-X, together with its twin satellite, TerraSAR-X, have completely mapped the entire land surface of Earth for the first time. The data is being used to create the world’s first single-source, high-precision, 3D digital elevation model of Earth.The German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) controls both radar satellites, generates the elevation model and is responsible for the scientific use of TanDEM-X data… (more)

Mapping Earth’s gravity field

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite has reached its ambitious goal of mapping Earth’s gravity with unprecedented precision. In two short years, the sophisticated satellite has collected the measurements needed to record the “geoid” reference shape of our planet… (more)

90 years of surveying and mapping

The South African national surveying and mapping agency, now known as the Chief Directorate: National Geo-spatial Information (NGI), turned 90 years old in October 2010 and has proudly served the country  by providing a sound, uniform, modern, geodetic reference frame and country wide coverage of topographical maps and data of various scales, types and formats… (more)

Mapping time and space as a forensic tool

This article examines how the movement and communication between the murder suspects and the state witness were analysed and mapped using cellular telephone records. The aim was to use the mapped time and space information to corroborate the evidence given by the state witness with regards to the events leading up to murder of Taliep Petersen… (more)

Mapping for Mozambique’s cadastral needs

The CSIR’s Satellite Application Centre (CSIR SAC) was approached by Mozambique’s Centro Nacional de Cartografia e Teledeteção (CENACARTA) to produce imagery suited for cadastral mapping to support the Land Component of the MCA-Mozambique Land Tenure Services project, under the National Directorate of Land and Forestry (DNTF). Following previous work done for the centre by CSIR SAC, CENACARTA was eager to extend the current coverage of satellite imagery over the country… (more)

The map scandal and the Methuen Map

In spite of the fact that the British had been involved in southern Africa for the best part of the century, there was an acute shortage of maps available of the two Boer republics and even of their own British colonies. In Britain, this map shortage was regarded as one of the biggest military scandals of the war… (more)