I am fascinated with maps. Google maps and Google Earth have been my favourite tools. I have been constantly experimenting with my GPS receiver to see how I can easily generate and convert location data and put it up online. Now my focus has shifted from ease to utility. How can I use GPS to generate/curate meaningful maps?
Today I came across this post on Google Lat Long blog. I thought of blogging a bit about my two new interests – GIS and Geology
GIS and geology are not related fields. But here is how my love for these two fields started.
Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the earth? Have you ever wondered how earth uses its forces to keep this planet going? Have you ever wondered why of all the objects in the universe, Earth is the only known place, so far, to have life?
I am not talking about some high-end science here. I am talking about the story of the planet Earth. I got deeply interested in the Earth’s story ever since I joined Arghyam. What has that got to do with the interest in geology? Simple – Water is so heavily goverened by geology that we have a new term for it – hydrogeology.
Two important documentary series that helped me find answers were – Earth Story, Power of the Planet
Since then I am a big fan of geology.
GIS, unlike geology, is an old love. GIS is a technology term that, from now on, I can use for my love for maps. Since high-school I am fascinated with maps. I find it easier to read maps and I am good at creating maps – on the paper. But tools such has google maps and earth, coupled with a GPS and a GIS tool, now enable me to create digital maps.
My entire K2K trip was mapped using a GPS. All the photographs are geotagged. Going further, I want to improve my proficiency in GIS technology. I have installed GRASS and QGIS on my Ubuntu machine. I have downloaded some presentations and ebooks related to GIS. I will keep you all posted of my new interest. But don’t miss the above two documentaries.
If you are interested in GIS – here is a good place to start – Map Action GIS Field Guide