The teaching aims to provide students with the basic knowledge for the cartographic framing of the territory, for the visualization, query, management and spatial analysis of digital cartography and geo-referenced data using GIS (Geographic Information System) tools, and for positioning using GNSS satellite technology. The student will thus have a first direct contact with the professional operational reality, acquiring skills and sensitivity to interact with technicians and specialists in other fields, as well as with private citizens.
The student will acquire the theoretical and practical techniques for the search of the most suitable cartographic data, for its correct management and integration with other geospatial data characterised by different reference systems and cartographic projections, and for its analysis, in a GIS environment, in order to obtain the expected result based on the metric resolution of the data.
In particular, the student will be able to use the free and open source GIS software QGIS (in accordance with the directive of the Minister for Innovation and Technology of 19 December 2003 that encourages its use), for the resolution of simple concrete applications.
Furthermore, the student will acquire the theoretical and practical techniques necessary to be able to carry out GNSS positioning and to be able to assess its accuracy.
The following transversal skills and competences (soft-skills) will also be developed, which will allow the relevant Open Badges to be awarded:
with emphasis on group work with a collaborative and constructive attitude, strategic thinking and critical thinking, effective communication and argumentative skills.
The teaching includes both theoretical lectures and practical exercises on GNSS surveying and cartographic data processing in a GIS environment.
The following innovative and interactive teaching tools are used:
- instant polls, both to stimulate students' attention and to check their level of learning, developing the ability to learn how to learn.
- the methodologies of Team Working and Problem Based Learning, applied in the context of GIS exercises both guided by the teacher and carried out independently in groups, developing literacy, personal and social skills as well as in project creation.
Students who have a valid certification of physical or learning disability recorded at the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances relating to lectures, teachings and examinations should contact both the lecturer and Prof. Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the Polytechnic School disability contact person.
For further details, please refer to the course's AulaWeb page (https://aulaweb.unige.it)
Working students are advised to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the teaching in order to agree on teaching and examination arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods.
Reference systems and coordinate systems
Co-ordinate systems and reference surfaces, reference systems and their realisations, with a focus on those of greatest interest in Italy. Models and problems in the transformations between different coordinate and reference systems.
Cartography and GIS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): operating logic and basic functionalities, overview of application areas, main existing software (in particular free and open source)
Numerical cartography: conceptual and logical data models (raster and vector, fields and entities), nominal scale and resolution, mention of topology, metadata and the European INSPIRE directive
Cartographic representations: main cartographic representations and their characteristics, EPSG international codes, the georeferencing process.
Cartographic data
The Italian official cartography: characteristics and availability
Digital Terrain Models (DTM): characteristics, data structures, (interpolation methods)
Photos and Orthophotos: hints on optical characteristics, acquisition procedures, storage formats; characteristics of orthophotos and satellite images
Introduction to GeoWebServices: availability of geographic data and their use via the web
Introduction to GeoDataBases: their structure and SQL queries
First processing in QGIS
Project setup and data import in QGIS; visualisation and integration of different data sources; import of WMS services and OpenStreetMap data; management and simple analysis of DTMs in QGIS; image management and georeferencing
GNSS/GPS satellite surveying methodology
General description of the system and operating principles, description of the signal, observables and observation equations, planning of a survey campaign, surveying methodologies with reference to data processing for post-processing, principles of real time surveying in support of satellite positioning services for so-called Network Real Time Kinematic (NRTK) surveying, insertion of a survey in a predefined reference system and framing in cartography.
Lecture notes and material provided by the teacher.
Texts for consultation:
Hofmann-Wellenhof B., Lichtenegger H, Collins J.: Global Positioning System - Theory and Practice. Springer&Verlag, Vienna
Leick A.: GPS Satellite Surveying, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New Jersey, USA, ISBN 0-471-05930-7
Burrough P.A., McDonnel R.A., Principles of Geographical Information Systems, Oxford University Press, 1998.
Longley P.A., Goodchild M.F., Maguire D.J., Rhind D.W., Geographic Information Science and Systems, Ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2015, ISBN: 1118676955, 9781118676950.
Ricevimento: By appointment, by calling (+39) 010 335 2421 or sending an e-mail (bianca.federici at unige.it) or a message on Teams
DOMENICO SGUERSO (President)
ILARIA FERRANDO
PAOLA SALMONA
BIANCA FEDERICI (President Substitute)
https://corsi.unige.it/corsi/11428/studenti-orario
The examination consists of an oral test, comprising:
- presentation and discussion of an application realised in GIS in small groups (2 to 4 people) aimed at analysing the territory, integrated with at least one GNSS positioning in RTK;
- questions relating to essential theoretical concepts for the correct management of geographical data, such as reference systems and cartographic projections, the concept of cartographic scale, the characteristics of different cartographic data, the main features of the GNSS system, possible sources of error and positioning procedures.
The following will be assessed:
- the critical discussion of the results obtained in the application aimed at a territory analysis in a GIS environment and at least one GNSS positioning in RTK;
- the quality of the oral presentation, as it is considered preparatory to the students' future working life, enabling them to better acquire the ability to share ideas and work in a team;
- the knowledge of essential theoretical concepts for the correct management of geographical data and GNSS positioning.
Working students and students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the Polytechnic School's disability liaison.
For any further information, please visit the page Aulaweb of the course (https://aulaweb.unige.it)
