ArcGIS is a GIS program that uses cartographic information and databases to analyze data related to geographic locations. It includes tools for creating and editing maps, building databases, storing and analyzing data, and producing reports. It is used by professionals in various fields and can perform different types of analyses. The software uses vector or raster data and has various extensions for advanced functions.
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a program that uses a combination of cartographic information and databases to view, edit, and analyze data related to geographic locations. ArcGIS® software, produced by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), is one of the most common suites of GIS computer applications. It includes tools for creating and editing maps, building databases of geographic information, storing and analyzing data, and producing reports or graphs of the results. There are several extensions to the main program, which can perform more advanced functions. ArcGIS® software is used by professionals in many fields, including environmental sciences, biology, engineering, archeology, urban planning, and surveying.
Probably the most obvious function of ArcGIS® to those unfamiliar with GIS programs is to create and edit maps. In this software, maps are separated into pieces called layers, and depending on the purpose of the map, a single map may contain only a few or many different layers. These are especially useful for analysis because you often need to do one type of analysis on one data set and another type on another set, and the layers make it simple. They can also be toggled on or off to control what is displayed in the workspace.
To perform GIS analysis, you need to understand the different types of data used by ArcGIS® software. The data can be in vector or raster format. Vector data is discrete, which means it is a set of points generally used for data, such as house locations. Raster data is a continuous surface and is used to track information such as population density or average rainfall. The data must be in the correct form in order to use most ArcGIS® tools.
Both vector and raster images can have additional attributes that are joined to them in database tables. Many types of GIS analyzes rely on this data, which might include details such as rainfall, soil type, species diversity, distance from another point, and many other attributes. To use the precipitation example, a user of ArcGIS® software could use map algebra to convert all measurements from inches to millimeters or to interpolate vector data on a raster surface to estimate precipitation elsewhere . It could also use statistical analysis to compare rainfall in different areas. There are numerous other types of analyzes that ArcGIS® software can perform, depending on the data available and the desired results.
In addition to all the tools available in the basic ArcGIS® software packages, several extensions are available to perform other types of analyses. Spatial and geostatistical extensions provide more advanced data analysis options, while a 3D extension provides basic ArcGIS® functions in three dimensions. Others specialize in data discovery, network analysis, and GIS compatibility with computer aided drafting (CAD) programs. ArcGIS® software offers many ways to analyze geographic information and has many different applications.
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