Abstract
Previous research on the Virtual Geographic Environment (VGE) has focused mainly on representation rather than geographic analysis. However, geographic analysis plays a significant role in modern geography. To address this issue, this paper systematically examines theories and implementing VGE techniques that support geographical analysis and simulation. Based on its framework, VGE can be divided into four subtypes. These are the data environment, modeling environment, expression environment, and collaborative environment. The functions and key techniques of each are examined, and some case studies are discussed. This study provides direction for necessary new developments of advanced VGE platforms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Batty M. Virtual geography. Future, 1997, 29: 337–352
Crang M, Crang P, May J. Introduction. In: Crang M, Crang P, May J, eds. Virtual Geographies: Bodies, Space, and Relations. London and New York: Routledge, 1999. 1–20
Gong J H, Lin H. Virtual geographic environments-A geographic perspective on online virtual reality (in Chinese). Beijing: High Education Press, 2001
Zhang Z C, Lu G N, Liu X Y. The fourth world: A kind of creativity and exploration of new time and space (in Chinese). Beijing: People Press, 2009
Lin H, Gong J H. On virtual geographic environments (in Chinese). Acta Geod Cartogr Sin, 2002, 31: 1–6
Lin H, Huang F R, Lu G N. Development of virtual geographic environments and the new initiative in experimental geography (in Chinese). Acta Geogr Sin, 2009, 64: 7–20
Lin H, Zhu Q. The linguistic characteristics of virtual geographic environments (in Chinese). J Remote Sens, 2005, 9: 158–165
Cappelle C, El Najjar, M E, Pomorski D, et al. Intelligent geolocalization in urban areas using global positioning systems, three-dimensional geographic information systems, and vision. J Intell Transp Syst, 2010, 14: 3–12
Li S, Sun J L. Advancement of digital Yellow River based on the virtual geographic environments (in Chinese). Prog Geogr, 2005, 24: 91–100
Li S, Yao J. The multi-dimension data model of virtual geographic environments and its expression in geographical processes (in Chinese). Geogr Geo-Inf Sci, 2005, 21: 1–5
Chen X G. Exploration on geo-environment simulation and cognitive verification: A case study at Cudgewa catchment in Victoria, Australia (in Chinese). Geogr Res, 2003, 22: 245–252
Xu B L, Lin H, Zhu J, et al. Construction of a virtual geographic environment for air pollution simulation in Pearl River Delta (in Chinese). Geomat Inf Sci Wuhan Univ, 2009, 34: 636–640
Wu X, Li S J, Gong J H, et al. Research on the system architecture of Grid-VGE (in Chinese). Hydrogr Surveying Charting, 2006, 26: 71–74
Ishida T. Digital city Kyoto. Commun ACM, 2002, 45: 76–81
Rheingold H. The Virtual Communities: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. London: MIT Press, 2000
Xia Q Q, Zhang H, Lu G N. GIS laboratory without walls (in Chinese). Geo-Inf Sci, 2002, 4: 17–22
Chen G. A virtual terrain simulation, based on the map data and according with the regular pattern of vision (in Chinese). Acta Geod Cartogr Sin, 1997, 26: 235–240
Sun M, Chen J. Research on data modeling for 3D landscape entities based on geometry primitives (in Chinese). J Wuhan Technical Univ Surv Map (WTUSM), 2000, 25: 233–237
Coors V. 3D-GIS in networking environments. Comput Environ Urban Syst, 2003, 27: 345–357
Attaway S W, Brown K H, Mello F J, et al. A parallel contact detection algorithm for transient solid dynamics simulations using PRONTO3D. Comput Mech, 1981, 22: 143–159
Zhang Y, Bai S W. An approach of 3D stratum modeling based on tri-prism volume elements (in Chinese). J Image Graph, 2001, 6: 285–290
Wu L X, Zhang R X, Qi Y X, et al. 3D geoscience modelling and virtual mine system (in Chinese). Acta Geod Cartogr Sin, 2002, 31: 28–33
Pilout M, Tempfli K, Molenaar M. A tetrahedron-based 3D vector data model for geoinformation. Adv Geogr Data Model, 1994, (40): 129–140
Li D R, Li Q Q. Study on a hybrid data structure in 3D GIS (in Chinese). Acta Geod Cartogr Sin, 1997, 26: 128–133
Wu Q, Xu H, Zou X K. An effective method for 3D geological modeling with multi-source data integration. Comput Geosci, 2005, 31: 35–43
Zhang Z, Song M, Liu D X, et al. Data model support distributed system integration (in Chinese). J Syst Simul, 2009, 21: 818–822
Feng M, Liu S G, Ned H E, et al. Distributed geospatial model sharing based on open interoperability standards (in Chinese). J Remote Sens, 2009, 13: 1067–1073
Shi S, Chen C C, Wang Q M, et al. Concurrency control mechanism for collaborative virtual geographic environment (in Chinese). J Syst Simul, 2009, 21: 7180–7184
Lin, H, Zhu J, Gong J H, et al. A grid-based collaborative virtual geographic environment for the planning of silt dam systems. Int J Geogr Inf Sci, 2010, 24: 607–621
Gong J H, Lin H, Tan Q. Designing and developing the virtual campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (in Chinese). Acta Geod Cartogr Sin, 2002, 31: 39–43
Wu M G, Shen J W, Wen Y N. A hybrid data structure for integrated modeling of geographic 3D data. Proceeding ICISE, Nanjing, 2009, 1943–1946. doi: 10.1109/ICISE.2009.48.
Yuan L W, Yu Z Y, Luo W, et al. A 3D GIS spatial data model based on conformal geometric algebra. Sci China Earth Sci, 2011, 54: 101–112
Yuan L W, Yu Z Y, Chen S F, et al. CAUSTA: Clifford Algebra based unified spatial-temporal analysis. Trans GIS, 2010, 14(S1): 59–83
Wang Y J, Che W T, Cao R. An object-oriented spatial data model for virtual geographical environment. Proceeding Geoinformatics, 2008, Guangzhou. 1432I: 1–8
Su H J, Sheng Y H, Wen Y N. VGE-oriented multi-sourced heterogeneous data integration (in Chinese). J Geo-Inf Sci, 2009, 11: 292–298
Chen M, Sheng Y H, Wen Y N, et al. Geographic problem-solving oriented data representation model (in Chinese). J Geo-Inf Sci, 2009, 11: 333–341
Chen M, Sheng Y H, Wen Y N, et al. Semantics guided geographic conceptual modeling environment based on icons (in Chinese). Geogr Res, 2009, 28: 705–715
Tao H. A visual geographic conceptual modeling method based on scene diagram (in Chinese). Master Thesis. Nanjing: Nanjing Normal University, 2008
Chen M, Wen Y N, Wang Y J, et al. Research on 3D visualization of virtual geographical environment (in Chinese). Acta Simul Syst Sin, 2006, 18(S1): 349–351, 355
Sun Y Q. Research on cooperative GIS-Document workflow supporting consultation (in Chinese). Doctoral Dissertation. Nanjing: Nanjing Normal University, 2007
Wen Y N, Lu G N, Yang H, et al. A service-oriented framework of distributed geographic model integration (in Chinese). J Remote Sens, 2006, 10: 160–168
Yang S, Zhan S Y, Fei Q. Environment data representation and interchange using sedris (in Chinese). Comput Eng, 2002, 28: 71–73
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lü, G. Geographic analysis-oriented Virtual Geographic Environment: Framework, structure and functions. Sci. China Earth Sci. 54, 733–743 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-011-4193-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-011-4193-2