TY - JOUR
T1 - Viewing Azimuth and Map Clarity
AU - Monmonier, Mark S.
N1 - Funding Information:
* The financial assistance of the Senate Research Committee of Syracuse University is gratefully acknowledged.
PY - 1978/6
Y1 - 1978/6
N2 - In a realistic oblique view of a three-dimensional surface, viewing azimuth is more important than vertical scale or elevation angle as a determinant of surface blocking. Because coordinate axes cannot easily be rotated before interpolation, some mapping software packages, in particular the SYMAP-SYMVU combination, discourage the selection of a viewing azimuth that might provide greater clarity than a traditional diagonal view. A simple direct search method for sampling and evaluating visibility over a wide range of azimuths is a useful and inexpensive approach to optimizing the orientation of oblique views. Complementary views from two orthogonal azimuths might be needed to enhance overall clarity for rough, irregular surfaces. Because trend slope correlates with surface visibility for smooth, regular surfaces, an azimuth in the direction of steepest ascent on the linear trend surface approximates the azimuth with maximum visibility and promotes the cartographic communication of the salient spatial trend.
AB - In a realistic oblique view of a three-dimensional surface, viewing azimuth is more important than vertical scale or elevation angle as a determinant of surface blocking. Because coordinate axes cannot easily be rotated before interpolation, some mapping software packages, in particular the SYMAP-SYMVU combination, discourage the selection of a viewing azimuth that might provide greater clarity than a traditional diagonal view. A simple direct search method for sampling and evaluating visibility over a wide range of azimuths is a useful and inexpensive approach to optimizing the orientation of oblique views. Complementary views from two orthogonal azimuths might be needed to enhance overall clarity for rough, irregular surfaces. Because trend slope correlates with surface visibility for smooth, regular surfaces, an azimuth in the direction of steepest ascent on the linear trend surface approximates the azimuth with maximum visibility and promotes the cartographic communication of the salient spatial trend.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-8306.1978.tb01189.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-8306.1978.tb01189.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78649367942
SN - 2469-4452
VL - 68
SP - 180
EP - 195
JO - Annals of the American Association of Geographers
JF - Annals of the American Association of Geographers
IS - 2
ER -