[1] To do this, geovisualization communicates geospatial information in ways that, when combined with human understanding, allow for data exploration and decision-making processes.
[1][3][4] Traditional, static maps have a limited exploratory capability; the graphical representations are inextricably linked to the geographical information beneath.
[1] Geovisualization developed as a field of research in the early 1980s, based largely on the work of French graphic theorist Jacques Bertin.
Geovisualization has made inroads in a diverse set of real-world situations calling for the decision-making and knowledge creation processes it can provide.
The SimTable uses advanced computer simulations to model fires in any area, including local neighborhoods, utilizing actual slope, terrain, wind speed/direction, vegetation, and other factors.
The report summarizing this effort "uncovers a range of fundamental issues relevant to the broad field of geovisualization and information visualization research".
[11] Geovisualization users can use a georeferenced model to explore a complex set of environmental data, interrogating a number of scenarios or policy options to determine a best fit.