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GIS

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1. What is GIS?

GIS or Geographic Information System is a set of digital maps with tabular data in the form of databases attached to them. Other databases can also be linked to the items on the map. Analysis can then be performed on either the spatial or tabular data or on both. The results of a query can be saved as a spatial data subset and be used with other spatial or tabular data to perform more analysis, resulting in a number of possibilities for various "what if" scenarios. Spatial queries may include proximities, contiguities, inclusions, exclusions or integrations.

2. What is GPS?

Global Positioning System (GPS) is a service that utilizes a special receiving unit to determine the location of any point on the globe. A series of twenty four satellites transmit signals to the receiver and through a series of trigonometric functions calculates the coordinates. Originally launched to facilitate the U.S. military, the system was later declassified and made available to the civilian public.

3. What Data Types do you use

Maplewood uses ESRI software to create and maintain its geographic data. All data are stored as either ArcView shapefile or geodatabase files. Databases in various other file formats, such as dBase, Access or delimited ASCII are also linked to the spatial data. Raster data are stored as georeferenced TIFF, MrSID or ESRI grid format files. All data that originates from the department are in Ramsey County coordinates