Geo-Spatial Technology

Geo-Spatial Technology generally refers to the science and the tools used to acquire, store, analyze, and output data in two or three dimensions, referenced to the earth by some type of real- world coordinate system (e.g., a map projection). The ability to reference a geographic location is an important component in analyses of effects or trends in biological and physical resources. Geospatial technology tools include geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, thematic mapping, image processing, satellite positioning systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), and telemetry.

Excerpted from U.S. Geological Survey science for a changing world; in their web page www.usgs.gov

Geospatial technologies are vastly increasing our ability to gather environmental information and to place it into context, and are revolutionizing the way we view the world around us. The three related technologies of Remote Sensing (RS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) combine the sciences of cartography and spatial analysis with new techniques to support a wide range of applications.
Advancements in these geospatial technologies have led to a phenomenal increase in the amount of spatial data, and to new analysis methods to turn this data into information. These tools allow researchers to ask question about where things are, what their unique characteristics are, and how these are distributed or related to other features. Answering these questions aids in managing, conserving, or developing the real-world environment, and helps us to understand how present environmental conditions have developed.

Excerpted from Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Technologies by The NorthWest Academic Computing Consortium