Tomasz Opach

Cartographic Visualization of Vulnerability to Natural Hazards

Vulnerability to natural hazards has many components. It is about exposure to various natural disasters, but a place’s vulnerability also depends on its capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from shocks resulting from natural extreme events. To avoid increased place vulnerability due to the anticipated negative effects of climate change, local authorities need to know which places are the most vulnerable and what makes these areas vulnerable. We have developed ViewExposed to provide this information. Knowing where the most vulnerable areas are is very useful for local stakeholders, since these places may be most in need of adaptation strategies. However, stakeholders also need to have an understanding of what makes these areas vulnerable. ViewExposed provides this information using a parallel coordinates plot, a table view, sparklines, and a profile report. Although vulnerability assessment data are complex, ViewExposed has an easy-to-use interface facilitating a high degree of user interaction through multiple and linked views. An improved understanding of the many aspects of vulnerability has a far-reaching potential to inform users efficiently about factors that influence the overall vulnerability and, as a consequence, can help raise people’s awareness of what makes places vulnerable to natural threats. La vulnérabilité aux dangers naturels est constituée de nombreux éléments. C’est une question d’exposition à diverses catastrophes naturelles, mais la vulnérabilité d’un endroit dépend aussi de sa capacité de se préparer aux chocs découlant d’événements naturels extrêmes, d’y réagir et de s’en remettre. Afin d’éviter la vulnérabilité locale accrue à cause des effets négatifs prévus des changements climatiques, les autorités locales doivent connaître les endroits les plus vulnérables et les causes de leur vulnérabilité. Nous avons mis au point ViewExposed pour fournir cette information. Il est aussi très utile pour les intervenants locaux de connaître les endroits les plus vulnérables, car c’est peut-être à leur sujet qu’il faut le plus de stratégies d’adaptation. Les intervenants doivent toutefois comprendre aussi la cause de ces vulnérabilités. ViewExposed fournit ces renseignements en utilisant un tracé à coordonnées parallèles, une vue de tableau, des graphiques Sparklines et un rapport de profil. Même si les données d’évaluation de la vulnérabilité sont complexes, ViewExposed offre une interface facile à utiliser qui facilite une grande interaction entre les usagers grâce à des vues multiples et liées. Une compréhension améliorée des nombreux aspects de la vulnérabilité offre de vastes possibilités d’informer les usagers de façon efficiente au sujet de facteurs qui jouent sur la vulnérabilité globale et, par conséquent, peut aider à sensibiliser davantage les gens à ce qui rend des endroits vulnérables aux menaces naturelles.

Map-Based Web Tools Supporting Climate Change Adaptation

This article discusses the state of the art in geovisualization supporting climate change adaptation. We reviewed twenty selected map-based Web tools, classified by their content and functionality, and assessed them by visual representations, interactive functions, information type, target audience, and how vulnerability and adaptation to climate change are addressed. Our study concludes that the tools (1) can be classified as data viewers with basic functionality and data explorers offering more sophisticated interactive functions; (2) mostly feature moderate or high richness of data content; and (3) predominantly target expert users.

Three core activities toward a relevant integrated vulnerability assessment: validate, visualize, and negotiate

Future climate in the Nordic countries is expected to become ‘warmer, wetter, and wilder’, and this will probably cause more extreme weather events. Therefore, local authorities need to improve their ability to assess weather-related hazards such as floods, landslides, and storms, as well as people’s sensitivity and capacity to cope with or adjust to such events. In this article, we present an integrated assessment of vulnerability to natural hazards, which incorporates both exposure and social vulnerability. In our assessment, we screen places and rank them by their relative scores on exposure and vulnerability indices. We also design a web-based visualization tool – ViewExposed – that shows maps that reveal a considerable geographic variation in integrated vulnerability. ViewExposed makes it easy to identify the places with the highest integrated vulnerability, and it facilitates the understanding of the factors that make these places exposed and/or vulnerable. For empirical validation, we correlate the exposure indices with insurance claims due to natural damage. However, we also emphasize the importance of a dialog with relevant stakeholders to ensure a participatory validation. Our top-down exposure and vulnerability assessment benefits from a participatory bottom-up assessment. This is crucial to support decisions about where to implement adaptive and preventive measures against hazards related to climate change.

Decision support for adaptive action – assessing the potential of geographic visualization

This study explores the role of geographic visualization for supporting the implementation of climate change adaptation. Interviews and group discussions with planners and decision makers indicate that geographic visualization bears primary potential for communicative purposes. In order to respond to analytical needs a high level of interactivity including the exploration of background data and the ability to link the tools with own databases were some of the key requirements made by the participants. The study concludes that more than better climate predictions, awareness and involvement may be precisely what is needed to narrow the implementation gap in climate change adaptation.

How Do People View Multi-Component Animated Maps?

Abstract Quite a few examples in the cartographic and information visualisation literature suggest that multi-component animated maps may be appropriate for examining complex spatio-temporal phenomena. Such space–time visualisations typically consist of multiple dynamic map or data windows, linked by means of interactive tools. Little empirical evidence exists, however, providing support of the potential advantages of such complex visual space–time displays. This research aimed at filling this gap. An empirical study was carried out to obtain insight on how multi-component animated maps are used to explore dynamic spatio-temporal phenomena. We examined which particular components attract users’ attention and in what sequence, and whether display effectiveness can be characterized by users’ viewing behaviours. Based on behavioural data collected with the eye-tracking method, we find that component size, and employed dynamic variables attracted users’ attention most. We are also able to identify visual behaviour patterns that result in performance differences between participants, using multi-component animated map. Finally, we highlight component layout design issues that should be further examined empirically, in order to reduce potential split attention effects.

Assessing agricultural vulnerability to climate change in the Nordic countries – an interactive geovisualization approach

Nordic agriculture must adapt to climate change to reduce vulnerability and exploit potential opportunities. Integrated assessments can identify and quantify vulnerability in order to recognize these adaptation needs. This study presents a geographic visualization approach to support the interactive assessment of agricultural vulnerability to climate change. We have identified requirements for increased transparency and reflexivity in vulnerability assessments, arguing that these can be met by geographic visualization. A conceptual framework to support the integration of geographic visualization for vulnerability assessments has been designed and applied for the development of AgroExplore, an interactive tool for assessing agricultural vulnerability to climate change in Sweden. To open up the black box of composite vulnerability indices, AgroExplore enables the user to select, weight, and classify relevant indicators into sub-indices of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. This enables the exploration of underlying indicators and factors determining vulnerability in Nordic agriculture.

VisAdapt: A Visualization Tool to Support Climate Change Adaptation

The web-based visualization VisAdapt tool was developed to help laypeople in the Nordic countries assess how anticipated climate change will impact their homes. The tool guides users through a three-step visual process that helps them explore risks and identify adaptive actions specifically modified to their location and house type. This article walks through the tools multistep, user-centered design process. Although VisAdapts target end users are Nordic homeowners, the insights gained from the development process and the lessons learned from the project are applicable to a wide range of domains.

Do choropleth maps linked with parallel coordinates facilitate an understanding of multivariate spatial characteristics

Our study has three objectives. We want to investigate (1) whether choropleth maps linked with parallel coordinates help people understand the locations of vulnerable places and the factors making these places vulnerable, (2) whether sparklines that imitate the polylines from a parallel coordinate plot support the understanding of the information provided in that plot, and (3) whether a multiple-view geovisualization approach might be intuitive and useful also for nonexperts. Although we base our work on the functionalities available in the tool called ‘ViewExposed,’ we intend to outline more general conclusions on whether multiple linked views facilitate the understanding of multivariate spatial characteristics. An empirical study with 53 individuals was conducted to obtain insights on these objectives. Our task-based assessment considered the ways in which participants understood the dynamic linking capabilities. Some of the key findings are as follows: (1) even nonexpert users are able to use parallel coordinates linked with choropleth maps; however, only those with extensive inference-making abilities will do so efficiently; (2) parallel coordinates sparklines work as an independent component facilitating the understanding of multivariate data; and (3) the intuitive nature of a multiple-view geovisualization tool is not enough to encourage people to use it.

Choropleth maps and diagram maps in atlas of cartographic presentation methods

Abstract The online Atlas kartograficznych metod prezentacji [Atlas of cartographic presentation methods, hereinafter the Atlas] is a research project being carried out at the Department of Cartography of the University of Warsaw. The aim of the project is to systematize knowledge about the use of cartographic presentation methods. This study discusses selected issues related to two of the five presentation methods analysed in the project, viz. the choropleth map and the diagram map. A rational application of two quite commonly-used presentation methods leads to a number of problems. These problems are most easily visible during attempts to program its implementation in the web-based Atlas and are largely due to the difficulties with drawing a clear boundary between what is a good and a bad map. For this reason, the system operator’s skill and eye for the graphics of semi-automated visualisation seem to be of key importance.

A New Concept of Multi-Scenario, Multi-Component Animated Maps for the Visualization of Spatio-Temporal Landscape Evolution

A New Concept of Multi-Scenario, Multi-Component Animated Maps for the Visualization of Spatio-Temporal Landscape Evolution In this paper, we propose a new approach to the presentation of the spatio-temporal evolution of landscape using a multi-component multi-scenario animated map system. The concept of multi-scenario map was introduced with a few conceptual level objectives. Firstly, to facilitate understanding of geographic spatio-temporal changeability (especially landscape changeability) by the use of complex cartographic animations. Secondly, to investigate factors which influence an intuitive and effective use of multi-component cartographic applications. In relation to understanding processes, the overriding purpose was to build up a generic approach that allows users to recognize features of complex geographic phenomena. Finally, since the implementation of the concept was of importance, a prototype has been prepared.