AN ALGORITHM TO CONSTRUCT CONTINUOUS AREA CARTOGRAMS

Continuous area cartograms distort planimetric maps to produce a desired set of areas while preserving the topology of the original map. We present a computer algorithm which achieves the result iteratively with high accuracy. The approach uses a model of forces exerted from each polygon centroid, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Professional geographer Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 75 - 81
Main Authors Dougenik, James A., Chrisman, Nicholas R., Niemeyer, Duane R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Taylor & Francis Group 01.02.1985
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Association of American Geographers
Subjects
cartograms
computer cartography
distortion of maps
thematic cartography
transformations
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Summary:Continuous area cartograms distort planimetric maps to produce a desired set of areas while preserving the topology of the original map. We present a computer algorithm which achieves the result iteratively with high accuracy. The approach uses a model of forces exerted from each polygon centroid, acting on coordinates in inverse proportion to distance. This algorithm can handle more realistic descriptions of polygon boundaries than previous algorithms and manual methods, thus enhancing visual recognition.
Bibliography:His research interests include speech recognition and algorithms for automated cartography.
The authors performed this research while employed at the Harvard University‐Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis. The algorithm was written by Dougenik in summer of 1981 and results were displayed as poster at Harvard Computer Graphics Week 1981. A draft of this paper was presented at Harvard Graphics Week 1982. Phillip Muehrcke provided comments on a draft. The comments of the reviewers, Poh‐Chin Lai and D. R. F. Taylor, are also gratefully acknowledged. Funds from the University of Wisconsin‐Madison Graduate School assisted in preparing the manuscript.
His current research concerns measures of map error and applications of information systems to the operations o f local governments, along with the development of data structures and algorithms.
working in the field of automated cartography.
ISSN:0033-0124
1467-9272
DOI:10.1111/j.0033-0124.1985.00075.x