PubTalk 11/2004 — From Plane Tables to Pixels

The Revolution in Mapping at the U.S. Geological Survey

by Susan P. Benjamin, Research Geographer

• Mapping the United States in the 19th century was arduous, dangerous work; flash floods, bears, and bandits were just a few hazards
• By the mid-20th century, aerial photography, photogrammetry, and stereophoto pairs, allowed technicians to map land-elevation contours without fifi eld visits
• The "art" of cartography has evolved from hand scribing to computer digitization and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Satellite, airborne, and other remote-sensing technologies have greatly improved the acquisition of map data
• The Internet has revolutionized map availability--many maps are now available on-line; some are customizable from your computer