| The research deals with the integration of remotely sensed data into the Electronic Atlas of Canada (EA). It aims to provide national mapping with more efficient data acquisition methods and more realistic methodologies for spatial data representation.;The results show that the integration, based on the selected integration approach, and the functionalities of image classification, image post-processing and the image mapping are feasible for the national mapping program.;Analyses of the basic characteristics of remotely sensed data and its potentials for national atlas mapping and of the potential approaches to the integration of remote sensing into the EA system were conducted. A system integration of the EA with the IDRISI, a geographical information analysis system, has been achieved based on a loose coupling concept and the system functionalities of both the EA and the IDRISI systems in the integration were defined. In addition, procedures for the thematic information extraction from the remote sensing data, a set of image post-processing procedures, and a set of image mapping procedures were developed. Finally, experiments in image classification, image post-processing, image mapping, polygon data transfer from IDRISI to EA and vice versa were carried out in order to test the functionality of the integration. |
