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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Ontology-Driven Geographic Information Systems, Frederico Torres Fonseca May 2001

Ontology-Driven Geographic Information Systems, Frederico Torres Fonseca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information integration is the combination of different types of information in a framework so that it can be queried, retrieved, and manipulated. Integration of geographic data has gained in importance because of the new possibilities arising from the interconnected world and the increasing availability of geographic information. Many times the need for information is so pressing that it does not matter if some details are lost, as long as integration is achieved. To integrate information across computerized information systems it is necessary first to have explicit formalizations of the mental concepts that people have about the real world. Furthermore, these …


Strategies For Handling Spatial Uncertainty Due To Discretization, Thomas Windholz May 2001

Strategies For Handling Spatial Uncertainty Due To Discretization, Thomas Windholz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Geographic information systems (GISs) allow users to analyze geographic phenomena within areas of interest that lead to an understanding of their relationships and thus provide a helpful tool in decision-making. Neglecting the inherent uncertainties in spatial representations may result in undesired misinterpretations. There are several sources of uncertainty contributing to the quality of spatial data within a GIS: imperfections (e.g., inaccuracy and imprecision) and effects of discretization. An example for discretization in the thematic domain is the chosen number of classes to represent a spatial phenomenon (e.g., air temperature). In order to improve the utility of a GIS an inclusion …


Late Maritime Woodland (Ceramic) And Paleoindian End Scrapers: Stone Tool Technology, Pamela J. Dickinson Jan 2001

Late Maritime Woodland (Ceramic) And Paleoindian End Scrapers: Stone Tool Technology, Pamela J. Dickinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Archaeologists tend to view lithic assemblages from a predominately morphological perspective, stressing the importance of the fluted point as the defining characteristic of the Paleoindian culture period (ca. 10,000 years B.P.). In applying such a characteristic, Paleoindian sites have been identified throughout the Northeast. However, there are no identified Paleoindian sites in New Brunswick. It is possible that some sites are largely ignored or thought to lack a Paleoindian component if a fluted point is absent. If such sites are being overlooked, then the database may under represent the Paleoindian culture period. Spurred end scrapers commonly occur in known Paleoindian …


Lithic Analysis Of Chipped Stone Artifacts Recovered From Quebrada Jaguay, Peru, Benjamin R. Tanner Jan 2001

Lithic Analysis Of Chipped Stone Artifacts Recovered From Quebrada Jaguay, Peru, Benjamin R. Tanner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quebrada Jaguay, a Terminal Pleistocene to Early Holocene archaeological site in Southern Peru, is recognized as one of the few sites in the Americas that features evidence of a Paleoindian maritime adaptation. Faunal remains from this multicomponent shell midden include shellfish, fish, crustaceans, and shorebirds. Lithic remains recovered from the site over the course of two field seasons (1996 and 1999) provide information about the technology of the site's inhabitants and afford comparisons with other contemporary sites. These lithic materials provide answers to questions dealing with lithic procurement and production strategies and questions about relationships with other groups along the …