During this lab I explored spatial map data of Canada and Washington State to learn about coordinate systems, datums, projections, and spatial data models (raster and vector data).

Data is projected into different coordinate systems depending on the purpose of the map and the region covered by the data layers. When data is projected into a different coordinate system, the coordinates will be slightly distorted along with area, distance, shape, and direction. Projection-on-the-fly allows you to combine layers with different coordinate systems and have them align with each other, but is only temporarily. To permanently fix misaligned and improperly referenced spatial data, you must  change the projection for the layer into a common spatial reference system. Using Project in ArcToolbox you can modify the spatial coordinate data and create a new version of the data layer with a different coordinate system.

A projected coordination system is a flat, 2D surface and has constant lengths, angles, and areas unlike a geographical coordinate system that is based on a sphere. To make a projected coordination system, you need a geographic coordinate system first. Depending on what coordinate system you are using, distance between two points will also differ. Canada Lambert Conformal does a better job of maintaining shape whereas NAD_83(CSRS) has a more curved and distorted shape.

Landsat is a type of passive remote sensing that started being used in 1972 to continuously scan the Earth. It uses a detector to measure the amount of emitted energy from Earth’s surface since varying wavelengths are used to produce colored images. Landsat is advantageous in the way that it captures raster data of the entire world in 16 day intervals.  We can use Landsat data to research fast-changing areas and landforms, such as snow and ice cover in the Arctic Circle.