MAPPLACE.CA - MORE POWER!

The MapPlace is a WEB mapping site providing free access to an extensive array of information related to British Columbia geology and mineral exploration. The site is provided by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines and has been in operation since 1995. The award winning site has proven very successful in providing easy access to current information and a number of spatial analysis capabilities.

Recently, two new capabilities have been added to the site to significantly enhance the analysis power provided to site users. A set of Image Analysis Tools (IAT) provide sophisticated analysis capabilities to be performed on geopositioned multi and hyperspectral imagery. A new online mapping capability, MapperWrapper, allows site users to build on existing MapPlace maps by add new layers and map objects and saving the results.

The IAT was designed as a framework to hold imagery in a variety of multi and hyperspectral image formats and image analysis tools. The result of each user-initiated analysis is integrated with the MapPlace display to allow overlay of all available spatial data on the imagery. Landsat ETM+, ASTER and AVIRIS imagery have been made available for analysis. The provided analysis tools include single band displays, 3-band RGB image creation, 2-band ratios, a NDVI vegetation index tool and a false color composite tool allowing 2-band ratios for each of the three color channels. A variety of color mappings may be applied to the analysis results. Additional imagery and analysis tools can readily be added to the framework.

The MapperWrapper gives site users the ability to add new layers, delete layers, reposition layers and add their own map objects to newly created layers. A wide selection of symbols, line and fill patterns, object sizes, rotation angles and colors are available. The newly created map resides only on the user’s computer and they are free to distribute the resultant map in any way they desire.

The more powerful MapPlace (MapPlace.ca) is the result of an integration of several commercial-off-the-self software packages and a comprehensive database developed over many years by the British Columbia Geological Survey and other agencies.