提出了关于地学可视化的研究框架。地学可视化包括地图可视化、地理信息系统(GIS)可视化及其在专业应用领域的可视化。地图可视化与GIS可视化是地学可视化理论和技术的2个基础部分。地学多维图解是从非可视化角度提出的,关于图的地学知识表达、获取及其图的地学问题解的求证原理和方法,是地学可视化的高一级发展阶段。地图可视化中的信息表达交流模型和地理视觉认知决策模型的研究,将从理论上促进地学多维图解模型的进一步发展。基于虚拟现实技术和计算机网络技术的虚拟地理环境是地学可视化、地学多维图解理论和技术发展的最后集成系统。

This paper explores the research status and future trends of geo-referenced visualization, and aims to establish a research framework via the discussion of geo-visualization, multi-dimensional geo-graphical interpretation and virtual geographical environment. In terms of geo-visualization, three concepts including cartographic visualization, geographical visualization, and GIS-visualization are scrutinized, and their relationship is established. Cartographic visualization emphasizes visual thinking, spatial cognition and analysis, and graphic information communication. GIS-visualization focuses on data structure and model, realistic 3-D graphics rendering, dynamic interaction, real-time processing, etc. In this paper, cartographic visualization and geographical visualization are regarded as the same in nature. Multi-dimensional geo-graphical interpretation is proposed from non-visualization, whose goal is to establish methodology and rules for graphics-based unknowns-seeking upon around a thousand past and present geo-referenced maps/graphics/images. Only from one special case or a kind of map and supported by computer-based visualization, geo-visualization, especially cartographic visualization, facilitates users to explore data for revealing unknowns. But with the same goal of graphics-based unknowns-seeking, geo-visualization and multi-dimensional geo-graphical interpretation should be integrated to further the study on visual thinking, spatial cognition, and graphics-based data exploration, based upon both long human accumulated experiences and knowledge and the modern computer-based visualization technology. Resulting from the integration of virtual reality technology, Internet and regional geographical systems, virtual geographical environment (VGE) will be taken as the advanced system which will eventually contain all theories and techniques associated with geo-visualization and multi-dimensional geo-graphical interpretation and so on. VGE is very important for the development and practice of Geography, which permits users to go into geo-referenced data, interact directly with geo-referenced objects rather than 3-D graphics of objects, and generate hypotheses or valid others' geo-models. VGE is a virtual laboratory for geographers. But the establishment of VGE depends upon not only virtual reality technology, but as well as the development of geo-visualization, multi-dimensional geo-graphical interpretation, acquisition and processing technique of geo-referenced information, etc..