Many GIS beginners become frustrated from all of the
acronyms and abbreviations that are used. GIS novices
often do not know what the acronyms stand for, so it
is difficult for them to understand the concepts. The
following table was developed to serve as a reference
guide to acronyms and abbreviations commonly used in
Arkansas GIS language. For further reading, several
links to other GIS acronym sites
are listed below the table.
|
ACF |
Arkansas Centerline File Program |
Program designed to create a more
accurate representation of road centerlines available
to the public. |
|
ADOP |
Arkansas Digital Ortho Program
|
Program designed to create updated
statewide aerial photography for Arkansas. |
|
AGIO |
Arkansas Geographic Information
Office |
State office responsible for coordination,
education, and distribution of geographic information
systems (GIS) data. |
|
AM/FM |
Automated Mapping/Facilities Management |
Databases designed to manage networks
of roads, pipes, and wires. |
|
ARC |
Ames Research Center |
National Aeronautics and Science
Administration (NASA) research center located
at Moffett Field in California. |
|
ASLIB |
Arkansas State Land Information
Board |
Twelve-member board responsible
for Arkansas GIS policy. |
|
CAD |
Computer Assisted Design; Computer
Aided Design |
Software package used to create
maps, drafts, and illustrations; closely related
to GIS systems. |
|
CAMP |
County Assessors Mapping Program |
Program designed to create and
disseminate GIS digital cadastre data for the
state of Arkansas. |
|
CDPD |
Cellular Digital Packet Data |
Format used to transfer data such
as auto vehicle locations. |
|
CFF |
Cartographic Feature Files |
Vector format used by U.S. Geological
Survey to publish data. |
|
COGO |
Coordinate Geometry |
Method of data input and analysis
used in professional surveying and civil engineering. |
|
DAK |
Data Automation Kit |
ESRI software package designed
to be used with mapping software in order to develop
topological data sets. |
|
DCW |
Digital Chart of the World |
Digital base map of the world. |
|
DEM |
Digital Elevation Model |
Elevation database produced by
U.S. Geological Survey. |
|
DLG |
Digital Line Graph |
Vector GIS format produced by U.S.
Geological Survey for distribution of topography
maps. |
|
DOQ |
Digital Ortho Quadrangle |
Aerial photography that has been
corrected with a digital elevation model and control
points and has its proper coordinates embedded.
|
|
DOQQ |
Digital Ortho Quarter Quadrangle |
Digital images of aerial photography
corrected to remove distortion; produced and updated
by U.S. Geological Survey. |
|
DRG |
Digital Raster Graphic |
Scanned image of a U.S. topographic
map. |
|
DTM |
Digital Terrain Model |
Elevation data created by Defense
Mapping Agency (DMA). |
|
ESRI |
Environmental Systems Research
Institute |
GIS and mapping software company. |
|
FTRP |
Framework Transportation segment
Reference Point |
"Specified location of a (required)
endpoint of a Framework Transportation Segment
(FTSeg), or an (optional) reference point offset
along the length of the FTSeg, on a physical transportation
system" (Federal Geographic Data Committee
[FGDC], 2000, p. 27). |
|
GCDB |
Government Corners Data Base |
Coordinate locations for government
corners (i.e., section corners). |
|
GIS |
Geographic Information Systems
|
All of the components (computer
software and hardware, data, and groups of people)
that come together to make it possible for decision
makers to explore alternatives concerning land
and mapping data based on accurate information.
|
|
GNIS |
Geographic Names Information System |
Official names of geographic places
in Oregon. |
|
GPS |
Global Positioning System |
Satellite network deployed by the
U.S. Department of Defense. |
|
HTML |
Hyper Text Markup Language |
Language for publishing hypertext
on the Web. |
|
LIDAR |
Light Detection And Ranging |
Similar in principle to RADAR,
using light instead of the radio waves. |
|
MAGIC |
MidAmerica GIS Consortium |
"Nonprofit educational organization
established to foster the applications of GIS
and related spatial technologies in the mid-continent
region" (http://magicweb.kgs.ku.edu/). |
|
NDOP |
National Digital Orthophoto Program |
Program formed to ensure the public
domain availability of DOQ data for the nation. |
|
NSGIC |
National States Geographic Information
Council |
"Organization of States committed
to efficient and effective government through
the prudent adoption of geographic information
technology (GIT)" (http://www.nsgic.org). |
|
PLS |
Public Land Survey (also PLSS,
Public Land Survey System)* |
Reference system designed to ease
the inventory and transfer of real property. |
|
PRISM |
Parameter-elevation Regressions
on Independent Slopes Model |
Tool used for mapping climate. |
|
RAWS |
Remote Automated Weather Station |
Stations that monitor the weather
and provide important weather information to fire
departments. |
|
SDE |
Spatial Database Engine |
ESRI software package for serving
data. |
|
SDSFIE |
Spatial Data Facilities,
Infrastructure, and Environment |
Focuses on the development
and improvement of GIS standards for different
government entities. |
|
SDTS |
Spatial Data Transfer Standard
|
Method for transferring data between
dissimilar computer systems. |
|
SGML |
Standard Generalized Markup Language |
Format that includes rules for
writing other markup languages. |
|
TIGER |
Topologically Integrated Geographic
Encoding and Referencing |
U.S. Census Bureau vector data
format. |
|
TIN |
Triangular Irregular Network |
Network of adjacent, non-overlapping
triangles. |
|
TVC |
Tagged Vector Contours |
Vector format product used in the
generation of DEMs and DLG Hypsography. |
|
VOR |
Very high frequency Omnidirectional
Range |
Radio navigation aid used to define
airways. |
|
VPF |
Vector Product Format |
Published vector format used by
the DMA. |
