Map Brief: Moving Map Objects

The links and information below discuss the use and effectiveness of moving map objects.

When it is effectively done, adding motion animation to a map helps to provide a vivid visualization of the concept under discussion. These maps are essential “movies” that add a fourth dimension to the bringing new life to information that might be what ordinarily lost with a two-dimensional map. The links below provide a few examples of how effective animation can be:

1. http://www.wtj.com/articles/xray/
This site uses the moving-object mapping to show the progress of the battle of the Ia Drang and the defence of landing zone X-ray. Notice how each of the polygons represents a company of soldiers with different colors representing the opposing sides. The amount of interactivity on this map is limited to simple stop, fast forward, rewind, and play, with a help button used to show the legend for the map.

2. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/hurricanes/interactive/hurricane.paths/index.html
CNN has a link to a wonderful site that clearly illustrates the progression in strength and paths of hurricanes during the 2004 season. A user can watch the entire season progress throughout the year or select individual hurricanes on interest and track their progress. An interesting addition to the map is the use of the calendar that progresses through the days of the year. The site is very helpful in watching how hurricanes originate, where they originate from, how they grew, and where they tracked.

3. http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0807/es0807page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
This site shows an animation on the predicted movements of the tectonic plates over the course of 100 million years. I don't find this map very interactive, you can either play it as a movie or go throught the map by clicking the step button, but each step moves the map forward 10 million years. It is interesting to see what the world could look like in 100 million years.

4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/launch_ani_burma_campaign.shtml
This is the second way to use motion animation mapping. Instead of using the previous method of a singular moving object to represent a moving army group, this map uses arrows to show troop progression over the battlefield. This map shows the burma campaign during WWII. The map uses a time line up top to show in what year did each event take place. The animation is a little fast and cannot be paused, only replayed.

5. http://shadowandsubstance.com/comet/Comet%20d.swf
The Comment 73P Schwassman Wachmann 3’s orbit site is a great site for gaining appreciation as to how close comets can come to the orbits of the planets in our solar system including Earth. People often have no concept or appreciation when you tell them that an object the size of a small moon passed Earth’s orbit by thousands of miles. Their only source of reference is comparing the mileage to a trip across the country and thousands of miles away seem really far. The Wachmann site is designed to help people appreciate how close the orbital paths of comets and planets actual are.