AN ALGORITHM TO CONSTRUCT CONTINUOUS AREA CARTOGRAMS†

  1. James A. Dougenik1,
  2. Nicholas R. Chrisman2,
  3. Duane R. Niemeyer3

Article first published online: 23 FEB 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1985.00075.x

Issue

The Professional Geographer

The Professional Geographer

Volume 37, Issue 1, pages 75–81, February 1985

Additional Information

How to Cite

Dougenik, J. A., Chrisman, N. R. and Niemeyer, D. R. (1985), AN ALGORITHM TO CONSTRUCT CONTINUOUS AREA CARTOGRAMS. The Professional Geographer, 37: 75–81. doi: 10.1111/j.0033-0124.1985.00075.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    JAMES A. DOUGENIK is a software engineer for Verbex, Bedford, MA. His research interests include speech recognition and algorithms for automated cartography.

  2. 2

    NICHOLAS R. CHRISMAN (Ph.D., Bristol University) is an Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706. His current research concerns measures of map error and applications of information systems to the operations of local governments, along with the development of data structures and algorithms.

  3. 3

    DUANE R. NIEMEYER (M.A., Akron) is a member of the technical staff for The Analytic Sciences Corporation, Reading, MA, working in the field of automated cartography.

  • †

    The authors performed this research while employed at the Harvard University-Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis. The algorithm was written by Dougenik in summer of 1981 and results were displayed as poster at Harvard Computer Graphics Week 1981. A draft of this paper was presented at Harvard Graphics Week 1982. Phillip Muehrcke provided comments on a draft. The comments of the reviewers, Poh-Chin Lai and D. R. F. Taylor, are also gratefully acknowledged. Funds from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School assisted in preparing the manuscript.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 FEB 2005
  2. Article first published online: 23 FEB 2005

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Keywords:

  • cartograms;
  • thematic cartography;
  • computer cartography;
  • transformations;
  • distortion of maps

Continuous area cartograms distort planimetric maps to produce a desired set of areas while preserving the topology of the original map. We present a computer algorithm which achieves the result iteratively with high accuracy. The approach uses a model of forces exerted from each polygon centroid, acting on coordinates in inverse proportion to distance. This algorithm can handle more realistic descriptions of polygon boundaries than previous algorithms and manual methods, thus enhancing visual recognition.

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