Abstract:
This paper outlines four speci® c problems that appear to represent considerable obstacles to the development of visualisation strategies for use within the domain of geography and the Earth sciences. These are: (1) the speed of graphical rendering, (2) the management of perceptual anomalies due to visual combination e ects, (3) the vast range of potential approaches andmappings (the complexity of the visual assignment process), and (4) the orientation of the user into an arti® cial or virtual reality. Each problem is discussed in terms of the visualisation of geographical data for the purpose of exploratory visual analysis. The speci® c underlying researchissues and questions are described,withparticular emphasis to how these relate to the geographical domain. Where possible, some potential solutions are suggested. Speci® c examples of geographical data visualisation are given to substantiate the arguments presented. The discussion highlights the need for further research in a number of key areas, and stresses the weaknesses of current visualisation theory and technology when applied to non-trivial geographical datasets.