| Mapping Toolbox | |
An Introduction to the Mapping Toolbox
Welcome to the Mapping Toolbox for MATLAB®. The Mapping Toolbox allows you to read, analyze, and display geographic information within MATLAB. Since the earth and most heavenly bodies are generally spherical in shape, geographic data is usually defined on a spherical or elliptical coordinate system. Distance, azimuth, area, and even straight lines on the curved surface of the earth are defined differently than in the MATLAB cartesian coordinates.
Displaying geographic data from round bodies on flat surfaces also requires special techniques from the art of cartography. The Mapping Toolbox can create maps using simple commands that make reasonable cartographic choices or allow you to control every detail of the map display. Atlas data provided with the toolbox allows you to create detailed base maps on which you can plot your own results. You can also import high-resolution map data available over the Internet from government or academic sources.
This chapter will acquaint you to with capabilities of the toolbox. As you go through the following examples, you can consult the online help, which includes reference material, or later sections of this document for more details. To make full use of the Mapping Toolbox, you will need to be familiar with the geographic and cartographic concepts described in the later chapters of this guide.
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