Cartographic Animation: Potential and Research Issues

The potential of computer animation has been realized in many different disciplines. Animation is also a powerful visualization tool for cartography; however, it has been neglected until recently. This paper portrays the need for animation in cartography in the light of the new approaches and methods in the sciences as well as in society. It discusses two main reasons for the lack of animation in cartography: the fixation on the printed map and the absence of a comprehensive approach to cartographic animation. Finally, a variety of issues for further research are proposed.