Visualizing Uncertainty in Soil Maps by Animation

The quality of mapped environmental information, especially soil maps, is relatively poor. Tradidonally reporting of this quality information has been restricted to standards and reports, which acting as adjuncts to the map but are accessible and understandable to few. Recent soil maps produced by the United States Soil Conservation Service are an example of this. They conform to a published mapping standard, and accompanying reports give details of the soil types shown on the maps as well as listing soil types included in mapping those principals. No information is usually available on the precise locations of these included soil types. In the animation method introduced here, information on included soil series is used to generate a computer version of the soil map which integrates the quality information with the display of primary soil types. The inclusions are shown at random locations within the primary soil mapping unit. By continually selecting grid cells and reevaluating the soil type, the impression is conveyed that this information may be imprecisely located. Integrating this display with interpretative information produces completely novel views of the soil map.