Instruction offered by members of the Department of GeomaticsEngineering in the Schulich School of Engineering.
Department Head – Naser el Sheimy
Associate Heads – M. Barry, D.J. Marceau
Geomatics Engineering 103
Survey Block Week
EDM calibration, theodolite calibration, resection, traverse, levelling, topographic survey and map generation, least squares and error propagation. Course Hours:Q(32) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343and361. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
Review of procedural programming and introduction to object-based programming using high level compiled and interpreted languages. Binary and ASCII File I/O, use of function libraries and class libraries. Construction of simple classes. Inheritance and polymorphism. Programming for GeomaticsEngineering applications. Visualization and data representation. Course Hours:H(3-2) Prerequisite(s):Engineering 233.
Differential levelling including precise methods and instruments and the Modified Princeton Test; heights by other methods; angular and gyrotheodolite measurements; distance measurements by taping, optical methods, and EDM; basic principles; basic features of instruments; testing, adjustment and calibration of instruments; measurement procedures; accuracies. Computations: traverse and area, the first and second geodetic problem on the plane, trig sections, station and target eccentricities, coordinate transformations. Route Surveying: route location, horizontal and vertical curves, sight distance, slope staking, earth work computations, mass diagram. Routine procedures: setting out straight lines and right angles, measurement with obstructions. Mapping by tacheometry or total station. Setting out surveys: alignment and grade for roads, sewers and pipelines, bridges, buildings, dams, tunnels. Mining surveys. Introduction to satellite positioning. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Biomedical Engineering 319orEngineering 319andoneof Physics 269or369.
Introduction to Geospatial Information Systems and Geographic Information Science, Georelational vector data model, object-based vector data model, raster data model, map projections, geodetic datums, coordinate systems, georeferencing, database design and management, query language, geometric transformations, vector data analysis, raster data analysis, spatial interpolation, terrain modelling and analysis, triangulated irregular network data model, path and network analysis, temporal GIS. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Engineering 233.
Familiarization with Geomatics engineering methodology and estimation. Classes and combination of mathematical models. Least squares method: parametric, condition and combined cases. Problem formulation and solution: theory of errors and adjustment of observations, analysis of trend, problems with a priori knowledge of the parameters, step by step methods, sequential solution methods, summation of normals. Introduction to Kalman filtering. Introduction to univariate and multivariate statistical testing applied to Geomatics engineering problems. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Engineering 233andoneofBiomedical Engineering 319orEngineering 319. Corequisite(s):Applied Mathematics 309.
A systematic approach to the "Geomatics Network Analysis and Optimal Design," that are two of the most important processes in establishing a Geodetic Network. Network concepts and their implementation. Reference systems and surfaces, datum, and fiducial networks. Observational models for terrestrial and extraterrestrial measurements of type position and gravity. Measures of precision and accuracy of coordinates. Reliability, data snooping, variance component analysis. Implementation aspects for different types of networks. Integration of satellite observations into geodetic and photogrammetric networks. Deformation analysis. New network concepts. WADGPS and the concept of dynamic network. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 361. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 423.
Fundamental concepts, definitions and basic aims of geodesy. Representation of the Earth's surface: physical and mathematical figures of the Earth, geodetic reference systems, frames and coordinates, reference ellipsoids and geodetic datums, maps. Time systems, basic motions of the Earth, dynamic behaviour of the Earth. Basic types of geodetic reference systems, computational procedures and coordinate transformation methods. Celestial coordinate systems and astronomic positioning. Elements of map projections, examples and applications. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343 , Engineering 335orComputer Engineering 339orGeomatics Engineering 333andApplied Mathematics 309. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 103.
Introduction to geodesy, its principles, tasks and applications. Measurements and methods for geodetic positioning. The gravity field and the geoid in science and engineering. Elements from potential theory, vector calculus, Gauss divergence, Green's theorems, boundary value problems. The normal field. Gravimetry. Gravity reductions, isostasy. Geoid determination, Stokes's formula, combination methods. Vertical positioning and height systems. Fundamentals of Earth's figure and gravity field estimation using perturbations of orbits of satellites and planets. Principle and applications of satellite gravimetry and satellite altimetry. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343, 361, 421, Electrical Engineering 327andEngineering 349.
The role of photogrammetry in mapping applications (image acquisition and image measurement). Mathematical relationships between image and object space. Direct and inverse problems of projective and similarity coordinate transformations. Conditions of collinearity and coplanarity. Orientation procedures (Interior, Exterior, Relative and Absolute). Measurement and correction of image coordinates. Stereomodel formation and error analysis. Various mathematical models strip and block adjustments. Project planning. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Applied Mathematics 309andGeomatics Engineering 361.
A survey of modern quantitative remote sensing using optical, infrared and microwave radiation. Topics include: physical principles, including governing equations; imaging system geometries; radiometric corrections, including calibration and atmospheric correction; geometric corrections, including registration and land cover classification algorithms, including accuracy assessment and geospatial data integration. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s): Engineering 335orComputer Engineering 339orGeomatics Engineering 333, Geomatics Engineering 351andoneof Physics 269or369.
Land tenure, cadastral systems, real property law, methods of acquiring rights in land, boundary concepts, cadastral survey computations, land registration systems, entity relationship models of land tenure systems, case law of boundary systems. History of cadastral systems, land administration, fiscal and juridical cadastres, dominion land systems, land registration in Alberta, special types of surveys relating to Canada Lands, structure of professional surveying bodies in Canada. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343, 421and451or443Ìý andCommunications Studies 363.
Satellite orbit motion and Kepler laws. Description of GPS signal structure and derivation of observables. Characteristics of instrumentation. Analysis of atmospheric, orbital and other random and non-random effects. Derivation of mathematical models used for absolute and differential static and kinematic positioning. Pre-analysis methods and applications. Kalman filtering applied to kinematic positioning. Software considerations. Static and kinematic survey procedures and operational aspects. Course Hours:H(3-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343, 361, and421. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 419and423.
Principles of project management and applications in geomatics projects. Group project, under the supervision of a faculty member, on an assigned GeomaticsEngineering topic. The project will normally involve a literature review, theoretical work, and laboratory or field work. Submission and defence of progress reports and a final report are required. Course Hours:F(1-5) Corequisite(s):Prerequisites or Corequisites: Communications Studies 363andGeomatics Engineering 501.
Field exercises include: instrument familiarization, highway design and construction survey, boundary survey problems, astronomic azimuth, precise engineering survey, geodetic control survey, satellite surveys. Emphasis is placed on practical and professional experience and students participate in organizational, planning, scheduling, and logistical aspects of field operations. In addition to group field reports on each exercise, each student is required to prepare a complete report on one selected major exercise. In addition there will be a two day series of seminars and case studies on the practice and profession of Land Surveying. Course Hours:H(152 hours) Prerequisite(s): All third year courses or consent of the Department Head. Notes: A two-week field camp will be held at the Biogeoscience Institute at Barrier Lake prior to the start of the Fall Term lectures.
Analogue and digital imaging systems, frame versus line cameras, stereo-coverage configurations of line cameras, geometric modelling of line cameras (rigorous versus approximate sensor modelling), geo-referencing requirements of frame and line cameras, high-resolution imaging satellites, active imaging systems (LIDAR/RADAR), data integration and fusion. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 421, 431, and435.
Elements of oceanography, tides and water levels. Fundamentals of RF and acoustic propagation. Marine positioning: shore-based and satellite-based radionavigation systems, positioning accuracies. Underwater acoustic positioning. Sounding methods: shipborne single beam and multibeam echo-sounding, sonars, related corrections. Practical examples: data acquisition and processing. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 361and465.
Special topics in the research, development and applications of geospatial information systems. Internet and Web GIS, Mobile/Wireless GIS and Location Based Services (LBS), 3D GIS, GIS Interoperability, Ontology, Spatial Data Infrastructures, Geo-Sensor Networks and Spatial Sensor Web, Social Networks, and Collaborative GIS. GIS Applications in Energy and Environment related topics will be introduced in group projects. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s): Fourth Year Standing.
An introduction to digital image processing (IP) and computer vision (CV) concepts, methods and algorithms which will enable the students to implement IP/CV systems or use IP/CV software with emphasis on remote-sensing and photogrammetry applications and problem solving. Course components include: digital image acquisition and sampling, image enhancement and restoration, image segmentation, and introduction to image compression. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Electrical Engineering 327andGeomatics Engineering 435.
Fundamental of matrix theory, linear systems, probability and statistics. Data classification, analysis and bias identification. Random data acquisition, qualification and analysis. Least squares estimation and data analysis. Random process, stationarity test and kinematic modelling. Kalman filtering and real-time data analysis. Introduction to signal processing and time series analysis. Practical applications of data analysis and processing in geomatics engineering. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 361.
Instrument systems and procedures for high-precision surveys: precise levels, high-precision theodolites, electronic distance measurement instruments. High-precision industrial surveys: computation of three-dimensional orientations and rotations by autoreflection and autocollimation; computation of three-dimensional coordinates and coordinate changes by theodolite intersection methods, total station methods, scale bar on target methods, digital camera methods, laser scanner methods; systematic errors and their control; geometric form fitting. Case studies in high precision surveys. Course Hours:H(2-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 343, 361and419. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 501.
Digital Terrain Modelling (DTM, DEM, DHM, DTEM) concepts and their implementation and applications in geomatics engineering and other disciplines. Emphasis will be on mathematical techniques used in the acquisition (e.g. photogrammetric data capture, digitized cartographic data sources capturing, other methods: IFSAR, and laser altimeters) processing, storage, manipulation, and applications of DTM. Models of DTM (Grids, Contours, and TINS). Surface representation from point data using moving averages, linear projection, and Kriging techniques. Grid resampling methods and search algorithms used in gridding and interpolation. DTM derivatives (slope maps, aspect maps, viewsheds, and watershed). Applications of DTM in volume computation, orthophotos and drainage networks. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Engineering 407andGeomatics Engineering 431.
Review of legislation, standards of practice and case law affecting property interests, property boundaries and boundary surveys. Evidence and Boundary Survey Principles, Riparian rights, Title to land, Canada lands, Aboriginal rights, inter-jurisdictional boundaries. Reforms in the Surveying Profession. Field exercises may take place off campus over weekends. Course Hours:H(2-3) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 455. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 501.
Theoretical and historical bases of planning. Urban reform and development of planning in Canada. Sustainable development. Subdivision planning process. Provincial and municipal planning approval requirements. Public participation. Site assessments. Field exercises may take place off campus over weekends. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 455. Corequisite(s):Geomatics Engineering 579.
Nature and purpose of environmental modelling; the top-down and the bottom-up approaches; typology of environmental models; definition of fundamental concepts; steps involved in designing and building a model; calibration, verification and validation of models; scale dependency; sensitivity analysis; characteristics, architecture and functioning of selected environmental models. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s): Fourth year standing Also known as:(Environmental Engineering 635)
Fundamentals of radio-frequency propagation, principles of radio-frequency positioning observations times and angles and their associated error sources. Introduction to self-contained inertial sensors including odometers, gyro, accelerometers, and augmentation of RF methods with self-contained sensors and other data sources. Current systems: E-OTD, assisted GPS, pseudolites, location with wireless computer networks, ultra-wideband. Applications: outdoor and indoor personal location, asset tracking. Course Hours:H(2-2) Prerequisite(s):Electrical Engineering 327andGeomatics Engineering 465.
Following are the graduate courses normally offered in the Department. Additional courses are also offered by visiting international lecturers. Please refer to the Department web site () for current course listings.
Geomatics Engineering 601
Graduate Project
Individual project in the student's area of specialization under the guidance of the student's supervisor. A written proposal, one or more written progress reports, and a final written report are required. An oral presentation is required upon completion of the course. Course Hours:H(0-4) Notes: Open only to students in the course-only route MEng.
Seminar presentation of studies related to the student's research. Course Hours:Q(0-1S) Notes: Compulsory for all MSc graduate students. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
Seminar presentation of studies related to the student's research. Should not normally be taken in the same term as Geomatics Engineering 609. Course Hours:Q(0-1S) Notes: Compulsory for all PhD graduate students. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
Seminar presentation of studies related to the student's research. Should not normally be taken in the same term as Geomatics Engineering 607. Course Hours:Q(0-1S) Notes: Compulsory for all PhD graduate students. NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
Potential theory and geodetic boundary value problems (GBVPs). Solution approaches to the Molodensky problem. Least-squares collocation (LSC). Hilbert spaces with kernel functions. Variational principles, improperly posed problems and regularization. The altimetry-gravimetry and overdetermined GBVPs. Solution of GBVPs by integral techniques, fast Fourier transforms and LSC. Use of heterogeneous data sets and noise propagation. Applications to gravity prediction, geoid determination, deflection estimation, satellite altimetry and airborne gravimetry and gradiometry. Current research activities. Course Hours:H(3-0) Antirequisite(s):Note: Not open to students with credit in Geomatics Engineering 611or 617.
Inertial sensors and their application in inertial navigation, existing inertial systems, new developments in strapdown technology. Practical aspects of inertial positioning definition of an operational inertial frame, inertial error models. Effect of inertial sensor errors on the derived navigation parameters, performance characteristics of inertial sensors, calibration of inertial sensors. Mechanization equations in different coordinate frames, step by step computation of the navigation parameters from the inertial sensor data introduction to Kalman filtering for optimal error estimation, modelling INS errors by linear state equations, practical issues for the implementation of update measurements (ZUPT, CUPT, Integrated systems), current research activities. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Overview of space positioning and navigation systems; concepts and general description. Global Navigation Satellite System signal description. Receiver and antenna characteristics and capabilities; signal measurements indoor; GNSS error sources and biases; atmospheric delays, signal reflection and countermeasures. Mathematical models for static point and relative positioning. Kinematic single point and differential post mission and real time positioning, navigation and location. Augmentation methods. Land, marine, airborne and indoor applications. Case studies. Course Hours:H(3-2)
Concepts of optimal estimation and different optimization criteria. Least squares estimation and different adjustment models. Fundamental of random process and kinematic modelling. Development of the Kalman filter equations. Implementation aspects of Kalman filtering. Concept of signal and least squares collocation. Robust estimation and analysis. Error analysis and advanced statistical testing. Applications to geomatics engineering problems. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Atmospheric Effects on Satellite Navigation Systems
Theoretical and observed aspects of radio wave propagation in the ionosphere and troposphere, with an emphasis on L-band (GPS) signals. Fundamentals of absorption, attenuation, depolarization, anddefraction will be covered, in addition to characteristics and physical properties of the propagation medium and atmospheric constituents. The impact of such effects, and methods of mitigation, will be interpreted with respect to satellite navigation applications. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Global Navigation Satellite System signal structure, overview of receiver architecture, measurements, antenna design, receiver front-end, reference oscillator, sampling and quantization, phase lock loops, frequency lock loops and delay lock loops, tracking loop design and errors, signal acquisition and detection, interference effects. Course Hours:H(2.5-1)
Review of basic digital imaging; advanced topics in multispectral or hyperspectral analysis, multiresolution analysis, image segmentation, image transform, data fusion, pattern recognition or feature matching; current research applications especially in Geomatics. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Axiomatic view of probability; continuous and discrete random variables; expectation; functions of random variables; conditional distributions and expectations; stochastic processes; stationarity and ergodicity; correlation and power spectrum; renewal processes and Markov chains; Markov and non-Markovian processes in continuous time. Course Hours:H(3-1)
Advanced techniques for analysis and interpretation of remotely sensed imagery, with emphasis on data acquired from satellite and airborne platforms. Topics include: review of physical principles, including governing equations; imaging system geometries; radiometric corrections, including calibration and atmospheric correction; spatial filtering for noise removal and information extraction; geometric corrections, including rectification and registration; geophysical algorithms such as leaf area index and biomass and land cover classification algorithms. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Overview of the fundamental concepts, approaches, techniques, and applications in the field of Geocomputation:Geocomputation, Complexity theory, Computational intelligence, Cellular automata modelling, Multi-agent system modelling, Artificial neural network, Scale, Data mining and knowledge discovery, Post-normal science. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Principles of advanced spatial information systems. Topological modelling and spatial data representations. Automated data sources and integration of remote sensing. Data quality and uncertainty. Advanced spatial data handling methods and algorithms. Spatial database management including relational databases, object-relational databases and object-oriented databases. Data warehousing and data mining. Open GIS and distributed GIS issues. Spatial data standards and meta data management. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Overview of satellite altimetry missions, achievements and potentials. Altimeter measurement analysis technology and specifications. Orbit determination with ground tracking and perturbation analysis. Altimetry profile data processing, regularization and gridding. Sea surface topography, ocean and coastal geoid modelling. Inversion for gravity and mass anomalies. Ocean and related monitoring applications. Geodetic, global change and geophysical exploration applications. Current research activities. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Overview of aerial triangulation procedures (strip triangulation, block adjustment of independent models, bundle block adjustment, automatic aerial triangulation, direct versus indirect orientation). Mapping from space (modelling the perspective geometry of line cameras, epipolar geometry for line cameras). Multi-sensor aerial triangulation (integrating aerial and satellite imagery with navigation data). Photogrammetric products (Digital Elevation Models, ortho-photos). The role of features in photogrammetric operations (utilizing road network captured by terrestrial navigation systems in various orientation procedures). Course Hours:H(3-0)
Spatial phenomena and spatial processes. Spatial data analysis and the importance of spatial data in scientific research. Methods will range from exploratory spatial data analysis through to recent developments such as nonparametric semivariogram modeling, generalized linear mixed models, estimation and modeling of nonstationary covariances, and spatio-temporal processes. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Covers advanced aspects of satellite motion and orbit design. Orbit perturbations from gravitational and drag forces will be treated in analytical and numerical ways. The emphasis will be on current research and current satellites, in particular the gravity mapping missions CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE. Further topics: satellite altimetry, GNSS orbit characteristics, formation flying. Course Hours:H(3-0)
Elasticity, figure of the Earth, Earth structure and seismology, gravity and its temporal variations, isostasy, tides, Earth rotation and orientation, time, plate flexure, glacial rebound, continental drift, geodetic observation methods for geodynamics. Course Hours:H(3-0) Also known as:(Geophysics 681)
Focus on advanced studies in specialized topics. Students may also conduct individual studies under the direction of a faculty member. Course Hours:H(3-0) MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION