259

Conference-- the development and applications of new methods for the acquisition, management, presentation, and use of spatially related information - - as the mainstream of their discipline and to acknowledge that computer-assisted cartography has come of age.

Session topics spanned the full subject range of the mapping sciences, including field survey data capture, remote sensing and photogrammetry, data structures, data bases, data base man- agement, transfer standards, geographic information systems, education, and training. The ses- sion on remote sensing was highlighted by the presentation of some of the latest images and test results of Syst~me Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) satellite data. From these ses- sions and discussions, one could discern major national or international trends developing in the areas of spatial data base creation and management, transfer standards, and geographic infor- mation systems.

In the area of spatial data base creation, there seems to be a reexamination by a number of parties of the data models and data structures used to represent spatial information. There appears to be a convergence on a topologically structured data set that incorporates geographic or carto- graphic features. In a number of cases, relational data base management systems are being explored as vehicles for handling these data. National mapping agencies from France and the United States reported on the establishment of nationwide digital cartographic data bases. Numerous other organizations reported on the creation of digital data bases that covered a lesser geographic extent, often with more detailed information.

Efforts are underway in a number of countries ( including Canada, United Kingdom, and United States) to establish standardized transfer formats for the exchange of digital cartographic data. There does not yet appear to be any attempt at an international standard in this area. However, countries are making a great deal of use of the work of the US National Committee for Digital Cartographic Data Standards.

Geographic information systems are becoming more widespread, although a number of impe- diments remain toward their use. Among these are the lack of digital cartographic data to be used for analysis; the imprecision of some of the data sets that do exist; and scarcity of adequately trained staff to implement the technology in an organization.

The seven Auto Carto conferences that preceded this one were North American affairs. It seems that the trans-Atlantic voyage had some salutary effects. The papers and exhibits were generally of high quality. Well-run social funtions (held in some fascinating settings) and tours provided needed respites. From a North American's point of view, we received a good insight into some of the unique and innovative activities of the European community.

Auto Carto 8 is scheduled for 30 March-2 April 1987 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The meeting will be held jointly with the 1987 Annual Convention of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Stephen Guptill, Reston-U.S.A.

XVIII. International Congress of Surveyors (FIG) 1-11 June 1986, Toronto~Canada

The congress theme of this year was a statement reproducing all the activities of our profession: "Inner and Outer Space - - Limitless Horizons for the Surveyor". About 1300 surveyors from all over the world participated in this congress, well-organized by the FIG Bureau 1985-1987 (Pres- ident: C.H. Weir, Canada) and the Congress Committee. Within the relaxed atmosphere of the Sheraton Centre there were about 210 presented papers and 100 poster papers on the broad spec- trum of the FIG organization grouped as follows: Group A - Professional Organization and Activ- ities; Group B - Surveys and Mapping; and Group C - Land Management.

Since every group consists of three commissions, the technical program was organized by 74

260

sessions of individual commissions and 19 joint sessions taking care for some overlap. Parallel sessions provided for mastering the lot of presented and poster papers during the congress days.

Main emphasis of the program was put on Land Information Systems and Data Bases; about one-third of all the papers were dealing with these topics. Since the introduction of electronically based land Information Systems (LIS) at the FIG Congress 1974 in Washington, the progress in this field is obvious from congress to congress. But also photogrammetry improves its value in this context: six papers on digital elevation models, data capturing by means of photogrammetry and remote sensing as well as the design of integrated photogrammetric systems emphasized the gen- eral application of photogrammetry for the set-up and updating of Land Information Systems.

Photogrammetry was present furthermore in Commission 6 dealing with engineering surveys, where standard methods of photogrammetry and remote sensing have been used for planning purposes, engineering surveys and monitoring of deformations.

Besides classical surveying methods (Commission 5 ) another progress within the application of space techniques (Doppler Interferometry and Global Positioning System) could be observed, which is also important for photogrammetry by doing the ground control or observation of ori- entation parameters by these techniques. But as far as the revolutionary GPS is concerned, its application within the daily routine of a surveyor is still at the beginning stage; the same goes for inertial survey systems too.

Further contributions were given on professional practice, organization and legal systems, professional education, hydrographic surveying, cadastre and rural land management, urban land systems as well as valuation and management of real estate. The proceedings include national reports and all the papers; copies of the Technical Commission Volumes (11 ) may be obtained at nominal cost from the Canadian Institute for Surveying, P.O. Box 5378, Station F, Ottawa, Ont., Canada, K2C 3J1.

During the congress days there was a comprehensive exhibition of surveying equipment man- ufacturers and CAD systems, so that the participant could be updated with recent hardware and software developments. All in all the congress was a good opportunity to see the progress within the international surveying community; last but not least was Toronto and its environments a worthy place making this congress successful.

The XIX. FIG Congress will be held 1990 in Helsinki, Finland.

Dieter Fritsch, Munich-FR Germany

Latin Amer ican Remote Sens ing Sympos ium 10-15 August 1986, Gramado-Brazil

The 1986 Latin American Remote Sensing Symposium was held 10-15 August in the city of Gramado, State of Rio Grande do Sul, located in the "gaucho" hills of Southern Brazil. This event combined the IV Brazilian Remote Sensing Symposium and the VI Plenary Meeting of SELPER (Society of Latin American Remote Sensing Specialists).

A total of 802 remote sensing specialists and photogrammetrists from 19 different countries participated in the symposium. In addition to the presentation of 217 technical pape r s - - covering topics ranging from applications of different types of remotely sensed data in Latin American countries to development of image processing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tech- n o l o g y - several excellent invited papers were delivered by representatives from the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and SPOT-Image Co., the Brazilian Institute of Space Research ( INPE ), the United Nations, the European Space