On Geo-informatic TuPu and Digital Earth
地球信息图谱与数字地球

Digital Earth can be understood as digitized reoresentation and the recognition for real earth and related, geo-phenomena. Digital Earth consists of spatial information with different levels and application models with different objectives. It includes the establishment of base and thematic digital maps with global, national, regional and urban scales, and satellite image data with different resolution and various geo-informations such as population, economy, society and their application systems. 　　Geo-informatic TuPu, as graphic representation of spatio-temporal change of geo-information, is an effective tool for the application of Digital Earth. “Tu”, in Chinese word, includes graphics, maps and images. The Chinese word “Pu” means the well-regulated sequence arrangement of the congener things, such as spectrum, chromatogram. “TuPu” involves the characteristics of “Tu” and “Pu” at the same time. 　　Geo-information TuPu can not only reflect spatial distribution characteristics of geo-phenomena and regional differences between them, but also reveal the deeper level rules related to the cause of formation, the process of evolution and morphology. Having the aid of computer visualization and Virtual Reality technology, TuPu can dynamically and muti-dimensionally reveal the spatial-temporal distribution and evolvement laws of all kinds of geo-phenomena. 　　In this paper, the technological system of Digital Earth and its significance, and the concept of Geo-informatic TuPu are discussed firstly, then, the model of Geo-informatic TuPu transmission is presented. On the basis of the above-mentioned researches, the relationship between Digital Earth and Geo-informatic TuPu is discussed. It reaches to the conclusion that the development of Digital Earth will provide with abundant information resources and strong technological support for Geo-informatic TuPu researches, and the enforcement of Digital Earth strategy will supply Geo-informatic TuPu. Geo-informatic TuPu will be an improtant means of the use of Digital Earth, and its researches will greatly broaden the domain of the application and the research of Digital Earth.