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Glossary Search Results
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- Bar scale
- A line resembling a ruler, used to measure distance on a map. The line is divided into units at a ratio proportional to the scale of the map and labelled numerically to indicate the distance of each mark from the zero mark on the line. (Also called a graphic and linear scale).
- Base line
- (1) A surveyed line of great accuracy which serves as the basis for measurement of other lines or of the angles between them.
(2) In a land survey system an East-West line passing through the origin from which township, section, and quarter-section corners are established.
- Base map
- A map which depicts fundamental information about the Earth's surface, such as landforms, drainage, landmark features and political boundaries. Many features are identified by geographical names or labels. Base maps usually come in a series and are used as a locational reference base for thematic information. Smaller scale regional reference maps are often derived from these bases. Topographic and planimetric maps are examples of base maps.
- Basic control
- The survey data obtained from established points on the Earth's surface, containing horizontal and/or vertical data, which is used as the basis for more detailed surveys and large scale mapping.
- Bathymetry
- The science of measuring the depth of bodies of water in order to determine underwater topography. A bathymetric map shows the topographic contours of the bottom of a body of water. A bathymetric chart, in addition, provides navigational information. (See Hydrographic chart).
- Bearing
- The horizontal angle measured from a point on a line of known direction (usually North) to another line extending from the same point of observation. If the angle is measured clockwise from the North it is called bearing East and when measured counter-clockwise it is called bearing West. For the mariner's and surveyor's compass, direction is measured in terms of the quadrant, and is never greater than 90°. Bearings can be measured from true North, grid North or magnetic North. The terms bearing and heading have the same definition, except bearing should refer to a fixed position, whereas, heading refers to the direction in which an object moves.
- Bench mark
- A usually round, inscribed disk, made of brass or bronze set in a concrete base, bedrock or other practically permanent structure, which marks an accurately surveyed elevation measured above or below an adopted datum. (See Datum).
- Benefits from Unemployment Insurance
- Refers to total Unemployment Insurance benefits received during calendar year 1995, before income tax deductions. It includes benefits for unemployment, sickness, maternity, paternity, adoption, work sharing, retraining and benefits to self-employed fishermen received under the federal Unemployment Insurance Program. (Source: 1996 Census Dictionary, Cat. No. 92-351-XPE, Statistics Canada)
- Biangle screen
- A photographic screen used in photomechanical processes and printing. A composite of two line dot screens placed at a 30° angle; used to prevent the break up of screened linear information, such as roads or a graticule, when printed in ink, on paper or other media.
- Big Box Store
- A specialty retailer several times larger than average, typically located alone, or with similar retailers, on an arterial road away from other retail concentrations.
- Binary
- Data with only two states, on/off, 0/1, true/false, or yes/no. Digital computers operate by representing numbers with sequences of discrete states (binary data) by manipulating positive or negative voltages, or well separated levels of voltage.
- Biodiversity
- A term referring to the number, variety and variability of living organisms. It is commonly defined in terms of genes, species and ecosystems, corresponding to three fundamental levels of biological organization. (Source: United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility, Glossary of Terms)
- Biomass
- 1) The dry weight of all organic matter in a given ecosystem. It also refers to plant material that can be burned as fuel.
2) The total amount or mass of living organisms in a given area. (Source: Environment Canada, A Primer on Climate Change, Glossary)
- Biome
- A complex community of living organisms covering a large geographic area characterised by distinctive stable life-forms.
- Biosphere
- 1) Regions of the planet where life is found, ranging from the oceans to the lower atmosphere.
2) The total of all areas on Earth where organisms are found; the biosphere includes the deep parts of the ocean and part of the atmosphere. (Source: Environment Canada, A Primer on Climate Change, Glossary)
- Bit
- The smallest unit of data that a computer can store and process. Based on the binary number system, a bit has only two states, 0 or 1, which can be interpreted as on/off, or yes/no. (See Byte).
- Bogs
- These are peatlands covered with mosses (mainly sphagnum) whose colours range from pale green to red. Bog cover also includes low shrubs, trees such as black spruce or tamarack, and other plants such as sundew, pitcher plants and cranberry plants.
- Boundary monument
- A ground located structure marking an accurately surveyed position on a boundary line separating two defined regions.
- British system of measurement
- A system of measurement based on the Imperial Standard Yard as the basic unit of length, the pound as the unit of weight and the second as the unit of time. (Also called the English or Imperial system).
- Broadleaf forest
- Continuous forest in which at least 75 percent of the forest canopy is composed of broadleaf trees (hardwood trees).
- Burial practices
- The manner in which members of a culture bury their dead.
- Business Register
- Statistics Canada maintains a list of all establishments in Canada with the Standard Industrial Classification and employment size category. These data are available on a quarterly basis for areas as small as three-digit postal codes.
- Business as usual
- A continuation of current activities or policies. In climate change, it refers to the scenario where no additional efforts are made to those already in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Source: Government of Canada Climate Change Site, Glossary of Climate Change Terms)
- Byte
- A computer memory and data storage unit composed of a set of contiguous binary digits (bits), usually eight in number. The size of a digital file is measured in bytes or megabytes (1 million bytes). (See Bit).
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