1. GIS the accuracy at which the location and shape of map features can be depicted for a given map scale —note at a map scale of 1:63,360 (1 in = 1 mi), it is difficult to represent areas smaller than 1/10-mi (0.16 km) wide or 1/10-mi (0.16 km) in length because they are only 1/10-in (0.25 cm) wide or long on the map; in a larger-scale map there is less reduction, so feature resolution more closely matches real-world features; as map scale decreases, resolution also diminishes, because feature boundaries must be smoothed, simplified, or not shown at all 2. the size of the smallest feature that can be represented on a map 3. GIS the number of points in x and y in a grid, e.g., the resolution of a one-degree digital elevation model (DEM) is 1,201 × 1,201 mesh points 4. remote sensing the measure of the finest geometric, spectral, radiometric, and temporal detail that can be distinguished in an imaged object or phenomenonThis definition last updated 08/15/2008