Spatial Database
JUNAID MAQBOOL
Definition
A spatial database is a database that is
optimized to store and query data related to
objects in space, including points, lines and
polygons.
While typical databases can understand
various numeric and character types of data,
additional functionality needs to be added for
databases to process spatial data types.
These are typically called geometry or
feature.
Spatial Databases Background
Spatial databases provide structures for
storage and analysis of spatial data
Spatial data is comprised of objects in
multi-dimensional space
Storing spatial data in a standard
database would require excessive
amounts of space
Spatial Databases Background
(Cont.)
Queries to retrieve and analyze spatial
data from a standard database would be
long and cumbersome leaving a lot of
room for error
Spatial databases provide much more
efficient storage, retrieval, and analysis of
spatial data
Types of Data Stored in Spatial
Databases
Two-dimensional data examples
Geographical
Cartesian coordinates (2-D)
Networks
Direction
Types of Data Stored in Spatial
Databases (Cont.)
Three-dimensional data examples
Weather
Cartesian coordinates (3-D)
Topological
Satellite images
Spatial Databases Uses and Users
Three types of uses
Manage spatial data
Analyze spatial data
High level utilization
Spatial Databases Uses and Users
(Cont.)
A few examples of users
Transportation agency tracking projects
Insurance risk manager considering location
risk profiles
Doctor comparing Magnetic Resonance
Images (MRIs)
Emergency response determining quickest
route to victim
Mobile phone companies tracking phone
usage
Spatial Database Management
System
Spatial Database Management System
(SDBMS) provides the capabilities of a
traditional database management system
(DBMS) while allowing special storage and
handling of spatial data.
Spatial Database Management
System (Cont.)
SDBMS:
Works with an underlying DBMS
Allows spatial data models and types
Supports querying language specific to spatial
data types
Provides handling of spatial data and
operations
SDBMS Three-layer Structure
SDBMS works with a spatial application at
the front end and a DBMS at the back end
SDBMS has three layers:
Interface to spatial application
Core spatial functionality
Interface to DBMS
SDBMS Three-layer Structure
(Cont.)
Interface to spatial application
Core Spatial
Functionality
Spatial application
Interface to DBMS
Taxonomy
Data types
DBMS
Operations
Query language
Algorithms
Access methods
Spatial Query Language
Operations
Three types of queries:
Basic operations on all data types (e.g.
IsEmpty, Envelope, Boundary)
Topological/set operators (e.g. Disjoint,
Touch, Contains)
Spatial analysis (e.g. Distance,
Intersection, SymmDiff)
Features of Spatial Databases
Database systems use indexes to quickly
look up values and the way that most
databases index data is not optimal for
spatial queries. Instead, spatial databases
use a spatial index to speed up database
operations.
In addition to typical SQL queries such as
SELECT statements, spatial databases
can perform a wide variety of spatial
operations.
Features of Spatial Databases
(Cont.) - query types
The following query types and many
more are supported by the Open
Geospatial Consortium:
Spatial Measurements: Finds the
distance between points, polygon area,
etc.
Types of queries - PostGIS (Cont.)
1. Distance(geometry, geometry) : number
2. Equals(geometry, geometry) : boolean
3. Disjoint(geometry, geometry) : boolean
4. Intersects(geometry, geometry) : boolean
5. Touches(geometry, geometry) : boolean
6. Crosses(geometry, geometry) : boolean
Types of queries - PostGIS (Cont.)
7. Overlaps(geometry, geometry) : boolean
8. Contains(geometry, geometry) : boolean
9. Intersects(geometry, geometry) : boolean
10. Length(geometry) : number
11. Area(geometry) : number
12. Centroid(geometry) : geometry
Spatial Relations Model
An abstract model (or conceptual model):
is a theoretical construct that represents
something, with a set of variables and a
set of logical and quantitative relationships
between them.
Models in this sense are constructed to
enable reasoning within an idealized
logical framework about these processes
and are an important component of
scientific theories.
