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Data types are a well known concept in computer science (for example, in programming languages or in database systems). A data type defines a set of homogeneous values and the allowable operations on those values. An example is a type integer representing the set of 32-bit integers and including operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication that can be performed on integers. Spatial data types or geometric data types provide a fundamental abstraction for modeling the geometric structure of objects in space as well as their relationships, properties, and operations. They are of particular interest in spatial databases [4,8,12] and Geographical Information Systems [4]. One speaks of spatial objects as values of spatial data types. Examples are two-dimensional data types for points (for example, representing the locations of lighthouses in the U.S.), lines (for example, describing the ramifications of the Nile Delta), regions(for...
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Schneider, M. (2009). Spatial Data Types. In: LIU, L., ÖZSU, M.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_354
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_354
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