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Databases

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Book cover Springer Handbook of Geographic Information

Part of the book series: Springer Handbooks ((SHB))

Abstract

As geographic information storage and applications matured, their use as databases followed. A typical geoconfiguration consists of a map combined with an object-relational database, similar to the 300 year-old example shown in Fig. 3.1. Other geographic databases such as the well-known Earth browsers Bing or Google Maps contain a simple, but large, collection of raster orthophoto maps. Vector maps require a far more sophisticated data model and are usually rendered while being read from the database and presented on a display device.

Late 17th century Matrikel map of Kröpelin/Germany, showing property boundaries, land use, and pointers to the tax data tables (after [3.1])

Sections 3.1–3.4 provide basic knowledge about database theory. The two most common models, namely the relational and the object-oriented model, are explained. The second part of this chapter (Sects. 3.5–3.11) explains the geospecific aspects of database technology. It starts with Sect. 3.5 about spatial databases with vector and raster models, referencing the relevant standards. Section 3.6 covers spatial queries and filtering. Section 3.7 explains indexing, which supports acceleration of queries. Section 3.8 provides an overview of network databases and some prominent network search algorithms. Section 3.9 is dedicated to raster databases and Sect. 3.10 introduces time in the context of spatiotemporal databases. Section 3.11 summarizes the most widespread database software solutions.

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Abbreviations

1-D:

one-dimensional

1NF:

first normal form

2-D:

two-dimensional

2NF:

second normal form

3-D:

three-dimensional

3NF:

third normal form

ANSI:

American National Standards Institute

API:

application programming interface

BLOB:

Binary Large Object

CAD:

computer aided design

CAM:

Computer Aided Manufacturing

CLOB:

Character Large Object

CPU:

central processing unit

DBMS:

database management system

E–R:

entity–relationship

EPSG:

European Petroleum Survey Group

GML:

Geography Markup Language

GiST:

Generalized Search Tree

I/O:

input/output

ID:

identifier

IEC:

International Electrotechnical Commission

ISO:

International Organization for Standardization

LOB:

large object

LRS:

Linear Referencing System

MBR:

Minimum Bounding Rectangle

NIS:

network information systems

NNQ:

nearest-neighbor query

ODMG:

Object Data Management Group

OGC:

Open Geospatial Consortium

OGP:

International Association of Oil and Gas Producers

OO:

object-oriented

OODBS:

Object Oriented database system

OQL:

object query language

ORDBMS:

Object Relational Database Management System

PR:

point region

RDBMS:

relational database management system

RDBS:

relational database systems

SE:

Symbology Encoding

SPARC:

Standards Planning and Requirements Committee

SQL:

Structured Query Language

SRS:

Spatial Reference System

SW:

swath width

TC:

Technical Committee

TPR-tree:

time parameterized R-tree

WKB:

well known binary

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Applied Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics (IAPG), Jade University of Applied Sciences, Ofener Str. 16/19, 26121, Oldenburg, Germany

    Thomas Brinkhoff

  2. University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, Brodaer Str. 2, 17033, Neubrandenburg, Germany

    Wolfgang Kresse

Authors
  1. Thomas Brinkhoff
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  2. Wolfgang Kresse
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Correspondence to Thomas Brinkhoff or Wolfgang Kresse .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, Brodaer Str. 2, 17033, Neubrandenburg, Germany

    Wolfgang Kresse

  2. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 8615 Westwood Center Drive, 22182-2214, Vienna, VA, USA

    David M. Danko

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Brinkhoff, T., Kresse, W. (2011). Databases. In: Kresse, W., Danko, D. (eds) Springer Handbook of Geographic Information. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72680-7_3

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