Presentation of geographical data in environmental information systems
- All-Russia Research Inst. of Hydrometeorological Information-World Data Centre, Obninsk (Russian Federation)
Information on environmental disasters currently is presented using a geographic information system (GIS). The so-called maps of loading approach came into general use in information systems on pollution, where pollution characteristics are given in different geographical contexts (geophysical, administrative, economical, etc.). Most GISs are characterized by two types of data: cartographic (or spatial) and attributive. Geographical aspects of a phenomenon, including spatial relations, are presented in a spatial database. An attributive database contains quantitative and qualitative descriptors of geographical objects and their relationships. An attributive database generally does not provide geographical relations; yet, it is an attributive database that is most suitable for presentation of a conceptual model of the subject area, comprising all kinds of relations between objects, including geographical relations. The presentation of geographical relations of objects becomes urgent for a large attributive database where these relations could comprise conditions for provisional selection of objects. The results of selection can be reflected even through a spatial database. A model is presented to describe geographic objects in an environmental information system. The model is based on the concept of a categorical thesaurus implemented in a computer reference system.
- OSTI ID:
- 282352
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9505224--; ISBN 1-56555-079-X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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