Summary of Research

Large spatial databases are characterised by two main features: the large set of spatial objects of different shapes to be stored, and the inordinate number of spatial relationships (of different types) between those objects. These features impose a substantial burden on storage overheads and system performance which necessitates an efficient mechanism to represent such relations in spatial queries. One of the aims of this research is to design and implement a system for the representation of and reasoning over different types of spatial relationships between objects of arbitrary complexity. Work is also being initiated on the modelling of change in spatio-temporal databases. Previous research has led to the development of experimental deductive and object-oriented databases and such technology is expected to provide a framework for the implementation of automated reasoning in space and time.

Publications on Spatio-Temporal Databases

Baher El-Geresy and C.B. Jones (2000), Spatio-Temporal Models and Queries in GIS, in Atkinson P. and Martin D. (eds) Innovations in GIS 7, Taylor and Francis, pp 27-39.