GIS Data Model
GIS Data Model
Data Abstraction
To use GIS the real world must be abstracted into points, lines, polygons, raster cells, and attribute values Class examples may use common object that most people will understand. If you understand how to abstract common objects you will be able to apply the same method to object in your field
Points
A point is a 0 dimensional object and has only the property of location (x,y) Points can be used to Model features such as a well, building, power, pole, sample location ect. Other name for a point are vertex, node, 0cell
Lines
A line is a one-dimensional object that has the property of length Lines can be used to represent road, streams, faults, dikes, maker beds, boundary, contacts etc. Lines are also called an edge, link, chain, arc, 1cell In an ArcInfo coverage an arc starts with a node, has zero or more vertices, and ends with a node
Polygons
A polygon is a two-dimensional object with properties of area and perimeter A polygon can represent a city, geologic formation, dike, lake, river, ect. Other name for polygons face, zone 2-cell Scale matters
Examples
Trees Dikes Roads Rivers
Topology
A set of rules on how objects relate to each other Major difference in file formats Higher level objects have special topology rules
Topology Definition
The Science of mathematics of relationships used to validate the geometry of vector entities, and for operations such as network tracing and tests of polygon adjacency. The study of geometric properties that do not change when the forms are bent, stretched or under go similar geometric transformations.
Planer Enforcement
Show Placitas
Arc Node Topology
Cover# Lpoly# and Rpoly# Tnode fnode
Label errors
Regions
Overlapping areas with different attributes Fire history Disconnected areas with the same attributes Hawaii
Networks
Road systems, power grids, water supply sewerage systems, drainage network Continuous connected networks Rules for displacement in a network Attribute value accumulations due to displacements
TIN
Vector Surface Model Triangulated Irregular Network A set of nonoverlapping triangles each with a constant gradient A TIN can honor original input elevations
Dynamic Segmentation
Combines a line coverage with a linear reference system Has event tables for point events and linear events
Shape Files
Nontopological Advantages no overhead to process topology Disadvantages polygons are double digitized, no topologic data checking 3 files .shp .shx .dbf
Coverages
Original ArcInfo Format Directory With Several Files Database Files are stored in the Info Directory Uses Arc Node Topology
Planer Enforcement Connectivity Adjacency
GeoDatabase
New GIS Format at ArcGIS 8.0 Two Types
Personal Geodatabase
Microsoft access 2000 database
SDE GeoDatabase
Multi-user Can connect to many RDBMS Oracle, SQL server, Informix File are stored in the format native to the RDBMS
GeoDatabase
Shapes are similar to shape files Object-oriented model not a Geo-relational There are 25 topology rules than can be used to relate different layers
Figure 3:1 Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems, Clarke (2003) p. 91
Grid Properties
Each Grid Cell holds one value even if it is empty. A cell can hold an index standing for an attribute. Cell resolution is given as its size on the ground. Point and Lines move to the center of the cell. Minimum line width is one cell. Rasters are easy to read and write, and easy to draw on the screen.
Raster Pyramids
With out pyramids the entire raster must be read for each screen draw Pyramids store reduced resolution dataset files .rrd to increase the speed of screen draws When you add a raster to ArcMap if pyramids do not exist you can create them
Raster Resampling
Nearest Neighbor
Closest cell Continuous and Discrete data
Bilinear interpolation
Average of nearest 4 cells Continuous data only
Cubic Convolution
Average of nearest 16 cells Continuous data only
Yes raster is faster, but raster is vaster, and vector just seems more corrector
References
Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems 4th Edition, Clark (2003) Geographic Information Systems an Introduction 3rd Edition, Bernhardsen (2002) Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 2nd Edition, Chang (2004) GIS Fundamentals, Bolstad (2002) ArcGIS 8.3 Desktop Help Using GRID with ArcInfo version 7 ESRI