Comparison of Spatial Models and Database Models

Knowing about data modelling, the concepts and numerical models for the representation of spatial phenomena should be familiar.
The following comparison should make the differentiation between spatial models and database models a bit easier.

Spatial Models

Spatial models allow the modelling or representation respectively spatial phenomena of the real world like facts and processes. This happens firstly on a conceptual level, which means that, in general, the actual implementation of these models is not considered. Spatial models are often graphic oriented models like maps or plans and can be represented digitally or analogously (e.g. plaster model).

Examples for spatial models:

• The vector model is a special case of the object model.
• The raster model is a special case of the tesseral spatial model.

Database Models

Database models are from the category of informatic models and are therefore exact models or implementation models respectively. Database models can be used quite often and are not restricted to spatial types of problems.

Examples for database models:

• The relational database model.
• The object-relational database model.

In the intermediate module data management, the representation of spatial data models in database models and the representation of spatial data in geodatabase system will be discussed.