Uncertainty Management for Spatial Data in Databases: Fuzzy Spatial Data Types

In many geographical applications there is a need to model spatial phenomena not simply by sharply bounded objects but rather through vague concepts due to indeterminate boundaries. Spatial database systems and geographical information systems are currently not able to deal with this kind of data. In order to support these applications , for an important kind of vagueness called fuzziness, we propose an abstract, conceptual model of so-called fuzzy spatial data types (i.e., a fuzzy spatial algebra) introducing fuzzy points, fuzzy lines, and fuzzy regions. This paper ? focuses on deening their structure and semantics. The formal framework is based on fuzzy set theory and fuzzy topology.