Syllabus academic year 2010/2011
(Created 2010-07-25.)
GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASESEXTN70
Credits: 7,5. Grading scale: TH. Cycle: A (Second Cycle). Main field: Technology. Language of instruction: The course might be given in English. EXTN70 overlaps following cours/es: EDA216 and GISN06. Optional for: L4gi. Course coordinator: Lars Harrie, lars.harrie@nateko.lu.se, Department of Physical Geography. Prerequisites: L: EXTF80 Geographical Information Technology and EDAA20 Programming and Databases or EXTF45 Geographical Information Technology and EDA501 Programming; LTH: EDAA01 Programming - Secon Course; Science: NGEA12 Geographical Information Systems. The course might be cancelled if the number of applicants is less than 16. The number of participants is limited to 60 Selection criteria: Total number of credits. Assessment: Assessment takes the form of a written examination, and evaluation of project work. Approved on all exercises and participation on all compulsory activities. Home page: http://www.geko.lu.se.

Aim
The aim of the course is to provide a theoretical basis for how geographic databases are structured and how they can be used. Additionally, the course aims to provide practical skill in the modelling, creation, and use of such databases.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• explain how a structured query language can be used to create relational databases as well as for implementing advanced queries

• describe how geographical data can be stored, and how they can be searched, in a database

* explain spatial indexation techniques,

• analyze the advantages and disadvantages for storing geographical data in a database compared to a file system

• explain fundamental concepts in object oriented modelling, and

• describe how object-oriented modelling can be used to describe the structure of a geographical database.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• independently create an object oriented model that describes the structure of a geographic database in a standardized modelling language, and

• be able to communicate with a database designed for geographic data.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• take a critical stance to the structure of, and techniques for storing, geographic data.

Contents
The course contains the central concepts and techniques for management of geographic databases. The areas covered in particular include spatial databases, object oriented modelling of the content of geographic databases, structure query language – SQL (as well as an extension of this language to handle spatially explicit queries), and spatial indexing.

Literature
Worboys, M. and Duckham, M.. GIS: A computing perspective, 2nd edition, CRC Press, 2004, ISBN: 0-415-28375-2
Course compendium from the department