Preface
Data describing the Earth’s surface and the phenomena that occur on it are
frequently available on distributed environments, such as the Web, but the complexity of their spatial components raises many issues concerning data integration and
many challenges regarding new applications and services that should be designed
and implemented. This book addresses these topics by presenting key developments,
directions, and challenges concerning representation, integration, protection, and innovative applications of geographical and spatial data in distributed environments.
The initiative that led to the publication of this book is an Italian research
project, called “Management and Modelling of Geographical Data over the Web”
(SPADA@WEB, http://homes.dico.unimi.it/dbandsec/spadaweb/), involving the following Italian universities: University of Genoa, University of Milan, University of
Insubria, University of Udine, University “La Sapienza” of Rome, University of
Trento, University of L’Aquila, and University of Verona. The book includes the
results of this project as well as selected contributions from international experts.
The book could be used as a reference book for senior undergraduate or graduate courses on geographical information systems, which have a special focus on the
Web as well as heterogeneous and distributed systems. It is also useful for technologists, managers, and developers who want to know more about emerging trends in
geographical and spatial data management.
The book is organized into four parts. The first part consists of four chapters and
deals with modeling and processing issues for geographical and spatial data in distributed environments, such as spatiotemporal data representation, multiresolution,
and multiscale data representation and processing. The second part, composed of
three chapters, deals with integration issues for spatial data sources, such as geographical information fusion, mediator systems, data quality in integration systems,
and similarity-based processing over multiresolution maps. The third part consists
of three chapters dealing with security issues for spatial data, such as access control, secure outsourcing, and information hiding. Finally, the fourth part contains
two chapters dealing with innovative applications of spatial data for mobile devices.
The editors would like to thank all the people who made the successful completion of this project possible. First of all, we would like to thank the publishing
Data describing the Earth’s surface and the phenomena that occur on it are
frequently available on distributed environments, such as the Web, but the complexity of their spatial components raises many issues concerning data integration and
many challenges regarding new applications and services that should be designed
and implemented. This book addresses these topics by presenting key developments,
directions, and challenges concerning representation, integration, protection, and innovative applications of geographical and spatial data in distributed environments.
The initiative that led to the publication of this book is an Italian research
project, called “Management and Modelling of Geographical Data over the Web”
(SPADA@WEB, http://homes.dico.unimi.it/dbandsec/spadaweb/), involving the following Italian universities: University of Genoa, University of Milan, University of
Insubria, University of Udine, University “La Sapienza” of Rome, University of
Trento, University of L’Aquila, and University of Verona. The book includes the
results of this project as well as selected contributions from international experts.
The book could be used as a reference book for senior undergraduate or graduate courses on geographical information systems, which have a special focus on the
Web as well as heterogeneous and distributed systems. It is also useful for technologists, managers, and developers who want to know more about emerging trends in
geographical and spatial data management.
The book is organized into four parts. The first part consists of four chapters and
deals with modeling and processing issues for geographical and spatial data in distributed environments, such as spatiotemporal data representation, multiresolution,
and multiscale data representation and processing. The second part, composed of
three chapters, deals with integration issues for spatial data sources, such as geographical information fusion, mediator systems, data quality in integration systems,
and similarity-based processing over multiresolution maps. The third part consists
of three chapters dealing with security issues for spatial data, such as access control, secure outsourcing, and information hiding. Finally, the fourth part contains
two chapters dealing with innovative applications of spatial data for mobile devices.
The editors would like to thank all the people who made the successful completion of this project possible. First of all, we would like to thank the publishing