Central Place Indexing: Hierarchical Linear Indexing Systems for Mixed-Aperture Hexagonal Discrete Global Grid Systems

Abstract

Hexagonal discrete global grid systems (DGGSs) with integer spatial indexes are a promising new approach to designing geospatial data structures and location reference systems. Central place indexing (CPI) is a class of multi-precision hierarchical linear spatial indexing systems for pure and mixed-aperture hexagonal DGGSs. Definitions for CPI systems are given both on the plane and on the polyhedral surfaces of geodesic DGGSs, and examples of real-world DGGSs indexed using CPI are described. The semantic advantages of CPI systems are discussed, including their ability to exactly represent their own geometries.