Spatio-Temporal Geographic Information Systems: A Causal Perspective

Abstract

In this paper approaches to conceptual modelling of spatio-temporal domains are identified and classified into five general categories: location-based, object or feature-based, event-based, functional or behavioural and causal approaches. Much work has been directed towards handling the problem from the first four view points, but less from a causal perspective. It is argued that more fundamental studies are needed of the nature of spatio-temporal objects and of their interactions and possible causal relationships, to support the development of spatio-temporal conceptual models. An analysis is carried out on the nature and type of spatio-temporal causation and a general classification is presented.