Spatial kd-Tree: A Data Structure for Geographic Database

Beng Chin Ooi

Abstract: Geographic objects in two dimensional space are usually represented as points, lines, and regions. To retrieve these data objects from the database efficiently according to their spatial locations and spatial relationships, an efficient indexing mechanism is necessary. The kd-trees proposed in the literature are either unsuitable for indexing non-zero size objects such as line and region or require duplication of indexes. In this paper an alternative index structure called spatial kd-tree is proposed to facilitate the processing of queries concerning geographic information. The spatial kd-tree partitions a set of records on two dimensional space into small groups based on their spatial proximity. The structure not only provides efficient retrieval of objects but also maintains high storage efficiency.