ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how spatial data and their accuracy are related to the measurement process and one’s choice of a measurement system. Three dimensional digital spatial data are more appropriately stored in a database that combines horizontal and vertical into a single database. The chapter discusses the differences between how spatial and geospatial data are used may become significant. The accuracy of spatial data is also considered, and an important distinction is made between primary and derived spatial data. Use of the Global Spatial Data Model (GSDM) an foster greater insight into the relationships between coordinate systems and how they are used to handle spatial data. Spatial data components are coordinate differences and used as relative values. The chapter presents to establish a connection between measurements and spatial data components with the idea of showing how both can be handled more efficiently in the context of the GSDM.
