GIS (Geographic Information System) is the study of geospatial data with computers.

Coverage: values or properties of geographic locations

Observation: e.g. temperature, ppm, chemical type.

Topology: Invariant property of geometries under transformation, e.g. containment (point-in-polygon), connectivity, adjacency, partition, boundary, and network tracking.

Vector: A representation of the spatial extent of geographic features using geometric elements (such as point, polyline/curve, and polygon) in a coordinate space.

Earth

Geographical poles: the two points on the Earth where it meets its axis of rotation. The Earth's axis of rotation moves relative to the crust, referred to as polar motion. Averaged locations of geographical poles are used for cartographic and other terrestrial purposes.

Circle of latitude (parallel 纬线): intersection of the Earth's surface and a cone surface symmetric about the Earth's axis of rotation.

Equator: the great circle of the Earth intersected by the plane orthogonal to the Earth's axis of rotation and passing the center of the Earth.

Meridian (经线, 子午线): intersection of the Earth's surface and a half-plane bounded by the Earth's axis of rotation, defining a line of longitude.

Prime meridian (本初子午线): the meridian where longitude is defined to be 0°. Various conventions have been used in different regions and throughout history.

References

ESRI GIS Dictionary

OGC Glossary


🏷 Category=Geographic Information System