The document discusses fundamental operations and theoretical models of GIS, categorizing them into functional elements and addressing limitations in existing models. It outlines Bracken and Webster's four functional elements of GIS—database, process-oriented, application-oriented, and toolbox approaches—and describes the internal operations of GIS termed as 'map algebra operations.' Key analytical operations include reclassification, overlay, distance/connectivity measurement, and neighborhood characterization.

1. FUNDAMENTAL OPERATIONS
OF GIS

2. • Theoretical Models of GIS used for obtaining
information from real world objects/data are
classified into 2 types.
– 1. functional elements of GIS
– 2. fundamental operations of GIS
• Conceptual models however represent only
operation or composition of GIS system, and
do not talk anything about the nature of data.

3. • The components in the above mentioned
models are almost similar to the different
software components in ‘general purpose GIS’
systems.
• To overcome these limitations, Bracken and
Webster (1989) suggested an alternative
classification of theoretical models, and it
comprises of 3 components.

4. – Problem-processor model
– Database model
– Interface model
• However, this is still considered as software
oriented approach, and is not dealt in our
present discussion.

5. Functional Elements of GIS
• Bracken. and Webster (1987) outlined four
functional elements to address the GIS
technology.
– database approach
– process-oriented approach
– application oriented approach
– toolbox approach

6. • Database approach stresses the ability of the
underlying data structures to contain complex
geographical data.
• The process-oriented approach focuses on the
sequence of system elements used by an
analyst running an application

7. • An application oriented approach defines GIS
based on the kinds of information manipulated
by the system and the utility of the derived
information produced by the system.
• toolbox approach emphasis as the software
components and algorithms that should be
contained in a GIS

8. Fundamental Operations of GIS
• This approach considers the functions which
GIS is able to perform.
• The operations discussed in this section fall
entirely within the manipulation-and-analysis
subsystem which is discussed before.
• Hence, all these operations are completely
internal to GIS.

9. • The fundamental classes of operations
performed by a GIS have been characterized as
'map algebra operations, in which the
processing operations are considered as similar
to the mathematical operations.

10. • The 'classes of analytical operation' are divided
into
– Reclassification
– Overlay
– distance/connectivity measurement and
– neighborhood characterization of the data.

11. • Reclassification operations transform the
attribute information associated with a single
map coverage.
• Overlay operations involve the combination of
two or more maps according to Boolean
conditions and may result in the delineation of
new boundaries.

12. • Distance and connectivity measurement
include both simple measure of interpoint
distance and more complex operations such as
the construction of zones of increasing
transport cost away from specified locations

13. • Neighborhood characterization involves the
values to a location both summary and mean
measures of a variable, and include smoothing
and enhancement filters.