A logical framework for reasoning about space

In this paper, we present a theory of space as a framework for spatial reasoning. We believe this formalism is useful for representing geographic space, at least when two constraints are present: a necessity to reason qualitatively over spatial information, and a lack of precise, homogeneous spatial data. This theory is based on mereology, an axiomatic theory of part-whole relation. It includes a formalization of topological concepts as well as some geometric notions, namely distance and orientation. It can be extended to a theory of space-time.