Semantic search engine for geographic data

Abstract. A ‘useful ’ knowledge of a data set, referred to a generic domain, allows finding, organizing and integrating data, without considering the specific context that justified their acquisition and making them available for transversal applications. The paper refers to the great amount of geographic data managed by CSI Piedmont and it describes the conceptual model proposed to improve their usefulness. It also examines in details the reasons that lead to the choice of grounding the model on a foundational ontology, providing both the description of the geometrical-geographical feature of territorial elements and their role in specific disciplines. Moreover it represents the base to develop a Semantic engine for geographical data (some operational examples are schematically described)