A Spatio-Temporal Conceptual Model for Sound Representation in Geographic Information Systems

Geographic information systems have traditionally focused on the representation of visual and geometric aspects of geographic phenomena, while auditory information has largely been ignored or reduced to simple numerical attributes. Although numerous spatio-temporal data models have been proposed to describe dynamic geographic processes, few of them provide explicit semantic constructs for representing sound and its evolution over space and time. This paper extends the Modeling of Application Data with Spatio-Temporal Features (MADS) conceptual model by introducing an explicitly defined acoustic semantic dimension. The extension separates source-intrinsic acoustic emission (soundfeature), source–receiver propagation and exposure (AFFECTS and associated EXPOSUREZONE instances), and receiver-centered contextual perception (PERCEPTIONASSESSMENT). These complementary constructs enable acoustic emission, propagation, temporal dynamics, spatial exposure, and perceptual assessment to be represented within a unified spatio-temporal semantic framework. The applicability of the proposed approach is illustrated through a proof-of-concept scenario and representative database queries, demonstrating how the proposed acoustic constructs can be mapped, stored, and queried using standard GIS database infrastructure.