Evaluating semantic similarity using GML in Geographic Information Systems

This paper proposes a method for evaluating the semantic similarity of GML elements (concepts). Due to the relevance of the Is-in relationship in the geographic context, it focuses on GML elements organized according to Part-of (meronymic) hierarchies. It also proposes the method's application to Part-of hierarchies, due to the semantics of the meronymic relationship within the geographic context, referred to as "place-area". This semantics essentially concerns parts which are similar to and inseparable from the whole. A further contribution refers to the modeling of the Part-of hierarchy in GML. In particular, from the perspective of applying the information content approach to Part-of hierarchies, this paper proposes a method to represent and distinguish the concepts involved in the meronymic relationship within the element hierarchy.