Global 3D-Grids Based on Great Circle Arc QTM Sphere Octree and Its Application

Abstract. With the development of computers, network communications, scientific computing, mapping remote sensing and geographic information technologies, Discrete Global Grids (DGGs) and Earth System Spatial Grid（ESSG）have become the integrated spatial data model facing the large-scale and global-scale problems and the complex geo-computation. This paper discusses the property and character of the global spatial data at first. Then it introduces the grid division system based on large arc QTM octree and compares this scheme with degradation octree scheme. At last, it introduces the application of the scheme in land surface, underground and aerial geographic entity modeling. The study suggests that: the grid division system based on large arc QTM octree has the potential to integrate the whole spatial data of different layers of the geospatial. And it will have a broad application prospect in complex large-scale geographic computing.