The Aspect Map Architecture

Aspect maps can be described formally by a triple <E,R,M> denoting entities E as identifiers for the cartographic objects in the aspect map, relations R on these entities as specified by the map as a picture (e.g. attributes, positions, distances, or angles), and meta-knowledge M connecting the cartographic relations R to the mapís spatial knowledge content.

The meta-knowledge M allows for distinguishing the map as an uninterpreted pictorial medium from the related spatial knowledge intended or presumably intended to be represented in the map.