Abstract: Complex spatial processes are always involved in large GIS applications. A well-defined spatial process helps to the modeling and implementation of spatial applications to achieve more effective plans and managements. By ana lyzing the main characteristics, the formalized definition and the meta-model of spatial process are presented. A spatial process is mapped to a directed graph with spatial activity nodes and process data nodes linked by flows. These elements and their relationships drive the control flows and data flows within the context of spatial application logic. To maintain the validity and compatibility and prevent the incorrect information and process logic, integrity constraints of spatial processes are also discussed, in which spatial semantic constraints play the core role. As a result, spatial process modeling can be well standardiz ed and supported. And workflow technologies can be integrated to manage and control complex GIS applications.

Key words: spatial process, process modeling, GIS, workflow

摘要： 大型GIS应用往往涉及复杂的空间信息处理过程，良好定义的过程模型将有助于合理规划和管理GIS应用的设计和实施。通过分析其基本特性，给出空间信息处理过程的形式化定义，空间活动、过程数据和关系流是其中基本的组成要素。在此基础上，定义空间信息处理过程元模型，并讨论其完整性约束规则，其中空间语义是核心的约束条件。通过以上工作规范空间信息处理过程的表达，并实现GIS应用的过程建模，进而可以有效结合工作流技术，解决大型空间应用的管理控制问题。

关键词: 空间信息处理过程, 过程建模, GIS, 工作流