Information retrieval and visualization based on documents' geospatial semantics

Local cultural heritage document collections are characterized by contents strongly attached to a territory and its history. Our contribution aims at enhancing such a content retrieval process efficiently each time a query includes geographic criteria. We propose a core model for a formal representation of geographic information. It takes into account the characteristics of different expression modes: written language and captures of drawings, maps, photographs, etc. We have developed a prototype fully implementing geographic Information Extraction (IE) and geographic Information Retrieval (IR) processes. We approach geographic IE from semantic processings additionally to classic IE approaches. This paper focuses on IR and Information Visualization (ITS) proposals relying on the geospatial characteristics of documents.