Geometry shortest distance

Supported in: Batch, Streaming

Given two valid geometries, calculates the shortest (great circle) distance in meters between them. Uses a spherical approximation of the globe. Overlapping geometries have a distance of zero.

Expression categories: Geospatial

Declared arguments

Geometry a - Geometry a.
Expression<Geometry>
Geometry b - Geometry b.
Expression<Geometry>

Output type: Double

Examples

Example 1: Base case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"LineString","coordinates":[[-40, 0],[-30, 0]]}}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-30,-30],[-30, 30],[30, 30],[30, -30],[-30, -30]]]}	0.0
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[0,0]}}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-30,-30],[-30, 30],[30, 30],[30, -30],[-30, -30]]]}	0.0
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-30,29]}}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-30,-30],[-30, 30],[30, 30],[30, -30],[-30, -30]]]}	0.0
{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[40,0],[-40,0],[0,40],[40,0]]]}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-30,-30],[-30, 30],[30, 30],[30,-30],[-30,-30]]]}	0.0
{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-40,0],[40,0],[0,40],[-40,0]]]}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-30,-30],[-30,0],[30,0],[30,-30],[-30,-30]]]}	0.0

Example 2: Base case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[87.0,77.0]},{"type":"LineString","coordinates":[[80.0,0],[90.0,0]]}]}	{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[70.0,-100.0]},{"type":"Lin...	39438.65354637
{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[170,90]},{"type":"LineStri...	{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-87,-73]},{"type":"LineStr...	5310295.471462
{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"MultiPoint","coordinates":[[170,90],[171,91]]},{...	{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-87,-73]},{"type":"LineStr...	5327143.5044855

Example 3: Base case

Description: Case where one geometry is a point and the other is an arbitrary GeometryCollection. The expression should identify that the shortest distance between the point and the geometry lies on the middle of one of the polygon's sides. Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[1,24]}	{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[70.0,-100.0]},{"type":"Lin...	3285803.956493
{"type":"GeometryCollection","geometries":[{"type":"Point","coordinates":[70.0,-100.0]},{"type":"Lin...	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[1.0,-14.0]}	1227726.9895314

Example 4: Base case

Description: Base case where the shortest path from the point to the line is a great-circle line to a point in the interior of the LineString (not the endpoints) Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[1,23]}	{"type":"LineString","coordinates":[[51.93,95.6],[-43.7,22.2]]}}	4557966.282534

Example 5: Base case

Description: Base case where the shortest path from the point to the line is a line to an endpoint of the LineString. In particular, it should evaluate the distance to the first point of the LineString. Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[171,23]}	{"type":"LineString","coordinates":[[-174,21],[-43.7,22.2]]}	1561650.083282

Example 6: Base case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[12.3,45.6]}	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[3,3.5]}	4767896.596327
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-172.45613,-80]}	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[7.54387,-80]}	2223902.02355

Example 7: Base case

Description: Base case where the shortest path from the point to the line is a great-circle line to a point in the interior of one of the Polygon's sides (not its corners) Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[1,23]}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[33.969414,27.763400],[20.325411,69.748301],[37.607794,71.926251],[47.741855,42.169452],[33.969414,27.763400]]]}	3328300.4609136
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[36.06123680798,52.664515483941]}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[33.969414,27.7634],[47.741855,42.169452],[37.607794,71.926251],[2...	67765.90969341

Example 8: Base case

Description: Case where the shortest path from the point to the line is a line to a corner of the Polygon. Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[1,23]}	{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-31.224246,67.357277],[-4.635177,38.608765],[-12.085376,85.774983],[-31.224246,67.357277]]]}	1816109.959427

Example 9: Null case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
hello, world!	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[0.0,0.0]}	null

Example 10: Null case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
null	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[]}	null
{}	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[]}	null
null	null	null

Example 11: Edge case

Argument values:

Geometry a: geometry_a
Geometry b: geometry_b

geometry_a	geometry_b	Output
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[19.409686726843,-10.140156318979]}	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-160.590313273157, 10.140156318979]}	2.0015118211947E7
{"type":"Point","coordinates":[69,-90]}	{"type":"Point","coordinates":[0,90]}	2.0015118211947E7