Query pruning using interior circles for geodetic data in an R-tree index

A method for determining relationships among data representing regions on a surface of a body. The method includes identifying a center of a first geometry. A minimum distance is identified from the center to a boundary of the first geometry. A first circle is defined on the surface of the body having the minimum distance as its radius and the center of the first geometry as its center. The first circle is compared with a second geometry to determine if the second geometry fulfills a first filter condition with respect to the first geometry.