Modern physics is confronted with a large variety of complex spatial structures; almost every research group in physics is working with spatial data. Pattern formation in chemical reactions, mesoscopic phases of complex fluids such as liquid crystals or microemulsions, fluid structures on planar substrates (well-known as water droplets on a window glass), or the large-scale distribution of galaxies in the universe are only a few prominent examples where spatial structures are relevant for the understanding of physical phenomena
