Data Model

MDSYS.SDO_GEOMETRY
http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/appdev.102/b14255/sdo_objrelschema.htm#i1004087

PL/SQL DATE CONVERT TO NUMBER
http://www.unix.org.ua/orelly/oracle/prog2/ch14_01.htm
http://www.unix.org.ua/orelly/oracle/prog2/ch14_02.htm
eg.
number_date := TO_NUMBER(TO_CHAR(date, 'j'));

Function-Based Indexes
http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/appdev.102/b14251/adfns_indexing.htm#sthref597
Any top-level or package-level PL/SQL functions that are used in the index expression must be declared as DETERMINISTIC. That is, they always return the same result given the same input, for example, the UPPER function. You must ensure that the subprogram really is deterministic, because Oracle Database does not check that the assertion is true.

If you change the semantics of a DETERMINISTIC function and recompile it, then existing function-based indexes and materialized views report results for the prior version of the function. Thus, if you change the semantics of a function, you must manually rebuild any dependent function-based indexes and materialized views.