Enhancing integrated environmental modelling by designing resource-oriented interfaces

Abstract

Integrated environmental modelling is gaining momentum for addressing grand scientific challenges such as monitoring the environment for change detection and forecasting environmental conditions along with the consequences for society. Such challenges can only be addressed by a multi-disciplinary approach, in which socio-economic, geospatial, and environmental information becomes interconnected. However, existing solutions cannot be seamlessly integrated and current interaction paradigms prevent mainstream usage of the existing technology. In particular, it is still difficult to access and join harmonized data and processing algorithms that are provided by different environmental information infrastructures. In this paper we take a novel approach for integrated environmental modelling based on the notion of inter-linked resources on the Web. We present design practices for creating resourceoriented interfaces, driven by an interaction protocol built on the combination of valid linkages to enhance resource integration, accompanied by associated recommendations for implementation. The suggested resource-oriented approach provides a solution to the problems identified above, but still requires intense prototyping and experimentation. We discuss the central open issues and present a roadmap for future research.

Hierarchical profiling of geoprocessing services

“…This might indicate a scalability issue of hierarchical profiling for large numbers of heterogeneous geoprocessing functions with diverse subtypes. Semi or unstructured collections of processing functions, which are generally hard to profile, might be easier to handle with linked data representations as proposed by Granell et al (2013). For geoprocessing functions, there is some evidence that they can be characterized according to common aspects, such as the definition of distance metrics and space, geometric precision, and the spatial or spatio-temporal reference system types.…”

Publishing sensor observations into Geospatial Information Infrastructures: A use case in fire danger assessment

“…We have presented an approach that lowers the barrier to deal with complex data formats, and standard service interfaces which are used in GIIs to increase interoperability and interlinking, however recent research lines (e.g., Granell et al, 2013, Mazzetti et al 2009) point out the necessity to improve this interlinking by establishing resource-oriented architectures following REST principles. We did not address this here but it is a possible future research topic, to investigate how more light-weight architectures may facilitate the interaction with resources (data and models).…”

What's going on about geo-process modeling in virtual geographic environments (VGEs)

“…This complex interaction is the motivation for integrated modeling, particularly for researchers in different disciplines (Argent and Houghton, 2001;Parker et al, 2002;Randhir and Raposa, 2014). Multidisciplinary modeling for addressing grand scientific challenges, such as monitoring the environment for change detection, forecasting environmental conditions and the consequences for society, is gaining momentum (Granell et al, 2013a).…”