937 research outputs found

    Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Metadata and the Requirements of an Academic SDI for Interdisciplinary Research

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    Metadata has long been understood as a fundamental component of any Spatial Data Infrastructure, providing information relating to discovery, evaluation and use of datasets and describing their quality. Having good metadata about a dataset is fundamental to using it correctly and to understanding the implications of issues such as missing data or incorrect attribution on the results obtained for any analysis carried out. Traditionally, spatial data was created by expert users (e.g. national mapping agencies), who created metadata for the data. Increasingly, however, data used in spatial analysis comes from multiple sources and could be captured or used by nonexpert users – for example academic researchers ‐ many of whom are from non‐GIS disciplinary backgrounds, not familiar with metadata and perhaps working in geographically dispersed teams. This paper examines the applicability of metadata in this academic context, using a multi‐national coastal/environmental project as a case study. The work to date highlights a number of suggestions for good practice, issues and research questions relevant to Academic SDI, particularly given the increased levels of research data sharing and reuse required by UK and EU funders

    Exploring multi-granular documentation strategies for the representation, discovery and use of geographic information

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    This thesis explores how digital representations of geography and Geographic Information (GI) may be described, and how these descriptions facilitate the use of the resources they depict. More specifically, it critically examines existing geospatial documentation practices and aims to identify opportunities for refinement therein, whether when used to signpost those data assets documented, for managing and maintaining information assets, or to assist in resource interpretation and discrimination. Documentation of GI can therefore facilitate its utilisation; it can be reasonably expected that by refining documentation practices, GI hold the potential for being better exploited. The underpinning theme connecting the individual papers of the thesis is one of multi-granular documentation. GI may be recorded at varying degrees of granularity, and yet traditional documentation efforts have predominantly focussed on a solitary level (that of the geospatial data layer). Developing documentation practices to account for other granularities permits the description of GI at different levels of detail and can further assist in realising its potential through better discovery, interpretation and use. One of the aims of the current work is to establish the merit of such multi-granular practices. Over the course of four research papers and a short research article, proprietary as well as open source software approaches are accordingly presented and provide proof-of-concept and conceptual solutions that aim to enhance GI utilisation through improved documentation practices. Presented in the context of an existing body of research, the proposed approaches focus on the technological infrastructure supporting data discovery, the automation of documentation processes and the implications of describing geospatial information resources of varying granularity. Each paper successively contributes to the notion that geospatial resources are potentially better exploited when documentation practices account for the multi-granular aspects of GI, and the varying ways in which such documentation may be used. In establishing the merit of multi-granular documentation, it is nevertheless recognised in the current work that instituting a comprehensive documentation strategy at several granularities may be unrealistic for some geospatial applications. Pragmatically, the level of effort required would be excessive, making universal adoption impractical. Considering however the ever-expanding volumes of geospatial data gathered and the demand for ways of managing and maintaining the usefulness of potentially unwieldy repositories, improved documentation practices are required. A system of hierarchical documentation, of self-documenting information, would provide for information discovery and retrieval from such expanding resource pools at multiple granularities, improve the accessibility of GI and ultimately, its utilisation

    Seafloor characterization using airborne hyperspectral co-registration procedures independent from attitude and positioning sensors

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    The advance of remote-sensing technology and data-storage capabilities has progressed in the last decade to commercial multi-sensor data collection. There is a constant need to characterize, quantify and monitor the coastal areas for habitat research and coastal management. In this paper, we present work on seafloor characterization that uses hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The HSI data allows the operator to extend seafloor characterization from multibeam backscatter towards land and thus creates a seamless ocean-to-land characterization of the littoral zone

    Digital Preservation Services : State of the Art Analysis

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    Research report funded by the DC-NET project.An overview of the state of the art in service provision for digital preservation and curation. Its focus is on the areas where bridging the gaps is needed between e-Infrastructures and efficient and forward-looking digital preservation services. Based on a desktop study and a rapid analysis of some 190 currently available tools and services for digital preservation, the deliverable provides a high-level view on the range of instruments currently on offer to support various functions within a preservation system.European Commission, FP7peer-reviewe

    Data DNA: The Next Generation of Statistical Metadata

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    Describes the components of a complete statistical metadata system and suggests ways to create and structure metadata for better access and understanding of data sets by diverse users

    Automated tagging of environmental data using a novel SKOS formatted environmental thesaurus

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    There is increasing need to use the widest range of data to address issues of environmental management and change, which is reflected in increasing emphasis from government funding agencies for better management and access to environmental data. Bringing together different environmental datasets to confidently enable integrated analysis requires reference to common standards and definitions, which are frequently lacking in environmental data, due to the broad subject area and lack of metadata. Automatic inclusion within datasets of controlled vocabulary concepts from publicly available standard vocabularies facilitates accurate annotation and promotes efficiency of metadata creation. To this end, we have developed a thesaurus capable of describing environmental chemistry datasets. We demonstrate a novel method for tagging datasets, via insertion of this thesaurus into a Laboratory Information Management System, enabling automated tagging of data, thus promoting semantic interoperability between tagged data resources. Being web available, and formatted using the Simple Knowledge Organisation System (SKOS) semantic standard, this thesaurus is capable of providing links both to and from other relevant thesauri, thus facilitating a linked data approach. Future developments will see extension of the thesaurus by the user community, in terms of both concepts included and links to externally hosted vocabularies. By employing a Linked Open Data approach, we anticipate that Web-based tools will be able to use concepts from the thesaurus to discover and link data to other information sources, including use in national assessment of the extent and condition of environmental resources

    Geospatial resources for supporting data standards, guidance and best practice in health informatics

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The 1980s marked the occasion when Geographical Information System (GIS) technology was broadly introduced into the geo-spatial community through the establishment of a strong GIS industry. This technology quickly disseminated across many countries, and has now become established as an important research, planning and commercial tool for a wider community that includes organisations in the public and private health sectors.</p> <p>The broad acceptance of GIS technology and the nature of its functionality have meant that numerous datasets have been created over the past three decades. Most of these datasets have been created independently, and without any structured documentation systems in place. However, search and retrieval systems can only work if there is a mechanism for datasets existence to be discovered and this is where proper metadata creation and management can greatly help.</p> <p>This situation must be addressed through support mechanisms such as Web-based portal technologies, metadata editor tools, automation, metadata standards and guidelines and collaborative efforts with relevant individuals and organisations. Engagement with data developers or administrators should also include a strategy of identifying the benefits associated with metadata creation and publication.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The establishment of numerous Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs), and other Internet resources, is a testament to the recognition of the importance of supporting good data management and sharing practices across the geographic information community. These resources extend to health informatics in support of research, public services and teaching and learning.</p> <p>This paper identifies many of these resources available to the UK academic health informatics community. It also reveals the reluctance of many spatial data creators across the wider UK academic community to use these resources to create and publish metadata, or deposit their data in repositories for sharing.</p> <p>The Go-Geo! service is introduced as an SDI developed to provide UK academia with the necessary resources to address the concerns surrounding metadata creation and data sharing. The Go-Geo! portal, Geodoc metadata editor tool, ShareGeo spatial data repository, and a range of other support resources, are described in detail.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper describes a variety of resources available for the health research and public health sector to use for managing and sharing their data. The Go-Geo! service is one resource which offers an SDI for the eclectic range of disciplines using GIS in UK academia, including health informatics.</p> <p>The benefits of data management and sharing are immense, and in these times of cost restraints, these resources can be seen as solutions to find cost savings which can be reinvested in more research.</p

    HydroDS: Data Services in Support of Physically Based, Distributed Hydrological Models

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    Physically based distributed hydrologic models require geospatial and time-series data that take considerable time and effort in processing them into model inputs. Tools that automate and speed up input processing facilitate the application of these models. In this study, we developed a set of web-based data services called HydroDS to provide hydrologic data processing ‘software as a service.’ HydroDS provides functions for processing watershed, terrain, canopy, climate, and soil data. The services are accessed through a Python client library that facilitates developing simple but effective data processing workflows with Python. Evaluations of HydroDS by setting up the Utah Energy Balance and TOPNET models for multiple headwater watersheds in the Colorado River basin show that HydroDS reduces the input preparation time compared to manual processing. It also removes the requirements for software installation and maintenance by the user, and the Python workflows enhance reproducibility of hydrologic data processing and tracking of provenance

    A Review of the Enviro-Net Project

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    Ecosystems monitoring is essential to properly understand their development and the effects of events, both climatological and anthropological in nature. The amount of data used in these assessments is increasing at very high rates. This is due to increasing availability of sensing systems and the development of new techniques to analyze sensor data. The Enviro-Net Project encompasses several of such sensor system deployments across five countries in the Americas. These deployments use a few different ground-based sensor systems, installed at different heights monitoring the conditions in tropical dry forests over long periods of time. This paper presents our experience in deploying and maintaining these systems, retrieving and pre-processing the data, and describes the Web portal developed to help with data management, visualization and analysis.Comment: v2: 29 pages, 5 figures, reflects changes addressing reviewers' comments v1: 38 pages, 8 figure

    Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography 2010

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    This selective bibliography includes over 500 articles, books, and technical reports that are useful in understanding digital curation and preservation. The Digital Curation and Preservation Bibliography includes published articles, books, and technical reports. All included works are in English. The bibliography does not cover conference papers, digital media works (such as MP3 files), editorials, e-mail messages, letters to the editor, presentation slides or transcripts, unpublished e-prints, or weblog postings. Most sources have been published between 2000 and the present; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 2000 are also included
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