The incorporation of numeric models and simulations onto GIS platforms will answer existing and developing problems of increasing complexity. This can be described as a move from analysis of what is happening to what will happen, or what could happen, and why. Some examples of this type of predictive modelling are: diagnostics and forecasts on shoreline erosion, land uses and their risk assessments, or control of human presence in natural areas. It will also be necessary to combine the simulations to aggregate output for enhanced decision support. The platform is within the scope of the PIKSEL project, started in 2020 by the Catalan government and CIMNE to develop a system to support territorial management and decision support. The primary motivation of the platform is the social interconnection of researchers, via the interoperability of content, numerical models and simulations. Models are specifically designed for a function, and like any software, there is no rule or methodology for creating them. Models are extremely heterogeneous, almost all are coded and constructed differently, differing in operating systems, hardware platforms, programming languages, inputs and outputs, and interfaces, with varied requirements, languages, inputs, outputs, measurements and formats. Harmonization of models has been a long sought goal, so that users would be able to combine models with ease, and faces distinct challenges to enact, as detailed by Zhang et al., 2018. It is required to develop a manner allow ingress of new content, as well as inventory and access mechanisms. This is practical; the development of content (e.g. models, scripts, data) is time consuming and opening the platform for external participation is essential. The ecommerce component will function as a catalog and portal to the PIKSEL platform. The objective of this investigation is to create a content management system with ecommerce capabilities for a platform as a service (PaaS) that utilizes computational models in addition to data. Said CMS will allow interoperability between resources for aggregated output.

1. Content management, ecommerce and interoperability framework for a
modelling and simulation oriented geographic information system
Laurence Sigler, PhD candidate, Civil Engineering
3 July 2023
Pere-Andreu Ubach, Javier Mora, Eugenio Oñate
1

2. I.Introduction
II. State of the art
III. Methodology
IV. Calendar
V. Results
VI.Conclusion
Agenda
Background and specific
goals of the investigation
Summary of actions, key
ideas, and final
impressions
Tools and systems
currently in use, ideas,
features and
their limitations Systems and plans to
advance and resolve the
investigation
Timetable and scheduling
for the work stages of the
doctorate
Accomplishments and
what is planned to be
achieved, academics
2

3. I – Introduction – GIS based modelling and simulation of Earth
Src: ESA
Section Objectives, p2 of RP
3

4. I – Introduction – PIKSEL project – pilot models
2 urbanism models
Land use for urban planning and management
Probabilistic evaluation of seismic risk
4 climatology and meteorology models
Tropospheric O3
Small scale air quality (NOx) prediction
Coastal evolution and vulnerability
Probabilistic evaluation of flood risk
1 biodiversity model
Modes of occupation of space in the natural
environment – loss of biodiversity
Area of interest: 22 counties of the Catalan littoral
4

5. I – Introduction – PIKSEL
Internal
models
External
services
External
data
External
models
External
models
Society
GIS++
Agora
CMS
Marketplace
5
Section Objectives, p2 of RP

6. I – Introduction – content management and interoperability
CMS
interoperability engine
Data
Markov
chain
Workflows
GIS model
Statistics
Num. model
IoT
Orthophotos
Socio-economic
Open
data
portals
AI
Sat. imagery
LIDAR, DEM, EO
HPC
Now
(what is)
Futures
(what if)
Past
(what happened)
*ESA, NASA, ECMWF 6
p2 of RP

7. Business models,
i.e. revenue
streams, usability
O1 O2
RT4
RT2
RT1 RT3
Ecommerce
Interoperability
I – Objectives, research questions and tasks
RQ3
RQ1 RQ2
Create a content management system (CMS) with ecommerce capabilities for a
platform as a service (PaaS) specializing in computational models and simulations.
Support services, i.e.
(HPC), open data,
storage, EO
Interoperability /
content
management
(CMS)
Ecommerce, i.e.
payment gateways,
web, provider
access, workflows,
users
Model interoperability
engine: feasibly
implemented?
Ecommerce for a
modelling platform:
feasible and scalable?
Support services to be
included on platform?
7

8. I.Introduction / objectives
II. State of the art
III. Methodology
IV. Calendar
V. Results
VI.Conclusion
Agenda
*NASA, ESA, ECMWF
8

9. II – State of the art Section State of the Art, p3-4 of RP
CMS, model interoperability 9
Online GIS, EO systems

10. II – State of the art
Online services, HPC, storage
Section Objectives, p5-6 of RP
Ecommerce 10

11. I.Introduction / objectives
II. State of the art
III. Methodology
IV. Calendar
V. Results
VI.Conclusion
Agenda
*NASA, ESA, ECMWF
11

12. III – Methodology – conceptual architecture
APIs
Metadata
&
search
engine
GIS
engine
User Admin Provider
Support
services
CMS
(& interoperability
component)
External
resources
Internal
resources
Ecommerce
component
12
Section Results, p23 of RP

13. Ecommerce
Task 3.6
Improvement and evolution
of ecommerce component
Task 3.1
State of the art for ecommerce component
Task 3.5
Evaluation of ecommerce component
Task 3.4
Implementation of ecommerce component
Task 3.3
Design and development
of ecommerce component
Task 3.2
Definition of ecommerce component
Support services
Task 2.6
Evolution and increase in
support services components
Task 2.1
State of the art for
support services components
Task 2.5
Evaluation of support services components
Task 2.4
Integration of support services components
Task 2.3
Design of integration
of support services components
Task 2.2
Definition / choice of
support services components
CMS
Task 1.6
Improvement and evolution
of CMS component
Task 1.1
State of the art for CMS component
Task 1.5
Evaluation of CMS component
Task 1.4
Implementation of CMS component
Task 1.3
Design and development of CMS component
Task 1.2
Definition and choice of CMS component
13

14. III – Methodology – wrapping of resources for interoperability
Models
Datasets
EO
Geo-data
Services
Indexed
and wrapped
content in
platform
catalog
CMS
14

15. III – Methodology – interoperability wrapping (OpenGMS example)
Localizations
Files
Data
(standardized)
Description
Metadata
Datatypes (& conversions)
Formats
Language (localizations)
Location (in model)
Measurements
Any data description (slope,
flow, spatial extension…)
Categories
…
Execution
Input
Output
Data
State (process/step)
Style (exec. type)
…
Deployment
URLs
Dependencies
OS
Location (code)
Language (coding)
Servers Languages
Fieldnames
Processes
Dependencies
Measurements
OS
Descriptions
Formats
Datatypes
Styles
Model
(wrapped)
Extra
Model
(coded by
whoever,
wherever,
however)
*Zhang, Chen, et al. 2018
Develop software
to create and
automate online
15
encapsulation .py
Model description document (mdl)

16. III – Methodology – interoperability wrapping (OpenGMS example)
Model package
Deployable
API control – model & data admin
Catalogue
Ecommerce
component
Upload data
Parametrize
Support svc
API control – model access / execution
Model description document
Model legal information
Model libraries
Model executables & e.py
Model resources
Package
Deploy
Execution location?
Server
Node (PC)
HPC – token (EGI, PRACE)
16
File
Output
 Develop software to automate online
 Develop online control system for models
GIS
*Zhang, Chen, et al. 2018

17. III – Methodology – interoperability – sample use case
choose
fields
Flood risk
Bladé, Valls et al., 2021
CIMNE, FLUMEN, GenCat
Land use
Mor, Trias et al., 2021
CIMNE, Observatori del Terr.
IF
17
Results of:
Buildings in flood zone
Value in flood zone
Transport in flood zone
…
Results for:
Emergency services
Insurance providers (risk
to value)
Planning services
Agricultural sector
Construction sector
…

18. III – Methodology – interoperability – sample use case
choose
fields
Tropospheric O3
Soriano et al., 2021
CIMNE
Street level NO2
de Pouplana et al., 2021
CIMNE
IF
18
Results of:
Atmospheric emerg.
Inversions
Precise NOx
O3 predictions
Results for:
Emergency services
Tourism services
Health sector
Industrial sector
Transit services
…

19. I.Introduction / objectives
II. State of the art
III. Methodology
IV. Calendar
V. Results
VI.Conclusion
Agenda
*NASA, ESA, ECMWF
19

20. IV – Calendar / Gantt diagram Section Working plan, p14 of RP
20

21. IV – Research methodology – development timeline
Support services
• Identification of candidates
• Specialized integration of services
(APIs), 1 by 1
• API for scripting – workspaces,
notebooks
• Evaluation/evolution of svc.
21
Ecommerce component
• Identification of needs
• Design/development of
ecommerce interface for
platform
• Ecommerce prototype
(marketplace)
• 7 models + new resources
• Evaluation/evolution of
ecommerce comp (2024).
CMS component
• Identification of needs
• Design/development of
management for
interoperability
• Model wrapping, APIs.
• Interconnectivity – APIs
• Evaluation/evolution of CMS
PhD
2024
Ecommerce
CMS
Support
services
2021 -
2024 -
2022/3 -

22. I.Introduction / objectives
II. State of the art
III. Methodology
IV. Calendar
V. Results
VI.Conclusion
Agenda
*NASA, ESA, ECMWF
22

23. 23
GIS client
Databases
(Geo, RDB)
Provider
User
Plugin
HPC utility
Map server
Filesystem
Storefront - Catalog
Upload assets
Asset acquisition and
payment
Admin
Account management
Validation
Admin
WC/MD
database
Python libraries
.NET GIS and libraries
REST
API
Internal models
External models
External data
OGC
WFS
OGC
WMS
REST
APIs
ODC (and tools)
External
data
(WxS/API)
JSONs
Web server
HPC
servers
HPC
servers
HPC
servers
HPC
servers
HPC
servers
Agora
OS
Aggregator facility
Metadata Facility
WxS
V – Platform architecture, 9/22 (deprecated)

24. External models
(packaged)
External data
Agora (Scipedia)
GIS
Mapserver
GIS DB
(PostgreSQL)
WMS, JSON,
links
V – Current platform architecture
Metadata management
(Geonetwork)
Geonetwork
(PostgreSQL)
Elasticsearch
search/index
PK
Internal models
(packaged)
Internal data
Support services
(e.g. Open data GenCat, HPC,
Copernicus, storage)
APIs
Catalog
Storefront (WP/WC) – Ecommerce management
User - payment
(WooCommerce)
Storefront admin, accounts
(WP/WC)
ODC (Jupyter)
Shared pool
Python workspaces
Provider
Admin
User
OpenGMS? – Interoperability management
WP/WC
(MySQL)
ODC
(MySQL)
PK PK
GMS
(Mongo)
PK
GMS Model service (Python) GMS wrapper (Python)
Content Management System
24
API

25. Geo
Database
(PostgreSQL)
GIS
Provider
User
HPC server connection
Mapserver
Layers
Configurations
WMS/WFS
Algorithms
Links
JSON
Libraries
Raster files
Vector files
WP/WC
Upload assets
Asset acquisition
Admin centre
V – Ecommerce component architecture – 7/22
Account management
Validation
Admin
REST
API
Storefront
MySQL
Mkpl db
Authorization and
validation
CIMNE
HPC
server
Section Results, p27 of RP
25

26. V – Ecommerce component – index page
26

27. V – Ecommerce component – catalog index
27

28. V – Ecommerce component – resource detail
28

29. V – GIS component – model detail (NO2)
*de Pouplana et al., 2023
29

30. V – Planned publications
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate - Design of an ecommerce prototype component for a modelling
and simulation based GIS framework (Env. Modelling & Software, Els.) – internal review,
submit summer 2023
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate - Design of a content management system component with
model and data interoperability for a modelling and simulation based GIS framework – in
elaboration, submit 2023
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate, et al. - Construction of an online framework incorporating
ecommerce and model / data interoperability for a GIS – 2024
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate – Integration of support services for a modelling and simulation
based GIS framework, 2024
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate, et al. – Integration of content management interoperability into
a new framework, 2024-5
p31 of RP
30

31. V – Conferences
 FOSS4G, 7/2021, Buenos Aires
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate. (8-9/6/22). Propuesta para el desarrollo de una plataforma de
mercado para un sistema SIG basado en métodos numéricos. [Presentation]. Jornadas del
SIG Libre 2022, Girona, ES.
 Sigler, Ubach, Mora, Oñate. (18-22/7/2022). Development of a marketplace platform for a
numerical method-based GIS system. [Presentation]. Union géographique internationale
2022, Paris, FR.
 Destination Earth User Experience (15/2/2023), Frascati, IT.
 Destination Earth User Experience (11/7/2023), Darmstadt, DE.
 MODSIM2023 (International Congress on Modelling and Simulation), July 2023, Darwin, NT
(or attend in 2024)
 EUGEO, 6-7/9/2023. Session – GIS modelling and simulation, Barcelona, ES.
p31 of RP
31

32. V – Projects and academic activities
 Lecture at CIMNE - Proposal for development of a marketplace for a numerical method /
simulation oriented GIS++ system, 3/22, Barcelona
 MSc Thesis, Paula Lomascolo, Aerospace Science & Technology (MAST), 2023 – Provision of EO /
satellite data to PIKSEL, EETAC (UPC)
 PIKSEL (1-12/23): Portal integrador de coneixement per a la gestió sostenible dels ecosistemes i
del territory, (Dept. de Territori, Dept. d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda, Generalitat de
Catalunya)
 π-PlateS (1/21 – 6/22, extended to 12/22): Proj. pilot per l’estudi de viabilitat de procediments i
models de diagnòstic i pronòstic per a l’avaluació de l’estat, tendències de canvi i els escenaris
de vulnerabilitat del territorio (Prog. TDA, SmartCatalonia, de la Gen. de Catalunya)
 Destination Earth, (EoI 6/23). Methods & tools to embed computational models in DE.
(European Comm. – development of a highly accurate digital model of the Earth on a global
scale)
p31 of RP
32

33. VI – Conclusion
Demonstrated plans and need
 Comprehensive and innovative CMS
 Interoperability
 Ecommerce
 Resource ingress and administration
 Online PaaS
 Major services - HPC, Open data & others
33