Presentation to IGARSS 2015 Conference, July 205, Milan Italy. Part of invited session: Why Data Matters: Value of Stewardship and Knowledge Augmentation Services

1. ®
Scientific Knowledge from
Geospatial Observations
IGARSS 2015 Session: Why Data Matters: Value of
Stewardship and Knowledge Augmentation Services
George Percivall, Dr. Ingo Simonis, Dr. Terry Idol
The Open Geospatial Consortium
gpercivall@myogc.org
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium

2. OGC
®
Scientific Knowledge
from Geospatial Observations
• Knowledge derived from remote sensing
– Accumulated by systematic observation
– Processed with mathematical or experience-based algorithms
– Organized by general principles and concepts
• Standards play an essential role
– Key to efficient and effective exchange of remote sensed data
– Necessary prerequisite for science
• Status
– Much has been done in generating knowledge from remote sensing
– More needed to achieve full potential
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium

3. OGC
®
Knowledge Defined
• “Justified true belief” – Plato
– Belief becomes knowledge when it is justified
• Scientific Knowledge
– Collection of data through observation and
experimentation,
– Formulation and testing of hypotheses
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief#Justified_true_belief

4. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

5. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Representation is described
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

6. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Data with meaning assigned
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

7. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Testing hypotheses with information
Data with meaning assigned
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

8. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Data with meaning assigned
Synthesis of theory and information
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

9. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Data with meaning assigned
Synthesis of theory and information
Goals of multiple stakeholders
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

10. Helping the World to Communicate
Geographically
Decisions
Knowledge
Information
Data
• Adapted from “A Theory of Computer Semiotics”, Peter Andersen, Cambridge Press, 1997
• Definitions for data and info: ANSI Dictionary of Information Technology, www.ncits.org
• Definition for knowledge inspired by I. Kant
Creating Knowledge from Images
Data with meaning assigned
Synthesis of theory and information
Pragmatic application of knowledge
A representation subject to interpretation
From ISO/TS 19101-2 Geographic information - Reference model - Part 2: Imagery

11. OGC
®
What is a Standard?
• “An agreed way of doing something”
© 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium
EC: Practical standards guide for researchers - en

12. OGC
®
What is a Standard?
• “An agreed way of doing something”
• Standards are distilled wisdom of people with expertise
in their subject matter and who know the needs of the
organizations they represent – people such as
manufacturers, sellers, buyers, customers, trade
associations, users or regulators.
• Standards are knowledge. They are powerful tools that
can help drive innovation and increase productivity. They
can make organizations more successful and people’s
everyday lives easier, safer and healthier.
© 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium
EC: Practical standards guide for researchers - en

13. OGC
®
Use of Standards in Science
• Allow scientists to reliably access and review data
– Physical: SI Units – Int. Bureau of Weights and
Measures (BIPM)
– Information: fundamental to communicating concepts
• Research paradigms
A) Working with current standards to arrive at new
conclusions
B) Reconsidering accepted standards, towards a view of
the world
– In either paradigm, need for well defined and realized
standards is vital to the progress of science
Copyright © 2010, Open Geospatial Consortium
“Geoscience depends on geospatial information standards,” S. J. Khalsa and G. Percivall, IEEE GRS-S Newsletter, March 2010

14. OGC
®
Connecting the Sensor Web and Model Web
using scientific methods
Deduction Observation
Sensor
Web
Model
Web
Automated workflow at Illinois uses LDAS data from NASA to run river
model at Texas
Source: D. Maidment, Univ. Texas, GEOSS Future Product Workshop, 2013

15. OGC
®
Connecting the Sensor Web and Model Web
using scientific methods
Deduction Observation
Sensor
Web
Model
Web
Automated workflow at Illinois uses LDAS data from NASA to run river
model at Texas
RAPID River Flow Model
Observations
Datasets, Numerical
Weather Model
Land Surface Model
Source: D. Maidment, Univ. Texas, GEOSS Future Product Workshop, 2013

16. OGC
®
OGC Sensor Web Enablement Standards
Discover and Task Sensors - Access and process Observations
• Sensor Model Language (SensorML)
• Observations & Measurements (O&M)
• PUCK
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium
• Sensor Observation Service (SOS)
• Sensor Planning Service (SPS)
• Sensor Alert Service (SAS)

17. OGC
® Namibia Flood Pilot Sensor Web Concept
Source: NASA
Debris flow sensor web – GIS FCU
Debris Flow
Sediment
Landslide
Portable
Units14
Mobile3
On-Site
24
Soil moisture map with time series
Precipitation monitor stations map
http://aafc.geocens.ca/
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Real-time In-situ Soil Monitoring for Agriculture (RISMA)
SWE Implementation Maturity – TRL 9
Water webs integration in AIP-6

18. Model Interoperability - An Evolution
(Source: S. Nativi, CNR, GEOSS Future Products Workshop, 2013)
OpenMI
ESMF

19. OGC
®
• An interface standard (API) for:
• run time (in memory) data exchange between
models, databases & other components
• Whose purpose is to:
• improve ability to model complex scenarios
Hydraulics
Output data
Input data
User interface
Application
Rainfall/Runoff
Output data
Input data
User interface
Application
OpenMI
OpenMI – OGC Standard for Model Introperability
19

20. OGC
®
WPS for Remote Sensed Data Processing
Web Processing Service (WPS)
Web Coverage Processing Service
(WCPS)
• WPS Geoprocessing Workflow
– Workflow environment for
geospatial algorithms
– Access to predictive models
– Survey of progress in special
issue of Computers &
Geosciences [7]
• Big Data Processing of Imagery
© 2012 Open Geospatial Consortium 20
GetCapabilities
Execute
DescribeProcess
Algorithms
Repository
Data Handler
Repository
HTTP
WPS-client
WPS

21. OGC
®
OGC Testbed 10:
SAR Interferometry with WPS on SBAS Cloud
• Performance enhancements with Cloud deployment of
SBAS (Small Baseline Subset) processing application
using WPS and OpenSearch OGC Web Services
© 2014 Open Geospatial Consortium 21
• Exploit 64 differential SAR scenes
for the generation of time series
showing ground displacements
over a decade in geological
sensitive areas.
• Part of an ongoing effort from
ESA, CNR-IREA and Terradue
partners

22. OGC
®
Example: EarthServer
© 2014 Open Geospatial Consortium
Baumann, 2013
EarthServer-2 starting May 2015
20 … 132 TB spatio-temporal databases as of June 2015

23. OGC
®
Discrete Global Grid Systems
Source: Matt Purss, Geoscience Australia
National
Nested
Grid
SCENZ-Grid
Earth System Spatial Grid
Snyder
Grid

24. OGC
®
Discrete Global Grid System (DGGS)
Standards Working Group (SWG)
• Develop common criteria that will
define conformant DGGSs
– Considering Goodchild criteria
• Develop conceptual standard to
facilitate data fusion between
DGGSs using OGC Standards
– to make them interoperable – with
conventional and other DGGS data
– to standardize operations on them
• Engage stakeholders to encourage
new use cases and adoption of
interoperability through DGGSs
http://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/groups/dggsswg

25. To Collaborative Science
Roderick | Nyerges – AAG 2015, Chicago

26. OGC
®
Knowledge Objects need to be
conceptually modeled and implemented
• “Decision” and “Hypothesis” as 1st class objects
– UML Model of the concepts and linked data relationships
– Ontology for Types of decisions and hypothesis
– Encodings of conceptual models
– Templates for Decisions and Hypothesis
• Recommender systems - a guess at the riddle
– If I see “these conditions” then consider this “decision template”
– If I am researching “these topics” then consider this “hypothesis”
• “Geodata fusion” Proceedings SPIE Geospatial InfoFusion III,
87470A (23 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2016226
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium

27. OGC
®
Scientific Knowledge
from Geospatial Observations
• Standards underlie the scientific integrity of geospatial
knowledge systems
• Open standards are essential to open science
– Basis to converge empirical and conceptual for science progress
– Standards progress must have a scientific framework
“Accidental observations made according to no plan,
cannot be united under necessary law”
– Immanuel Kant
Copyright © 2015 Open Geospatial Consortium