The land change models require large amounts of data, are difficult to be reproduced, as well as to be reused. Some initiatives to open and link data increase the reproducibility of scientific experiments and data reuse. One pillar of the linked data concept is the use of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). In this paper, we propose DBCells – an architecture for publication of a global cellular space where each cell has a URI. This new approach will allow comparison, reproduction and the reuse of models and data. However, in order to succeed, this proposal requires participation, partnerships and investments. Our main purpose in this paper is to present the architecture, benefits and challenges for debating with the scientific community.

1. DBCells – an open and
global multi-scale
linked cells
Universidade Federal do Maranhão
Instituto Federal do Maranhão

2. Outline
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3. Motivation

6. How to reuse model’s data ?

7. How to reuse model’s data ?
Area expansion

9. Open Linked data
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Figure 1. From data to open linked data.

10. Open Linked data
Figure 2 - Five-stars rating. Source: http://5stardata.info/en/

11. A global open linked data
Figure 3 - Linked open data cloud. Source: lod-cloud.net. Last updated: 2014-08-30

12. Open Science

14. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: dbcells dataset

15. Cellular space

16. Cellular space
Figure 4. TerraME and cellular space. Source: http://www.terrame.org/doku.php

17. Cellular space in the TerraLib

18. Cellular space

19. Divides the space in regular cells

20. Associates each cell to an identifier
dbcells.org/cl015378

21. Represents each cell as an RDF graph
dbcells.org/cl015378
dbpedia:resource/Altamira
<dbcells:parent>
-3.202778
-52.205833
100km2
<wgs84_pos:lat>
<wgs84_pos:lon>
<dbcells:resolution>
DbCells Dataset
DbPedia Dataset
dbcells.org/cl015378
“The vision for RDF was to provide a minimalist
knowledge representation for the Web”.
(Shadbot et. al. 2006)

22. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: multi-scale relations
Multi-scale
relations

23. Multi-scale relations

24. Figure 5. Representation of strategies for spatial coupling in the case of regular
cells. Source: [Moreira et al. 2008]
Multi-scale relations

25. URI:http://dbcells.org/onto/relatedTo
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl015378
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl6239
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl05356
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl5682
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl3278
Multi-scale relations

26. Models at different scales
Climate
Dataset
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl015378
URI:http://dbcells.org/cl04379
Land Use
Dataset
Social
Behaviour
Dataset
The relationships between cellular spaces allow the reuse of models at different
scales and resolutions. For example, a land use model at a finer scale can use
results of a climate model in a coarser scale

27. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: network relations
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations

28. Network relations
Figure 6. Schematic representation of a network-based spatial relation between
cell objects in Scale 1 and point objects in Scale 2.
Source: [Moreira et al. 2008]

29. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: models
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations
Land Use
data set
Climate
data set
The publication layer includes a dataset of cellular space, multi-
scale relationships and open linked data models.

30. M1:cell1 dbcells:cl0151378
rdfs:sameAs
PREFIX rdf: <http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#>
PREFIX owl: <http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#>
PREFIX rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#>
PREFIX xsd: <http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#>
PREFIX dbcells: <http://dbcells.org/>
PREFIX wgs84_pos: <http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#>
SELECT ?y ?k
WHERE {?x dbcells:parent ?y.
?k owl:sameAs ?x.
FILTER regex(?y, "ATALAIA DO NORTE")
}
k y
cells1 ATALAIA DO NORTE
Architecture: models (linking to dbcells)
sparql

31. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: web of data
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations
HTTP HTTP HTTP
Web of data
Land Use
data set
Climate
data set
HTTP HTTP
The web of data layer links the cellular space to existing
datasets, like Geonames, DBPedia and SWEET Ontology.

32. Web of data layer
Land Use
Dataset
Climate
Dataset
Social
Behaviour
Dataset
DBCells
GeoNames
DBPedia
....
....
....
SWEET
Ontology

33. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: Data access and storage layer
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations
HTTP HTTP HTTP
Web of data
Land Use
data set
Climate
data set
HTTP HTTP
Integration web and local data
Data access
and storage
layer
HTTP
The data access and storage layer integrate local and web data,
providing a transparent access and storage for modeling tools.

34. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture: model and user layers
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations
HTTP HTTP HTTP
Web of data
Land Use
data set
Climate
data set
HTTP HTTP
Integration web and local data
Data access
and storage
layer
HTTP
Model A
Model
layer Model B Model C Model D
User
layer
The model layer uses and shares data provided by the lower
layers.
The user layer runs and reproduces the experiment of a particular
model.

35. Dbcells
dataset
Publication
layer
Architecture
Multi-scale
relations
Network
relations
HTTP HTTP HTTP
Web of data
Land Use
data set
Climate
data set
HTTP HTTP
Integration web and local data
Data access
and storage
layer
HTTP
Model A
Model
layer Model B Model C Model D
User
layer

37. Challenges
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38. Final remarks

39. Final remarks

40. References

41. Thank you