GCI short term evolution - GEO Web Portal

Mirko Albani, ESA GEO Architecture & Data Committee meetingCampos do Jordão, Brazil28 Feb. 2011 – 3 Mar. 2011

GEO Web Portal (GWP)

• Operational since 2008

• ESA/FAO portal selected as official GEO Web Portal (summer 2010)

• Available at www.geoportal.org

GWP evolution• Continuously evolved to meet users needs and according to

suggestions coming from different sources:– Usability tests– Data Sharing Task Force, GEO Task Teams, GEOSS

Contributors, GEO User Community, GEO Committees, AIP, etc …

– Users feedback (provided on GEO Portal)

• Assessment of suggestions: need, urgency, resources needed for implementation, etc ..

• A list of improvements has been defined and is planned for implementation (3 releases: April, August, November 2011)

GWP Planned Improvements• User search interface improvement

– e.g. enhanced map and layout, additional search parameters• Inclusion of extra-parameters in search functionalities

– e.g. GEOSS Data Core datasets search, quality• Search results display harmonization and merging (e.g. single

portlet, interface adaptation, metadata filtering etc.)• Results displayed through “Resources categories”• Improve interaction between search results and visualization

– e.g. directly open standard services in GWP viewer (e.g. WMS)• Improve viewer and display of WMS, WFS, WCS on the portal• Enhance the globe and its capabilities

– e.g. Google Earth portlet, RSS visualization• Display of data sharing information

– e.g. Data access conditions

Assumption: changes impacting other GCI components are implemented in a coordinated and timely manner.

Example: Data search and visualization

Results presented in a flat list – no “Resources categories"

Results presented in two separate windows/portlets:1 – Local search2 – CH search

Results grouped by “Resources categories"

2010 Usability tests and GCI-CT:

• Results to be displayed in a single window

• Results to be presented grouped by “Resources categories”

GEO Web Portal new proposed Resources categories (1/2)

GEOportal new Resources categories

Information services1. Early warning and Alert systems

2. Monitoring and Observation services

3. Data Distribution and Access

4. Data Analysis and Visualization

5. Geospatial web services and tools

6. Models

7. Reference and Information Services

International Initiatives

Capacity Building

Datasets•geossDataCore•geossNonCommercial•geossOther

New proposed Resources categories:

- based on GCMD model - tailored to GEO

Once agreed, Resources Categories shall be implemented in a uniform way in all relevant GCI components

Information services

1. Early warning and Alert systems Hazards mitigation, hazards planning, alerts, disasters prevention, early warning etc.

2. Monitoring and Observation services

Detection and surveillance, satellite based monitoring systems, Disaster response, etc

3. Data Distribution and Access Data search and retrieval, data discovery, data delivery, service discovery, cataloging, archiving, etc

4. Data Analysis and Visualization visualization/image processing, mapping services, statistical applications, calibration/validation, assessment services, etc

5. Geospatial web services and tools information management services, data application services, data processing services, software, tools, etc.

6. Models component process models , social and economic models , land surface models , atmospheric chemistry models, hydrologic and terrestrial water cycle models etc

7. Reference and Information Services

knowledge/decision systems, identification/classification systems, bibliographic, subscription services, digital/virtual reference desks, etc.

International Initiatives International and cross-countries initiatives and programs

Capacity Building Education and training resources, courses, capacity development material, interactive programs, etc.

Datasets•geossDataCore•geossNonCommercial•geossOther

GEO Web Portal new proposed Resources categories (2/2)

GEO Web Portal new Resources categories and GCMD categories

GCMD categories

Data Management / Data Handling

Education / Outreach

Environmental Advisories

Hazards Management

Metadata Handling

Models

Reference and Information Services

Web Services

Data Analysis and Visualization

GEOportal new categories

1. Early warning and Alert systems

2. Monitoring and Observation services

5. Geospatial web services and tools

6. Models

7. Reference and Information Services

International Initiatives

Information services

Capacity Building

Datasets•geossDataCore•geossNonCommercial•geossOther

3. Data Analysis and Visualization

4. Data Distribution and Access

Still Issues to be solved

• E.g. Some incoherencies between local information on GEO Web Portal and information coming from Clearinghouse for GEOSS registered resources …

SBA categorization (1/2)

• GEO portal actually adopts SBA categories and sub-categories (from 10-years-implementation plan)

– Facilitate users in finding information (existing GCI requirement)

– Sub-categories shall be oriented to field of application (e.g. volcano)

• Critical review of current SBA sub-categories highly advisable because:– some subcategories are rarely used to classify the type of

information available in the GEO portal (e.g. Health/Accidental Death and Injury)

– some words/definitions restrict too much the subject (e.g. Oil and Gas “Exploration” or the too detailed sub-categorization of Weather SBA)

– some definitions are too wide (e.g. “Land, River, Coast and Ocean Management” under Ecosystems, or “Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry” under Ecosystems)

SBA categorization (2/2)

• Critical review of SBA sub-categories highly advisable because (cont’):– some definitions can bring to possible overlap/confusion with other

SBAs (e.g. several Water sub-categorization)

– some sub-categorizations are missing and important issues can hardly fit into the present SBA schema (e.g. General Environmental issues or Sea and Ocean monitoring)

– More in general, the addition for each SBA of the “Other” sub-category could help enhancing the comprehensiveness of resources sub-categorization within the SBAs.

• Proposed way forward: GEO Secretariat to circulate

current list to SBA experts for finalization by GEO Work-plan Symposium (May 2011).

• Once agreed, SBA sub-categories shall be uniformly adopted in the different relevant GCI components.

GEOSS SBA sub-categories (10y implementation plan)

• Disasters – Pollution Events– Coastal Hazards, Tsunami– Sea and Lake Ice– Tropical Cyclones– Extreme Weather– Floods– Landslides, Subsidence– Volcanoes, Volcanic Ash and Aerosols– Earthquakes– Wildland Fires

• Health – Infectious diseases– Cancers– Respiratory Problems– Environmental Stress– Nutrition– Accidental Death and Injury– Birth Defects

• Energy – Oil and Gas Exploration– Refining and Transport Operations– Renewable Energy Operations– Electricity Generation– Global Energy Management

• Climate – Understanding– Assessing– Predicting– Adapting to– Mitigating

•Water –Water Cycle Research–Resource Management–Impacts of Humans on Water Cycle–Global Biogeochemistry–Ecosystem and Water Quality Assessment–Land Use Planning–Production of Food–Weather Prediction–Heavy Rainfall and Flood Prediction–Drought Prediction–Climate Prediction–Human Health–Fisheries and Habitat–Management–Telecommunication/Navigation

•Weather –Nowcasting (0-2 hours)–Very and Short-range Forecasts (2-72 hours)–Medium-range Forecasts (3-10 days)–Extended Forecasts (10-30 days)

•Ecosystems –Land, River, Coast and Ocean Management–Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry–Carbon Cycle

•Agriculture –Food Security–Fisheries–Timber, Fuel and Fiber–Agricultural Economy and Tradex–Grazing Systems

•Biodiversity –Conservation–Invasive Species–Migratory Species–Natural Resources and Services

• Routine operations activities by GCI Component Providers are being organized:

– GCI-component application software and hardware platform monitoring, maintenance and administrative tasks

– Problem correction and reporting

• GCI Operation & Enhancement tool – To manage reported problems and collect users suggestions.– Already implemented and accessible from the GEO portal

home page (button “Provide feedback to GEO”).– List of GCI problems and Suggestions for Enhancements with

disposition details are accessible on the web for authorized users.

– ESA volunteer to operate it.

GCI Operations and monitoring

Coordination within GCI

• Ad-hoc coordination already initiated– Already regular teleconferences among GCI providers

to coordinate activities and development of the different GCI components.

– Specific discussion e.g. GEOSS data core and possible approaches.

• Proper organization and process for GCI Operations, Maintenance and Enhancement need to be put in place ASAP (some proposals under discussion).

Conclusions• Short term goals:

– GCI: Define organization process for operations and enhancements.

– GWP: Implement identified enhancements and coordinate with other GCI providers for feasibility assessment and eventual implementation of requirements coming from e.g. DSTF

• Medium term goals:– GCI: Coherently evolve according to GEOSS

Architecture and Strategy towards a full operational system able to achieve the strategic targets.

• Exploiting also results from AIP, GEOWOW, others

Thank you …