About
Overview
Developing and sustaining the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is critical to achieving the Mission and Vision of GEO. From the beginning GEOSS was conceived as a “system of systems”, a loose confederation of existing and future Earth observation and data management systems supplementing but not supplanting their own mandates and governance arrangements. While the initial focus of GEOSS involved supporting nine Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) of application, it was recognized that GEOSS should serve a broad range of global user communities including managers, policy makers, researchers, engineers, civil society, governmental and non-governmental organizations in further application areas. The success of GEOSS depends on building interoperability as a key principle among the different and autonomous systems so that the GEOSS can operate as a whole.
Much progress has been made during GEO’s first decade in developing a distributed infrastructure allowing discovery and access to millions of datasets, many of which follow the GEOSS Data Sharing Principles and are full and open access. This infrastructure comprises both observing systems, and information and processing systems. Among the latter, the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) is a central mechanism to allow discovery and access to GEOSS information resources. The operations of the GCI are a key Foundational Task in the GEO Work Programme 2017-19. This new GEO Initiative addresses the further development of the GCI and the broader evolution of the GEOSS architecture.
The objectives of GEOSS-EVOLVE are:
- To advance and evolve the GEOSS architecture based on the architectural principles described in the GEO Strategic Plan 2016-25, the analysis of the evolving landscape for technology and production/ consumption of Earth Observation (EO) data products and services, and the specific user requirements coming from the GEO Flagships and Initiatives;
- To conduct research and development activities, in collaboration with public, private, and voluntary sectors, to develop and test new functionalities, solutions, and components, including those needed to advance the GCI, to support the GEO Strategic Plan objectives and user needs;
- To prepare documentation and training materials needed to support the transition from development to operations of the new components and solutions identified.
Activities for the period
The activities of GEOSS-EVOLVE for 2017-19 are articulated in six work packages summarized below. Close collaboration with the GEO Secretariat and the Foundational tasks addressing data sharing, GCI operations and user requirements will be ensured through regular meetings and continuation of past collaborative working practices. This collaboration will also identify more clearly in 2017 which activities of GEOSS-EVOLVE are best addressed in the context of operations and may therefore be moved to one of the relevant Foundational Tasks, and which should stay in the Initiative being more focused towards development and evolution.
- WP 1: GEOSS Architecture and Evolution (Lead: US-USGS/Italy-JRC):
- Advance and evolve GEOSS architecture based on technology watch and user requirements by selected Flagships and Initiatives;
- Develop and Maintain the “Evolution of GCI functionalities and Architecture” document and service framework; and
- Research, report on emerging technologies that facilitate use of Earth observation resources.
- WP2: Functionality Testing (lead China-RADI): Test functionalities of the GCI, the GEOSS data providers and the GEOSS community portals needed to support the requirements expressed by the users through the dedicated foundational tasks. The needs of different categories of users (decision-makers, researchers and practitioners addressing the Societal Benefit Areas at national and regional levels, the general public) will be considered. Therefore this work package will consider usability by different user categories as a key dimension.
- WP3: Data Management Principles (Lead: ESIP, CODATA):
- Demonstrate implementation of DMP with selected Initiatives and Flagships;
- Revise implementation guidelines based on lesson learned; and
- Develop and evolve training material.
- WP 4: Standards Interoperability Forum (lead IEEE):
- Organise yearly interoperability workshops;
- Develop and evolve training material and best practice guidelines; and
- Support selected GEO Initiatives and Flagship in extending their interoperability arrangement.
- WP 5: Demonstrations Projects (Lead OGC): Implement demonstration projects with selected GEO Initiatives and Flagships that advance the functionalities of the GCI and GEOSS and address user needs.
- WP 6: Community Portals (Lead NOAA)
- Develop community portals catalogue;
- Develop training material and guidance for community portals to benefit from interoperability arrangements with GCI;
- Develop recommendations based on lessons learned.
User engagement
GEOSS-EVOLVE will consider the requirements and inputs coming from the Foundational Task addressing the Systematic determination of user needs / observational gaps. This Task enables to link more clearly the needs of the GEO Initiatives and Flagship with respect to data, information, products and services. The Initiative will also develop a specific strategy for user engagement related to the evolution of GEOSS in collaboration with the GEO Secretariat, in order to structure and deliver information that address the objectives of the GEO Strategic Plan
Future plans
Given the rapid technological change taking place, the approach taken by GEOSS-EVOLVE is to plan 3-year increments aligned with the Work Program and propose new tasks for years 4-6 and 7-9 as we learn and implement. Year 10 will be dedicated to finalizing efforts and transitioning to the next iteration of the Strategic/Implementation Plan.
Resources
The resources committed are largely in-kind contributions from the organizations participating in the Initiative. Demonstration projects have in the past also involved significant contributions from both private and public sector organisations in terms of infrastructure to test applications and demonstrate proofs of concepts. As GEOSS-EVOLVE builds on a long track record of collaboration and achievements with respect to GEOSS-related tasks, continued support and commitment of resources is anticipated.
Leadership
- Ivan DeLoatch (Federal Geographic Data Committee/USA), ideloatch@usgs.gov
- Max Craglia, (JRC/EC), massimo.craglia@jrc.ec.europa.eu
Contributors
Members: Australia, Chile, China, EC, France, Finland, Italy, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, UK, USA.
Participating Organizations: CEOS, CODATA, ESA, ESIP, ICSU, IEEE, OGC, RCMRD, WMO.
Linkages across the Work Programme
GEO Foundational Tasks
