Implications of Linked Data for GEOSS

This page will discuss the possible ways in which the concept of linked data can be used for data, metadata, semantics etc. throughout GEOSS. This would potentially be a major shift for GEOSS, since linked data is very semantically driven. However, the thought could be that the GCI components be modified over time to deal with linked data while there is an education and outreach effort to get data providers to convert to linked data usage. The long term goal is that more and more linked data will be used, resulting in greater benefit to GEOSS users and providers.

The initial effort, coming from the SIF, is to identify, analyze, and recommend some best practices and guidelines for using linked data. The SIF will also study and recommend how GCI components can be modified to exploit linked data if it is available. This effort is not meant to disrupt any existing operations.

Identifed Best Practices and Guidelines for Linked Data

  1. W3C Best Practices for Publishing Linked Data (W3C Working Group Note 09 January 2014)
    • http://www.w3.org/TR/ld-bp/
    • The W3C Best Practices address the Best Practices for distinct phases, summarised by the section headings extracted from the document;
  PREPARE STAKEHOLDERS SELECT A DATASET MODEL THE DATA SPECIFY AN APPROPRIATE LICENSE
GOOD URIs FOR LINKED DATA USE STANDARD VOCABULARIES CONVERT DATA PROVIDE MACHINE ACCESS TO DATA
ANNOUNCE NEW DATA SETS RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL CONTRACT    

  • Consideration of all of the above aspects is key to implementing linked data solutions. For GEOSS and possible GCI implementation which areas should be focussed on? For example, can GEOSS define a policy for URI/IRI specification CF RFC5870. A URI policy is important for persistence and has to be assessed prior to later stages such as converting data. For which categories could the GCI implement an appropriate service and for which parts does the responsibility lie with the data provider?

  1. Guides and Tutorials
  2. Agenda and Slides from the LOD2014 Event (organized by W3C Italy)
  3. Linking Geospatial Data, W3C and OGC organised meeting
  4. Standadised Vocabularies, Geospatial Ontologies
    • ...
  5. Importance of Provenance
    • ...
  6. Data vs Metadata and Annotations
    • Conversion of complete data sets to linked data presents challenges and a common practice is to extract and link metadata or subsets of data, e.g. Melodies project in which image data is preserved as is but metadata and extracted features are recorded as Linked Data. Solutions for full datasets include The RDF Data Cube Vocabulary "The model underpinning the Data Cube vocabulary is compatible with the cube model that underlies SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange), an ISO standard for exchanging and sharing statistical data and metadata among organizations. The Data Cube vocabulary is a core foundation which supports extension vocabularies to enable publication of other aspects of statistical data flows or other multi-dimensional data sets."
  7. Various white papers, blogs and much quoted references:
  8. The GEOWOW project included a deliverable on Emerging Technologies Analysis that discusses LINKED DATA See Section 6.3.
    • Excerpt: "*Section 6.3.4. Analysis of the Added Value in response to the GEOSS demand* For GEOSS to be sustainable in the future, it needs to align existing investments in the GEO member countries and international organizations such as those made in e-government (see subchapter 3.2.4.3), SDIs, research infrastructures and so on. LOD is underpinning major new initiatives to unlock the potential of Public Sector Information for innovation and growth (this being particularly important for Europe). Bringing the LOD approach into the geospatial data domain can be envisioned but it is not yet well documented. The adoption of such conceptually different approach could bring structural changes to the way we handle spatial data, i.e. heavy infrastructures and accumulating data catalogues. Towards such transition, the underlying technologies (e.g. URIs, RDF/RDFa, metadata etc.) should be well examined and adjusted to the spatial domain needs. Moreover, achieving discoverability and interrelations would mean well defined, adjusted and up-to-date ontologies injected in well-defined adjusted metadata schemas so that the user can verify their quality and decide upon using them or not."

-- DavidArctur - 23 Aug 2013

-- SteveBrowdy - 11 Apr 2014
Topic revision: r8 - 04 Jun 2014, PaulEglitis
 

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