Infrastructure For Spatial Information Research Articles

The digital climate atlas of the Canary Islands: A tool to improve knowledge of climate and temperature and precipitation trends in the Atlantic islands

This paper presents the Interactive Digital Climate Atlas of the Canary Islands, a web portal based on geographic information systems for the dissemination of climate information. It provides citizens and public and private administrations with high spatial resolution maps (100 m) of different climate variables such as temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, cloudiness frequency and wind velocity. Also available are Köppen climate classification maps and decadal trends of temperature and precipitation in a context of climate change. This spatial resolution is suitable for the detailed climatic description of small and orographically complex islands. For this purpose, climate series from databases of different public institutions as well as data from remote sensing and reanalysis systems were employed. A statistical process involving data filtering and the detection and correction of inhomogeneous segments was carried out as a preparatory step. Then, a spatial interpolation model was developed using a multiple linear regression method for the generation of the high spatial resolution climate cartography. The results are annual and monthly maps of the climate variables in Canary Islands at 100 m spatial resolution and with different time periods depending on the availability of data on the different variables, but in most cases between 1991 and 2020. Following the European Directive INSPIRE (Directive 2007/2/CE, Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe), both map visualisation and downloading in GeoTIFF and NetCDF format are permitted, as well as consultation of the data and metadata of the climatic series used.

Harmonization strategy of the spatial information infrastructure of Ukraine with INSPIRE. system approach

Van Gigch's system approach was applied to consider the option of systemic harmonization of the National Spatial Information Infrastructure of Ukraine (NSII) with INSPIRE. The article focuses on its most important part - the strategy of harmonization or, more specifically, strategic harmonization. The proposed strategic harmonization is suitable for practical implementation. For this purpose, NSII is understood as an extension of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and NSII and INSPIRE are represented by general systems (GS), whose practical feasibility is achieved by exemplification/interpretation by spatial information systems (SpIS) and certain their extensions - SpISb. The main attention is paid to the relation between the NSII and INSPIRE, with an emphasis on the harmonization relation. Possible alternatives to the problems or their solutions are not considered. In particular, the likely recent shift of interest from NSDI/NSII/INSPIRE to IGIF (Integrated Geospatial Information Framework) is not considered. This is possible because van Gigch's system approach used allows scaling, in this case - upwards, with the addition of higher levels of the hierarchy such as IGIF to the consideration. It is shown that, in the context of harmonization with INSPIRE, it is necessary to examine the harmonization of GS on at least three epistemological levels. GS corresponding to these levels can be called: strategic, tactical and operational. The GS for harmonization with INSPIRE can be represented by an integrated hierarchy or a unification of three GS components of these three levels. In the case of unification, each component of the collective agreement can be considered separately, but the context of harmonization must be mandatory. In particular, in strategic harmonization, it is mandatory to define its hierarchical relations with the "corresponding" tactical harmonization. Two main results were obtained in the article: 1) scientific - the structure of the phenomenon "harmonization of Ukrainian SII with INSPIRE" was defined, 2) practical - it was proved that the specified phenomenon is adequately represented by the GS and the corresponding SpISb.

An Aggregated Shape Similarity Index: A Case Study of Comparing the Footprints of OpenStreetMap and INSPIRE Buildings

The mutual identification of spatial objects is a fundamental issue when updating geographic data with other data sets. Representations of spatial objects in different sources may not have the same identifiers, which would unambiguously assign them to each other. Intersections of spatial objects can be used for this purpose, but this does not allow for the detection of possible changes and their quantification. The aim of this paper is to propose a simple, applicable procedure for calculating the shape similarity measure, which should be able to efficiently identify different representations of spatial objects in two data sources, even though they may be changed or generalised. The main result is the aggregated index of shape similarity and instructions for its calculation and implementation. The shape similarity index is based on the calculation of the set similarity, the distance of the boundaries, and the differences in the area, perimeter, and number of the vertices of areal spatial objects. In the case study, the footprints of the building complexes in Dúbravka (part of the city of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia) are compared using data from OpenStreetMap and INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) Buildings. A contribution to the quality check of the OpenStreetMap data is then a secondary result. The proposed method can be effectively used in the semi-automatic integration of heterogeneous data sources, updating the data source with other spatial data, or in their quality control.

EMODnet Biology: Unlocking European marine biodiversity data

EMODnet Biology (hosted and coordinated by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)) is one of the seven themes within the European Marine Observation and Data network (EMODnet). The EMODnet Biology consortium aims to facilitate the accessibility and usage of marine biodiversity data. With the principle of "collect once, use many times" at its core, EMODnet Biology fosters collaboration across various sectors, including research, policy-making, industry, and individual citizens, to enhance knowledge sharing and inform decision-making. EMODnet Biology focuses on providing free and open access to comprehensive historical and recent data on the occurrence of marine species and their traits in all European regional seas. It achieves this through partnerships and collaboration with diverse international initiatives, such as the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), Marine Regions and the European node of the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (EurOBIS) among others. By promoting the usage of the Darwin Core Standard (Wieczorek et al. 2012), EMODnet Biology fosters data interoperability and ensures seamless integration with wider networks such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), serving as a significant data provider of the latter, as it is responsible for most of its data generated in Europe. Since its inception, EMODnet Biology has undertaken actions covering various areas, including providing access to marine biological data with spatio-temporal, taxonomic, environmental- and sampling-related information among others; developing an exhaustive data quality control tool based on the Darwin Core standard, the British Oceanographic Data Centre and Natural Environment Research Council Vocabulary Server (BODC NVS2) parameters and other controlled vocabularies used; creating and providing training courses to guide data providers; performing gap analyses to identify data quality and coverage shortcomings; creating and publishing marine biological distribution maps for various species or species groups; and interacting with international and European initiatives, projects and organizations. providing access to marine biological data with spatio-temporal, taxonomic, environmental- and sampling-related information among others; developing an exhaustive data quality control tool based on the Darwin Core standard, the British Oceanographic Data Centre and Natural Environment Research Council Vocabulary Server (BODC NVS2) parameters and other controlled vocabularies used; creating and providing training courses to guide data providers; performing gap analyses to identify data quality and coverage shortcomings; creating and publishing marine biological distribution maps for various species or species groups; and interacting with international and European initiatives, projects and organizations. Furthermore, EMODnet Biology contributes to the overall EMODnet initiative, which covers multidisciplinary data and products. Thanks to the use of standard protocols and tools across disciplines, EMODnet Biology products can contribute to multidisciplinary analysis of pressures and impacts on key marine species and habitats, and, lastly, support a better management and planning of the maritime space. In conclusion, EMODnet Biology plays a pivotal role in biodiversity informatics by providing users with a wealth of accessible and reusable marine biodiversity data and products. Its collaborative approach, extensive partnerships, and adherence to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles (Wilkinson et al. 2016) as well as to the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) metadata technical guidelines (European Commission Joint Research Centre 2013) and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards make it a valuable resource for advancing knowledge, informing policies, and supporting sustainable management of marine ecosystems.

The actual state of the geodetic and cartographic resources and legislation in Poland

Abstract Official data, including national geodetic and cartographic resources, are integrated in a spatial reference system. This study outlines national resources in Poland as an important part of the spatial information infrastructure in the European Community. They also provide reference data, including: geodetic control networks, base map, and topographic maps, for other resources of spatial data infrastructure. The study presents changes in the methods of sharing geo-data and technical standards for their collecting in the last few years, and additionally also presents some aspects of progressing geodetic and cartographic resources and legislation in Poland. It was noted that modern national geoportal or regional and district resources and progress, especially in the form of their standardization of presentation, enable to promote the use of spatial data in Poland and their popularization among the international community.

The whole is other than the sum of its parts: the untapped potential of spatial data from archaeological fieldwork

Spatial data is fundamental to documenting our past, underpinning research questions and informing the decisions we – and others – take in the protection, understanding and stewardship of the historic environment. Investing in organising and sharing spatial data typically delivers a benefit to cost ratio of up to sixteen times the outlay. In contrast, existing practices are saturated with inefficiency. Even if the spatial data reaches an archive, it can be hard to find, access and use. It is often in the wrong format and incompatible with similar data from different projects. Through the European Union Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) Directive curators of protected sites data (scheduled monuments, listed buildings etc.) are required to publish metadata, view and download services. In contrast to these ‘curated’ datasets there is neither the mandate, nor the mechanisms to coordinate, curate and share, data created through archaeological fieldwork and research. The degree of standardisation in documenting fieldwork recording and archival deposition varies considerably, posing challenges to the reuse of data. Both are key factors in not realising the potential of ‘collated data’ from multiple sources. The opportunities to develop a consistent approach for making greater use of data routinely created through fieldwork and research are explored using case studies from Scotland. Despite the obvious benefits of developing a consistent approach to spatial data from fieldwork, the framework, standards, specifications, guidance and infrastructure to realise that potential are absent. Archaeological data can and should contribute to delivering wider societal benefits, including environmental monitoring, digital twins and climate change. To contribute meaningfully to these and other societal challenges, archaeological data needs to be accessible and consistent.

Road Network Extraction from SAR Images with the Support of Angular Texture Signature and POIs

Urban road network information is an important part of modern spatial information infrastructure and is crucial for high-precision navigation map production and unmanned driving. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a widely used remote-sensing data source, but the complex structure of road networks and the noises in images make it very difficult to extract road information through SAR images. We developed a new method of extracting road network information from SAR images by considering angular (A) and texture (T) features in the sliding windows and points of interest (POIs, or P), and we named this method ATP-ROAD. ATP-ROAD is a sliding window-based semi-automatic approach that uses the grayscale mean, grayscale variance, and binary segmentation information of SAR images as texture features in each sliding window. Since POIs have much-duplicated information, this study also eliminates duplicated POIs considering distance and then selects a combination of POI linkages by discerning the direction of these POIs to initially determine the road direction. The ATP-ROAD method was applied to three experimental areas in Shanghai to extract the road network using China’s Gaofen-3 imagery. The experimental results show that the extracted road network information is relatively complete and matches the actual road conditions, and the result accuracy is high in the three different regions, i.e., 89.57% for Area-I, 96.88% for Area-II, and 92.65% for Area-III. Our method together with our extraction software can be applied to extract information about road networks from SAR images, providing an alternative for enriching the variety of road information.

Cartography in the context of the Spatial Information Infrastructure

Cartography in the context of the Spatial Information Infrastructure

Lithuanian spatial information infrastructure: 20 years of evolution, milestones, costs and benefits

Abstract. The paper presents the outline of development of the Lithuanian SDI from its initial idea in 2002 to the functional and mature system in 2022. The aspects of organizational co-ordination, spatial competencies and impact on the development of the society are briefly discussed. Evaluation of maturity of the SDI is evaluated using original method and presented in an aggregated form for the five milestones of the SDI development timeline. Economic and social benefits and accuracy of prognoses is retrospectively evaluated using actual numbers of users and use cases. Impact of new framework data services, new administrative services and provision of open data is demonstrated by different indicators of growth of use of the SDI. Future trends and threats are discussed.

Extending INSPIRE to accommodate urban drone logistics

The use of drones in an urban environment, especially in the context of logistics, is expected to increase substantially in the coming years. This emerging technology poses a potential threat to other aircraft in the airspace, as well as to human beings and other assets on the ground. In order to mitigate these risks, it is vital to know where an automated drone is, where it is allowed to fly and when. Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) can be used as a useful tool to standardize automated drone flight data and facilitate the integration of drones into an airspace in a safe manner. This paper proposes an extension to the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). The proposed model is based on the relevant regulations of European Union (EU) and the Unites States of America (USA), and considers the state-of-the-art literature on drone logistics in an urban environment.

Increasing the interoperability of snow/ice hyperspectral observations

This study aims to set up a metadata profile useful for preparing an interoperable dataset containing snow and ice hyperspectral measurements. The proposed Snow and Ice Spectral Library (SISpec) scheme was prepared for sharing a data collection focused on Antarctica, including 70 observations. Following the perspective to grant “open access” to such a dataset, we found a compromise between the ERC (European Research Council) guidelines, the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse) Data principles defined by the RDA (Research Data Alliance), and the GEO (Group on Earth Observation) Data Sharing Principles. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard 19115 was chosen as the standard framework for describing SISpec. When the available metadata scheme was not sufficient or suitable, metadata extensions or new detailed metadata components were created to be compliant with the ISO 19115 standard. We also considered the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) requirements and the result is a metadata model that can be useful to share SISpec metadata both in the European and international contexts. Particularly detailed metadata sections and elements were created for describing spectral signatures and microphysical snow parameters.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL DIGITIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTS AND BUILDINGS FOR SMART CITY APPLICATIONS

Abstract. The smart cities that promise a sustainable future cannot be thought of independently from the spatial information infrastructure. It is very important to keep the spatial data infrastructure up-to-date for guidance and information in smart city applications (SCA). Easy and low-cost acquisition is an important factor in updating spatial data. Today, there are many measurement techniques to collecting 3-D spatial data of urban areas and land topography. On the other hand, indoor measurement and 3-D modelling techniques are used in the creation of building information modelling (BIM). In this study, measurement techniques that provide 3-D point cloud data to SCA are examined. Consequently, image based photogrammetry and dense matching methods enable low cost measurement than LiDAR based active measurement. The active 3-D measurement techniques have high accuracy especially for mid and long ranges. The LiDAR, that can be applied at day or night time, offer more opportunity to performing SCA like autonomous vehicle and robotic navigations. Nevertheless, LiDAR can only capture structure, not texture, and therefore has limits to the types of data that it can capture. The LiDAR and image based methods are complement to each other in 3-D reality capture. The 3-D measurement techniques are exploited according to SCA as alone or together.

The INSPIRE harmonisation: the Geological Map of Italy at 1:100,000 scale

Abstract. The INSPIRE Directive institute a European infrastructure for spatial information to support the environmental policies of the European Union. In the mainframe of the Directive, 34 different themes that represents different environmental information has been identified. One of this is the Geology theme; it is split into three subthemes and represent a "reference data theme” because it provides basic knowledge on the physical properties and composition of rocks and sediments, their structure and their age as represented in geological maps, as well as geomorphological features.In the feature catalogue of the INSPIRE application schema Geology has been defined the term lists for the information types. Some of these are fully compliant with the features defined in the 1:100.000 scale geological map database and are used in the semantic harmonization procedure.

Spatial Data Model for Rural Planning and Land Management in Turkey

In Turkey, in the areas of rural planning and land management, problems regarding data retrieval, data quality, implementation scenario and legal base (law or regulation) have long been experienced. In this study, in order to contribute to resolving such problems, a conceptual/semantic data model was designed which focuses on the definition of required data, determination of their basic qualities and also their relations. As the preparation step for the model development, interviews, and discussions with authorized people were carried out. In addition, for the definitions of the data in the model, the Land Parcel Identification System and Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) are considered. For the model design, an object-oriented modelling method with the Unified Modelling Language (UML) notation was used. In the model, planning activities were focused on. It is envisaged that the model will guide work for the preparation of a technical regulation which may enable a standardized implementation throughout Turkey. It has also the potential to be an example for the implementation of laws related to spatial data both in Turkey and also worldwide.

Earth observation and geospatial big data management and engagement of stakeholders in Hungary to support the SDGs

ABSTRACT To support the monitoring and reporting processes during implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, well-developed, commonly recognized Earth observations and geospatial data, methods, innovations, committed professionals, and strong sustainability policies are necessary. This article informs the readers on the Earth observation and geoinformation developments and innovations, and on the engagement of profession, academy and governance to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Hungary. Description, analyses and critical assessments are given on the elements selected from Hungarian sustainable-oriented Earth observation and geospatial novelties: (a) Working Group for Sustainable Development mission and national sustainability-policy, (b) international partnerships, domestic activities and achievements, (c) status of the professional education, (d) spatial databases and services to support implementation of the sustainable development, (e) a case study on the internationally recognized soil geoinformation system, (f) national Earth Observation Information System and perspectives of its applications for monitoring the sustainability. The article conclusion strongly advises the Hungarian realization of (a) institutionalization of the Earth observation and geospatial tools and capacity for sustainable development, (b) their use in integration with statistical data, (c) establishment of national spatial information infrastructure and (d) development and spreading of the use of big data.

GIS in Architectural Teaching and Research: Planning and Heritage

Geographical Information Systems (GISs) in architecture were initially limited to regional and urban development applications. Over recent years its potential has been recognized and its use has evolved to address urban planning and architectural heritage management subjects. Nevertheless, evidence shows that its use in architecture teaching is scarce and uneven. Directive 2007/2/EC, establishing the infrastructure for spatial information in the European Community (EU), is, in this way, an opportunity to develop a greater knowledge and application of GIS in the framework of higher education. In architecture, this can be achieved by problem solving based on real case scenarios, which can benefit from GIS-based techniques and analysis capabilities. In this paper, the authors aim to present a review of the use of GIS in teaching and research in architecture to assess its level in different European programmes. Experiences from three European universities (University of Seville, Spain, University of Beira Interior, Portugal, and Technical University of Crete, Greece), which are among the few in their respective countries that promote the inclusion of GIS in architectural education, particularly in the fields of urban and regional planning and architectural heritage, are compared and framed within the European scenario. The paper concludes with a reflection on the three universities’ practice compared to the leading European architecture programmes listed in the main international university rankings. Main trends of future evolution on the use of GIS in architecture teaching are also presented.

City Application Research Based on Computer Digital Information Technology

Advances in information technology have promoted the development of smart cities. Under the umbrella of building smart cities, the computer digital surveying and mapping geographic information industry builds an important spatial information infrastructure for smart cities by building a smart city spatio-temporal information cloud platform, and provides intelligent spatio-temporal carriers for smart cities. Based on this research background, the paper analyzes the positioning of computer digital geographic information in the construction of smart cities, and proposes the concept of geographic platform and its value in smart cities: spatial information resource sharing, ubiquitous information support and collaborative management.

Implementation of the spatial plan information package for improving ease of doing business in Indonesian cities

Land and space are major driving factors in doing business in urban areas. Cities around the world are performing land management techniques to achieve sustainable urban development. The World Bank acknowledges the importance of land management practices and promotes it as the Ease Of Doing Business (EODB) indicators for a supportive environment for economic activities. In improving a city's competitiveness, local governments need to establish a reliable Land Administration System to organize unrenewable urban land and spaces and simultaneously reduce information asymmetry between actors. A modernized LAS is needed to accommodate the four functions of land management: land tenure, land value, land-use planning, and land development. The ISO 19152:2012 on Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) standard offers a foundation to establish information interoperability in land management that is crucial in modeling the relationship between people and land (and space), the geometrical components, as well as documented Rights, Responsibilities, and Restrictions (RRRs) in land. To promote the exchange of information between the domains of land administration domain and spatial planning, an extension of LADM, the Spatial Plan Information Package (SP Package), was proposed to support cities organizing information in land management. This article presents the proposed spatial plan information extension to the LADM country profile for Indonesia. This work also develops a proof-of-concept of the package in the two biggest Indonesian cities (Jakarta and Bandung) with adaptation to the current national data management policies. Our research shows positive results on making the LADM country profile reflect on the real condition and improving LAS's adaptability to be integrated with the Spatial Information Infrastructure.

ABOUT CONSTRUCTION OF A UNIFIED INFORMATION ADDRESS SYSTEM OF UKRAINE

The problem of Address registers of settlements according to uniform rules and single a unified State information address system is acute on the agenda in the last decade. Addresses are a component of many cadasters and registers that have been created and operate in Ukraine today. The problem of creating the Unified Address system of Ukraine is exacerbated in the conditions of accelerated digital transformation of public relations. The analysis of recent research and publications allowed to characterize the state of creation of the Unified Address Register of Ukraine as unsatisfactory, revealed shortcomings and lack of a common vision of aspects of addressing issues. A new comprehensive solution to the problems of targeted issues is proposed - the construction of a single unified State information address system. Substantiated and presented common approaches, understandings, definitions, structure and relations of address data are the conceptual provisions of the construction of a single unified State information address system and the basis for the development, approval, adoption at the legislative level. The construction of a conceptual model of address data is based primarily on the internationally established specifications of address data used in Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) and the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure of Ukraine. The address system is defined as an information system, that consists of a set of interacting four structural components: 1) addresses, 2) a single address register, 3) address points, 4) address electronic services. The address system performs the functions of identifying the object of addressing, identifying the location of objects of addressing, ensuring the interaction of registers, creating an information address resource of the state, mapping the object of addressing, providing search for the location of the object of addressing. The concept proposes to use the Geographical Identifier of real estate objects of the established structure and addresses, which creates conditions for joint processing of real estate data in geographic information systems and the introduction of a single address register.

The Role of Spatio-Temporal Information to Govern the COVID-19 Pandemic: A European Perspective

The Covid-19 pandemic put a heavy burden on member states in the European Union. To govern the pandemic, having access to reliable geo-information is key for monitoring the spatial distribution of the outbreak over time. This study aims to analyze the role of spatio-temporal information in governing the pandemic in the European Union and its member states. The European Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) system and selected national dashboards from member states were assessed to analyze which spatio-temporal information was used, how the information was visualized and whether this changed over the course of the pandemic. Initially, member states focused on their own jurisdiction by creating national dashboards to monitor the pandemic. Information between member states was not aligned. Producing reliable data and timeliness reporting was problematic, just like selecting indictors to monitor the spatial distribution and intensity of the outbreak. Over the course of the pandemic, with more knowledge about the virus and its characteristics, interventions of member states to govern the outbreak were better aligned at the European level. However, further integration and alignment of public health data, statistical data and spatio-temporal data could provide even better information for governments and actors involved in managing the outbreak, both at national and supra-national level. The Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) initiative and the NUTS system provide a framework to guide future integration and extension of existing systems.