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International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B4. Istanbul 2004
the strategy and algorithms for integrating time
series data link to the viewers domain
Time Series
the performance characteristics for operating on
multiple and distributed databases
Internet
Client Hardware the assumptions for the user’s system
the methods for handling multiple layers of
raster and vector data formats with flexibility for
transparency and defining display priorities
Multi-Layer
Capability
the identification of appropriate and priority
databases with all associated attributes
the ability to address any entity identified and
manage the use of the entity for additional
operations, such as query, search, access, and
download
the ability to link simultaneously with
distributed data resources
Multiple
Connections
the methods applied to manage data compression
in accordance with web standards
Data Compression
en
Table 1. Functions or elements needed for 3-D Geobrowsers.
3. OPERATIONAL ALLIANCES
3.1 Geobrowser Workshops
It has been stated that a good cross section of the Geobrowser
community has been involved with the workshops on these
tessellation-visualization systems since 2000. The 3™ Digital
Earth Geobrowser workshop will be held in Cairns, Australia
in early July of this year to begin defining the operational links
between Geobrowsers and satellite archives. This represents
an important evolutionary step in the advance from stand-
along systems, or national systems into network systems. The
objective is to apply the basic global spatial data infrastructure
for the transmittal of data among servers at two or more
international nodes. At each node, one or more Geobrowsers
will be installed to display and access the archival holdings of
satellite data and associated GIS databases. This Alliance span
proof-of-concept is meant to benefit not only the current
constituent users of each node but to increase the global
coverage for the access and distribution of satellite data and
derivative products, Figure 2.
Conceptual architecture for the network
and delivery of. global remate sensing data
via a Japan-US Digital Earth Alllance
Eu FS
A T D
AN
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o na —
Dir Areas
Arimal Tracking
Eire Monitoring
Direct viewing and applications using global
satellite archives linked through global
spatial data infrastructure as rendered with
3-D. Geobrowsers
Figure 2. Conceptual architecture for Japan-US web span.
3.2 Geobrowser Network Applications
While access and distribution currently define the major
challenges to ubiquitous utilization of Earth observation data
Outside specialized technology domains, the key for expanding
the use and acceptance of remotely sensed data and
Information is in fostering priority and broad-based
887
applications. These applications will help form the nexus as a
series of operational alliances are formed over the coming
months. For this objective the following priority applications
have been identified as having value to a wide range of
scientists and citizens and the potential to stimulate further
exploration:
* Protected Areas — includes Heritage Sites, Hots
Spots, and areas with significant biodiversity assets
or other cultural significance. Key user community
includes UNESCO, UNEP, IUCN, EarthVoice,
Conservation International, NatureServe, et cetera.
e Animal Tracking — includes the location and
tracking of avian, land, and aquatic animals with
special significance to educational curricula and
science projects. Key user community is NOAA,
NASA, research and academic institutions.
e Forest Fires — includes the mapping and monitoring
of fires at global, national, regional, and local
scales. Implicit is the definition and categorization
of forested vegetation and the integration of real or
near-real time satellite data. Key user communities
include international forest watch programs,
governments, fire centers, and citizens of proximity.
e Risk Communication — includes locations, planning
and siting, and activity monitoring for categories of
risk. Risks range from the handling of high-level
radioactive waste to disaster reduction issues of
famine, flood, and other natural phenomena. Key
users include international agencies associated with
the International Disaster Reduction Secretariat,
national governments, industry, academia, and most
importantly the broad base of citizens.
3.3 Convergence with GEO and CEOS
One of the challenges facing the pioneers and promoters or 3-
D Geobrowsers has been the disconnect between the
momentum inherent in these technologically elegant solutions
and the inertia inherent to the conventional international and
intergovernmental organizations, including the newly formed
ad hoc GEO. While commercial stand-along Geobrowsers
have demonstrated success in commercial markets, there is no
equivalent success among the bureaucracies created by the
international organizations whose collective capacity far
outweighs the technical and financial resources of the
independent commercial firms. In fact, it is the bureaucratic
atmosphere that consistently obstructs the creation of
operational systems to deliver data to the citizenry. It is
mandatory that these conditions experience a dramatic
paradigm shift if the CEOS and GEO communities are serious
about delivering large volumes of remote sensing data to the
citizens of the world. It is equally incumbent upon the Digital
Earth Geobrowser community to deliver proof-of-concept
operational network spans (a link between two centers) to the
members of these international associations. It is hoped that
over the coming months, the efficacy of these network access
and distribution solutions using Geobrowsers will generate
increased alliances that will fully converge with the goals and
objectives of the GEO and CEOS communities.
4. NEXT STEPS AND SUMMARY
4.1 Proof-of-Concept
Currently, there exist a few profitable private companies that
are providing 3-D Geobrowsers services to private firms and
government agencies. In addition, a number of organizations
