Geospatial Data Visualization
Geospatial data, that is tabular data with associated geographical indications, need data visualization as crucial function. This allows scientists to investigate on produced distribution probability maps, to analyze the results of some geospatial processing or to retrieve graphically the distribution of environmental features. The number of elements making up a distributed storage system for geographical layers can be difficult to setup, along with a visualization utility for that.
The Geospatial Data Visualization is a set of utilities for retrieving and visualizing information stored on a distributed geospatial layers network, relying on a GeoNetwork implementation.
This document outlines the design rationale and high-level architecture of such components.
Overview
Geospatial Data Visualization provides the following facilities:
- the ability to retrieve layers from a distributed network based on the GeoNetwork software;
- the ability to visualize layers coming from different kinds of datasources;
- the ability to add, modify and investigate those layers from a graphical interface.
The entire system is helped by the following technology:
- Geo Network: a software for realizing a distributed network of WMS or WFS layers;
- Geo Server: a software allowing users to share and edit geospatial data.
In summary, the Geospatial Data Visualization system provides a unique access for visualizing, retrieving and analyzing distributed geospatial data.
Key Features
- uniform access over geospatial GIS layers
- investigation over layers indexed by GeoNetwork;
- visualization of distributed layers;
- add of remote layers published in standard OGC formats (WMS or WFS).
- Filtering and analysis capabilities
- possibility to perform CQL filters on layers;
- possibility to trace transect charts;
- possibility to select areas for investigating on environmental features.
- Search and indexing capabilities
- possibility to sort over titles on a huge quantity of layers;
- possibility to search over titles and names on a huge quantity of layers;
- possibility to index layers by invoking GeoNetwork functionalities.
Subsystems
Geospatial Data Visualization clusters within the following components:
- The GIS Viewer
- a tool for visual analysis of geospatial layers stored on a GeoServer or remotely published by WFS or WMS protocols;
- The Geo Explorer
- a tool for search and browse geo-spatial data sets spread in a number of data providers linked to the infrastructure;
- The Tiff Uploader Procedure
