B-Cubed is excited to share the launch of a new collaboration with its sister projects within the Green Deal Data Space Action Group - USAGE, AD4GD and FAIRiCUBE.
This blog post was originally published on the blog section of the EuroGEO Action Group on the Green Deal Data Space.
The lack of relevant metadata in geospatial data prevents the identification of useful datasets. The Sister Projects of the GDDS Action Group are comparing the metadata concepts used by each project towards a joint policy brief on metadata requirements for the GDDS.
In the course of the work of the sister projects part of the Green Deal Data Space Action Group, we discovered that there is a serious gap in metadata culture between traditional (vector-based) GeoData and (gridded) GeoDataCubes. This seems rooted in tradition. GeoDataCubes have evolved from Coverages focused on satellite imagery, a close-knit community where the involved players know the relevant satellite missions, therefore there is no need for excess metadata. However, this approach fails badly when dealing with derived products, e.g. from Copernicus Services, where data is available representing a wide range of variables. Simple search by spatiotemporal bounding box plus dataset title does not suffice to identify relevant datasets. In addition, provenance information is usually missing, making it impossible to evaluate if the dataset is actually fit for purpose.
This issue in identifying useful datasets due to the lack of relevant metadata has been recognized by the sibling projects, and a joint effort started to compare the metadata concepts that are in use by the projects. Currently, every project uses a different system:
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AD4GD works with classic ISO 19115 (GeoNetwork and GeM+);
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B-Cubed is working with NetCDF and EBV GeoBon portal.
Work has been initiated to compare the concepts behind these systems and look at the advantages and disadvantages. The goal is to propose a solid set of metadata concepts required when dealing with GeoDataCubes that go beyond simple EO imagery. We will discuss the outcome of the analyses in a joint seminar on Metadata in September and work towards a joint Policy Brief on metadata requirements for GDDS.
As part of this initiative, B-Cubed now has a dedicated Sister's Corner on its website homepage, highlighting the three sister projects.
B-Cubed's Sister Corner on the Homepage
