HR: 1340h
AN: IN33A-1164    [Abstracts]
TI: The UAH GeoIntegrator: A Web Mapping System for On-site Data Insertion and Viewing
AU: He, M
EM: mhe@itsc.uah.edu
AF: The University of Alabama at Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 United States
AU: * Hardin, D
EM: dhardin@itsc.uah.edu
AF: The University of Alabama at Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 United States
AU: Sever, T
EM: tom.sever@nasa.gov
AF: National Space Science and Technology Center, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Irwin, D
EM: dan.irwin@nasa.gov
AF: National Space Science and Technology Center, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AB: There is a growing need in the scientific community to combine data colleted in the field with maps, imagery and other layered sources. For example, a biologist, who has collected pollination data during a field study, may want to see his data presented on a regional map. There are many commercial web mapping tools available, but they are expensive, and may require advanced computer knowledge to operate. Researchers from the Information Technology and Systems Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville are developing a web mapping system that will allow scientists to map their data in an easy way. This system is called the UAH GeoIntegrator. The UAH GeoIntegrator is built on top of three open-source components: the Apache web server, MapServer, and the Chameleon viewer. Chameleon allows developers to customize its map viewer interface by adding widgets. These widgets provide unique functionality focused to the specific needs of the researcher. The UAH GeoIntegrator utilizes a suite of widgets that bring new functionality focused on specific needs, to a typical web map viewer. Specifically, a common input text file format was defined and widgets developed to convert user's field collections into web map layers. These layers can then laid on top of other map layers to produce data products that are versatile, informative and easy to distribute via web services. The UAH GeoIntegrator is being developed as part of the SERVIR project. SERVIR (a Spanish acronym meaning to serve) is part of an international effort to preserve the remaining forested regions of Mesoamerica and to help establish sustainable development in the region. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration along with the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the Central American Commission for Environment and Development are cooperating in this effort. The UAH GeoIntegrator is part of an advanced decision support system that will provide scientists, educators, and policy makers the capabilities needed to monitor and forecast ecological changes, respond to natural disasters, and better understand both natural and human induced effects in Mesoamerica. In this paper, the architecture of the system, data input format, and details of the suite of will be presented.
DE: 0530 Data presentation and visualization
SC: Earth and Space Science Informatics [IN]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005