Semantics all the way down: the Semantic Web and open science in big earth data. Issue 1 (22nd December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Narock, Tom; Shepherd, Adam
• Is Part Of: Big earth data. Volume 1:Issue 1/2(2017)
• Page Start: 159
• Page End: 172
• Publication Date: 2017-12-22
• Subjects: Semantic Web -- provenance -- open science; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Geographic information systems Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1080/20964471.2017.1397408
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2096-4471

Abstract

Abstract: Semantic technologies have emerged as a prominent research area within Big Earth Data. These technologies have provided significant benefits for data discovery and integration. Yet, the formality of the Semantic Web, in languages such as the Web Ontology Language (OWL), does not always integrate well with the numerical, statistical, and geometric methods of the geosciences. Two prominent challenges in this area are how to semantically model individual measurements and what to do when geoscience needs are not addressed by languages such as OWL. This has led to a fragmented Big Earth Data community with either no solution or incompatible semantic solutions. We use an oceanographic example to highlight the limitations and challenges surrounding the semantic encoding of observations and the use of semantics during analysis. We then present potential solutions to each challenge showing that a full end-to-end application of semantic technologies is not only feasible, but beneficial to Big Earth Data.