Developing web-service oriented geoscientific information systems

Abstract

Scientific data collected by GeoScience Victoria, Minerals and Petroleum Division, were previously held in databases engineered around purpose-built software packages. A wealth of information was stored in free-text legend fields or geological reports. Analysis of these data using other software was difficult and the approach led to inconsistent and contradictory systems and content. GeoScience Victoria has redesigned its geological information systems to resolve these problems. A data model was constructed around geological concepts. The model made no distinction between spatial and aspatial data-sets and ignored constraints imposed by particular vendors or their tools. A single logical data store was built using Oracle and ESRI ArcSDE databases integrated with a brokering service. This service and an overarching layer of data management services were constructed using the Java platform and running under IBM's Websphere application server. Data are delivered using web services, including web feature services. By using data models that describe true geological entities and concepts the information stored can be more readily used by a variety of users and applications for a variety of purposes. Adopting services oriented architecture allowed the reuse of technology in a number of contexts thereby reducing short-term development, and long-term maintenance overheads.