Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS)
Geospatial Semantics and Ontology
The National Map as Knowledge Base
The goal of the project "The Map as Knowledge Base" is to specify feature semantics for richer topographic and geospatial data models. New data models and associated knowledge organization systems for The National Map can translate traditional topographic information into a flexible spatiotemporal knowledge base that can serve many different application areas, improve topographic information delivery, and expand the user base of the USGS. The USGS Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS) conducts research on topographic information, semantics, ontology, and linked data modeling for topographic information.
More information is available under the headings "Linked Geospatial Data" and "Knowledge Bases."
A collection of publications and reports are available for specific information about geospatial semantics and ontology.
Member, Virtual Communities
- Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)
- USGS Community for Data Integration
- GeoVoCamp
- U.S. Semantic Technologies Symposium Series (US2TS)
- Geospatial Software Institute (GSI)
- International Cartography Association Commission on Geospatial Semantics
Related Content
A linked GeoData map for enabling information access
OverviewThe Geospatial Semantic Web (GSW) is an emerging technology that uses the Internet for more effective knowledge engineering and information extraction. Among the aims of the GSW are to structure the semantic specifications of data to reduce ambiguity and to link those data more efficiently. The data are stored as triples, the basic data...
Powell, Logan J.; Varanka, Dalia E.
Book review: Mapping gendered routes and spaces in the early modern world
This book encapsulates and extends many seminal ideas presented at the eighth “Attending to Early Modern Women” conference held at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in June 2012. Merry Wiesner-Hanks has done a masterful job editing these papers within a central theme of the interaction of spatial domains with gender-based phenomena. The...
Varanka, Dalia E.
A case study of data integration for aquatic resources using semantic web technologies
Use cases, information modeling, and linked data techniques are Semantic Web technologies used to develop a prototype system that integrates scientific observations from four independent USGS and cooperator data systems. The techniques were tested with a use case goal of creating a data set for use in exploring potential relationships among...
Gordon, Janice M.; Chkhenkeli, Nina; Govoni, David L.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Ostroff, Andrea C. ; Schweitzer, Peter N.; Thongsavanh, Phethala; Varanka, Dalia E.; Zednik, Stephan Complex Topographic Feature Ontology Patterns
Semantic ontologies are examined as effective data models for the representation of complex topographic feature types. Complex feature types are viewed as integrated relations between basic features for a basic purpose. In the context of topographic science, such component assemblages are supported by resource systems and found on the local...
Varanka, Dalia E.; Jerris, Thomas J. An applied ontology for semantics associated with surface water land cover
Ahlqvist, Ola; Varanka, Dalia; Fritz, Steffen; Janowicz, Krzysztof; Varanka, Dalia E.; Usery, E. Lynn An ontology design pattern for surface water features
Surface water is a primary concept of human experience but concepts are captured in cultures and languages in many different ways. Still, many commonalities exist due to the physical basis of many of the properties and categories. An abstract ontology of surface water features based only on those physical properties of landscape features has the...
Sinha, Gaurav; Mark, David; Kolas, Dave; Varanka, Dalia; Romero, Boleslo E.; Feng, Chen-Chieh; Usery, E. Lynn; Liebermann, Joshua; Sorokine, Alexandre Design and development of linked data from the National Map
The development of linked data on the World-Wide Web provides the opportunity for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to supply its extensive volumes of geospatial data, information, and knowledge in a machine interpretable form and reach users and applications that heretofore have been unavailable. To pilot a process to take advantage of this...
Usery, E. Lynn; Varanka, Dalia E.
Introduction to geospatial semantics and technology workshop handbook
The workshop is a tutorial on introductory geospatial semantics with hands-on exercises using standard Web browsers. The workshop is divided into two sections, general semantics on the Web and specific examples of geospatial semantics using data from The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Open Ontology Repository. The general...
Varanka, Dalia E. The use of U.S. Geological Survey digital geospatial data products for science research
The development of geographic information system (GIS) transformed the practice of geographic science research. The availability of low-cost, reliable data by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) supported the advance of GIS in the early stages of the transition to digital technology. To estimate the extent of the scientific use of USGS digital...
Varanka, Dalia E.; Deering, Carol; Caro, Holly Topographic mapping data semantics through data conversion and enhancement: Chapter 7
This paper presents research on the semantics of topographic data for triples and ontologies to blend the capabilities of the Semantic Web and The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey. Automated conversion of relational topographic data of several geographic sample areas to the triple data model standard resulted in relatively poor semantic...
Ashish, Naveen; Sheth, Amit P.; Varanka, Dalia; Carter, Jonathan; Usery, E. Lynn; Shoberg, Thomas
An analysis of spatial relation predicates in U.S. Geological Survey feature definitions
The Semantic Web uses a data model called a triple, which consists of a subject -predicate - object structure. When represented as triples, geospatial data require a spatial relation term to serve as the predicate linking two spatial features. This document summarizes the approaches and procedures used during the identification of spatial...
Caro, Holly K.; Varanka, Dalia E.
A program for the conversion of The National Map data from proprietary format to resource description framework (RDF)
To expand data functionality and capabilities for users of The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey, data sets for six watersheds and three urban areas were converted from the Best Practices vector data model formats to Semantic Web data formats. This report describes and documents the conver-sion process. The report begins with an...
Bulen, Andrew; Carter, Jonathan J.; Varanka, Dalia E.