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
- International Cartography Association
- USGS Community for Data Integration
- Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)
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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.
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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
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Varanka, Dalia E.; Jerris, Thomas J. An applied ontology for semantics associated with surface water land cover
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Usery, E. Lynn; Varanka, Dalia E.
Introduction to geospatial semantics and technology workshop handbook
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Varanka, Dalia E. The use of U.S. Geological Survey digital geospatial data products for science research
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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
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Caro, Holly K.; Varanka, Dalia E.
A program for the conversion of The National Map data from proprietary format to resource description framework (RDF)
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Bulen, Andrew; Carter, Jonathan J.; Varanka, Dalia E.