Abstract

The overall objective of this research project is to enrich geographic data with temporal and geosemantic components in order to significantly improve spatio-temporal analysis and reasoning of dynamic geographic phenomena. To achieve this goal, we intend to establish and incorporate three new structures (semantic-temporal, geosemantic, and incremental spatio-temporal) into the core of Geographic Information by defining a set of models and methods for enriching GI, and a set of tools for retrieving and exploiting such structures in GI systems. In doing so, we propose (i) two models (temporal and spatial-incremental) in order to describe GI dynamic behaviour and to provide spatio-temporal analysis capabilities; and (ii) two semantic engines that make the most of the enriched geographic data.

This website presents the evolution of the project and the obtained results and advances. We expect to present six different parts each of which will appear while we have published (or submitted to review) the corresponding results.

1. Part I: Project definition. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-21928-3_28

2. An Interactive Bibliography on Temporal GIS. doi:10.5311/JOSIS.2013.7.153

3. TimeBliography: A Dynamic and Online Bibliography on Temporal GIS. doi:10.1111/tgis.12080

4. A survey of the spatio-temporal models and modelling trends in Temporal GIS. Under review

5. Part II: Methodology. ISBN:978-3-8440-0873-9

6. Part III: Temporal Model.

Position paper

This project raises the issue of a research work oriented to the storage, retrieval, representation and analysis of dynamic GI, taking into account the semantic, temporal, and spatio-temporal components. We intend to define a set of methods, rules and restrictions for the adequate integration of these components into the primary elements of the GI: theme, location, time. We expect to establish and incorporate three new structures (layers) into the core of data storage structures by using mark-up languages: a semantic-temporal structure, a geosemantic structure, and an incremental spatio-temporal structure. The ultimate objective is the modelling and representation of the dynamic nature of geographic phenomena (features), establishing mechanisms to store geometries enriched with a temporal structure (regardless of space) and a set of semantic descriptors detailing and clarifying the nature of the represented features and their temporality. Thus, data would be provided with the capability of pinpointing and expressing their own basic and temporal characteristics, enabling them to interact each other according to their context, and the temporal and meaning relationships that could be eventually established.

An open-online resource for students, researchers and practitioners.

Rooted in our current research project; we have prepared and made available online an updated, dynamic bibliography on Temporal GIS, geosemantics, spatio-temporal modelling and reasoning, and other cross-related topics such as Moving Objects and Information Retrieval, amongst others. We have completed a thorough searching process in scientific databases and harvested relevant references that made an updated and comprehensive state-of-the-art in T-GIS and geosemantics. The references related to semantics, GIR, TIR, ontologies, and others that have been included are the ones which somehow will help us to included geosemantic concepts into GI and GIS. The result is an online, dynamic bibliography composed of some of the most relevant works in the scientific fields above mentioned accounting for over 800 authors and 1300 references (and counting).

A Comprehensive, Dynamic and Online Bibliography on Temporal GIS

This paper introduces an online bibliography on temporal GIS, a research area in which different scientific fields and researchers have provided substantial results and literature over the past few years. We first define the scientific domain of temporal GIS, its origin and recent evolution, and the context of this bibliography. Then, the components and functionalities of the web-based application that support the online bibliography are described. The bibliography, entitled TimeBliography, is accessible on the Web herein.

A survey of the spatio-temporal models and modelling trends in Temporal GIS

This article intends to offer a new overview of the state of the art in Temporal GIS (T-GIS) and identify some contributions from key, cross-related topics. Although the article is rooted in the T-GIS research area, but in fact, the intrinsic nature of T-GIS data and processes is complexity, and this problem impacts on different disciplines; we show how other fields namely Artificial Intelligence and Temporal Logics have contributed in different ways, addressed the problem from different viewpoints, and are currently defining a new pathway influencing the latest trends in temporal and spatio-temporal aspects in the GIScience. Regarding the development of T-GIS, this article is intended for answering two key questions: what have been done over the past 30 years? What are the current results and the main works? It also presents a concise description of the most relevant spatio-temporal data models that have been proposed as well as some contemporary theories and concepts that have emerged. A summary of where we are, what the upcoming challenges and directions for research are, and what current achievements with respect to different disciplines have been implemented –namely applications in environment, urban and transportation– is presented.

Foundations and methods of the project

In this new position paper, we extend the definition of the project by delineating clearly the methodology and the foundations on which we will base to define the main components of this research: the spatial model, the temporal model, the semantic layers, and the semantic engines. By putting together the former paper and this new work we try to present a comprehensive description of the whole process, from pinpointing the basic problem to describing and assessing the solution. In this new article we just mention the methods and the background to describe how we intend to define the components and integrate them into the GI.