Flexible and modular visualisation and data discovery tools for environmental information

Abstract

Recent advances in environmental sensing, high-resolution satellite technology, advanced environmental modelling, information platforms, and virtual laboratories present significant opportunities for providing scientific communities and the general public with the ability to discover and gain insights into our ever-changing environment. However, barriers to realising the value of available environmental datasets exist, specifically, in the (lack of) streamlined access to datasets, and tooling to flexibly support the mash-up creation of various visualisations. In previous work, a Data Brokering Layer has been developed to support the streamlining of potentially heterogeneous access mechanisms and data formats. The Data Brokering Layer provides functionality to handle data queries and access to registered datasets and data services, where in the past, visualisation portals would have required ad-hoc code to handle access to each dataset individually, thus limiting the extensibility of such data portals further. Thus, the Data Brokering Layer provides a basis on which a library of visualisation and data discovery modules can be developed. Such visualisation and data discovery modules provide flexible, reusable and mashable components for exploring datasets multiple contexts across multiple domains. Examples of visualisation modules include data portals, embedded visualisation panels, and real-time reports. In this paper, we focus on the visualisation and data discovery capabilities developed in the context of the eReefs project which aim to provide an integrated information platform for discovery and visualisation of observational and modelled data of the Great Barrier Reef. Show more