The IUGS-CGI international geoscience information testbed 3 - interoperable web services with GeoSciML V 2.0

The IUGS Commission for the Management and Application of Geoscience Information (CGI) has set up an interoperability working group with several task groups. The Modelling Task Group is charged with developing a Geoscience conceptual model suitable for GML compatible XML encoding. The resulting GeoSciML is reported in a sister paper (Simons et al.). The Testbed Task Group reporting here is concerned with developing web-based interoperability testbeds using GeoSciML for data exchange based on OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) standards. This follows on from earlier testbeds: the first served the borehole data only; the second also incorporated geologic map data. The current testbed (number 3), uses GeoSciML V 2.0 which broadens the scope still further, and leverages more of the standards framework provided by OGC and ISO 19100 series standards (see paper by Cox). This testbed includes examples of geologic units, structures, materials and sampling points, as well as boreholes, and is served from 9 geological surveys located across the globe stretching from Australia, through Asia to Europe and North America. GeoSciML V 2.0 is designed to be a more complete version covering a more comprehensive range of geoscience data in more useful detail and moving towards fuller semantic interoperability. Testbed offerings and products that will be viewable at IGC33 include Web Mapping Services (WMS) and Web Feature Services (WFS) serving data in GeoSciML V 2.0 form, catalog and vocabulary services and metadata for such services, registers of draft CGI agreed vocabularies and clients capable of using, querying and rendering such services.