the Earth Observer -- November/December 1997, Vol. 9, No. 6

The ECS Collaborative Prototyping Program:
Overview and Current Status

-- Carroll A. Hood (chood@eos.hitc.com), ECS Team

The Collaborative Prototype Program (CPP) invites members of the EOS Science Community to participate in the development of the EOSDIS Core System (ECS). As one component of an overall ECS Prototyping Strategy, CPP has included elements such as Incremental Track Development, Evaluation Packages, Working Groups, and Prototype Workshops. (Please see http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/sec6.html for more details on the breadth and results of ECS Prototyping activities.)

The CPP participants were selected through a peer-reviewed evaluation process. All proposals met a set of mandatory terms and conditions before making the competitive range for selection. Those that did were evaluated both on technical merit and cost. Evaluation factors for the technical review (which accounted for 80 percent of the overall evaluation) included Understanding the Problem, Relevant Past Performance, Schedule, and Technical Approach. The cost review included a reasonableness check. The Final Selection Authority was the ESDIS ECS Program Manager or his designee.

Currently, there are five active Collaborative Prototype efforts. All are expected to wrap up during the first few months of 1998. The following tables provide a brief synopsis of each effort plus a glimpse of the anticipated final results.

Organization University of California at Santa Barbara

Principal Investigator Dr. Linda Hill

Description of Activities This effort is leveraging the Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) Project at UCSB to develop a Gazetteer for ECS. The Gazetteer will enable querying by place name, feature name, etc.

Anticipated Results The primary results will be an extensible database schema for a Gazetteer (already delivered) and a populated Gazetteer database that includes place names and their corresponding "footprints." The current population includes point footprints for both places and features derived from USGS and NIMA gazetteer data sets. These entries have been complemented by the bounding rectangle for all U.S. states and counties. UCSB continues to solicit information on other gazetteers for possible inclusion into the database.

For More Information http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/UCSB-ADL.html

Organization Tulane University

Principal Investigator Dr. Cris Koutsougeras

Description of Activities This effort is focused on the development of statistics that can be used to represent the content of a data granule. Examples include single valued statistics (i.e., means or moments), histograms, and transform coefficients. These statistics would be placed within the metadata database and would provide a mechanism for users to perform content-based queries without having to apply the query to the data granule directly. (It is assumed that such statistics, once defined for a specific product, would be generated in a post-production processing step, before insertion into the data server.)

Anticipated Results We anticipate three primary results from this effort:

Determining which statistics represent information content of a granule over a variety of applications. NDVI 10-day composites will be used as an initial test data set. These will be proof-of-concept suggestions only; it is anticipated that Instrument Teams (ITs) will define their own content-based statistics. This research, however, may provide some insight or ideas for the ITs to consider.

Understanding the implications of storing several classes of statistics within the metadata database. Currently, there is a concept of "Product Specific Attributes" that appears in the B1 data model. These results may provide some insight on the best way to model these statistical attributes to promote efficient storage and enables scientifically motivated querying.

Understanding the requirements that would be placed on a search client (such as JEST) in order to take full advantage of the statistics that are generated.

For More Information http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/tulane.html

Organization Oregon State University

Principal Investigator Dr. Mark Abbott

Description of Activities This effort is focused on the development of tools that support custom client applications related to the access and analysis of oceanographic data sets. This includes the development of both Java-based and Active-X-based clients and frameworks.

Anticipated Results The full suite of Java and Active-X software will be demonstrated and delivered along with a final report that evaluates JEST and the potential for integrating external, distributed objects into the ECS client framework. Some of the applications may be useful as stand-alone plug-ins for the ECS client.
A more general result will be a description of the architecture and the lessons learned in custom client development. These items will be of interest to other groups who wish to develop custom clients with distributed Java or Active-X components.

For More Information http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/osu.html

Organization University of Alabama at Huntsville

Principal Investigator Dr. Sara Graves

Description of Activities This effort is focused on the development of a data set-independent subsetter. The prototype is designed to operate on data sets that are in HDF-EOS format (swath and grid only) and will enable a user to generate subsets based on location, time, and/or parameter. The subsetter will operate in a client-server-like mode and feature a WWW-based interface.

Anticipated Results The primary result will be the delivery of Version 2 of the subsetter along with appropriate documentation. Version 2 will permit subsetting even if valid geolocation data are not completely specified, will permit multiple files to be subsetted simultaneously, and will feature a Java-based spatial query tool. In addition, feasibility studies will be performed on integrating the subsetter with a data visualization tool and on allowing the geolocation information to be provided by an external file.
If possible, a preliminary version of the subsetter (Version 1.5) may be distributed to the DAACs for early review and evaluation.

For More Information http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/uah.html
Organization University of New Hampshire

Principal Investigator Dr. Berrien Moore

Description of Activities This activity is focused on the development of custom client for the Humid Tropical Forest Inventory Project (HTFIP) that enables WWW-based query and browse that incorporate the full functionality of a GIS. This involves the bundling of a Java interface, the Spatial Database Engine (SDE) developed by ESRI, and the Oracle DBMS. Another activity is the development of a WWW Browser Plug-in using Formida, a rapid GUI prototyping tool, that would enable rapid review of multiple browse images that are in HDF-EOS format.

Anticipated Results Specific results include the WWW-based query and browse prototype that incorporates GIS functionality (already developed and undergoing sustaining engineering) and the Browse plug-in. A more general result will be a description of the architecture and the lessons learned in custom client development. These items will be of interest to other groups who wish to develop custom clients with GIS functionality.

For More Information http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/UNH.html

Organization	University of California at Santa Barbara
Principal Investigator	Dr. Linda Hill
Description of Activities	This effort is leveraging the Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) Project at UCSB to develop a Gazetteer for ECS. The Gazetteer will enable querying by place name, feature name, etc.
Anticipated Results	The primary results will be an extensible database schema for a Gazetteer (already delivered) and a populated Gazetteer database that includes place names and their corresponding "footprints." The current population includes point footprints for both places and features derived from USGS and NIMA gazetteer data sets. These entries have been complemented by the bounding rectangle for all U.S. states and counties. UCSB continues to solicit information on other gazetteers for possible inclusion into the database.
For More Information	http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/UCSB-ADL.html
Organization	Tulane University
Principal Investigator	Dr. Cris Koutsougeras
Description of Activities	This effort is focused on the development of statistics that can be used to represent the content of a data granule. Examples include single valued statistics (i.e., means or moments), histograms, and transform coefficients. These statistics would be placed within the metadata database and would provide a mechanism for users to perform content-based queries without having to apply the query to the data granule directly. (It is assumed that such statistics, once defined for a specific product, would be generated in a post-production processing step, before insertion into the data server.)
Anticipated Results	We anticipate three primary results from this effort: Determining which statistics represent information content of a granule over a variety of applications. NDVI 10-day composites will be used as an initial test data set. These will be proof-of-concept suggestions only; it is anticipated that Instrument Teams (ITs) will define their own content-based statistics. This research, however, may provide some insight or ideas for the ITs to consider. Understanding the implications of storing several classes of statistics within the metadata database. Currently, there is a concept of "Product Specific Attributes" that appears in the B1 data model. These results may provide some insight on the best way to model these statistical attributes to promote efficient storage and enables scientifically motivated querying. Understanding the requirements that would be placed on a search client (such as JEST) in order to take full advantage of the statistics that are generated.
For More Information	http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/tulane.html
Organization	Oregon State University
Principal Investigator	Dr. Mark Abbott
Description of Activities	This effort is focused on the development of tools that support custom client applications related to the access and analysis of oceanographic data sets. This includes the development of both Java-based and Active-X-based clients and frameworks.
Anticipated Results	The full suite of Java and Active-X software will be demonstrated and delivered along with a final report that evaluates JEST and the potential for integrating external, distributed objects into the ECS client framework. Some of the applications may be useful as stand-alone plug-ins for the ECS client. A more general result will be a description of the architecture and the lessons learned in custom client development. These items will be of interest to other groups who wish to develop custom clients with distributed Java or Active-X components.
For More Information	http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/osu.html
Organization	University of Alabama at Huntsville
Principal Investigator	Dr. Sara Graves
Description of Activities	This effort is focused on the development of a data set-independent subsetter. The prototype is designed to operate on data sets that are in HDF-EOS format (swath and grid only) and will enable a user to generate subsets based on location, time, and/or parameter. The subsetter will operate in a client-server-like mode and feature a WWW-based interface.
Anticipated Results	The primary result will be the delivery of Version 2 of the subsetter along with appropriate documentation. Version 2 will permit subsetting even if valid geolocation data are not completely specified, will permit multiple files to be subsetted simultaneously, and will feature a Java-based spatial query tool. In addition, feasibility studies will be performed on integrating the subsetter with a data visualization tool and on allowing the geolocation information to be provided by an external file. If possible, a preliminary version of the subsetter (Version 1.5) may be distributed to the DAACs for early review and evaluation.
For More Information	http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/uah.html
Organization	University of New Hampshire
Principal Investigator	Dr. Berrien Moore
Description of Activities	This activity is focused on the development of custom client for the Humid Tropical Forest Inventory Project (HTFIP) that enables WWW-based query and browse that incorporate the full functionality of a GIS. This involves the bundling of a Java interface, the Spatial Database Engine (SDE) developed by ESRI, and the Oracle DBMS. Another activity is the development of a WWW Browser Plug-in using Formida, a rapid GUI prototyping tool, that would enable rapid review of multiple browse images that are in HDF-EOS format.
Anticipated Results	Specific results include the WWW-based query and browse prototype that incorporates GIS functionality (already developed and undergoing sustaining engineering) and the Browse plug-in. A more general result will be a description of the architecture and the lessons learned in custom client development. These items will be of interest to other groups who wish to develop custom clients with GIS functionality.
For More Information	http://ecsinfo.hitc.com/sec6/UNH.html

For more information about the Collaborative Prototype Program, please contact Carroll A. Hood at 3019250351 or via email at chood@eos.hitc.com.

The ECS Collaborative Prototyping Program: Overview and Current Status

The ECS Collaborative Prototyping Program:
Overview and Current Status