Geographic metadata and ontology based satellite image management

Geospatial database items originate from the analysis of images and from the manipulation of geographic data. The corresponding datasets are described via diverse structures of metadata. GeoBase L9 is a project whose aim is to build a geospatial database to support geomatics research in agricultural and natural resource management. The first objective, to support basic browsing access to datasets, has been attained in a pilot version. This paper reports on the stage-based outlook that we have adopted towards building a semantic query facility as a medium-term objective. In particular, we examine the representation of processes applied to satellite images with respect to information items that are contained in the metadata lineage section. This query facility supports a research unit that is collectively developing and using geospatial datasets. The development of such datasets will enhance both the sharing and reuse of data by users. Further into the future, the geodatabases will able to be opened to semantic web browsers by incorporating meaning in the metadata.