1. Introduction to WGISS For GEO ADC
Martha E. Maiden
CEOS WGISS-26/GEO ADC
Boulder, Colorado
September 22, 2008

2. WGISS Mission and Objectives
Mission Statement
Recognizing the importance of global users, the WGISS will stimulate, coordinate and monitor initiatives, thereby enabling users at a global, regional and local level to exploit more effectively, and benefit from, data generated by Earth observing satellites and other sources.
Objectives
The overall objective of WGISS is to facilitate data and information management and services for users and data providers in dealing with global, regional and local issues. It will address in particular the description, access, retrieval, archiving, long-term preservation, utilization, and maintenance of spaceborne Earth observation data and supporting ancillary and auxiliary data and information, enabling improved operability and interconnectivity of information systems and services.

3. WGISS Specific Objectives
Enable Earth observation data and information best practices and services to be more accessible and usable to data providers and data users world-wide through international coordination;
Enhance the complementarity, interoperability and standardization of Earth observation data and information management and services with other types of geospatial data such as in-situ data;
Foster easier exchange of Earth observation and related data and information to meet the requirements of users and data providers; and
Foster the development of information best practices and services that use spaceborne Earth observation data.

4. Technology and Services Subgroup Projects and Applications Subgroup
WGISS Structure
Martha Maiden, NASA, Chair
Pakorn Apaphant, GISTDA, Vice-Chair
Chuang Liu, NRSCC, Co-User Vice-Chair Lorant Czaran, UN, Co-User Vice-Chair
WGISS
Interest Groups:
WGISS Infrastructure – Ken McDonald
Data Utilization – Czaran & Liu
Technology and Services Subgroup
Projects and Applications Subgroup
Dingsheng Liu, NRSCC, Chair
Natalia Kussul, NSAU, Vice-Chair
Karen Moe, NASA, Chair
Satoko Miura, JAXA, Vice-Chair
Interest Groups:
International Directory Network (IDN) – Lola Olsen
CEOS Interoperable Catalog System (ICS) – Martin
Data Services (DS) – Paul Kopp (acting)
Web Services – Lyndon Oleson
GRID – Li Guoqing
Sensor Web – Terence Van Zyl
Interest Groups:
Global Datasets – Lorant Czaran
WTF CEOP – Satoko Miura
Land Surface Imaging – Lyndon Oleson
CEOS EO Data Portal Project – Czaran / Cudlip
Natural Disaster Management – Pakorn Apaphant 5

5. About WGISS
WGISS agencies have a vast quantity of data, systems, and other resources that can support science or applications
WGISS is working to make these resources accessible through a common set of discovery, search, access, and service interfaces.
WGISS works closely with standards organizations like OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) and ISO (International Standards Organization) to ensure that the CEOS WGISS data and tools can interoperate with the different national and international spatial data infrastructures and to facilitate the development of commercial products that implement the common interfaces.
WGISS has large roles in several GEO Tasks and is a key participant in the GEO Architecture and Data Committee

6. WGISS Current Focus Provide satellite arm of GEO System of Systems
Innovative contributions that will persist, and can be reused
Work closely with and support CEOS Virtual Constellations (GEO DA-07-03)
High GEO interest in LSI Portal
Work closely with collaborate with CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation
Support the CEOS Plenary Chair’s Data Democracy initiative.

7. WGISS and Science Communities
A science community may need only a small part of the WGISS products and services
Data
Services
Science Community Views
WGISS works with science communities to tailor its offerings for the science or application. A small part of the total WGISS resources may be needed by a science community.
Now we will look at a few examples of this.
WGISS
Products & Services