Geoinformation support of cartographic-space monitoring of Siberia’s Arctic zone

Abstract

A rationale is provided for the need and current importance of establishing a cartographic-space monitoring of Siberia’s Arctic zone in conditions of an increased interest in the exploitation of the region’s natural resource wealth and an aggravation of the geopolitical situation. We examine the principles of cartographic-space monitoring as a system for real-time acquisition, processing, visual display and supply (to users) of geospace information on natural and anthropogenic processes and phenomena. The primary goal of monitoring is defined as well as its particular objectives, such as the promotion of geoinformation services, training and professional improvement of specialists in remotely sensed data processing, digital cartography and geoinformation technologies, etc. We developed a conceptual model for geoinformation support of cartographic-space monitoring, based on the methodology of system analysis. We determined the sources and the composition of geospace information as well as the main requirements on it. The composition, purpose, structure and characteristic features of the main monitoring units and subsystems are presented and discussed, on the basis of the geoinformation portal that provides the users with the systems of base servers intended for acquisition, generation, updating and visualization of geospace information and metadata as well as for data control: loading, search, interactive editing, and unloading. We singled out three units of the system for geoinformation support of cartographic-space monitoring: the information unit, the geospace data processing unit, and the unit of access to information resources.