Integration of GIS with Dynamic
Modeling
Dali Wang and Nick Buchanan
Department of Computer Science
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
{dwang,nbuchana}@cs.utk.edu
“Computational Science for Natural Resource Managers” Workshop
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
April 19-22, 2006
Presentation Outline:
Two Types of Integration with GIS
Integrating ArcGIS with Ecological Modeling
A Cross-Platform Ecological Modeling
Developing ModelViewer for Ecological
Modeling
ModelViewer usage demo
Some Info on ESRI Virtual Campus
Integration with ArcGIS
Data Integration
Raw Data / Meta Data
User’s own
data format
Write own code /
ArcGIS Engine APIs
ESRI format (proprietary)
ModelViewer (Customized application)
ArcMap or Desktop Analysis Tools
Standard environment
Development/customized
environment
Integration with ArcGIS
Model Integration
Operating System Windows/Solaris/Linux
Language Java/C/C++/Fortran
Location Local/Remote
ArcGIS Engine Java APIs is our first choice
OS independent
Easy GUI design and configuration
Network programming
Integrating ArcGIS with
Ecological Modeling
Overview software architecture for an
ecosystem modeling package
Across Landscape Fish Model: A case need
cross platform simulation
Ecosystem Modeling Package
ATLSS (Across Trophic Level System Simulation)
ATLSS is a multiscale ecological multimodel designed to
assess the effects on key biota of alternative water
management plans for the regulation of water flow across
the Everglades landscape.
Component –based ecological multi-modeling package
Landscape library with some essential GIS functionality
High-performance oriented software design
Overview Software Architecture
Across Landscape Fish Model
ALFISH is an Intermediate Trophic Level Functional Groups
Model to produce projections of fish biomass – food resources for
upper trophic level consumers (wading bird) across South Florida.
Challenges
Input Data (including water data 35*12*6 layers,
each layer has 110,000 cells)
Computation (36 hours on a Solaris Computer,
need parallel computing)
Representation (Users (managers) prefer Windows
(ArcGIS) user interface and analysis tools)
Simulation procedure
Back-end computer
Communication services
Input maps
1
ModelViewer
PALFISH model
JobGenerator
Input files
7
FileTransferServer
8
2
5
output files
Engine
JobLaunchBar
JobMonitor
4
10
Initialization
EmailClient
MapGenerator
9
GIS-enable user interface
Front-end computer
3
Finalization
output files
JobGeneratorProxy
6
FileTransferClient
Communication services
The model simulation you scheduled on xxx.tiem.utk.edu has completed running.
Start time: Sat Sep 3 10:22:13 EDT 2005
8 processors used
End time: Sat Sep 3 12:36:53 EDT 2005
Model output files have been transferred to a directory named "Mode_output" in your TIEM home area.
Some Findings
Multiplatform computing is possible (ArcGIS on
windows, dynamic modeling on Unix/Linux)
Using ArcGIS Engine, we can develop customized
applications to use ArcObject functionality on variety
of computational platforms (not limited to Windows)
ArcGIS Engine provides potential for parallel
computing using ArcObjects
Part 2: ModelViewer and Virtual
Campus
Goals of Developing ModelViewer
To act as a “front end” to preexisting models as well as sets
of communication services associated with the models
(launching models on multiple processors, etc.).
Allow users to execute code to convert data into an easily
viewable format with maximum transparency.
Give users operating under Unix-based platforms the
ability to view ESRI GIS data formats.
Give users operating under Windows high performance
multimodeling capabilities.
ModelViewer Structure
User interface developed in Java, which can be
run on any platform (Windows, Linux, etc.).
GIS components added to interface using ESRI’s
ArcGIS Engine API. ArcGIS Engine shares the
same foundation as ArcDesktop (ArcObjects) and
thus much of the functionality.
Based upon ESRI example code.
ModelViewer Use
Model instantiation
Simulation started based upon a configuration file.
Results written to predetermined location.
Data visualization
Model output converted into raster layers in a map file.
The map file can be then viewed and manipulated using
an ArcDesktop-like suite of tools.
The user has the ability to save output in format
(*.mxd) readable by any ESRI-capable application.
ModelViewer Demo using DEER
DEER is one of a family of landscape-based, spatially explicit
species index models developed to assess the impact of
management scenarios on habitat conditions of different
species in South Florida.
Not a complicated model, only require sequential computing
Give a first-hand feeling of using ModelViewer
Simulation procedure
Communication services
Input maps
Deer model
JobGenerator
1
3
JobMonitor
ModelViewer
2
JobLaunchBar
5
MapGenerator
GIS-enabled User Interface
Initialization
4
Progress bar
7
Input files
6
Engine
Landscape
Finalization
output files
ESRI Virtual Campus
http://campus.esri.com/
Creating and Integrating Data for Natural
Resource Applications
Four modules:
Data Acquisition
Data Creation
Data Integration and Error Assessment
Preliminary Data Analysis
Data Acquisition
Various web sources of geographic data
Data Preprocessing
Assigning coordinate systems, metadata, etc.
Vector vs. Raster: computation, storage, context
File formats
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/extensions/datainte
roperability/about/supported-formats.pdf
Numerous conversion tools available
Data Integration / Error Assessment
Working with:
Multiple coordinate systems
Multiple data resolutions
Raster and vector formats together
Error
Source
Identification
Detection using satellite imagery
Conclusion
Always helps to ensure reasonable understanding
between parties involved. Common ground is the
cornerstone of an efficient project.
The better the specification, the better the result.
CS related reference:
A GIS-enabled Distributed Simulation Framework for High Performance Ecosystem
Modeling, ESRI International User Conference, June 1-5, 2006, (accepted)
A Parallel Structured Ecological Model for High End Shared Memory Computers, First
International Workshop on OpenMP, 2005, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (in
press)
A Grid Service for Natural Resource Managers, IEEE Internet Computing, pp20-26,
Jan/Feb 2005
On Parallelization of a Spatially-Explicit Structured Ecological Model for Integrated
Ecosystem Modeling, International Journal on High Performance Computer
Applications (in press)
Toward Ecosystem Modeling on Computing Grids, IEEE Computing in Science and
Engineering, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp55-76, 2005
Parallel Fish Landscape Model for Ecosystem Modeling on a Computing Grid,
Simulation: Transactions of The Society of Simulation and Modeling International
(accepted)
The Design and Implementation of Parallel Fish Model for South Florida, Proceedings
of the 37th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2003
A parallel Implementation of ALFISH: Compartmentalization Effects on Fish Dynamics
in the Florida Everglades, Simulation Practice and Theory, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp55-76, 2005