BASIN-3D Concepts

Plugins (i.e., data sources)

BASIN-3D translates queries of BASIN-3D’s data model to queries of individual data sources whose plugins have been registered.

A plugin is a software component that extends functionality. In this case, a plugin will add access to data sources desired for synthesis. A data source is where the data originates.

Several plugins to public data sources are available with BASIN-3D. See Data Sources Plugins.

BASIN-3D allows scientists to make a single query to multiple data sources.

BASIN-3D accesses data sources on-demand. Plugins map the data source query and return (meta)data to BASIN-3D’s data model (see Observations, Monitoring Features, Observed Properties below).

Observations (i.e., data)

BASIN-3D is designed to support diverse types of data, which we call observations. Examples of observation types include: time series, images, gridded layers, results of lab analyses, qualitative descriptions. BASIN-3D currently supports time series observations.

Features of Interest

Observations typically describe an aspect of something. Features of interest include organisms or physical entities.

Monitoring Features

Features of interest are often physical entities more commonly referred to as locations or samples. Read more below.

Observed Properties

The aspect of something that the observation describes is called the observed property; these are variables.

IMPORTANT: To query many observation types using BASIN-3D, monitoring features and observed properties must be specified.

Additional Metadata

Observations have many other metadata, including when it occurs in time. See basin3d.core.models.Observation for additional metadata available for observations.

Monitoring Features (e.g., Locations and Samples)

Monitoring features are what an observation is characterizing and can be organized into hierarchies:

Feature Types

Data often characterizes physical entities. In Earth Science monitoring features can be categories of feature types such as basins, watersheds, and points.

BASIN-3D is currently bundled with feature types for hydrological earth science data (See xxx to get a list of these feature types). However, the design allows for the definition of other domain specific feature types.

Parent Features

Monitoring features can be organized into hierarchies to enable queries by parent features:

Additional Metadata

Monitoring features have metadata that include their geo-reference. See See basin3d.core.models.MonitoringFeature for additional metadata available for monitoring features.

Observed Properties (e.g., Variables)

An observed property is the aspect of a monitoring feature characterized by the observation.

Observed properties are commonly called variables. Examples include stream discharge, air temperature, aluminum concentration

BASIN-3D uses a defined list of observed properties and their units to which data source variable names and units are mapped. By default, BASIN-3D uses a list of variables commonly used in hydrological-focused Earth Science.