SVG and Geo Web Services for visualization of time series data of flood risk

Geoinformatics deals with spatio-temporal data. That means for depicting many datasets itʼs important that the temporal or time aspect of that data can be visualised. Animation is an effective way of doing this, and the open standard Scalabe Vector Graphics format (SVG) is suited well for constructing interactive animations, because of its built-in JavaScript language and SMIL animation tools. The Open Geospatial Consortiumʼs Web Map Service (WMS) specification is no doubt the most widely implemented of OGCʼs Open Standards. It allows output of spatial data in the form of Maps and map like graphics. Itʼs standardized interface describes mechanisms to request maps of a specific spatial extent, but also of a specific time extent. At present this has been used mostly for extracting static maps of one specific time, or dynamic animation of series of satellite images (in raster animated formats such as animatedGIF). At present no system exist that employs vector data of time series depicted as vector animations. The goal of our project is to look into the possibility of extending the WMS service with the output of vector time series data as animated, interactive vector maps. This paper will present the outcomes of our research on the standards specifications and the theoretical possibilities, and of our efforts to build a proof-of-concept application using the technologies from the RIMapperWMS project, a WMS application that outputs SVG map