1. Functional Demonstration of the National Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (NUDAPT)
Torrin Hultgren
Computer Sciences Corporation
Jason Ching
ARL/NOAA –NERL/USEPA
Research Triangle Park, NC
David Williams
NERL/USEPA

2. Overview and Rationale
Urban air quality models are increasing in complexity
Number and type of input parameters
Methods required to derive inputs
Desktop GIS good for these types of data, but most modelers don’t need a full GIS – just a few key tools
A new, web-based system has been developed that delivers desired tools (clip, project, resample, reformat) on-demand
Source data is stored with daughter Urban Canopy Parameters (UCPs) in a centralized repository for easy comparison and download
Parallel website facilitates discussion, collaboration and partnerships

3. Two Portals, One Whole Quickplace Data Download Portal
Powerful, flexible collaboration suite
Built-in security controls, file sharing ability
Leverages existing EPA Lotus Domino technology
Data Download Portal
Delivers server-side data processing, minimizing or eliminating the need for desktop GIS
Responsive map viewer for data exploration
Relies on ESRI’s ArcGIS Server technology

4. Quickplace Welcome

5. Quickplace Pages

6. Quickplace Page Editor

7. Quickplace Summary
Collaboration tool – what the group gets out depends on what the group puts in
Easy to share documents, smaller datasets (less than 20MB), presentations
Available calendar/task management tools
Help build consensus on UCP methods and strategies

8. Data Download Portal Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Technology
ESRI’s ArcGIS Server
Map viewer
AJAX for smooth dragging and zooming
Built-in identify, measure, and magnify tools
Dynamic table of contents
Data repository
Quickly import data, add to map, publish to web
Tightly integrated with windows security
GIS tools allow fast, easy data pre-processing if necessary

13. Data Download Tool Server-based geoprocessing
Geographic Information System (GIS) functionality without need for desktop GIS
Simple, readable Python script links out-of-the-box tools into one seamless process
Clip – Reproject/Resample – Reformat – Zip
Extensible
Could connect to other web services
Could be used to derive UCPs

17. Input Raster or Shopping Basket
Process
Input
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
Dropdown box
Corresponds to layer names listed in the table of contents
Baskets match groups in table of contents
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

18. Clip Extent Input Process Draw extent directly on the map or specify
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Draw extent
directly on the
map or specify
using coordinates
Tool uses bounding box envelope
Envelope projected into spatial reference of raster and output
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

19. Output Coordinate Reference System
Input
Process
Input
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
Initially contains only four systems, all NAD83
Geographic Latitude/Longitude
UTM Zone 15N
USGS Albers Equal Area
South Central Texas State Plane (Feet)
ESRI Library contains hundreds, custom projections are also possible
Also have option of leaving all rasters in source projection
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

20. Resampling Method Nearest Neighbor Bilinear Interpolation
Input
Process
Input
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
Nearest Neighbor
Bilinear Interpolation
Cubic Convolution
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

21. Output Cell Size Input Process
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
All rasters will be resampled to user-specified output cell size
If no cell size specified, all rasters will remain at source resolution
Regardless of input, no output will have smaller cell size than the minimum output resolution cutoff (15m)
Minimum resolution determined by security restrictions
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

22. Output File Format Available formats are:
Input
Process
Input
Raster(s)
Clip Raster
Available formats are:
NetCDF
ASCII
Floating Point
Imagine Image
GeoTiff
All output files (rasters, header files, metadata) are zipped for download
Binary results “key” allows you to pick up output later
Input
Extent
Project
Raster
Output
Coordinate
System
Resampling
Method
Convert
Raster
Format
Output
Cell Size
Zip
Output
File Format

23. Issues and Path Forward
Metadata Issue: for researchers, accurate information on data (metadata) is essential
No metadata reporting standard exists
Project stakeholders and collaborators must take this task on
Data portal enhancements issue: major development work is complete
minor portal enhancements can be done

24. Issues and Path Forward
Hosting Issue: data portal currently is on internal EPA network, not open to public
Soon the portal will be hosted by UNC CEP for open, controlled access
Continuation of the data portal will require investment by the community
EPA funded prototype system development under GEOSS grant. System web hosting maintenance not supported by the grant

25. Path Forward
The NUDAPT data portal prototype has demonstrated the feasibility and utility of providing data for researchers
The future of the portal relies on community participation and investment
Development work is complete. System needs a host and the minimal funding for operation

26. Summary
Urban air quality modelers frequently work in parallel but have difficulty sharing daughter products
NUDAPT Quickplace facilitates collaboration and discussion
NUDAPT Data Portal allows exploration, extraction, transformation, and download of source and derived datasets

27. Thanks to all NUDAPT collaborators for contributions and feedback!
Disclaimer: The research presented here was performed under the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and under agreement number DW This work constitutes a contribution to the NOAA Air Quality Program. Although it has been reviewed by EPA and NOAA and approved for publication, it does not necessarily reflect their policies or views.