Intelligent determination of proper spatial extents for input data during geographical model workflow building

Abstract

The spatial extent required for geographical model inputs depends on the model and input data characteristics, often differing from the user-defined area of interest (AOI). For example, a DEM input for stream network extraction should cover the upstream catchment area of the AOI. Determining proper spatial extents is crucial for both modeling accuracy and efficiency but is often complex and tedious , especially for workflows which may raise chain effect on varying spatial extents among diverse inputs. Few methods currently address this issue. This paper proposes an intelligent approach to automate spatial extent determination during geographical model workflow building, adapting to the user-defined AOI. The approach combines knowledge rules and heuristic modeling with advanced geoprocessing. Implemented in a prototype system, a case study on digital soil mapping for arbitrary-shaped AOI was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the approach, showing that it provides users with easy-to-use and accurate geographical modeling across broad applications.