Earth scientists are engaged in integrating knowledge stemming from different disciplines about the constituents parts of the complex Earth system with the objective of understanding its properties as a whole. This requires the integration of different information systems across disciplines, characterized by: heterogeneous and distributed data and metadata models, different semantics and encoding languages.

The recent revolution in information technologies based on Model-Driven Architectures, semi-structured data model and encodings (i.e. Mark-up languages), standardised information models, and consequent infrastructures provides the basis for making significant steps towards the integration of information systems across disciplines.

This requires the development of data and metadata models which are platform-independent and are encoded by self-contained and self-explanatory schemas. Several Earth and Space Science disciplines have been developing these artifacts. Sometimes, the schemas are derived from well-accepted and used binary formats. It enables systems interoperability allowing resource inventory, discovery, access and use.

This session aims to present and discuss relevant topics and open issues dealing with Data & Metadata Models and encoding languages (e.g. Mark-up languages) for the Earth and Space Sciences. These include, but are not limited to:

1)Data and Metadata schemas for the Geosciences
2)Mark-up languages;
3)Conceptual models for scientific data types
4)ISO coverages and features as different views onto data
5)Multi-dimensional data modeling;
6)Observations and measurements models and schemas
7)Harmonization of data and metadata models for Geospatial Information and Earth and Space Sciences;
8)Integrating binary formats with conceptual schemas and mark-up languages;
9)Multilingualism
10)Data and metadata granularity
11)Discovery, evaluation and use metadata;
12)Exposing data models through web-based services