Earth scientists integrate knowledge stemming from different disciplines and the constituent parts of the Earth system, with the objective of understand its properties as a whole. This requires the integration of information systems characterized by diverse protocols and interfaces, different data policies and security levels. Advanced e-infrastructures (aka cyber-infrastructures) will support the operation of an Earth System Science Community.

Distribution of resources and their access via Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Resource-Oriented Architecture (ROA) interfaces provide a basis for progress towards these goals, that leverages technical developments in the broader information community. This session aims to present and discuss relevant topics and open issues dealing with SOA and ROA for the Earth and Space Sciences. These include, but are note limited to:

1) Governance - how much? how formal? Architectures and mashups - is there really a difference?
2) How can the research community work with the agencies? Harmonization of service architectures for Geospatial Information and Earth & Space Sciences;
3) Intra- and inter-community semantics
4) Workflows: beyond discovery and access services;
5) Secure scientific infrastructures.