Overview
ISO/TR 19121:2000 - Geographic information - Imagery and gridded data is a Technical Report from ISO/TC 211 that reviews how imagery (natural and synthetic) and gridded (raster/matrix) data are handled across existing standards and proposes how these data types should be integrated into the ISO 19100 series. As an informative report (not a prescriptive standard), it analyzes current practice, identifies harmonization opportunities, and presents a plan for addressing raster and gridded data within geographic information/geomatics standards.
Key Topics
- Scope and intent
- Reviews characteristics of natural imagery (sensor-based), synthetic imagery (scanned or generated), and gridded data (e.g., DEMs, meteorological and socio‑economic grids).
- Emphasizes the need for interoperability and standard formats for large-volume imagery.
- Core components
- Picture elements / cells: raster/matrix organization and cell structures.
- Metadata: common metadata elements shared with vector standards and additional raster-specific metadata needs.
- Spatial registration: georeferencing, coordinate systems and spatial referencing issues for imagery and grids.
- Encapsulation and encoding: file formats, compression and encapsulation approaches for imagery exchange.
- Standards alignment and interaction
- Reviews existing international and domain standards (ISO/IEC JTC1 SC24, DIGEST, HDF/HDF-EOS, CEOS, IHO S-57, OGC Coverages, etc.) and maps them to ISO 19100 work items.
- Discusses profiles, subcomponents and quality considerations relevant to raster data.
- Implementation plan
- Recommends how ISO/TC 211 should address imagery and gridded data within the ISO 19100 series and identifies needed new work items.
Applications and Users
- Who benefits
- GIS professionals, remote sensing agencies, satellite data distributors, national mapping agencies, hydrographic offices, data archive managers and standards developers.
- Practical uses
- Standardizing imagery for archive exchange and cataloging; enabling interoperable use of satellite scenes, scanned maps and DEMs; improving metadata consistency for data discovery; and ensuring consistent georeferencing for multi-source data integration.
- Value
- Facilitates interoperability, reduces integration costs, improves data discovery and supports large-scale Earth observation and geospatial infrastructures.
Related Standards
- ISO 19100 series (reference model, metadata, spatial schemas, encoding, portrayal)
- ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 24 (BIIF)
- DIGEST (DGIWG)
- HDF / HDF-EOS (EOSDIS)
- CEOS, IHO S-57, OGC Coverages, GeoTIFF, TIFF/PNG/GIF (common raster formats)
ISO/TR 19121 provides a roadmap for harmonizing imagery and gridded data within geospatial standards, promoting interoperability and consistent handling of raster datasets across agencies and applications.