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Title: ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF THE OBJECT MODELING SYSTEM (OMS) FOR EROSION PREDICTION MODELING

Author
item Ascough Ii, James
item Flanagan, Dennis
item DAVID, OLAF - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2005
Publication Date: 7/17/2005
Citation: Ascough II, J.C., Flanagan, D.C., David, O. 2005. Assessing the potential of the object modeling system (oms) for erosion prediction modeling. Proceedings 05-211. 2005 ASAE Annual International Meeting, Tampa, FL. July 17-20. http://asae/frymulti.com/techpapers.asp?confid=tfl2005.

Interpretive Summary: Current challenges in soil erosion research have created demand for integrated, flexible, and easily parameterized sediment transport models. Most of the existing monolithic erosion models (e.g., WEPP and WEPS) are not modular, thus modifications (e.g., changes in process representation) require considerable time, effort, and expense. In this paper, the feasibility and challenges of using the Object Modeling System (OMS) for soil erosion model development will be explored. The OMS is a Java-based modeling framework that facilitates simulation model development, evaluation, and deployment. In general, the OMS consists of: 1) a library of science, control and database modules; 2) a means to assemble selected modules into a modeling package customized to the problem; and 3) automatic generation of a user-friendly interface. The framework employs the latest Java-based software technology for all the components, and is supported by data dictionary, data retrieval, GIS, graphical visualization, and statistical analysis utility modules. Advantages to developing and deploying models under OMS include reduction in duplication of development effort, greater long-term maintainability, and improved response and delivery times in scientific modeling projects. We present applications of fully restructured and modularized core WEPP hillslope erosion subroutines functioning within OMS as a single compartmentalized erosion module. In addition, we discuss specific features of the OMS related to soil erosion modeling including: 1) how to reduce duplication of effort in wind and water erosion modeling; 2) how to make soil erosion models easier to build, apply, and evaluate, 3) how to facilitate long-term maintainability of soil erosion models; and 4) how to improve the quality of soil erosion model code and ensure credibility of model implementations. Keywords. Soil erosion, Object Modeling System, OMS, Modularity, Modeling framework.

Technical Abstract: Current challenges in soil erosion research have created demand for integrated, flexible, and easily parameterized sediment transport models. Most of the existing monolithic erosion models (e.g., WEPP and WEPS) are not modular, thus modifications (e.g., changes in process representation) require considerable time, effort, and expense. In this paper, the feasibility and challenges of using the Object Modeling System (OMS) for soil erosion model development will be explored. The OMS is a Java-based modeling framework that facilitates simulation model development, evaluation, and deployment. In general, the OMS consists of: 1) a library of science, control and database modules; 2) a means to assemble selected modules into a modeling package customized to the problem; and 3) automatic generation of a user-friendly interface. The framework employs the latest Java-based software technology for all the components, and is supported by data dictionary, data retrieval, GIS, graphical visualization, and statistical analysis utility modules. Advantages to developing and deploying models under OMS include reduction in duplication of development effort, greater long-term maintainability, and improved response and delivery times in scientific modeling projects. We present applications of fully restructured and modularized core WEPP hillslope erosion subroutines functioning within OMS as a single compartmentalized erosion module. In addition, we discuss specific features of the OMS related to soil erosion modeling including: 1) how to reduce duplication of effort in wind and water erosion modeling; 2) how to make soil erosion models easier to build, apply, and evaluate, 3) how to facilitate long-term maintainability of soil erosion models; and 4) how to improve the quality of soil erosion model code and ensure credibility of model implementations. Keywords. Soil erosion, Object Modeling System, OMS, Modularity, Modeling framework.