QIN Chengzhi, ZHU Liangjun, CHEN Ziyue, WANG Yijie, WANG Yujing, WU Chenglong, FAN Xingchen, ZHAO Fanghe, REN Yingchao, ZHU Axing, ZHOU Chenghu
[Objectives] Geographic modeling aims to appropriately couple diverse geographic models and their specific algorithmic implementations to form an effective and executable model workflow for solving specific, unsolved application problems. This approach is highly valuable and in high demand in practice. However, traditional geographic modeling is designed with an execution-oriented approach, which plays a heavy burden on users, especially non-expert users. [Methods] In this position paper, we advocate not only for the necessity of intelligent geographic modeling but also achieving it through a so-called recursive geographic modeling approach. This new approach originates from the user's modeling target, which can be formalized as an initial elemental modeling question. It then reasons backward to resolve the current elemental modeling question and iteratively updates new elemental modeling questions in a recursive manner. This process enables the automatic construction of an appropriate geographic workflow model tailored to the application context of the user's modeling problem, thereby addressing the limitations of traditional geographic modeling. [Progress] Building on this foundational concept, this position paper introduces a series of intelligent geographic modeling methods developed by the authors. These methods aim to reduce the geographic modeling burden on non-expert users while assuring the appropriateness of automatically constructed models. Specifically, each proposed intelligent geographic modeling method is designed to solve a specific type of elemental question within intelligent geographic modeling. The elemental questions include: (1) how to determine the appropriate model algorithm (or its parameter values) within the given application context, (2) how to select the appropriate covariate set as input for a model without a predetermined number of inputs (e.g., a soil mapping model without predetermined environmental covariates as inputs), (3) how to determine the structure of a model that integrates multiple coupled modules (e.g., a watershed system model incorporating diverse process simulation modules), and (4) how to determine the proper spatial extent of input data for a geographic model when a specific area of interest is assigned by the user. The key to solving these elemental questions lies in the effective utilization of geographic modeling knowledge, particularly application-context knowledge. However, since application-context knowledge is typically unsystematic, empirical, and implicit, we developed case formalization and case-based reasoning strategies to integrate this knowledge within the proposed methods. Based on the recursive intelligent geographic modeling approach and the correspondingly methods, we propose an application schema for intelligent geographic modeling and computing. This schema is grounded in domain modeling knowledge, particularly case-based application-context knowledge, and leverages the “Data-Knowledge-Model” tripartite collaboration. A prototype of this approach has been implemented in an intelligent geospatial computing system called EGC (EasyGeoComputing). [Prospect] Finally, this position paper discusses the emerging role of large language models in geographic modeling. Their potential applications, relationships with the research presented here, and prospects for future research directions are explored.