What does ISO 19115 primarily address in the field of GIS?

ISO 19115 is an international standard specifically focused on the identification and description of geographic information and ensures that comprehensive metadata is available for geospatial datasets. This standard outlines the types of metadata elements that should accompany geospatial information to enhance the understanding and usability of data. By providing guidelines on how to document geospatial datasets, it supports data sharing, discovery, and interoperability among users and systems in the GIS community.

The importance of metadata as defined by ISO 19115 cannot be understated; it provides crucial context such as the source, quality, accuracy, and processing history of geospatial datasets. This ensures that users can make informed decisions about how to use the data effectively.

Other options, while relevant to GIS in various ways, do not align with the primary focus of ISO 19115. For instance, performing complex spatial analyses involves methodologies and techniques rather than metadata standards. Standardization for graphic representation pertains more to visual aspects of GIS rather than the descriptive data that ISO 19115 emphasizes. Techniques for data compression relate to file handling and storage efficiency, which is outside the metadata domain. Thus, the primary focus of ISO 19115 being on metadata underscores its role in enhancing the utility, accessibility, and comprehensibility of geospatial data