🛰️ LambdaGEO — Computing and Geotechnology Research Group

Welcome to LambdaGEO, a research group at the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA) dedicated to the intersection of Computer Engineering and Geosciences. We develop high-impact, open-source solutions for spatial simulation, semantic data, and environmental modeling.

🌍 The DisSModel Ecosystem

Our current flagship initiative is the development of a modern, Pythonic ecosystem for discrete spatial simulation, designed to bridge the gap between scientific modeling and cloud-native execution.

🛠️ Core Framework & Infrastructure

DisSModel Core: A modular engine for Cellular Automata and System Dynamics with a dual-substrate (Vector/Raster) architecture.
DisSModel Platform: A scalable execution environment using FastAPI, Redis, and MinIO for high-performance simulation services.

🧩 Domain Plugins & Applications

We maintain specialized libraries that extend the core engine for specific scientific domains:

DisSModel-CA: Standard library for Cellular Automata models.
DisSModel-SysDyn: Library for System Dynamics and compartmental modeling.
Coastal Dynamics: Specialized models for flood propagation and mangrove migration on the Maranhão coast.

🧠 Semantic Web & Geoinformatics

We are pioneers in integrating Linked Open Data (LOD) with Geographic Information Systems (GIS):

QGISSPARQL: Tools to bridge Triple Stores and QGIS.
rdfmapper: A declarative Object-RDF Mapper for Python.
DBCells: Publishing spatial modeling data as Linked Data.

📖 Geospatial Modeling with Python (The Book)

We are currently writing an open-access book to empower researchers with modern Python tools for geographic data science and simulation.

➡️ Read the book (Work in Progress)

👨‍🏫 Leadership & Mentorship

Professor Sergio Souza Costa is an Associate Professor of Computer Engineering at UFMA and a researcher at the Graduate Program in Environmental Science & Technology (PPGC&TAmb).

Students & Collaborators: We use Notion for mentorship and lecture materials. Access our workspace: profsergiocosta.notion.site

Interested in joining us? We are always looking for motivated PIBIC and Graduate students interested in Python, GIS, and Software Engineering.

news

Jan 15, 2016	A simple inline announcement with Markdown emoji!
Nov 07, 2015	A long announcement with details
Oct 22, 2015	A simple inline announcement.

latest posts

Mar 10, 2026	Two Ways to Simulate the Same World: Raster and Vector Backends in DisSModel
Mar 05, 2026	Revitalizing LambdaGEO: From Student Projects to Production-Ready Software
Mar 01, 2026	Shipping a Python Library to PyPI: The Complete Checklist

selected publications

GeoNordeste
AVALIAÇÃO DA ACURÁCIA NA CLASSIFICAÇÃO DE USO E COBERTURA DA TERRA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO NA REGIÃO INTERMEDIÁRIA DE SÃO LUÍS COM O MAPBIOMAS

Thomas Victor de Sousa Malheiros Rocha, Sérgio Souza Costa, Luís Fernando Fernando Cirqueira da Silva Correia, and 1 more author

Revista GeoNordeste, Dec 2025

Abs DOI Bib HTML

A classificação de uso e cobertura da terra é essencial para gerenciar recursos naturais. Este estudo analisou a acurácia de classes como Mangue, Apicum, Praia e Duna dentro do agrupamento SA-23-Z, que cobre 72% da região intermediária de São Luís. Os resultados mostraram alta acurácia para Praia e Duna, apesar de limitações em outras classes, indicando que a classificação do MapBiomas apresenta uma ótima acurácia geral para a região.
@article{rocha2025avaliacao, title = {AVALIAÇÃO DA ACURÁCIA NA CLASSIFICAÇÃO DE USO E COBERTURA DA TERRA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO NA REGIÃO INTERMEDIÁRIA DE SÃO LUÍS COM O MAPBIOMAS}, author = {Rocha, Thomas Victor de Sousa Malheiros and Costa, Sérgio Souza and Correia, Luís Fernando Fernando Cirqueira da Silva and Bezerra, Denilson da Silva}, journal = {Revista GeoNordeste}, volume = {36}, number = {2}, year = {2025}, month = dec, publisher = {Universidade Federal de Sergipe}, doi = {10.33360/geonordeste.v36i.21680}, url = {https://periodicos.ufs.br/geonordeste/article/view/21680}, }
RTG
EXPANSÃO DO DESMATAMENTO NO CERRADO MARANHENSE ENTRE OS ANOS DE 2001 – 2023

Luís Fernando Cirqueira da Silva Correia, Thomas Victor de Sousa Malheiros Rocha, Denílson da Silva Bezerra, and 2 more authors

Revista Tocantinense de Geografia, 2026

Abs DOI Bib HTML

Este trabalho examina a evolução temporal do desmatamento no Cerrado maranhense nos últimos 22 anos utilizando dados do PRODES. A análise revela uma tendência de queda até 2013, seguida por um aumento significativo a partir de 2020, com destaque para as microrregiões de Presidente Dutra, Caxias e Chapadinha. O estudo utiliza uma grade regular para evidenciar a ampla expansão do desmatamento por todo o bioma no estado.
@article{correia2026expansao, title = {EXPANSÃO DO DESMATAMENTO NO CERRADO MARANHENSE ENTRE OS ANOS DE 2001 -- 2023}, author = {Correia, Luís Fernando Cirqueira da Silva and Rocha, Thomas Victor de Sousa Malheiros and Bezerra, Denílson da Silva and Silva Junior, Celso Henrique Leite and Costa, Sérgio Souza}, journal = {Revista Tocantinense de Geografia}, volume = {15}, number = {35}, year = {2026}, publisher = {Universidade Federal do Tocantins}, doi = {10.70860/rtg.v15i35.19356}, url = {https://doi.org/10.70860/rtg.v15i35.19356}, }
RBC
DBCells: An Open and Global Multi-Scale Linked Cells

Sergio Souza Costa, Micael Lopes Silva, Thamyla Maria de Souza Lima, and 1 more author

Revista Brasileira de Cartografia, May 2017

Abs DOI Bib HTML

Land change models require large amounts of data and are difficult to reproduce or reuse. Initiatives to open and link data increase the reproducibility of scientific experiments and data reuse. A core pillar of the linked data concept is the use of Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). In this paper, we propose DBCells: an architecture for the publication of a global cellular space where each cell has a URI. This approach allows for the comparison, reproduction, and reuse of models and data.
@article{Costa_Silva_Lima_Moreira_2017, title = {DBCells: An Open and Global Multi-Scale Linked Cells}, author = {Costa, Sergio Souza and Silva, Micael Lopes and Lima, Thamyla Maria de Souza and Moreira, Evaldinolia Gilbertoni}, journal = {Revista Brasileira de Cartografia}, volume = {69}, number = {5}, year = {2017}, month = may, doi = {10.14393/rbcv69n5-44003}, url = {https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/revistabrasileiracartografia/article/view/44003}, }
AABC
The Amazon COP and the Need for Integration between the Environmental and Climate Agendas

Denilson da Silva Bezerra, Sérgio Souza Costa, and others

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, Sep 2025

Abs DOI Bib HTML

This letter discusses the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. It highlights the unique opportunity to unify environmental and climate agendas, focusing on five central points: protection of ecosystems, nature-based solutions (NbS), climate justice for indigenous populations, the importance of blue carbon, and practical goals for reducing emissions.
@article{bezerra2025amazon, title = {The Amazon COP and the Need for Integration between the Environmental and Climate Agendas}, author = {Bezerra, Denilson da Silva and Costa, Sérgio Souza and others}, journal = {Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências}, volume = {97}, number = {4}, year = {2025}, month = sep, doi = {10.1590/0001-3765202520250533}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520250533}, publisher = {Academia Brasileira de Ciências}, }

RSP

Population-based seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and the herd immunity threshold in Maranhão

Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva, Lídio Gonçalves Lima-Neto, Conceição de Maria Pedrozo e Silva de Azevedo, and 18 more authors

Revista de Saúde Pública, Dec 2020

Abs DOI Bib HTML

This population-based household survey estimated the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The study found a seroprevalence of 40.4%, one of the highest reported at the time, suggesting that the local herd immunity threshold might have been approached during that period. The results also highlighted the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as mask-wearing and social distancing.

@article{Silva_Maranhao_2020,
  title = {Population-based seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and the herd immunity threshold in Maranhão},
  author = {Silva, Antônio Augusto Moura da and Lima-Neto, Lídio Gonçalves and Azevedo, Conceição de Maria Pedrozo e Silva de and Costa, Léa Márcia Melo da and Bragança, Maylla Luanna Barbosa Martins and Barros Filho, Allan Kardec Duailibe and Wittlin, Bernardo Bastos and Souza, Bruno Feres de and Oliveira, Bruno Luciano Carneiro Alves de and Carvalho, Carolina Abreu de and Thomaz, Erika Barbara Abreu Fonseca and Simões-Neto, Eudes Alves and Leite Júnior, Jamesson Ferreira and Cosme, Lécia Maria Sousa Santos and Campos, Marcos Adriano Garcia and Queiroz, Rejane Christine de Sousa and Costa, Sérgio Souza and Carvalho, Vitória Abreu de and Simões, Vanda Maria Ferreira and Alves, Maria Teresa Seabra Soares de Brito e and Santos, Alcione Miranda dos},
  journal = {Revista de Saúde Pública},
  volume = {54},
  pages = {131},
  year = {2020},
  month = dec,
  doi = {10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054003271},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054003271},
}

Landsc Ecol
Dynamical coupling of multiscale land change models

Evaldinolia Moreira, Sérgio Souza Costa, Ana Paula Aguiar, and 2 more authors

Landscape Ecology, Nov 2009

Abs DOI Bib HTML

This paper proposes a software organization for building computational models that support dynamical linking of multiple scales, coupling different types of models such as cell-space and agent-based models. We demonstrate how results can flow in both bottom-up and top-down directions, allowing feedback from local actors to regional scales in the Brazilian Amazonia.
@article{Moreira2009, title = {Dynamical coupling of multiscale land change models}, author = {Moreira, Evaldinolia and Costa, Sérgio Souza and Aguiar, Ana Paula and Câmara, Gilberto and Carneiro, Tiago}, journal = {Landscape Ecology}, volume = {24}, number = {9}, pages = {1183--1194}, year = {2009}, month = nov, doi = {10.1007/s10980-009-9397-x}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-009-9397-x}, }
Ci.Inf.
DBacademic: Conectando os dados abertos das instituições de ensino do Brasil

Sérgio Souza Costa, Mateus Vitor Duarte, Micael Lopes Silva, and 2 more authors

Ciência da Informação, Sep 2020

Abs DOI Bib HTML

Este trabalho apresenta o projeto DBacademic, que visa conectar dados abertos de instituições brasileiras de ensino superior utilizando tecnologias de Web Semântica e Linked Data. O artigo detalha o processo de extração, transformação e publicação de dados, permitindo consultas integradas sobre a produção acadêmica e estrutura institucional no Brasil.
@article{Costa_Duarte_Silva_Oliveira_Guimaraes_2020, title = {DBacademic: Conectando os dados abertos das instituições de ensino do Brasil}, author = {Costa, Sérgio Souza and Duarte, Mateus Vitor and Silva, Micael Lopes and Oliveira, Eddye Candido and Guimarães, José Victor Meireles}, journal = {Ciência da Informação}, volume = {49}, number = {3}, pages = {142--158}, year = {2020}, month = sep, doi = {10.18225/ci.inf.v49i3.5500}, url = {https://revista.ibict.br/ciinf/article/view/5500}, }

IntechOpen

Spatially Explicit Modeling for Impacts of Sea-Level Rise in the Baixada Maranhense, Brazilian Legal Amazon

Denilson da Silva Bezerra, Sérgio Souza Costa, Flávia Rebelo Mochel, and 4 more authors

In Dynamics of the Oceans - Variability, Hydrological Cycles, and Sea Level Change, 2025

DOI Bib HTML

@incollection{Bezerra25,
  author = {Bezerra, Denilson da Silva and Costa, Sérgio Souza and Mochel, Flávia Rebelo and Santos, Fábio Augusto Siqueira dos and Barros, Klinsmann Augusto Lavra and Sousa, Felipe Martins and Bezerra, Janaina Santos},
  title = {Spatially Explicit Modeling for Impacts of Sea-Level Rise in the Baixada Maranhense, Brazilian Legal Amazon},
  booktitle = {Dynamics of the Oceans - Variability, Hydrological Cycles, and Sea Level Change},
  publisher = {IntechOpen},
  address = {London},
  year = {2025},
  editor = {Zhang, Xiaolin and Attada, Raju},
  chapter = {4},
  doi = {10.5772/intechopen.1012210},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1012210},
}

PhD Thesis

Regional scale agent-based modelling of land change: evolving institutional arrangements in frontier areas

S. S. Costa

National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 2012

Abs PDF

A thesis focusing on spatial dynamic modeling, agent-based models, and simulation of land-use change and deforestation in frontier areas.