Abstract: An intelligent data assimilation system including an ontology description, workflows, and logical search objects. The logical search objects operably connect to external and internal data providers and return search results using an ontology describing atomic data objects and semantic objects. The semantic objects are grouped into larger semantic structures by workflows to create customized services that return search results termed data products. Services are accessed through an application server capable of responding to service requests from different types of data clients. Graphical user interfaces provide facilities for creating logical search objects and aggregating logical search objects into workflows and services.