Glass Earth Terrane Models

Background

One of the objectives of the Glass Earth project is to develop and demonstrate new methods for building and delivering knowledge-rich spatial and temporal “maps” or models of the geology of given terranes. Traditional geologic maps that show structures and materials at the Earth’s surface are no longer sufficient for storing, displaying and transmitting geoscience information especially when much of the required information for managing our earth’s resources is subsurface and 3-dimensional. However, they and their stories are still the first step. That information comes from disparate sources such as geophysical survey (magnetics, electromagnetics, gravity, seismic) and drilling.

The vision is to be able to deliver geological knowledge as models through highly visual and extensible web service portals that are directly linked into data that might reside in distributed locations (eg at national or state geoscience agencies, universities, research organisations or industry groups). By linking these models to data, or being able to visualise the actual data in a 3D context, they can be dynamic and easily updatable. Such visual, dynamically linked 3-D databases will allow even the inexperienced user to figuratively 'walk around' in the Earth to examine the data and extract needed information. More exciting is the prospect that they can interlink with predictive computational models that simulate the geologic, tectonic, hydrologic and geochemical processes that lead to the formation of precious minerals, energy and water resources. These computational models can be used to “explore” for mineral deposits or to understand processes required for land-use planning, hazard mitigation, and resource management.

These ideas are not “new” and have formed the basis of decades of research beginning with the development and application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) the capabilities of which are continually moving from 2D into 3D worlds. Examples of static 3D geological models can be found on this site as well as Geoscience Australia, US Geological Survey, French BRGM, GEON, to name a few. For information on the developing web feature server, click here.

Geological Models

North Bowen Basin

Yandal Belt

Interactive Models

North Bowen Basin

Yandal Belt (under construction)

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