Getting it all on the map: aggregating and exposing geological information in a space-rock scaffolding
Abstract
Within the geosciences, mid-level derived data products, such as geologic maps and chronostratigraphic columns, are valuable individually and when aggregated and used in macro-scale quantitative analyses. Modes of access to and formatting of these resources, however, reflects the heterogeneous motivations and practices of the data producers. As a result, geologic maps, columns and other mid-level data and knowledge resources are often difficult to fully leverage in Earth science research and education. Here we describe Macrostrat, a geospatial database and informatics framework that is structured to reflect and leverage the natural organization of rocks and sediments in Earth's upper crust. The spatiotemporal and semantic scaffold provided by Macrostrat enables the rapid integration and dissemination of heterogeneous data types that contain programmatically linkable attributes, such as descriptions of rock types, nomenclature, geographic location, and age. By organizing geological maps and columns around fundamental key components, accepting heterogeneity while still applying basic methods of standardization, and focusing on exposing and leveraging existing published information without a priori judgement calls regarding accuracy, Macrostrat provides a platform to discover and fully leverage existing information. Coupled to a machine system (GeoDeepDive), Macrostrat provides a powerful semantic and informatics framework to locate and relate disparate geological data in publications. Macrostrat and GeodeepDive have facilitated development and deployment of several different approaches to geological data and information visualization and discovery (Flyover Country, Rockd, Macrostrat.org) and have contribute uniquely to research problems in geoscience and in informatics (GeoDeepDive). Going forward, the focus will remain on accelerating the pace of data synthesis and hypothesis testing and refining next-generation data collection and distribution efforts using web services.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMIN42A..02H
- Keywords:
-
- 1926 Geospatial;
- INFORMATICSDE: 1936 Interoperability;
- INFORMATICSDE: 1950 Metadata: Quality;
- INFORMATICSDE: 1982 Standards;
- INFORMATICS