Asian Surveying & Mapping
Breaking News
Nuri rocket successfully completes KAIST’s next-gen satellite mission
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)...
President Lai reviews progress on first indigenous satellite constellation
President Lai Ching-te said developing space technology is a...
Japan’s iQPS lines up eight SAR launches
ST. LOUIS — Japan’s Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of...
UAE Astronauts Promote AI and Collaboration in Space at GITEX Europe
The Arab world’s first astronaut, Hazzaa Al Mansouri, and...
New species of space-adapted bacteria discovered on China’s Tiangong space station
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown strain of microbe...
Isro’s 101st mission fails as PSLV-C61 suffers third-stage anomaly
India’s latest Earth observation satellite mission faced a setback...
Iraq’s First Fully Solar-Powered Village in Kulak Is Now Operational
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – May 20, 2025 — The...
Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies ready to launch maiden Eris Test flight the nation’s first orbital launch in over 50 years
Gilmour Space Technologies is the leading launch services company...
Korea’s space agency seeks revision of plan to modify next-gen rockets into reusable system
South Korea's aerospace agency said on Thursday that it...
UAE Space Agency Signs Agreement With Technology Innovation Institute to Execute the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt’s Lander Project
In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin...

July 29th, 2010
3D Visualization Communicates the Value of Geology

Geologic mapping is swiftly moving into 3D presentation as the applications of geologic mapping extends beyond mining and energy to water supply, engineering, hazards, environment and climate change. These 3D mapping efforts extend insight to new audiences where greater knowledge of underground assets and features are necessary for better land use planning and fewer environmental impacts. A 3D subsurface view contains less inference of surroundings than 3D, and adds to the intelligence by showing thickness and properties of stacked underground layers. The 3D map supports policy decisions more directly than the 2D geological map, and communicates details more clearly to constituents.

The fact that geological surveys have embraced more of an environmental agenda reinforces the need for 3D mapping. Subsurface properties of strata are needed in such context as groundwater modeling, carbon storage capacity, traditional energy (oil,gas,coal), and geothermal energy. These uses and additional interests in geological data is spurring innovations in software and systems to both create and display 3D geological details.

The transition to 3-D mapping has been made possible by technological advances in digital cartography, GIS, data storage, analysis, and visualization. Beyond the traditional 2D map, the 3D map also has been created in the era of GIS, where details stored in a geospatial database can be queried both horizontally and vertically, and also across geological time. The evolution of geological mapping toward 3D, and with details cataloged in a database, provides a platform for greater geological understanding, and a greater role for the geological profession.