DYNAMIC MAPPING AND ANALYSIS OF GEOLOGICAL, GEOPHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA WITH SPATIAL DATA ENGINES AND INTERNET MAP SERVER APPLICATIONS

Geological surveys along with other research institutions are major repositories of geological, geophysical, natural resource, and environmental data. This data consists of physical material (e.g., core, samples and paper records) and digital data (raster images and digital data). Data are of multiple overlapping scales. Data is constantly growing and changing through multiple internal and external sources. As an example, in Kansas, relational database management system (RDBMS) are updated daily with information on 300,000 oil and gas wells located on 30,000 active leases with over two million geologic horizons. The data are inherently geographic (outcrops and water wells have specific locations) but were not geographically visible. We have developed Internet Map Server (IMS) applications that dynamically render tabular data within RDBMS based on the Public Land Survey System with spatial data sets. The data can be queried using user-determined criteria and displayed using multiple themes that include geographic base layers, infrastructure and stratigraphy. Through ongoing collaborative efforts IMS and spatial data engines are used to spatially and graphically integrate large tabular data sets generated by multiple researchers in a single research organization and across multiple institutions (e.g., MIDCARB). Initial work through the MIDCARB Project has linked spatial and tabular data of interest to carbon sequestration across five states and organizations. Displayed data are linked to online tools for distributed quality control, and management of the very large heterogeneous tabular data sets. In addition to display, online analysis using interactive tools is being developed through both the MIDCARB and GEMINI projects. GEMINI is designed to construct real-time geo-engineering models from information assembled from public domain databases or uploaded by the client. Data are analyzed with web-accessed analytical software that uses intelligent interfaces and tutorial support. The use of IMS applications provides uniform access and good interconnectivity to earth science data sets that are maintained independently at the local level. Data can be shared and blended with client-provided data to foster collaborative approaches to address scientific and societal challenges in earth science.