EARTH HISTORY VISUALIZATION SYSTEM
(1) On-screen exploration of any portion of the geologic time scale from internal datasets (ca. 20,000 biologic, geomagnetic, sea-level, stable isotope, igneous provinces, bolide impacts, images of reconstructions and fossils, and other events).
(2) Loading additional specialized regional stratigraphy datapacks of lithologies and fossil zonations compiled jointly with geological surveys (Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Belgium, China, Russia, etc.) or insertion of self-constructed datasets.
(3) Search functions, including an “in context” auto-display feature for selected geologic formations or datums.
(4) Geographic interfaces and displays of regional stratigraphy.
(5) Cross-plotting of outcrops/wells (meters) against the extensive global/regional time scales (myr) and depth-to-age conversion after user-selected control points.
(6) Display of geologic transects.
(7) On-screen “hot-curser-points” attached to datums/formations with windows and URL links to provide in-depth details.
(8) A web interface for “lite” usage.
(9) A wealth of chart-modification features and output in SVG-PDF or other formats for publication.
The software development and extensive datasets are the products of Purdue students in computer engineering and in earth sciences during the past five years. The databases and visualization package are envisioned as a convenient reference tool, chart-production assistant, and a window into the geologic history of our planet for both educational and professional users.
All age models for the datasets will be updated to Geologic Time Scale 2012 (Gradstein et al.) next year.