INTEGRATION OF 3D VISUALIZATION AND GEOCHRONOLOGY AS A FOUNDATION TO 4D EARTH MODELS

Tectonics studies are at a crossroads where continuation of the present, fragmented approach to problems will lead to the continued steady decline of tectonic studies unless new approaches are used. Arriving at this crossroads is ironic given that there is no time in the history of geosciences where we are better equipped to address fundamental questions. The rise of high-resolution, photogrammetry-based 3D visualization of earth’s surface, tools for 3D geometric model construction, and availability of inexpensive unmanned aerial systems all provide unprecedented abilities to solve basic field problems that are the foundation of tectonic studies. This information, combined with modern seismic imaging provides remarkable abilities to resolve 3D problems yet to date these capabilities are largely unexploited. Parallel advances in geochronology provide unprecedented resolution of the time dimension; indeed, no longer are high resolution chronological records limited to sedimentary basins, rather orogenic highlands can now yield even more detailed histories through integration of field studies with geochronologic methods. Two issues have prevented us from fully exploiting these developments: 1) the virtual dogma that process oriented studies are fundamentally more important than geohistory focused studies—ironically undercutting what geology is uniquely equipped to do, unraveling earth history; and 2) a fundamental attitude among many geoscientists as loners, who prefer working as individuals or at most in a group of 2-3. The broader geoscience community has exploited this weakness of the geology community for decades, but the time is ripe to reverse this trend. With modern technology, geology holds the key to future developments in tectonics and we should build alliances toward the 4D earth problem. The time is ripe for studies that integrate modern 3D capabilities with geochronology, but progress will be incremental if this is done at individual investigator levels; underscoring the need for an earthscope style project that exploits this opportunity.