TACKLING THE CHALLENGE - INCREASING SOCIETAL BENEFITS THROUGH OPEN-SOURCE 3D VISUALIZATION OF SUBSURFACE DATA

Three-dimensional geological models reached a level of maturity that allow them to be included in decision-making processes in daily life. However, such models usually lack the embedding into a geographic framework and their 3D visualization often requires proprietary tools or viewers. It is therefore difficult to combine such models with other subsurface data, which may hinder the intelligible communication to third parties.

In recent years, integrated geological surveying came to the heart of the Swiss Geological Survey’s (SGS) activities: Production of standardized, harmonized and nationwide geological 2D and 3D data, seamless access to it along with the possibility to visualize, analyze and instant supply of data. The SGS subsumes this approach in a one-stop and public service to combine geological 2D and 3D data with other geological data sets and non-geological, thematic spatial data, called the National Geological Model (NGM).

First implementations of the visualization part of NGM are available at https://beta.swissgeol.ch. Just to be web-based is not the game-changer, though, but, 1) the NGM platform is built upon the freely available cesiumJS web-globe library (https://cesium.com/cesiumjs/), 2) the platform’s code is open sourced (https://github.com/swissgeol) and 3) the platform uses standard web services for data visualization. Thus, the NGM platform allows quick visualizations of any kind of subsurface data in a geographic framework. The NGM platform significantly improves the way geological data can be interactively accessed, queried and interrogated. In the future, registered users may upload own data, visualize and share it within a closed-user group – with no additional infrastructure needed. In this way, the platform brings subsurface data to daily life, simplifies the access as well as its handling and allows other professions than earth scientists to work with and generate value out if it.

This contribution is not going to demonstrate the NGM platform. Instead, it will outline, based on NGM, key features of SGSs activities crucial for contributing to societal development by easing decision-making processes, rethinking data, revealing new insights in data assets and making data availability transparent to increase societies’ economic benefit and to support societal development.