The Role of Geological Surveys in
Building Geoscientific
Spatial Data Infrastructures
François ROBIDA (BRGM)
Marko KOMAC (EuroGeoSurveys)
Ian JACKSON (BGS - OneGeology)
The mission of Geological Surveys
> At regional or national level the
collection of information on the state of
the solid Earth and its processes is
normally mandated to Geological
Surveys
> Geological Survey Organisations are
responsible for the acquisition,
management and delivery of geological
data and information
> 2
… in areas such as :
> natural resources related to the subsurface of
the Earth (energy, including geothermal energy;
minerals, water, underground space)
> the identification of natural hazards of geological
origin, their monitoring and the mitigation of
their impacts (earthquakes, natural emissions of
hazardous gases, landslides and rockfalls, land
subsidence, shrinking and swelling clays)
> environmental management, waste management
and disposal
> …
> 3
In Europe
> EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), The Association of
Geological Surveys of Europe,
represents 33 Member Organizations, (over
20.000 specialists working in numerous
applications of geosciences)
> EuroGeoSurveys aims at providing the
European Institutions with expert, neutral,
balanced and practical pan-European
advice and information
> 4
A strong commitment of European Geologicial
Surveys to build SDIs
1. INSPIRE
2. Standardisation activities
3. OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe
4. EGDI
> 5
A strong commitment of European Geologicial
Surveys to build SDIs
1. INSPIRE
2. Standardisation activities
3. OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe
4. EGDI
> 6
European Geological Surveys and INSPIRE
> EGS has been involved in the preparation and
development of INSPIRE since its inception, and is
contributing to its technical design
> Main or major contributor for INSPIRE themes (and
data specification):
• Geology
• Soils
• Natural risk zones
• Mineral resources
• Energy resources
> Important actors of national SDIs together with
Mapping Agencies and other organisations
> 7
A strong commitment of European Geologicial
Surveys to build SDIs
1. INSPIRE
2. Standardisation activities
3. OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe
4. EGDI
> 8
An international standard developed through an international
collaboration for geologic data interoperability
- International Union of Geological Sciences
- Commission for the Management and Application
of Geoscience Information
- Interoperability Working Group
GeoSciML : a data exchange
standard for geological information
Modelling geology (2D and 3D)
- geologic units (the Dakota Sandstone)
- geologic structures (fault, fold, …)
- earth materials (sandstone)
- boreholes
Based on international standards
- Geographic Information (ISO)
- Geography Markup Language (OGC)
- Observations & Measurements (OGC)
GeoSciML
GeologicUnit CompositionPart
MetamorphicDescription
PhysicalDescription
WeatheringDescription
GeologicFeature MappedFeature
GM_Object
SpatiallyExtensiveSamplingFeature
GeologicStructure
GeologicFeatureRelation
ControlledConcept
GeologicEvent
GeologicUnitPart
NetSlipValue
ShearDisplacementStructure
DuctileShearStructure Fault Fold FoldSystem FaultSystem
Lineation Foliation
Layering
NonDirectionalStructure
DisplacementValue
SeparationValue SlipComponents
Contact
Mineral
EarthMaterial
MaterialRelation
ConstituentPart
ParticleGeometryDescription
InorganicFluid
OrganicMaterial CompoundMaterial
StratigraphicLexicon AnyEntity
VocabRelation AnyDictionary
AnyDefinition
GeologicVocabulary
AnyFeature
CV_DiscreteCoverage
SamplingPoint Specimen
Observation
SurveyProcedure
SamplingFeature
SamplingCurve
SamplingFeatureRelation
DiscreteCoverageObservation
Borehole BoreholeCollar
BoreholeDetails
CGI_TermValue
CGI_TermRange
CGI_Vector CGI_NumericValue
CGI_Value
CGI_LinearOrientation CGI_NumericRange
CGI_GeometricDescriptionValue
CGI_PrimitiveValue CGI_Range
CGI_Term CGI_Numeric
CGI_PlanarOrientation
Vocabularies Features Sampling Features
Structures
Geologic Units
Values Earth Materials
… and similarly : ERML - Earth Resource ML
> An international standard for data
exchange for mineral resources
A strong commitment of European Geologicial
Surveys to build SDIs
1. INSPIRE
2. Standardisation activities
3. OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe
4. EGDI
> 13
OneGeology
Building a global geological SDI…
A award WINNER
• A project to make web-accessible geological map
data worldwide
• Initiated by BGS in 2006 as a geological survey
contribution to the UN International Year of Planet
Earth
• World-leading example of liberating science data for
the benefit of society
• Deploying cutting-edge web mapping technologies
• Now being delivered by 117 geological surveys
worldwide
OneGeology
Objectives
• Make existing geological map data accessible
– in whatever digital format is available in the
participating country
• Transfer know-how to those who need it
• Adopt an approach that recognizes that different
nations have differing abilities to participate
• Stimulate interoperability = data sharing
• Stimulate harmonisation = scientific consistency
Who funds it?
€3.25 million for 20 nation OneGeology-Europe
project 2008-2010 (supporting the European SDI -INSPIRE)
$700 000 for Geoscience Information Network
for 50 US State geological surveys
Support of geological survey staff and data around the
world….. ….but also
Additional funding for coordination and data portal
How it works - the technology
• State-of-the-art…but straightforward and open to all
• Distributed dynamic system – each nation serves its
data, or works with a “buddy” survey
• Open global (OGC) standards – Web Map Services
and Web Features Services
• User needs only an internet browser
An operational system - not an experiment
• Portal and catalogue allow discover, view, zoom,
pan, interrogate, download…. and transfer to Google,
or wherever
• Many data services: 229 WMS and 23 WFS data
layers from 57 data providers
• Help desk and extensive easy to use documentation
• 1-5 Accreditation scheme which defines service
levels which must be met
(Michelin Stars for rocks – edible geology!)
• Users in research, education and commerce
138 organisations from 117 countries
http://portal.onegeology.org
More than 250 national and state datasets
being served by geological surveys across the world
http://portal.onegeology.org
Evolving from national and small scale to large
scale, local, applied and flexible
The OneGeology-Europe project
An excursion to Europe - OneGeology-Europe
4 harmonised WMS (Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia) with two different legends
Custom map of lithology and/or age
Creation of new
maps in real time
from 20 WMS
sharing a common
interchange data
model and common
vocabularies
Geologic units with sandstone (colour: yellow)
20 national WMS are
requested to deliver a map
using the user defined SLD
(customised legend)
Custom map
OneGeology services accessible in
EuroGeoss / GEOSS
Transferring know-how…..
……to those who need it
Technical workshops Web resources
A strong commitment of European Geologicial
Surveys to build SDIs
1. INSPIRE
2. Standardisation activities
3. OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe
4. EGDI
> 34
EGDI : European Geological Data Infrastructure
> A new European Project , building on OneGeology-Europe
infrastructure
> Supported by EuroGeoSurveys (EGS)
> EGDI will provide the backbone for serving interoperable,
pan-European geological data currently held by GSOs,
and data from past, ongoing and future European projects.
> EGDI-Scope will focus on: • 1. Developing connections with and gathering user requirements from EGDI
end-users;
• 2. Selecting and prioritizing datasets producing maximum societal benefit;
• 3. Technical design
• 4. Models for governance and future funding of the EGDI
> Kick-off in June 2012
> 35