Digital geologic mapping

The primary function of this emerging technology is to produce spatially referenced geologic maps that can be utilized and updated while conducting field work.

[1] Geologic mapping is an interpretive process involving multiple types of information, from analytical data to personal observation, all synthesized and recorded by the geologist.

), plotting strike and dip symbols, and color-coding different physical characteristics of a lithology or contact type (e.g., unconformity) between rock strata.

A product that works well for digital mapping may not be available for purchase the following year; however, testing multiple brands and generations of equipment and software is prohibitively expensive.

The capture of less data-intensive reconnaissance mapping or survey data in the field can be accomplished by less robust databases and GIS programs, and hardware with a smaller screen size.

At digital field data capture meetings such as at the British Geological Survey in 2002 [17] some organisations agreed to share development experiences, and some software systems are now available to download for free.

Screenshot of a structure map generated by geological mapping software for an 8500 ft deep gas and oil reservoir in the Erath field, Vermilion Parish , Erath , Louisiana . The left-to-right gap, near the top of the contour map indicates a Fault line . This fault line is between the blue/green contour lines and the purple/red/yellow contour lines. The thin red circular contour line in the middle of the map indicates the top of the oil reservoir. Because gas floats above oil, the thin red contour line marks the gas/oil contact zone.