8.1.1.1.  Package shortcuts

The following shortcuts are used to refer to external (non GeoSciML) classifiers.

8.4.1.1.  GeologicFeature

The abstract GeologicFeature class represents a conceptual feature that is hypothesized to exist coherently in the world.  It corresponds with a “legend item” from a traditional geologic map and its instance acts as the “description package”.  The description package is classified according to its intended purpose as a typicalNorm, definingNorm or instance.  GeologicFeature can be used outside the context of a map (it can lack a MappedFeature), for example when describing typical norms (describing expected property from a feature) or defining norms (describing properties required from a feature to be classifying in a group, such as given geologic unit).  A GeologicFeature appearing on a map is considered as an “instance”.

Figure 12 — Geologic Feature context diagram

8.4.1.2.  MappedFeature

A MappedFeature is part of a geological interpretation. It provides a link between a notional feature (description package) and one spatial representation of it, or part of it (exposures, surface traces and intercepts, etc.).  The mapped features are the elements that compose a map, a cross-section, a borehole log, or any other representation.  The mappingFrame identifies the domain being mapped by the geometries.  For typical geological maps, the mapping frame is the surface of the earth (the 2.5D interface between the surface of the bedrock and whatever sits on it; atmosphere or overburden material for bedrock maps).  It can also be abstract frames, such as the arbitrary plane that forms a mine level or a cross-section, the 3D volume enclosing an ore body or the line that approximate the path of a borehole.

The specification association identifies what notional feature is being mapped.  It can be any features and is not restricted to GeoSciML feature, although it is expected to be for geological maps.

The observationMethod property (SWE::Category) contains an element in a list of categories (a controlled vocabulary) describing how the spatial extent of the mapped feature was determined.

8.4.1.3.  GeologicUnit

Conceptually, a GeologicUnit may represent a body of material in the Earth whose complete and precise extent is inferred to exist (e.g., North American Data Model GeologicUnit [12], Stratigraphic unit in the sense of NACSN [14], or International Stratigraphic Code [9]), or a classifier used to characterize parts of the Earth (e.g. lithologic map unit like ‘granitic rock’ or ‘alluvial deposit’, surficial units like ‘till’ or ‘old alluvium’). It includes both formal units (i.e. formally adopted and named in an official lexicon) and informal units (i.e. named but not promoted to a lexicon) and unnamed units (i.e., recognizable, described and delineable in the field but not otherwise formalised).  In simpler terms, a geologic unit is a package of earth material (generally rock).

Figure 13 — GeologicUnit context diagram

Operationally, a GeologicUnit is a container used to associate geologic properties with some mapped occurrence (through the GeologicFeature::occurrence::MappedFeature link), or with a geologic unit via a vocabulary (through the GeologicUnit::classifier).

Spatial properties are only available through association with a MappedFeature (although GeologicUnit do have a boundedBy property inherited from GFI_Feature).

8.4.1.4.  GeologicUnitHierarchy

GeologicUnitHierarchy associates a GeologicUnit with another GeologicUnit that is a proper part of that unit. Parts may be formal or notional. Formal parts refer to a specific body of rock, as in formal stratigraphic members. Notional parts refer to assemblages of particular EarthMaterials with particular internal structure, which may be repeated in various places within a unit (e.g. ‘turbidite sequence’, ‘point bar assemblage’, ‘leucosome veins’). 

8.4.1.5.  CompositionPart

CompositionPart represents the composition of a geologic unit in terms of earth material constituents (CompoundMaterial).  It decomposes the material making of the unit into parts having distinct roles and proportions.

8.4.1.6.  EarthMaterial

The EarthMaterial class holds a description of a naturally occurring substance in the Earth.  EarthMaterial represents material composition or substance, and is thus independent of quantity or location. Ideally, EarthMaterials are defined strictly based on physical properties, but because of standard geological usage, genetic interpretations enter into the description as well.  

Figure 14 — EarthMaterial and related classes

8.4.1.7.  CompoundMaterial

A CompoundMaterial is an EarthMaterial composed of particles made of EarthMaterials, possibly including other CompoundMaterials.  This class is provided primarily as an extensibility point for related domain models that wish to import and build on GeoSciML, and wish to define material types that are compound but are not rock or rock-like material. In the context of GeoSciML “RockMaterial” should be used to describe units made of rock. 

Figure 15 — Context diagram for CompoundMaterial

8.4.1.8.  RockMaterial

RockMaterial is a specialized CompoundMaterial that includes consolidated and unconsolidated materials (such as surficial sediments) as well as mixtures of consolidated and unconsolidated materials.  In GeoSciML Basic, Rock Material is essentially a link to a controlled vocabulary (lithology property) and a color (inherited from EarthMaterial).  Specific material properties (and CompoundMaterial nesting) are available in GeoSciML Extension.

8.4.1.8.2.  Geologic Event

Geologic Event is a package of classes to describe identifiable events during which one or more geological processes act to modify geological entities. A GeologicEvent has a specified geologic age and may have specified environments and processes.  Traditionally, geologists have described the age of a feature without explicitly specifying the event or processes the age relates to (age of a pluton is implicitly the age of the crystallization event). The GeologicEvent class allows explicit documentation of the process and environment.

GeologicalHistory is an ordered aggregation of GeologicalEvent objects, each of which may have an associated geological age, geological environment, and one or more geological process.

The age attributes are representations of a particular geological event or feature expressed as absolute age in terms of years (numericAge) before present or named time periods in the geological time scale (youngerNamedAge and olderNamedAge), or by comparison with other geological events or features (relative age).  An event age can represent an instant in time, an interval of time, or any combination of multiple instants or intervals.

Specifications of age in years before present are based on determination of time durations based on interpretation of isotopic analyses of EarthMaterial (some other methods are used for geologically young materials). Ages specified by geological time scales are essentially based on correlation of a geological unit with a standard chronostratigraphic unit that serves as a reference. Relative ages are based on relationships between geological units such as superposition, intruded by, cross-cuts, or “contains inclusions of” (a.k.a, Steno laws [17]).

 

Figure 16 — Geologic Event summary diagram

8.4.1.9.  GeologicEvent

A GeologicEvent is an identifiable event during which one or more geological processes act to modify geological entities.  It may have a specified geologic age (numeric age or GeochologicEraTerm) and may have specified environments and processes. An example might be a cratonic uplift event during which erosion, sedimentation, and volcanism all take place.

Because associated processes are incompatible, a single event cannot be shared between DisplacementEvent, AlterationDescription of MetamorphicDescription (a process associated to DisplacementEvent does not apply to AlterationDescription). 

A geologic event must at least have one age representation, either numerical or named. 

8.4.1.10.  NumericAgeRange

The NumericAgeRange class represents an absolute age assignment using numeric measurement results.

8.4.2.1.  GeologicStructure

A geologic structure is a configuration of matter in the Earth based on describable inhomogeneity, pattern, or fracture in an earth material.  The identity of a GeologicStructure is independent of the material that is the substrate for the structure.  The general GeologicFeatureRelation (available in the Extension package – see 8.5) is used to associate penetrative GeologicStructures with GeologicUnits.  GeoSciML Basic only provides a limited set of core structures (Contact, Fold, ShearDisplacementStructure and Foliation) with a single property to categorise them.  Supplemental properties (through the pattern described in 5.1.1) and geologic structure types are available from the Extension package.

8.4.2.2.  Contact

A contact is a general concept representing any kind of surface separating two geologic units, including primary boundaries such as depositional contacts, all kinds of unconformities, intrusive contacts, and gradational contacts, as well as faults that separate geologic units.

Figure 18 — Contact context diagram

8.4.2.3.  Fold

A fold is formed by one or more systematically curved layers, surfaces, or lines in a rock body. A fold denotes a structure formed by the deformation of a geologic structure, such as a contact which the original undeformed geometry is presumed, to form a structure that may be described by the translation of an abstract line (the fold axis) parallel to itself along some curvilinear path (the fold profile). Folds have a hinge zone (zone of maximum curvature along the surface) and limbs (parts of the deformed surface not in the hinge zone).  Folds are described by an axial surface, hinge line, profile geometry, the solid angle between the limbs, and the relationships between adjacent folded surfaces if the folded structure is a Layering fabric. 

Figure 19 — Fold context diagram

8.4.2.4.  Foliation

A foliation is a planar arrangement of textural or structural features in any type of rock.  It includes any of a wide variety of penetrative planar geological structures that may be present in a rock.  Examples include schistosity, mylonitic foliation, penetrative bedding structure (lamination), and cleavage.  Following the proposed definition of gneiss by the NADM Science Language Technical Team [12], penetrative planar foliation defined by layers > 5 mm thick is considered Layering.

Bedding is a fabric representing the average orientation of paleodepositional surface and should be encoded through the foliationType property.  It might apply to bedding that is layering or a foliation without layering (e.g. clast alignment in amalgamated beds).

Figure 20 — Foliation context diagram

8.4.2.5.  ShearDisplacementStructure

A shear displacement structure includes all brittle to ductile style structures along which displacement has occurred, from a simple, single ‘planar’ brittle or ductile surface to a fault system comprised of tens of strands of both brittle and ductile nature. This structure may have some significant thickness (a deformation zone) and have an associated body of deformed rock that may be considered a deformation unit (which geologicUnitType is ‘DeformationUnit’) which can be associated to the ShearDisplacementStructure using GeologicFeatureRelation from the GeoSciML Extension package (8.5.1.2).

Figure 21 — ShearDisplacementStructure context diagram

8.4.3.1.  GeomorphologicFeature

A geomorphologic feature is a kind of GeologicFeature describing the shape and nature of the Earth’s land surface.  These landforms may be created by natural Earth processes (e.g., river channel, beach, moraine or mountain) or through human (anthropogenic) activity (e.g., dredged channel, reclaimed land, mine waste dumps).  In GeoSciML, the geomorphologic feature is modelled as a feature related (through unitDescription property) to a GeologicUnit that composes the form.

Figure 23 — Partial encoding of landform located in Elba Island as part of a geomorphological unit (encoded from a map from D’Orefice et al, 2009)

Figure 23 shows an example of GeoSciML encoding of a landform lava cone geomorphologic unit (from [2]) located in Elba Island showing how the geomorphologic feature is related to the geologic unit and materials that it is made of.

8.4.3.2.  NaturalGeomorphologicFeature

A natural geomorphologic feature is a geomorphologic feature (i.e., landform) that has been created by natural Earth processes. For example, river channel, beach ridge, caldera, canyon, moraine or mud flat.

8.4.3.3.  AnthropogenicGeomorphologicFeature

An anthropogenic geomorphologic feature is a geomorphologic feature (i.e., landform) which has been created by human activity.  For example, a dredged channel, midden, open pit or reclaimed land.

8.4.4.1.  GSML

GSML is a collection class grouping a set of features or types which are members of this collection.  A collectionType property provides context or purpose.

8.4.4.2.  GSMLItem

GSMLItem (Figure 24) constrains the collection members to instances of EarthMaterial, GeologicFeature, GM_Object, MappedFeature, AbstractFeatureRelation and OM::SF_SamplingFeature.  GSMLItem has the stereotype <<Union>> and according to ISO19103 (Clause 6.8.2), only one of the properties can be materialized at the time. It is important to note that the <<Union>> stereotype can be encoded in two distinct ways.

a)     by materializing the GSMLItem  (as prescribed by ISO 19136)

b)    using GSMLItem as a validation constraint

This requirements class does not impose any encoding style for Union stereotype, although in the XML encoding requirements class (see 9.3) we chose the second option.

Table 3 — Types of GSMLItem members

8.4.5.1.  GSML_GeometricDescriptionValue

GSML_GeometricDescriptionValue is a special abstract data type for descriptions of planar or linear orientations of a geologic feature.   Different subtypes allow specifying direction by direction vector (e.g. dip/dip direction), compass point (e.g.  NE), or description (e.g. “toward fold hinge”, “below’).

8.4.5.2.  GSML_PlanarOrientation

A planar orientation is composed of two values; the azimuth (a compass point) and a dip (the angle from the horizontal).  Polarity of the plane indicates whether the planar orientation is associated with a directed feature that is overturned, upright, vertical, etc.  There are several conventions to encode a planar orientation and this specification does not impose one but provides a convention property to report it. It must be noted that allowance for different conventions makes manipulation of the data more difficult. Therefore it is recommended that user communities adopt a single measurement convention.

To have any meaningful value, the planar orientation shall have at least a value for polarity, azimuth or dip.

8.4.5.3.  GSML_LinearOrientation

A linear orientation is composed of a trend (the compass orientation of the line) and a plunge (the angle from the horizontal).  This vector may be oriented (pointing in a specific direction) or not.

To have any meaningful value, an instance of GSML_LinearOrientation shall at least have a trend or a plunge value.

8.4.5.4.  GSML_Vector

A GSML_Vector is a data type representing a linear orientation with a magnitude (a quantity assigned to this vector).   If the magnitude is unknown, a GSML_LinearOrientation (8.4.6.3) shall be used.

8.4.5.5.  GSML_QuantityRange

GSML_QuantityRange is a specialization of SWE Common QuantiytyRange (OGC 08-094r1, Clause 7.2.13)  where lower and upper values are made explicit.  SWE::QuantityRange uses an array of values (RealPair, see Clause OGC 08-094r1,7.2.1) where the lowest value is the first element and the highest the second.  This convenience data type has been created as an alternative encoding for implementations that do no support encoding of arrays in a single field (e.g. DBF) or reference to elements in string encoded arrayshttps://docs.ogc.org/is/16-008/16-008.html#_ftnref3[[3]] (eg. Filter Encoding Specification 2.0 – OGC 09-029r2).

Figure 26 — Context diagram for QuantityRange making lower and upper values explicit

The lowerValue shall be less than or equal to the upperValue.

The values reported in lowerValue and upperValue shall be the same as the pair of values in inherited values property.

8.4.5.5.2.  upperValue

The property upperValue:Real contains the upper bound of the range. It shall be a copy of inherited SWE::QuantityRange::value[1].

Example:

 

Figure 27 — Encoding of a quantity range of [15.6,26.7].  Note that the value is encoded in both lowerValue, upperValue and in value as an array.

8.5.1.1.  GeologicHistory

GeoSciML uses the generic relatedFeature:GeologicFeatureRelation to associate GeologicFeature with other GeologicFeatures, which includes GeologicEvents.  However, this functionality is only available from the Extension package because it adds extra complexity that Basic hopes to avoid. 

To allow geologic age description in GeoSciML Basic without GeologicFeatureRelation, GeologicFeature has an explicit geologicHistory property to associate GeologicFeature with a GeologicEvent.  The consequence for someone using GeoSciML Extension is the presence of two different ways to link a GeologicFeature and GeologicEvent:

To prevent confusion and promote consistency, especially in query scenarios, association between GeologicFeature and GeologicEvent, for the purpose of describing geologic history, and therefore geologic age, shall use the geologicHistory property.  A GeologicFeatureRelation can be used in any other circumstances.

8.5.1.2.  GeologicFeatureRelation

The GeologicFeatureRelation class defines the general structure used to define relationships between any GeoSciML feature types.  Relationships are always binary and directional.  There is always a single source and a single target.  The relationship is always defined from the perspective of the Source and is generally an active verb. 

Example:  a Source may point to an intrusive igneous rock unit.  In this case, the Target would point to the appropriate host rock body and the relationship attribute would be ‘intrudes’.  Other appropriate relationship attributes might include: overlies, offsets, crosscuts, folds, etc.

Many other types of relationships can also be accommodated via GeologicRelation, for example, topological relations could be described where they are geologically significant.

Figure 34 — Generic geologic feature relation

8.5.1.3.  MaterialRelation

The MaterialRelation class describes the relationships between constituent parts in an EarthMaterial (e.g. A mineral overgrowth on a phenocryst within a granite). 

Example:  Consider an overgrowth of albite on plagioclase in a granite. The Source would originate with the albite constituentPart description.  In this case, the Target would point to the plagioclase constituentPart description and the relationship attribute would be ‘overgrowth’ and the sourceRole is ‘overgrows’.  Other appropriate role attributes might include: crosscuts, replaces, etc. for crosscutting and replacement relationships.  Inverse relationships must be explicitly recorded.

Figure 35 — Material relation context diagram

8.5.2.1.  AlterationDescription

Figure 37 — Alteration description context diagram

AlterationDescription describes aspects of a geologic unit or earth material that are the result of bulk chemical, mineralogical or physical changes related to change in the physical or chemical environment. It includes weathering, supergene alteration, hydrothermal alteration and metasomatic effects not considered metamorphic. For example, a soil profile description would have to be constructed as a GeologicUnit (geologicUnitType = PedologicUnit) with unit parts representing the various horizons in the profile.  Thickness of a weathering profile can be delivered as unitThickness of a GeologicUnit of geologicUnitType equal to “AlterationUnit” (Figure 38).

Figure 38 — Example of a weathering profile

An example encoding of an altered geologic unit from Drewes [3] is shown in Figure 39.

Figure 39 — Example of describing alteration halo from Drewes [3].

8.5.2.2.  ChemicalComposition

ChemicalComposition is a kind of EarthMaterialDescription that delivers the chemical composition of a geological unit or earth material, as a list of element or oxide concentrations.

Figure 40 — Chemical composition context diagram

8.5.2.3.  CompoundMaterialDescription

The CompoundMaterialDescription class is a kind of EarthMaterialDescription that provides an extended description of a compound earth material (i.e., rocks and unconsolidated solid earth materials).

Figure 41 — Compound material description context diagram

8.5.2.4.  ParticleGeometryDescription

ParticleGeometryDescription describes particles in a CompoundMaterial independent of their relationship to each other or their orientation. It is distinguished from Fabric in that the ParticleGeometryDescription remains constant if the material is disaggregated into its constituent particles, whereas Fabric is lost if the material is disaggregated.  Properties include the particle size (grainsize), particle sorting (size distribution, e.g., well sorted, poorly sorted, bimodal sorting), particle shape (surface rounding or crystal face development, e.g., well rounded, euhedral, anhedral), and particle aspect ratio (e.g., elongated, platy, bladed, compact, acicular).

Figure 42 — ParticleGeometry context diagram

8.5.2.5.  ConstituentPart

Figure 43 — ConstituentPart context diagram

The ConstituentPart class describes how Earth materials may be made up of other Earth materials, including the proportion of the constituent part in the whole (e.g., 20%, minor, dominant); and the role that the constituent plays in the whole (e.g., matrix, groundmass, framework, phenocryst, xenolith, vein).

The distinction between “role” and “particleType” is subtle.  An operational test is that particleType may be determined independent of relationship between particles in the aggregation, whereas role requires consideration of the relationship to other particles. A particle may be identified as a clast, independent of its material composition, and independent of its relationship to other grains in a rock. The term ‘floating clast’ is a role, because it is dependent on the relationship ‘not in contact with other clasts’. Readers should consider Dunham’s textural classification of carbonate rocks (wackestone, packstone, grainstone, etc.) in the description of carbonate rocks [4]. The description is predicated on identification of two kinds of intraclasts (grains) and matrix (carbonate mud), and then uses this distinction to establish relationships–mud supported vs. grain supported – that define roles for the two types of constituents (framework, matrix…).

8.5.2.6.  FabricDescription

The FabricDescription data type describes all types of fabrics associated with a CompoundMaterial (i.e., tectonic, metamorphic, sedimentary, igneous fabrics or textures).  It denotes a pattern, defined by one or more CompoundMaterial constituents, that is present throughout a rock body when considered at some scale.  FabricDescription is defined based on the average configuration of many constituents.  Penetrative fabric denotes that these constituents are distributed throughout the rock volume at the scale of observation [15], and are repeated at distances that are small relative to the scale of the whole, such that they can be considered to pervade the whole uniformly ([19] p. 21-24; [7] p. 73; [10],[15]).

FabricDescription is distinguished from ParticleGeometry based on the criteria that particle geometry is preserved if a CompoundMaterial is disaggregated, while FabricDescription is not defined if the material is disaggregated.

Figure 44 — Fabric description context diagram

8.5.2.7.  InorganicFluid

An inorganic fluid is a non-crystalline EarthMaterial (solid, liquid, or gas) that tends to flow or conform to the shape of its container (examples: water, brine, glass)..  By convention liquid mercury is considered a mineral.   This class is an empty placeholder for extension at a later date, or by other domain models.

Figure 45 — Inorganic fluid context diagram

8.5.2.8.  MetamorphicDescription

The data type MetamorphicDescription describes the character of metamorphism applied to a CompoundMaterial or GeologicUnit using one or more properties including estimated intensity (grade; e.g. high grade, low grade), characteristic metamorphic mineral assemblages (facies; e.g., greenschist, amphibolite), peak P-T estimates, and protolith material if known.  A MetamorphicDescription provides a link to the GeologicEvent associated to the metamorphic event.

Figure 46 — Metamorphic description context diagram

8.5.2.9.  OrganicMaterial

OrganicMaterial is an EarthMaterial that belongs to the class of chemical compounds having a reduced carbon basis (as distinct from carbonates), and derived from living organisms. It includes high-carbon EarthMaterials such as bitumen, peat, and coal.  This class is an empty placeholder for extension at a later date, or by other domain models.

Figure 47 — Organic material context diagram

8.5.2.10.  Organism

Organism is a broad class to represent any living or once living things. This is the connection to taxonomy/biology for fossils.  This class is an empty placeholder for extension at a later date, or by other domain models.

Figure 48 — Organism context diagram

8.5.2.11.  PhysicalDescription

PhysicalDescription is a class that describes the numeric physical properties of a geologic unit (GeologicUnit 8.4.1.3), earth material (EarthMaterial 8.4.1.6), or geologic structure (GeologicStructure 8.4.3.1). (e.g., density, porosity, magnetic susceptibility, remanent magnetism).  These properties are modelled here as scalar numeric values (SWE::Quantity).

Vector and tensor physical properties are considered to be more applicable to located observations and should be delivered as OM_Observations with associated geologic unit or geologic structure features.  Since PhysicalProperty can be an arbitrary property, it satisfies the requirements of clause 7.2.2.8 or OGC 10-004r3 that states that “The observed property shall be a phenomenon associated with the feature-of-interest.”, and hence any GeologicUnit, GeologicStructure are valid features of interest for any OM_Observation.

Figure 49 — Physical description context diagram

8.5.2.12.  RockMaterialDescription

RockMaterialDescription provides extended description of RockMaterial.

Figure 50 — Rock material description context diagram

8.5.3.1.  olderGeochronologicEra

The olderGeochronologicalEra property is an association between a GeologicEventDescription and a GeochronologicEra that corresponds to the older estimated age of a geologic feature.

8.5.3.2.  youngerGeochronologicEra

The youngerGeochronologicEra property is an association between a GeologicEventDescription and a GeochronologicEra that corresponds to the younger estimated age of a geologic feature.

8.5.4.1.  ContactDescription

The ContactDescription provides extended descriptive properties of a geologic contact.  If the contact type is ChronostratigraphicBoundary, it can be associated with a geochronologic (i.e., time zone) boundary that may correlate with it.

Figure 53 — ContactDescription context diagram

8.5.4.2.  DisplacementEvent

A displacement event is a description of the age, environment and process of a shear displacement event.

Figure 54 — DisplacementEvent context diagram

8.5.4.3.  Layering

A planar foliation is defined by a tabular succession of layers > 5 mm thick. This definition is based on the proposed definition of gneiss by the NADM Science Language Technical Team [13].  The GeologicStructure characteristic of gneiss is layering.

Figure 55 — Layering context diagram

8.5.4.3.2.  DisplacementValue

A displacement value expresses the displacement on a fault with respect to a planar approximation of its shape.

 

Figure 56 — Displacement value subtypes context diagram

8.5.4.4.  SeparationValue

SeparationValue is a kind of DisplacementValue that describes the amount of separation displacement across a structure.

8.5.4.5.  NetSlipValue

NetSlipValue is a kind of DisplacementValue that describes the total amount of slip displacement along a structure.

8.5.4.6.  SlipComponents

SlipComponents is a kind of DisplacementValue that is a representation of slip as a vector resolved into components within a reference frame in which horizontal axes are parallel and perpendicular to the strike of the fault.  At least one of heave, horizontalSlip, or throw must not be null.

8.5.4.7.  FoldDescription

FoldDescription is an extended descriptive property of a fold structure.

Figure 57 — FoldDescription context diagram.

8.5.4.8.  FoldSystem

A FoldSystem is a collection of congruent folds (axis and axial surface are parallel) produced by the same tectonic event. It is sometimes referred to as a “fold train”.

Figure 58 — FoldSystem context diagram

8.5.4.9.  FoliationDescription

FoliationDescription provides extended descriptive properties for a foliation structure.

Figure 59 — FoliationDescription context diagram

8.5.4.10.  ShearDisplacementStructureDescription

ShearDisplacementStructureDescription provides extended descriptive properties of a shear displacement structure (i.e., fault or shear) defined in 8.4.3.5 by extending the abstract property block ShearDisplacementStructureAbstractDescription.

Figure 60 — ShearDisplacementStructureDescription context diagram

8.5.5.1.  GeologicUnitDescription

GeologicUnitDescription provides for extended description of the characteristics of a geologic unit (8.4.1.3).

8.5.5.2.  BeddingDescription

BeddingDescription provides a detailed description of the bedding characteristics of a geologic unit.

8.6.1.1.  StratigraphicPoint

A point in the stratigraphic record used to define a geochronologic boundary or point in geologic time.

Figure 65 — Stratigraphic points context diagram

8.6.1.2.  GlobalStratotypePoint

A type of stratigraphic point used to define a globally agreed point in geologic time.  This class does not have any properties beyond those inherited from StratigraphicPoint.

8.6.1.3.  StratigraphicSection

A sampled section of the stratigraphic record used to define a period in geologic time.

Figure 66 — Stratigraphic sections context diagram

8.6.2.1.  TimeOrdinalReferenceSystem

TimeOrdinalReferenceSystem is a time reference system comprised of an ordered set of time periods (time ordinal eras).

8.6.2.2.  TimeOrdinalEra

TimeOrdinalEra is a period of time between two time boundaries.  The association of an era with a stratotype is optional.  In the GSSP approach recommended by ICS for the Global Geologic Timescale, Unit Stratotypes are not used.  Rather, the association of an era with geologic units and sections is indirect, via the association of an era with boundaries, which are in turn tied to stratotype points, which occur within host stratotype sections.  TimeOrdinalEra can be composed of other eras and organized into an arbitrarily nested tree.

8.6.2.3.  TimeOrdinalEraBoundary

A TimeOrdinalEraBoundary is a point in Earth’s history which bounds a TimeOrdinalEra.

8.6.3.1.  GeologicTimeScale

The classic “Geologic Timescale” (link:http://www.stratigraphy.org/index.php/ics-chart-timescalehttp://www.stratigraphy.org/index.php/ics-chart-timescale]) comprising an ordered, hierarchical set of named “eras” is an example of an Ordinal Temporal Reference System. It may be calibrated with reference to a numeric Temporal Coordinate System, but is, in principle, defined independently.

8.6.3.2.  GeochronologicEra

A GeochronologicEra is a period of time between two GeochronologicBoundaries. The association of a GeochronologicEra with a stratotype is optional.  In the GSSP approach recommended by ICS for the Global Geologic Timescale, Unit Stratotypes are not used.  Rather, the association of an era with geologic units and sections is indirect, via the association of an era with boundaries, which are in turn tied to stratotype points, which occur within host stratotype sections.

Figure 69 — GeochronologicEra context diagram

8.6.3.3.  GeochronologicBoundary

A GeochronologicBoundary is a boundary between two geochronologic time periods.

Figure 70 — GeochronologicBoundary context diagram

8.6.3.3.1.  stratotype

The property stratotype is an association between a GeochronologicBoundary and a StratigraphicPoint that are associated with the boundary. A GeochronologicBoundary can be associated with more than one StratigraphicPoints, but only one may have GSSP ratified status. The others are proposed equivalents.

Example:

 

Figure 71 — Partial encoding of Miocene instance diagram

8.6.3.4.  NumericEraBoundary

NumericEraBoundary is used for pre-Ediacaran and Pleistocene / Holocene boundaries in the standard timescale where boundaries are not defined by a material reference but as numerical values.

Figure 72 — NumericEraBoundary context diagram

8.6.3.5.  StandardGlobalNumericalAge

A standard numeric age point (a numeric analogue to a ‘golden spike’) is applicable to the formal subdivision of the Precambrian, and perhaps the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary ([23]; link:http://www.stratigraphy.org/index.php/ics-chart-timescalehttp://www.stratigraphy.org/index.php/ics-chart-timescale]).  The boundary is not defined from a physical stratotype, although it can be influence by some, but placed at a convenient numerical value.

8.7.1.1.  Borehole

A Borehole is the generalized term for any narrow shaft drilled in the ground, either vertically, horizontally, or inclined.

8.7.1.2.  DrillingDetails

DrillingDetails is a class that captures the description of drilling methods and hole diameters down the drilling path.  Properties that apply to the Borehole as a whole are managed in BoreholeDetails (8.7.1.4).

Figure 76 — Drilling details

8.7.1.3.  BoreholeInterval

A BoreholeInterval is similar to a MappedFeature (8.4.1.2) whose shape is 1-D interval and uses the SRS of the containing borehole.  The “mappedIntervalBegin” and “mappedIntervalEnd” properties are alternative to the 1D geometry to overcome problems with the delivery and ease of queryability of 1D GML shapes.

Figure 77 — Borehole interval context diagram

8.7.1.3.7.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object is a 1-D interval (e.g., a “from” and “to”, or “top” and “base” measurement) covering the same distance as mappedIntervalBegin and mappedIntervalEnd.  The geometry shall use a reference to the borehole as the CRS of the containing borehole.

Encoding of an interval within the borehole using GEO::GM_LineString shall consist of two 1D points only (the start and end point of the interval, measured as distance from the borehole collar), with CRS corresponding to the borehole shape.

Requirement 28
Identifier	/req/gsml-borehole/interval-1D
Included in	Requirements class 7: https://www.opengis.net/spec/geosciml-part1/5.0/req/gsml-borehole
A	Interval SHALL be encoded with GM_LineString with two 1D points.

Requirement 29
Identifier	/req/gsml-borehole/interval-1D-CRS
Included in	Requirements class 7: https://www.opengis.net/spec/geosciml-part1/5.0/req/gsml-borehole
A	Coordinate Reference System of interval geometries SHALL use the borehole geometry.

Instance example for Klčovo and Lastomir Formation adapted from Túnyi [18]:

 

Figure 78 — Top part of Figure 2 from Túnyi [18]

Figure 79 shows an encoding of the first lithostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic units from Figure 78 showing how the collection identifiers group BoreholeIntervals into two groups.

 

Figure 79 — Encoding of a borehole with two distinct logs (collectionIdentifier).

8.7.1.4.  BoreholeDetails

BoreholeDetails describes borehole-specific index data, often termed “header information”. It contains metadata about the parties involved in the drilling, the storage of drilled material and other information relevant to the borehole as a whole.  Properties that may vary along the borehole path are managed in DrillingDetails (8.7.1.2).

Figure 80 — Borehole details context diagram

8.7.1.5.  OriginPosition

A borehole OriginPosition is a feature corresponding to the start point of a borehole log.  This may correspond to the borehole collar location (e.g., kelly bush).

Figure 81 — Origin position context diagram

If a text description of the location is available, it should be reported in the description property, inherited from GM:GFI_Feature. 

8.8.1.1.  SF_SamplingFeature::sampledFeature

The “sampledFeature” association links the OM::SF_SamplingFeature to the feature which the sampling feature was designed to sample. The target of this association shall not be a sampling feature. It is shall a real-world feature from an application domain.

8.8.1.2.  OM_Observation::resultQuality

OM::OM_Observation::resultQuality::DQ_QuantitativeAttributeAccuracy attribute shall be used to represent analytical errors and detection limits for each analytical measurement.

At least “nameOfMeasure” and “result” shall be used when delivering om:resultQuality. 

Figure 83 — DQ_Element from ISO19115:2003

The CharacterString in “nameOfMeasure” should be a term from a controlled vocabulary.

8.8.1.3.  OM_Observation::parameter

Analytical methods are very varied and a single model cannot capture all the intricacies of all methods used in geoscience.  Communities that need to report specific parameters that are not covered by this specification can use NamedParameter.

Figure 84 — Laboratory analysis summary diagram

8.8.1.4.  AnalyticalInstrument

The analytical instrument is the category of instrument used to perform an analytical measurement or observation.

Figure 85 — Analytical instrument context diagram

8.8.1.5.  AnalyticalSession

This feature type describes the time and operator of a particular laboratory analytical session. AnalyticalSession also has associated links to the type of instrument and analytical method used, processing steps applied to data collected during a session, and instrument parameters unique to that session.

Figure 86 — Analytical session context diagram

8.8.1.6.  AnalyticalProcess

An analytical process is a concrete implementation of OM::OM_Process and describes the steps and methods used in an analytical session.  It links to an analytical session (data acquisition) or a computational process which produce analytical results.

Figure 87 — Analytical process

8.8.1.7.  AnalyticalMethod

The AnalyticalMethod provides the name, and published citation, of the analytical method used in an analytical session.

Figure 88 — Analytical method

8.8.1.8.  Image

The Image feature type is used to describe images of sampling features, for example, photographs of ion microprobe grain mounts.

Figure 89 — Image

When the image is available online, the identifier of the image, a HTTP URI, should point to one or more representation of that image.

The samplingMethod (inherited from OM::SF_SamplingFeature) value for an image should be an identifier for a camera.

8.8.2.1.  GeochronologicInterpretation

A GeochronologicInterpretation is an interpretation made by a geologist of the age of a specimen made by statistical analysis of a collection of observations.  A geologic specimen may have multiple geochronological interpretations made on it, each related to a different observation/result collection.

Figure 91 — Geochronologic interpretation context diagram

8.8.3.1.  ReferenceSpecimen

A reference specimen is a specimen with known or accepted values of some property.  The citation property describes the location of a published description of these values.  Reference specimens include analytical blanks.  ReferenceSpecimens are used in quality control procedures to assess method reproducibility.

Analytical results from a reference specimen analysed during an AnalyticalSession are delivered in the same way as the results of other specimens analysed in that session.

Figure 93 — Reference specimen context diagram

8.8.3.2.  GeologicSpecimenPreparation

GeologicSpecimenPreparation is an extension of ISO Specimen::preparationStep to allow details of preparation steps to be delivered (e.g., filtration and mesh size, chemical additives, crushing methods, drying parameters, etc.).

Figure 94 — Geologic specimen preparation context diagram

8.8.3.3.  GeologicSamplingMethod

GeologicSamplingMethod is an implementation of OM::SF_Process to describe the method used to obtain a geologic specimen.

Examples include:

Figure 95 — Geologic sampling method

8.9.2.1.  Geometry type

A dataset (for example, a GML document or a GeoJSON instance or an ESRI shapefile) SHALL use a single geometry type. Most GIS applications and software which render a dataset containing geometry do not expect mixed geometries.

8.9.2.2.  String properties

String properties SHALL provide information easily readable by human.  The intent of string field is to display, not to query. The string properties can be translated according to the language of the user as needed while URI properties should not.

8.9.2.3.  Formal Syntax

Some string properties can be constructed using formal syntax, such as comma delimited list or any other text based structure (JSON for example).  Where possible, this syntax SHOULD be formalised in a profile of this specification.

8.9.2.4.  Date and Time formatting

All dates and times, excluding geological ages, shall be formatted using ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD).  When a time must be specified, time zone shall be provided.

Examples:

8.9.2.5.  URI

Properties which names end with “_uri” shall contain a single absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

Properties containing a URI should, unless stated otherwise, resolve following Linked Open Data principles.

Although many vocabulary terms are defined as URI, not all URIs are actually supported by a formal Linked Open Data infrastructure.   URIs are just a convenient mechanism to build unique vocabulary identifiers.  Note that in some situations, some “_uri” properties might require that the URI SHALL resolve to some valid content.  Those cases will be explicitly stated. Some community might create a profile of this requirements class and add more constraints, such as mandatory resolution of the URI to one or more resources and impose mandatory mime-types (GeoSciML/XML or GeoSciML/GeoJSON).

Figure 99 — GeoSciML Lite feature types

Figure 99 shows the seven Lite feature types specified by GeoSciML 4.1.  Each feature type is equivalent to a layer in a GIS or a Web Map Service. 

8.9.2.6.  User defined properties

New properties added by the data provider shall keep the feature conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.  For example, no duplicate property names, nor extra geometry properties.

8.9.2.7.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString shall uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset.

Identifiers shall be formatted as URI according to RFC 3986.  This URI could be used to access more detailed, such as a GeoSciML Basic, representation of the feature.

8.9.3.1.  Mapping

Table 9 — Mapping of GeologicUnitView properties to the GeoSciML data model

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.3.2.  identifier

The identifier should have the same value as the corresponding GeoSciML MappedFeature identifier, if available.

8.9.3.3.  name

If present, the property name:Primitive::CharacterString is a display name for the GeologicUnit.

8.9.3.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString is a description of the GeologicUnit, typically taken from an entry on a geological map legend.

8.9.3.5.  geologicUnitType

If present, the property geologicUnitType (Primitive::CharacterString) contains the type of GeologicUnit (as defined in GeoSciML). To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, geologicUnitType_uri shall be used.

8.9.3.6.  rank

If present, the property rank:Primitive::CharacterString contain the rank of GeologicUnit (as defined by ISC. e.g., group, formation, member). 

8.9.3.7.  lithology

If present, lithology contains a human readable description as Primitive::CharacterString of the GeologicUnit’s lithology, possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3).  The description can be language-dependent.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, representativeLithology_uri shall be used.

8.9.3.8.  geologicHistory

If present, contains a human readable description in Primitive::CharacterString, possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3), of the age of the GeologicUnit (where age is a sequence of events and may include process and environment information). To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, representativeAge_uri, representativeOlderAge_uri, representativeYoungerAge_uri shall be used.

8.9.3.9.  numericOlderAge

If present, the property numericOlderAge age is a numerical representation (Primitive::Number) of the unit’s older age in million years (Ma).

8.9.3.10.  numericYoungerAge

If present, the property numericYoungerAge is a numerical representation (Primitive::Number) of the unit’s younger age in million years (Ma).

8.9.3.11.  observationMethod

If present, the property observationMethod:Primitive::CharacterString is a metadata snippet indicating how the spatial extent of the feature was determined. ObservationMethod is a convenience property that provides a simple approach to observation metadata when data are reported using a feature view (as opposed to observation view).

8.9.3.12.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionalAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString is a quantitative value (a numerical value and a unit of length) defining the radius of an uncertainty buffer around a MappedFeature (e.g., a positionalAccuracy of 100 m for a line feature defines a buffer polygon of total width 200 m centred on the line).

8.9.3.13.  source

If present, the property source:Primitive::CharacterString is human readable text describing feature-specific details and citations to source materials, and if available provides URLs to reference material and publications describing the geologic feature. This could be a short text synopsis of key information that would also be in the metadata record referenced by metadata_uri.

8.9.3.14.  geologicUnitType_uri

The property geologicUnitType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the GeologicUnit types.

8.9.3.15.  representativeLithology_uri

The property representativeLithology_uri:Primitive::CharacterString shall contain a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the characteristic or representative lithology of the unit. This may be a concept that defines the super-type of all lithology values present within a GeologicUnit or a concept defining the lithology of the dominant CompositionPart (as defined in GeoSciML) of the unit.

8.9.3.16.  representativeAge_uri

The property representativeAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString shall  contain a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative stratigraphic age interval for the GeologicUnit. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising the all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.3.17.  representativeOlderAge_uri

The property representativeOlderAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString shall contain a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative older value in a range of stratigraphic age intervals for the GeologicUnit. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising the all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.3.18.  representativeYoungerAge_uri

The property representativeYoungerAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString shall contain a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative younger value in a range of stratigraphic age intervals for the GeologicUnit. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising the all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.3.19.  specification_uri

If present, the property specification_uri:Primitive::CharacterString shall contain a URI referring the GeoSciML GeologicUnit feature that describes the instance in detail.

8.9.3.20.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a metadata record describing the provenance of data.

8.9.3.21.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the property genericSymbolizer:CharacterString contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.3.22.  shape

The property shape:GEO::GM_Object contains a geometry defining the extent of the feature of interest. 

8.9.3.23.  any

A data provider may add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.4.1.  Mapping

Table 10 — Mapping of BoreholeView properties to the GeoSciML Borehole data model

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML,  data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.4.2.  identifier

The identifier:Primitive::CharacterString property shall contain a unique identifier for this borehole and be should formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

8.9.4.3.  name

If present, the property name:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human-readable display name for the borehole.

8.9.4.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human-readable description for the borehole. 

8.9.4.5.  purpose

If present, the purpose:Primitive::CharacterString property reports the purpose or purposes for which the borehole was drilled. (e.g., mineral exploration, hydrocarbon exploration, hydrocarbon production, groundwater monitoring, geothermal), possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3).

8.9.4.6.  status

If present, the property status:Primitive::CharacterString reports the current status of the borehole (e.g., abandoned, completed, proposed, suspended).

8.9.4.7.  drillingMethod

If present, the property drillingMethod:Primitive::CharacterString indicates the drilling method, or methods, used for this borehole (e.g., RAB, auger, diamond core drilling, air core drilling, piston), possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3).

8.9.4.8.  operator

If present, the property operator:Primitive::CharacterString reports the organisation or agency responsible for commissioning of the borehole (as opposed to the agency which drilled the borehole).

8.9.4.9.  driller

If present, the property driller:Primitive::CharacterString reports the organisation responsible for drilling the borehole (as opposed to commissioning the borehole).

8.9.4.10.  drillStartDate

If present, the property drillStartDate:Primitive::CharacterString reports the date of the start of drilling formatted according to ISO8601 (e.g., 2012-03-17).

8.9.4.11.  drillEndDate

If present, the property drillEndData:Primitive::CharacterString reports the date of the end of drilling formatted according to ISO8601 (e.g., 2012-03-28).

8.9.4.12.  startPoint

If present, the property startPoint:Primitive::CharacterString indicates the position relative to the ground surface where the borehole commenced (e.g., open pit floor or wall, underground, natural land surface, sea floor).

8.9.4.13.  inclinationType

If present, the property inclinationType:Primitive::CharacterString indicates the type of inclination of the borehole (e.g., vertical, inclined up, inclined down, horizontal).

8.9.4.14.  boreholeMaterialCustodian

If present, the property boreholeMaterialCustodian:Primitive::CharacterString reports the organisation that is the custodian of the material recovered from the borehole.

8.9.4.15.  boreholeLength_m

If present, the property boreholeLength_m:Primitive::Number reports the length of a borehole, in metres, as determined by the data provider. Length may have different sources (e.g., driller’s measurement, logger’s measurement, survey measurement).

8.9.4.16.  elevation_m

If present, the property elevation_m:Primitive::Number reports the elevation data, in metres, for the borehole (i.e., wellbore) start point. This is a compromise approach to allow for delivery of legacy 2D data without elevation data, and for software that cannot process a 3D GM_Point.

8.9.4.17.  elevation_srs

If present, the property elevation_srs:Primitive::CharacterString is a URI of a spatial reference system of the elevation value. (e.g., mean sea level). Mandatory if elevation_m is populated. The SRS shall be a one dimensional vertical SRS (i.e., EPSG code in the range 5600-5799).

Example: https://epsg.org/crs/gml/id/5711

8.9.4.18.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionalAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString reports an estimate of the accuracy of the location of the borehole collar location.  Ideally, this would be a quantitative estimate of accuracy (e.g., 20 metres).

8.9.4.19.  source

If present, the source:Primitive::CharacterString property describes details and citations to source materials for the borehole and, if available, providing URLs to reference material and publications describing the borehole. This could be a short text synopsis of key information that would also be in the metadata record referenced by metadata_uri.

8.9.4.20.  parentBorehole_uri

When present, the parentBorehole_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to one or more representations of a parent borehole (e.g., a parent well of a sidetrack wellbore).

If the borehole does not have any parent, this field shall be empty.

8.9.4.21.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a metadata record describing the provenance of data.

8.9.4.22.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the property genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.4.23.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains a Geometry defining the extent of the borehole start point.

8.9.4.24.  any

A data provider may add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.5.1.  Mapping

Table 11 — Mapping of ContactView properties to the GeoSciML data model

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.5.2.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString shall uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset and be formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

It should have the same value as the corresponding GeoSciML MappedFeature identifier if available.

8.9.5.3.  name

If present, the property name:Primitive::CharacterString reports the display name for the Contact.

8.9.5.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString reports the description of the Contact, typically taken from an entry on a geological map legend.

8.9.5.5.  contactType

If present, the property contactType:Primitive::CharacterString reports the type of Contact (as defined in GeoSciML) as a human readable label.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, contactType_uri shall be used.

8.9.5.6.  observationMethod

If present, the property observationMethod:Primitive::CharacterString reports a metadata snippet indicating how the spatial extent of the feature was determined. ObservationMethod is a convenience property that provides a quick and simple approach to observation metadata when data are reported using a feature view (as opposed to observation view).

8.9.5.7.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionalAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString reports quantitative values defining the radius of an uncertainty buffer around a MappedFeature (e.g., a positionalAccuracy of 100 m for a line feature defines a buffer polygon of total width 200 m centred on the line).

8.9.5.8.  source

If present, the property source:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text describing feature-specific details and citations to source materials, and if available providing URLs to reference material and publications describing the contact feature. This could be a short text synopsis of key information that would also be in the metadata record referenced by metadata_uri.

8.9.5.9.  contactType_uri

The property contactType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString reports a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the Contact types.

8.9.5.10.  specification_uri

If present, the property specification_uri:Primitive::CharacterString reports a URI referring the GeoSciML Contact feature that describes the instance in detail. 

8.9.5.11.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString reports a URI referring to a metadata record describing the provenance of data.

8.9.5.12.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString property contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.5.13.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains a geometry defining the extent of the contact feature.

8.9.5.14.  any

A data provider can add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.6.1.  Mapping

Table 12 — Mapping of GeologicSpecimenView properties to Observations and Measurements

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.6.2.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset and be formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

If present, the URI should resolve to a representation that corresponds to an instance of GeoSciML GeologicSpecimen.

8.9.6.3.  label

If present, the property label:Primitive::CharacterString contains a short label for map display. (e.g., a sample number).

8.9.6.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString contains a detailed description of the specimen.

8.9.6.5.  specimenType

If present, the property specimentType:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable description of the specimen type (e.g., hand specimen, thin section, drill core).  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, specimenType_uri shall be used.

8.9.6.6.  materialClass

If present, the property materialClass:Primitive::CharacterString reports the classification of the material that comprises the specimen (e.g., rock, sediment, etc.).  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, materialClass_uri shall be used.

8.9.6.7.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionalAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString contains a description of the positional accuracy of the sampling location. (e.g., 50 metres).

8.9.6.8.  samplingTime

If present, the property samplingTime:Primitive::CharacterString reports a date or a date with time of when the specimen was collected formatted according to ISO 8601.

Examples:

8.9.6.9.  samplingMethod

If present, the property samplingMethod:Primitive::CharacterString reports the method used to collect the specimen (e.g., diamond drilling, field mapping survey).

8.9.6.10.  currentLocation

If present, the property currentLocation:Primitive::CharacterString reports the current location of the specimen (e.g., a warehouse or other repository location).

8.9.6.11.  source

If present, the property source:Primitive::CharacterString reports the citation of the source of the data (e.g., a publication, map, etc.).

8.9.6.12.  specimenType_uri

The property specimentType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI link for a specimen type identifier from a controlled vocabulary.

8.9.6.13.  materialClass_uri

The property materialClass_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI link for a class of material drawn from a controlled vocabulary.

8.9.6.14.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI link to a metadata document.

8.9.6.15.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString property contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.6.16.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains a geometry of the specimen (generally a point).

8.9.6.17.  any

A data provider can add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.7.1.  Mapping

Table 13 — Mapping of GeomporphologicUnitView properties to GeoSciML

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.7.2.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString shall uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset and be formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

If present, the URI should resolve to a representation that corresponds to an instance of GeoSciML MappedFeature.

8.9.7.3.  name

If present, the property name:Primitive::CharacterString contains a display name for the GeomorphologicUnit.

8.9.7.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString contains human readable text description of the GeomorphologicUnit, typically taken from an entry on a map legend.

8.9.7.5.  activity

If present, the property activity:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable term to specify if the feature is changing and how fast. E.g. active, dormant, stable.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, activity_uri shall be used.

8.9.7.6.  geomorphologicFeatureType

If present, the property geomorphologicFeatureType:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable term to specify a broad classification of landform. (e.g., anthropogenic, natural).  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, geomorphologicFeatureType_uri shall be used.

8.9.7.7.  unitType

If present, the property unitType:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable term for the type of GeomorphologicUnit (e.g., hill, crater, moraine, plain).  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, unitType_uri shall be used.

8.9.7.8.  lithology

If present, the property lithology:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text, possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3), for the description of the GeomorphologicUnit’s lithological composition.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, representativeLithology_uri shall be used.

8.9.7.9.  geologicHistory

If present, the property geologicHistory:Primitive::CharacterString contains text, possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3), for the description of the age of the GeomorphologicUnit (where age is a sequence of events and may include process and environment information).  To report identifier from a controlled vocabulary, representativeAge_uri shall be used.

8.9.7.10.  representativeNumericAge

If present, the property representativeNumericAge:Primitive::Number contains a numerical value of the representative age in million years (Ma).

8.9.7.11.  observationMethod

If present, the property observationMethod:Primitive::CharacterString contains a metadata snippet indicating how the spatial extent of the feature was determined. ObservationMethod is a convenience property that provides a quick approach to observation metadata when data are reported using a feature view (as opposed to observation view).

8.9.7.12.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString contains quantitative values defining the radius of an uncertainty buffer around a MappedFeature (e.g., a positionalAccuracy of 100 m for a line feature defines a buffer polygon of total width 200 m centred on the line).

8.9.7.13.  source

If present, the source:Primitive::CharacterString property contains text describing feature-specific details and citations to source materials, and if available providing URLs to reference material and publications describing the geologic feature. This could be a short text synopsis of key information that would also be in the metadata record referenced by metadata_uri.

8.9.7.14.  activity_uri

If present, the activity_uri:Primitive::CharacterString property reports a URI identifier of activity term drawn from a controlled vocabulary.

8.9.7.15.  geomorphologicFeatureType_uri

If present, the property geomorphologicFeatureType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString reports a URI identifier of landform term drawn from a controlled vocabulary.

8.9.7.16.  unitType_uri

If present, the property unitType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString reports a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the GeomorphologicUnit types.

8.9.7.17.  representativeLithology_uri

The property representativeLithology_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the characteristic or representative lithology of the unit. This may be a concept that defines the super-type of all lithology values present within a GeomorphologicUnit or a concept defining the lithology of the dominant CompositionPart (as defined in GeoSciML) of the unit.

8.9.7.18.  representativeAge_uri

The property representativeAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative stratigraphic age interval for the GeomorphologicUnit. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider. Typically geomorphic units are not assigned age ranges.

8.9.7.19.  specification_uri

If present, the property specification_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring the GeoSciML GeomorphologicUnit feature that describes the instance in detail.

8.9.7.20.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a metadata record describing the provenance of data.

8.9.7.21.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the property genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.7.22.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains a geometry defining the extent of the feature of interest. 

8.9.7.23.  any

A data provider can add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.8.1.  Mapping

Table 14 — Mapping of ShearDisplacementStructureView properties to GeoSciML

¹ In case where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

8.9.8.2.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString shall uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset and be formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

It should have the same value as the corresponding GeoSciML MappedFeature identifier if available.

8.9.8.3.  name

If present, the property name:Primitive::CharacterString contains a display name for the ShearDisplacementStructure.

8.9.8.4.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable text description of the ShearDisplacementStructure, typically taken from an entry on a geological map legend.

8.9.8.5.  faultType

If present, the property faultType:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable description of the type of ShearDisplacementStructure (as defined in GeoSciML).  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, faultType_uri shall be used.

8.9.8.6.  movementType

If present, the property movementType:Primitive::CharacterString contains a human readable summary of the type of movement (e.g. dip-slip, strike-slip) on the ShearDisplacementStructure.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, movementType_uri shall be used.

8.9.8.7.  deformationStyle

If present, the property deformationStyle:Primitive::CharacterString contain a human readable description of the style of deformation (e.g. brittle, ductile etc.) for the ShearDisplacementStructure.  To report an identifier from a controlled vocabulary, deformationStyle_uri shall be used.

8.9.8.8.  displacement

If present, the property displacement:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text summarising the displacement across the ShearDisplacementStructure.

8.9.8.9.  geologicHistory

If present, the property geologicHistory:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text, possibly formatted with formal syntax (see 8.9.2.3), describing the age of the ShearDisplacementStructure (where age is a sequence of events and may include process and environment information).  To report identifiers from a controlled vocabulary, representativeAge_uri, representativeOlderAge_uri and representativeYoungerAge_uri shall be used.

8.9.8.10.  numericOlderAge

If present, the property numericOlderAge:Primitive::Number reports the older age of the fault/shear structure, represented million years (Ma).

8.9.8.11.  numericYoungerAge

If present, the property numericYoungerAge:Primitive::Number reports the younger age of the fault/shear structure, represented million years (Ma).

8.9.8.12.  observationMethod

If present, the property observationMethod:Primitive::CharacterString contains a metadata snippet indicating how the spatial extent of the feature was determined. ObservationMethod is a convenience property that provides a quick and dirty approach to observation metadata when data are reported using a feature view (as opposed to observation view).

8.9.8.13.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString contains quantitative representation defining the radius of an uncertainty buffer around a MappedFeature (e.g., a positionalAccuracy of 100 m for a line feature defines a buffer polygon of total width 200 m centred on the line).

8.9.8.14.  source

If present, the property source:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text describing feature-specific details and citations to source materials, and if available providing URLs to reference material and publications describing the geologic feature. This could be a short text synopsis of key information that would also be in the metadata record referenced by metadata_uri.

8.9.8.15.  faultType_uri

The property faultType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the fault (ShearDisplacementStructure) type.

8.9.8.16.  movementType_uri

The property movementType_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the ShearDisplacementStructure movement type.

8.9.8.17.  deformationStyle_uri

The property deformationStyle_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept from a vocabulary defining the ShearDisplacementStructure deformation style.

8.9.8.18.  representativeAge_uri

The property representativeAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative stratigraphic age interval for the ShearDisplacementStructure. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.8.19.  representativeOlderAge_uri

The property representativeOlderAge_uri:Primitive:CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative lower value in a range of stratigraphic age intervals for the ShearDisplacementStructure. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.8.20.  representativeYoungerAge_uri

The property representativeYoungerAge_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a controlled concept specifying the most representative upper value in a range of stratigraphic age intervals for the ShearDisplacementStructure. This will be defined entirely at the discretion of the data provider and may be a single event selected from the geologic feature’s geological history or a value summarising all or part of the feature’s history.

8.9.8.21.  specification_uri

If present, the property specification_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring the GeoSciML ShearDisplacementStructure feature that describes the instance in detail.  

8.9.8.22.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI referring to a metadata record describing the provenance of data.

8.9.8.23.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the property genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString contains an identifier for a symbol from standard (locally or community defined) symbolization scheme for portrayal.

8.9.8.24.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains a geometry defining the extent of the feature of interest. 

8.9.8.25.  any

A data provider can add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.

8.9.9.1.  Mapping

Table 15 — Mapping of SiteObservationView properties to Observations & Measurements

¹ In cases where multiple values are delivered for these elements in GeoSciML, data providers should choose one, or merge, or concatenate values into a representative single value for use in GeoSciML Lite

² Use an appropriate human readable label for the vocabulary

³ Use a reference or an identifier that can be used to reach a representation.

⁴ Observations associated to a SF_SamplingFeature can report it although SF_SamplingFeature::relatedObservation:OM_Observation is not traversable in reverse, unless it is also the featureOfInterest

5 OM_Measurement::value type is any type and might or might not have a unit of measurement.  The property carrying depend of the result type.

8.9.9.2.  identifier

Globally unique identifier:Primitive::CharacterString shall uniquely identifies a tuple within the dataset and be formatted as an absolute URI conformant to RFC 3986.

The URI should resolve to an instance of OM_Observation.

8.9.9.3.  siteName

If present, the property siteName:Primitive::CharacterString contains the name of the sampling feature at this location (e.g. a station number, a borehole).

8.9.9.4.  observationName

If present, the property observationName:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text identifying the observation.

8.9.9.5.  label

If present, the property label:Primitive::CharacterString contains a short text string to associate with a symbol in a visualization/portrayal.

8.9.9.6.  description

If present, the property description:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text string providing descriptive information about the observation.

8.9.9.7.  featureOfInterest

If present, the property featureOfInterest:Primitive::CharacterString contains a description of the geologic feature that the observation is intended to characterize, e.g. foliation (observed property= orientation), a geologic unit (observed property = age, magnetic susceptibility, density, uranium content).  The property is equivalent to O&M OM_Observation::featureOfInterest. To report a URI of the feature of interest, featureOfInterest_uri shall be used.

8.9.9.8.  observedProperty

If present, the property observedProperty:Primitive::CharacterString contains a description of the property reported in this record. (E.g. orientation, age, density, gold content) as a human readable text. To report an identifier of the observedProperty from a controlled vocabulary, propertyType_uri shall be used.

8.9.9.9.  observedValue

If present, the property observedValue:Primitive::CharacterString contains the result of the observation. This field is implemented as a character string to allow reporting various type of values, the value may be numeric (e.g., 235) or textual (e.g., red).  Units of measure shall be reported in observedValueUom.

8.9.9.10.  observedValueUom

If relevant, the property observedValueUom:Primitive::CharacterString contains the unit of measure for a numerical value of an observation or measurement, preferably from a controlled vocabulary.

8.9.9.11.  observationMethod

If present, the observationMethod:Primitive::CharacterString property contains a method description, preferably a term from a controlled vocabulary, to categorize the observation method. Further details on procedure can be put in the source field.

8.9.9.12.  positionalAccuracy

If present, the property positionalAccuracy:Primitive::CharacterString provides an estimate of the position uncertainty for the site location. For numerical measurements, include a unit of measure in the description. (e.g., 50 metres, poor, good).

8.9.9.13.  source

If present, the property source:Primitive::CharacterString contains a text description of measurement procedure, processing, and provenance of data.

8.9.9.14.  featureOfInterest_uri

The property featureOfInterest:Primitive::CharacterString is functionally equivalent to OM_Observation::featureOfInterest of IS19156.  It contains a URI link to a representation of the feature of interest (e.g., a GeoSciML geologic unit or structure).

8.9.9.15.  propertyType_uri

The property propertyType_uri:Primitive:CharacterString is functionally equivalent to OM_Observation::observedProperty.  It contains a URI to a term from a controlled vocabulary of observed property types.

A property type shall identify a “phenomenon associated with the feature-of-interest.” (OGC 10-004r3, clause 7.2.2.8).  The Observations and Measurements specification (op. cit.) explains that a property type “may be, but need not be, modelled as a property (in the sense of the General Feature Model) in a formal application schema that defines the type of the feature-of-interest” or “Property-type definitions may be organized into a hierarchy or ontology and managed in a register and catalogued to support discovery functions.”

8.9.9.16.  metadata_uri

If present, the property metadata_uri:Primitive::CharacterString contains a URI link to metadata document.

8.9.9.17.  genericSymbolizer

If present, the property genericSymbolizer:Primitive::CharacterString contains an identifier for a symbol to portray this observation. Conventions for symbol identifiers can be adopted within information exchange communities.

8.9.9.18.  symbolRotation

If present, the symbolRotation:Integer property contains an integer value between 0 and 359 to specify rotation of symbol at this location, e.g. rotation of a geologic strike and dip symbol to reflect the strike azimuth.  The angular convention shall be geographic angle (clockwise with 0 at geographic north pole, therefore 90 degree is east).

8.9.9.19.  shape

The property shape:GM_Object contains the geometry of the observation site.

8.9.9.20.  any

A data provider can add an arbitrary number of extra properties, as long as the instance is conformant to GML Simple Feature Level 0.