Integration of potential-field and digital geologic data for two North American geoscience transects
Two North American contributions to the Global Geoscience Transects Program, the Quebec-Maine-Gulf of Maine transect and the Great Lakes portion of the United States-Canadian Border transect, are among the first to produce digital geology in a form that can be combined with gridded gravity and aeromagnetic data. Maps of shaded relief and color-composite bandpass-filtered potential-field data combined with overlays of digitized geologic contacts and faults reveal significant new geologic information, including the relative thickness of plutons, the structure of poorly exposed or concealed magnetic units, and possible evidence for mineralized ground. Mechanisms for capturing digital geology by use of scanners, commercial geographic information systems (GIS) software packages, and public-domain PC-based software packages are illustrated by examples from these two transects. The digital geology is combined with the potential field data by use of in-house raster-based image-processing software and commercial hardware. Geologic cross sections constructed along the transects may be tested and refined by using 2-D and 2.5-D magnetic- and gravity-modeling software. The integrated data sets ultimately allow construction of 3-D models of the crust within the transects.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1990 |
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Title | Integration of potential-field and digital geologic data for two North American geoscience transects |
DOI | 10.5408/0022-1368-38.4.330 |
Authors | J. D. Phillips |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Geological Education |
Index ID | 70016433 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |