Using standardised geoscience terminology via CGI-IUGS vocabularies Mark Rattenbury Chair, CGI-IUGS Geoscience Terminology Working Group www.cgi-iugs.org

What is standardised geoscience terminology? Lists of names and terms that describe earth features, properties, quantities, techniques and processes These lists are collaboratively agreed upon and widely accessible

Why have standardised geoscience terminology? To convey unambiguous meaning for greater understanding To translate terms across different languages To reduce confusion around synonymous terms To take advantage of natural hierarchies of terms To keep datasets current with latest agreed definitions

How does an outsider know this means Paleocene and not Paleozoic? Example from a NZ geological map dataset: geological map unit age expressed as text STRAT_AGE field for geological map units: Use International Geologic Time Scale (IGTS) units as abbreviated codes e.g. ‘lE, Ol, eMi’ signifies a unit formed between Late Eocene and Early Miocene. A search query for ‘Ol’ (Oligocene) will return this unit. How does an outsider know this means Paleocene and not Paleozoic?

[end of the Cretaceous is now 66.0 Ma] Example from a NZ geological map dataset: geological map unit age expressed numerically ABS_MIN and ABS_MAX default to upper bound and lower bound absolute age of applied IGTS time units in STRAT_AGE/AGE field. How do you keep up to date with the International Geological Timescale? [end of the Cretaceous is now 66.0 Ma]

You should retain your own terms and well as incorporating standards + GeoSciML age STRAT_AGE , AGE, ABS_MIN and ABS_MAX fields as for QMAP With the addition of key CGI fields and terms so that the dataset is GeoSciML Lite-compliant. You should retain your own terms and well as incorporating standards

CGI age terms The CGI timescale version replicates the authoritative source, the International Geological Timescale, which is only available as a PDF document or JPEG file! Note the CGI age is now out of date.

CGI-IUGS Geoscience Terminology Working Group Supports geoscience information interoperability through terminology development Develops and enables vocabularies for use in geoscience information systems Liaises with semantic interoperability groups in related communities Currently 26 members from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and USA Wider participation through other CGI working groups and OneGeology communications Three annual face-to-face meetings (St Petersburg, Tucson, Ispra) and through shared Google Group folders and email list

geology model development, OGC Standards Working Group GeoSciML geology model development, OGC Standards Working Group EarthResource ML mineral resource model development, CGI Working Group Geoscience Terminology Working Group: vocabulary development and update Multi-lingual versioning Other groups requiring semantic interoperability for geoscience themes

CGI age terms

Vocabularies driven by data interoperability requirements e. g Vocabularies driven by data interoperability requirements e.g. GeoSciML, ERML

Proposed and/or required classificationMethodUsedValue commodityCodeValue earthResourceExpressionValue earthResourceFormValue earthResourceMaterialRoleValue earthResourceShapeValue endusePotentialValue environmentalImpactValue explorationActivityTypeValue explorationResultValue geologicHistoryRelationshipTerm importanceValue linearDirectedCode mineralOccurrenceTypeValue mineStatusValue miningActivityTypeValue processingActivityTypeValue rawMaterialRoleValue reserveCategoryValue resourceCategoryValue samplingFrame UNFC_Value_2009 wasteStorageTypeValue alterationTypeTerm compositionCategory compoundMaterialConstituentPartRoleTerm consolidationDegree contactCharacter contactTypeTerm conventionCode descriptionPurpose determinationMethod eventEnvironment eventProcessTerm faultDeformationStyle faultMovementSenseTerm faultMovementTypeTerm faultTypeTerm featureObservationMethod foliationTypeTerm geneticCategory geologicalTimescale geologicUnitMorphology geologicUnitPartRoleTerm geologicUnitTypeTerm lineationTypeTerm lithologyConcept mappedFeatureObservationMethod metamorphicFacies metamorphicGrade orientationDeterminationMethod particleAspectRatio particleShape particleTypeTerm proportionTerm simpleLithologyTerm sorting stratigraphicRankTerm strikeDipMeasurementReportig valueQualifier vocabularyRelationTerm importanceSize mineralDepositType miningWasterType mineralDepositGroupValue In review Adopted (pre 2011) alterationDegree alterationDistribution analyticalMethodTerm anthropogenicGeomorphologicalFeatureTypeTerm associationType boundaryRelationshipTerm compositionPartRole continuity definingElement definingStructureRelationshipTerm deformationStyleTerm exposureColor extractionMethod foldProfileTypeTerm geneticModel geochronologicEraRank geologicSamplingMethodTerm geologicSpecimenPreprationTerm geologic unit lithology categories geomorphologicRelationshipTerm hingeLineCurvature hingeShape instrumentTypeTerm interLimbAngle limbShape materialRelationshipType nameOfMeasureTerm nonDirectionalStructureTypeTerm physicalPropertyTerm relationRoleTerm samplingFeatureRelation statisticalMethodTerm supergeneProcessType symmetry Adopted (since 2012) Proposed and/or required ageEvent ageSystem beddingPattern beddingStyle boreholeDrillingMethodCode boreholeInclinationCode boreholePurposeCode boreholeStartPointCode colour fabricTypeTerm foliationIntensity isotopicEventType isotopicSystemName lineationIntensity materialClass mineralDepositGroupValue mineralDepositTypeValue naturalGeomorphologicalFeatureTypeTerm outcropCharacter planarPolarityCode productValue regionalLithUnit samplingMethod specimenType Draft

commodityCode : human-readable spreadsheet

explorationActivityType : human-readable spreadsheet

explorationActivityType : machine-readable SKOS-encoded RDF file (Resource Description Framework XML)

http://resource. geosciml http://resource.geosciml.org/classifier/cgi/exploration-activity-type/regional-geochemistry Geoscience Australia are assuming server host responsibility any day now

Ultimately its about making spatial data understandable

multi-lingual hierarchical defined

Distributed servers using vocabularies in action

Distributed servers using vocabularies in action