Publishing 3d Geologic Data and Models on the World Wide Web Using Vrml

The development of the World Wide Web has revolutionised research and education in many scientific fields. Of particular interest to geo-scientists is the ability to link animated 3-dimensional (3D) models to Web documents, a facility that has arisen out of developments in the field of advanced computer graphics, computer animation and virtual reality. The use of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) standard to publish 3D geological data and models on the Web is described. Initial tests with a variety of data and models, taken from mineral deposit evaluation programmes and other mineral exploration applications, reveal several limitations to the current usage of VRML browsers. Difficulties of identifying position, orientation and scale, when viewing models with a VRML browser, are identified as key problems in communicating information in this form. In order to assist viewers of such models it is necessary to add additional information, such as a set of standard viewpoints with explanatory names, which provide extra navigational information to viewers. The animation features of VRML provide a means of adding additional information to existing 3D models. Initial tests used this feature to simulate the progress of a drilling campaign during the evaluation of a mineral deposit. Models can also be displayed in rotating, or automatic fly-through, modes in order to provide the viewer with a range of pre-defined viewpoints of a given model.