EarthVision

EarthVision®, by Dynamic Graphics, Inc., is a family of software applications used by earth scientists for geospatial analysis.

This software provides the capability to analyze the geometries and relationships of features in the earth's surface and subsurface, atmosphere, and oceans, as well as to model the distribution of properties therein. EarthVision is used extensively by oil and gas, environmental, and governmental organizations to solve complex problems.

For example, EarthVision is being used to: Reduce risks associated with the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in complex geologic settings, and communicate the impact of groundwater contaminant plumes to regulators and the general public.

EarthVision users can develop and integrate the following types of representational models from scattered data points:

• Surfaces (terrain, velocity, hydrologic)
• Property volumes (permeability, temperature, contaminants)
• Geologic structures (fault blocks, lithologic zones, normal and reverse faults

Data typically come from geographic surveys, well borings, or sampling wells. The models can be integrated with various types of data, such as site plans, aerial photographs, and well logs, to provide a comprehensive understanding of a project area. The data and models are viewed and manipulated interactively using graphics workstations.

EarthVision's analytical tools support spatial algebra among surface and volume models for such operations as coordinate transformations, derivative calculations, and volumetrics.

EarthVision generates various graphic representations of a user's spatial data and resultant models, including contour maps, cross sections, and 3-D shaded models.

EarthVision provides an intuitive working environment for the practicing earth scientist, enabling the integration of 2-D and 3-D data in an interactive computer environment.

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS

EarthVision is offered in modules that support surface, property, and geologic modeling and analysis. All modules are integrated under the same graphical user interface and are offered as a basic system with additional options available. This product packaging scheme enables customers to configure EarthVision Systems with specific functionality and provides the option of easily adding modules over time as requirements demand.

The various EarthVision modules are organized into these major configurations: Basic Systems are turnkey software packages containing primary application functionality integrated with a common file management system and graphical user interface. Options to Basic Systems are application-specific programs designed to enhance functionality offered in a Basic System. Options can be licensed at the same time as a Basic System, or added later. Companion Modules are programs that offer highly specialized functionality and augment the Basic Systems. These are licensed in addition to a system of any configuration.

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS: 2-D SURFACE MODELING

This module provides traditional computer mapping tools and is intended for generating and manipulating regular and faulted surfaces. Typical input data include formation tops and petrophysical property data from wells; interpreted fault information; time, velocity, and depth data from interpreted seismic surveys; topographic data from engineering surveys; and water table data from sampling wells. With this module, users can manipulate the modeled data and visualize the surface information in the form of base maps, contour maps, cross sections and fence diagrams.

The Data/Surface Viewer option for this module greatly enhances productivity by using 3-D technology to visualize 2-D data and resultant surfaces. The Data/Surface Viewer option requires 3-D graphics hardware.

• Graphical User Interface
• File Management System
• Scattered Data Input
• 2-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• Contour Mapping and Base Mapping with Surface Annotation
• Graphic Editing with Interactive Montage Creation
• Formula Processing

• Fence Displays
• Cross Sections
• 2-D Faulting
• Layer Volumetrics
• 2-D Trend Gridding
• Data/Surface Viewer
• Batch Option

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS: 3-D PROPERTY MODELING

This module is intended for use with property data that vary continuously in three-dimensional space, such as temperature or chemical concentrations. Data, defined by X, Y, Z coordinates with a property value at each point, are modeled into a display of the distribution and extent of the property. With the interactive 3-D Viewer, the user gains an immediate understanding unattainable through studying numeric data. Examples of typical models include: concentration levels of ground water contamination, temperature and salinity in oceans, and porosity levels in geologic structures. Resultant models are viewed interactively as shaded volumes on 3-D graphics workstations and on hardcopy output from color printers or plotters.

• Graphical User Interface
• File Management System
• Scattered Data Input
• 3-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• Graphic Editing with Interactive Montage Creation
• Formula Processing
• Property Volumetrics
• 3-D Trend Gridding
• 3-D Faces File Generation
• 3-D Single and Multiple Layer Processing
• Image Draping
• 3-D Viewer

• 3-D Conformal Gridding
• Geologic Structure Builder
• Batch Option

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS: 2-D SURFACE AND 3-D PROPERTY MODELING

This module provides for the logical integration of surfaces and volumes. The modeling of 2-D and 3-D data has broad applications in the characterization and remediation of environmental contaminants having terrain, subsurface, and atmospheric components. Data can be modeled to create 2-D "structure" maps and 3-D property volume displays. This module is being used for environmental risk assessment, understanding contaminant concentration levels in soil and groundwater, and describing subsurface geological and geophysical characteristics.

• Graphical User Interface
• File Management System
• Scattered Data Input
• 2-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• 3-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• Contour Mapping and Base Mapping with Surface Annotation
• Graphic Editing with Interactive Montage Creation
• Formula Processing
• Property Volumetrics
• 3-D Trend Gridding
• 3-D Faces File Generation
• 3-D Single and Multiple Layer Processing
• Image Draping
• 3-D Viewer

• Fence Displays
• Cross Sections
• 2-D Faulting
• Layer Volumetrics
• 2-D Trend Gridding
• 3-D Conformal Gridding
• Geologic Structure Builder
• Batch Option

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS: GEOLOGIC MODELING

This module integrates structural geologic surfaces and three-dimensional property models into a single geologic model. Models may be created for geology in both extensional and compressional settings. Special fault handling capabilities enable the use of both normal and reverse faults during model building. These capabilities enable the user to visualize and analyze the extent and distribution of geologic phenomena in a natural spatial context. An example is the modeling of a complex, highly faulted structure with stratigraphy defined in each of the fault blocks.

• Graphical User Interface
• File Management System
• Scattered Data Input
• 2-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• 3-D Minimum Tension Gridding
• Contour Mapping and Base Mapping with Surface Annotation
• Graphic Editing with Interactive Montage Creation
• Formula Processing
• Property Volumetrics
• 3-D Trend Gridding
• 3-D Faces File Generation
• 3-D Single and Multiple Layer Processing
• Image Draping
• 3-D Viewer
• 2-D Faulting
• 3-D Conformal Gridding
• Geologic Structure Builder

• Fence Displays
• Cross Sections
• Layer Volumetrics
• 2-D Trend Gridding
• Batch Option

EARTH VISION SYSTEMS: COMPANION MODULES

• Map Digitizing
• Geographic Coordinate Transformation
• Well Displays (cross sections, logs in 3-D Viewer, log panels)
• Slope Analysis (2-D Minimum Tension Gridding required)

EARTH VISION COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

Hardware

EarthVision is currently supported on UNIX workstations from Silicon Graphics®, Sun Microsystems®, International Business Machines, and Digital Equipment Corporation. The specific configurations for these platforms vary with each user's data and processing requirements. Graphics hardcopy availability varies between the 2-D and 3-D EarthVision modules. Pen and electrostatic plotters are supported for 2-D graphics. For 3-D graphics, color thermal printers and dye sublimation printers can be used to capture screen images.

Software

EarthVision is offered in standard and extended data set size versions. The following table describes the limits for input data and resultant models:

EarthVision is written in C and FORTRAN. The graphical user interface is written in Motif(TM).

EarthVision is designed to share data easily with other systems. Currently, import capabilities for the following formats are included with the system: USGS DEM and DTED; SURFER(TM) ASCII grids; AutoCAD® DXF(TM); and ARC/INFO® coverages.

©Dynamic Graphics, Inc., 1994, 1995, 1996. Dynamic Graphics, the Dynamic Graphics logo, and EarthVision are registered trademarks of Dynamic Graphics, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark, and DXF is a trademark, of Autodesk, Inc. ARC/INFO is a registered trademark of Environmental Research Systems Institute, Inc. SURFER is a trademark of Golden Software, Inc. Motif is a trademark of The Open Software Foundation. Silicon Graphics is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Sun Microsystems is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark licensed exclusively by X/Open Company Limited.