In this section, students will find brief descriptions of interesting or unique geologic settings that illustrate some of the processes and phenomena studied in each chapter - but with a 21st Century twist. During the last decade or so, many maps and other sources of geospatial data have been acquired using digital technologies of various kinds. Additionally, old maps and aerial photographs have been converted to digital formats.

<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::Aerial photograph of the Bingham Canyon copper mine, Utah, USA::/sites/dl/free/0072826967/30425/VirtualVista2104.jpg','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif">Aerial photograph of the Bingham Canyon copper mine, Utah, USA (141.0K)</a>Aerial photograph of the Bingham Canyon copper mine, Utah, USA

Whereas geologists once relied on large format paper maps to depict many geologic associations, the ability to visualize geologic phenomena using digital data is an increasingly valued tool among research geologists of the 21st Century.

<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::Digial terrain model of a portion of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA::/sites/dl/free/0072826967/30425/VirtualVista1201.jpg','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif">Digial terrain model of a portion of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA (97.0K)</a>Digial terrain model of a portion of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

For each chapter of this Online Learning Center, a "virtual vista" was created from publicly available geospatial data sets. Digital maps of topography or geology, digital terrain data, and digital aerial photographs were combined to create realistic views of interesting geologic locations or phenomena.

<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::Geologic map on digital terrain model of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA::/sites/dl/free/0072826967/30425/VirtualVista1102.jpg','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif">Geologic map on digital terrain model of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA (191.0K)</a>Geologic map on digital terrain model of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

It is hoped that the short descriptions and imagery that accompany each "Virtual Vista" will intrigue you (and perhaps even your professor!) in such a way that you will be motivated to learn more on your own. The samples provided in this Online Learning Center are but a very small peek into the fascinating (and growing) area of digital geology.

For an example of the marvelous capability of digtial geospatial technologies, click on the link below to take a virtual flight over the Los Angeles Basin.

Chapter 1 of your text introduced you to the relevance of Geology in all our lives. Perhaps no other single location can summarize the importance of geology, geological processes, and geological materials in our lives than the remarkable development of the Los Angeles Basin, California. Here, approximately 11 million people have settled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. For these people, geological processes and products (sometimes imported great distances) provided all of the water, all of the building materials (try to imagine the geological sources of materials for the road systems in the L.A Basin alone), all of the essential nutrients for the food they consume, and all of the energy they utilize. In addition, these 11 million people live with the ever-present danger of a major earthquake due to the unique geological setting of the L.A. Basin.

This Virtual Vista is a brief overflight of a part of L.A. Basin that symbolizes human-kind's apparent disconnection and distance from the natural processes governing geology - Hollywood! This simulated night-time overflight looks southward over the famed Hollywood Hills. The relatively sparse development of the hills (in the central part of the view) is evident by the lack of artificial lighting . Beyond the relatively dark Hollywood Hills lies the city of Hollywood and other communities of the Los Angeles Basin, stretching to the horizon. In the foreground, communities of the San Fernando Valley are well-lit and plainly evident. This scene plays out every night, 365 days each year.

Hollywood Fly By (3813.0K)

Points to Ponder:

1. Try to imagine the total quantity of geological resources required to create and sustain this show as you view the video

2. Try to imagine how much humans depend on geological materials worldwide

3. Try to create a list of 10 materials that you use each day that do not ultimately depend on geological processes.