Designing and implementing a geologic information system using a spatiotemporal ontology model for a geologic map of Korea

  • Authors:

  • Jaehong Hwang;Kwang Woo Nam;Keun Ho Ryu

  • Affiliations:

  • Geoscience Information Center, Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 92 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-350, South Korea;Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Kunsan National University, 558 Dea-hak-ro, Kunsan, Jeonbuk, South Korea;Database/Bioinformatics Lab, School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 12 Gaeshin-dong, Cheongju, Chungbuk 361-763, South Korea

  • Venue:
  • Computers & Geosciences
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

A geologic information system was utilized for geologic mapping in Korea using a spatiotemporal ontology model. Five steps were required to make the GIS representation of the geologic map information. The first step was to limit the geologic mapping to Korean area. The second step was to extract the rock units with spatial objects from the geologic map and the geologic time units with temporal objects. The third step was to standardize the geologic terms in Korean and English for both the spatial and temporal objects. The fourth step was to conceptualize the classified objects in the geologic map units and the formation of guidelines for the specification of a spatiotemporal ontology model. Finally, we constructed a spatiotemporal retrieval system and an ontology system related to the geologic map of Korea, which were applied to the spatiotemporal ontology model. The spatiotemporal ontology model was defined as a sophisticated model that provides for the evolution from a data base to a knowledge base. This ontology model can be conceptualized as a well-defined set of terms used for expressing spatial objects in rock units and temporal objects in geologic time units, as well as a system of contents and structures. In addition, it includes symbology units such as color and pattern symbols mapped one-to-one with the spatiotemporal concepts. The existing information retrieval services provide information that is limited to the user's knowledge, whereas our geologic ontology system provides a broad range of information in graphical form, including locations and interrelationships. In this way, the information can be upgraded to the level of knowledge. A geologic term tree was designed, based on the existing classification schemes, with the goal of creating an accessible internet source.