171-1 Using Virtual Outcrops and Digital Tools to Improve Geologic Mapping and Facilitate Student Research

Session: Advancing Geologic Analysis with Digital Outcrops and Close-Range Remote Sensing Data

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This study focuses on the applications of Virtual Outcrop Models (VOMs), along with other digital tools, to the world of geologic mapping in both a research and educational context. Our first case-study is located in the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas and highlights the use of digital tools in the geologic mapping workflow. Detailed mapping in the area is made difficult by heavy vegetation and, to combat this issue, we utilized publicly available LiDAR data alongside VOMs of key outcrops. Hillshade maps derived from the LiDAR allowed for the extension of linework and the identification of potential exposures, including geologic structures. The VOMs for this study will be data products and visual aids alongside the future finished map. These provide more detail, with the potential for further data collection, compared to traditional field photographs. A second case-study concerns a quarry located in Crystal Springs, AR which exposes folded beds of the Ordovician Bigfork Chert. This case-study was part of an undergraduate research program and makes a great example of how VOMs, especially when combined with field work, provide rich experiences for students in what can be relatively concise projects. In particular, the students need to plan the timing of data collection as well as the flight plan for the area and the GCPs, building their skillset in managing field time. Following that, they gain a background in multiple software programs while at the same time doing classic structural analysis. The fact that so much data collection and interpretation can be done outside the field allows for incredibly flexible student projects that might not otherwise be available, due to time, budget, or geographic constraints. Lastly, a VOM of a field site in the Potrillos Mountains of southern New Mexico is presented to illustrate ongoing work to incorporate VOMs into field courses. The goal is to provide models of key outcrops to students and that they connect those with the larger picture. This is often done by instructors in the field; however, students may be in other parts of the map area or not get to certain areas at all, making equal understanding of the outcrops difficult. The use of VOMs allows all students to interact with the outcrops before and after stepping into the map area.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10816

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