Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin
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Nr. 4, Review of Survey activities 2003, pp. 45-48 |
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In recent years the Geological Survey of Denmark and
Greenland (GEUS) has, for a variety of reasons, worked
intensively on implementing Internet technologies. The
most important aim has been to provide public and private
companies with access to many of the geological databases
and maps at the Survey, thus substantially increasing the
value of the geological data. In this way GEUS is imple-
menting the intentions of the United Nations Aarhus-con-
vention in respect of access to information, public
participation in decision-making and access to justice in
environmental matters (UNEC 1998). Another important
objective has been to improve the procedures that deal with
Greenland (GEUS) has, for a variety of reasons, worked
intensively on implementing Internet technologies. The
most important aim has been to provide public and private
companies with access to many of the geological databases
and maps at the Survey, thus substantially increasing the
value of the geological data. In this way GEUS is imple-
menting the intentions of the United Nations Aarhus-con-
vention in respect of access to information, public
participation in decision-making and access to justice in
environmental matters (UNEC 1998). Another important
objective has been to improve the procedures that deal with
data input, registration and quality control of the large
amounts of data that GEUS receives from regional authori-
ties, private drilling companies and advisers, as well as that
acquired by the activities of its own geological staff. This
complies with the Danish Government's initiatives for mak-
ing the public sector more efficient through digital data man-
agement.
amounts of data that GEUS receives from regional authori-
ties, private drilling companies and advisers, as well as that
acquired by the activities of its own geological staff. This
complies with the Danish Government's initiatives for mak-
ing the public sector more efficient through digital data man-
agement.
Openness
During most of its lifetime the Survey has allocated substan-
tial resources to the task of organising and securing the vast
tial resources to the task of organising and securing the vast
Environmental data and the Internet: openness and
digital data management
digital data management
Jørgen Tulstrup
Fig. 1. Coverage of Danish shallow geophysical data from the Gerda database.
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 4, 4548 (2004) © GEUS, 2004
amount of geological data the Survey is responsible for as a
national institution. In 1926 the Well Data Archive was esta-
blished in response to a law passed by the Danish Parliament
requiring that information from all new water supply wells
should be reported to the Survey. Fifty years later the first ver-
sion of a database for these data was built. Since then the
database has undergone continuous development, including
two major upgrades to new technology, and is now known as
the Jupiter database. In the same period the quality of data
has been improved considerably through close cooperation
with the drilling companies who supply the data, and
through quality control procedures at the Survey.
national institution. In 1926 the Well Data Archive was esta-
blished in response to a law passed by the Danish Parliament
requiring that information from all new water supply wells
should be reported to the Survey. Fifty years later the first ver-
sion of a database for these data was built. Since then the
database has undergone continuous development, including
two major upgrades to new technology, and is now known as
the Jupiter database. In the same period the quality of data
has been improved considerably through close cooperation
with the drilling companies who supply the data, and
through quality control procedures at the Survey.
Jupiter is today a nationwide database designed for data
relating to shallow boreholes, groundwater chemistry, water
levels, water resources, etc. This database contains data for
more than 230 000 Danish boreholes and more than 5.7 mil-
lion chemical analyses of groundwater and drinking water.
levels, water resources, etc. This database contains data for
more than 230 000 Danish boreholes and more than 5.7 mil-
lion chemical analyses of groundwater and drinking water.
Another nationwide database called Gerda (Geophysical
Relational Database) was established in 1999 and is designed
for shallow geophysical data including geoelectrical profiles,
geoelectrical soundings, electromagnetic soundings, borehole
logs and geophysical models. This database contains geo-
physical data and interpretations for more than 600 000 lo-
calities in Denmark.
for shallow geophysical data including geoelectrical profiles,
geoelectrical soundings, electromagnetic soundings, borehole
logs and geophysical models. This database contains geo-
physical data and interpretations for more than 600 000 lo-
calities in Denmark.
Through the years great efforts have been made into mak-
ing the data as useful and accessible as possible for internal as
well as external users, continually updating the databases to
keep pace with the increased quantity of data and continual
improvements in technology. The widespread development
of the Internet, and increased broad-band access, has made it
possible to place data at the disposal of the general public and
to make it available in an increasingly user-friendly and
understandable way.
well as external users, continually updating the databases to
keep pace with the increased quantity of data and continual
improvements in technology. The widespread development
of the Internet, and increased broad-band access, has made it
possible to place data at the disposal of the general public and
to make it available in an increasingly user-friendly and
understandable way.
46
Fig. 2. Map available in a web-browser showing the position of Schlumberger soundings (purple/blue circles), pulled array continuous electrical
soundings (purple/blue lines), transient electromagnetic soundings (red/orange circles) and boreholes with log-data (red/green circles). The GIS
functionality is based on the ESRI product ArcIMS.
It is now possible to use a standard web browser to search
for data utilising either Geographic Information System
(GIS) facilities or a more traditional alphanumeric search.
With the GIS interface (Fig. 1) it is possible to zoom, pan and
choose an object on the map, e.g. a borehole or a sounding
position (Fig. 2). By clicking the object the user can be
guided to a website showing details of the object, for exam-
ple a graphic illustration of a borehole log and a geological
interpretation (Fig. 3).
(GIS) facilities or a more traditional alphanumeric search.
With the GIS interface (Fig. 1) it is possible to zoom, pan and
choose an object on the map, e.g. a borehole or a sounding
position (Fig. 2). By clicking the object the user can be
guided to a website showing details of the object, for exam-
ple a graphic illustration of a borehole log and a geological
interpretation (Fig. 3).
Using the alphanumeric search (Fig. 4) the user will be
presented with a list containing boreholes fulfilling different
search criteria, e.g. name of drilling company, municipality,
time of drilling, maximum hole depth, purpose of the bore-
hole, or distance to a given point, as well as the possibility of
searching on the unique borehole number. Furthermore, it is
now possible to search for wells that penetrate certain geo-
logical horizons.
search criteria, e.g. name of drilling company, municipality,
time of drilling, maximum hole depth, purpose of the bore-
hole, or distance to a given point, as well as the possibility of
searching on the unique borehole number. Furthermore, it is
now possible to search for wells that penetrate certain geo-
logical horizons.
Another data type available on the Internet is a nationwide
surface geological map (Fig. 5). This map of Denmark is
based on field work that the Survey has carried out since
1890. The map shows the geology at a depth of one metre
and was originally produced at the scale of 1:25 000.
based on field work that the Survey has carried out since
1890. The map shows the geology at a depth of one metre
and was originally produced at the scale of 1:25 000.
Digital data management
To reduce the steadily increasing cost related to registration
and quality control of the geological data, a digital data man-
agement system has been introduced. Previously the neces-
sary procedures included manually typing or scanning large
amounts of data. However, since the data to be entered into
the databases are often in a digital format when they are
received, there is now the possibility of introducing complete
or partly automated procedures in which computer programs
handle quality control and loading of data into the databases.
Closer manual inspection is only necessary when data quality
is considered uncertain compared to existing data. The latest
Internet technology also makes it possible for individual users
to upload their own data.
and quality control of the geological data, a digital data man-
agement system has been introduced. Previously the neces-
sary procedures included manually typing or scanning large
amounts of data. However, since the data to be entered into
the databases are often in a digital format when they are
received, there is now the possibility of introducing complete
or partly automated procedures in which computer programs
handle quality control and loading of data into the databases.
Closer manual inspection is only necessary when data quality
is considered uncertain compared to existing data. The latest
Internet technology also makes it possible for individual users
to upload their own data.
The Gerda system was, from the outset, designed with the
Internet in mind. The data suppliers, such as geophysical
companies, are able to directly upload data files. The data are
quality controlled and then loaded into the database. An e-
mail message to the supplier supplies information on the
progress of the procedure. After this is complete, an updated
database is extracted from the central Gerda database and
made available to users of the data, e.g. geologists in the
Danish counties.
companies, are able to directly upload data files. The data are
quality controlled and then loaded into the database. An e-
mail message to the supplier supplies information on the
progress of the procedure. After this is complete, an updated
database is extracted from the central Gerda database and
made available to users of the data, e.g. geologists in the
Danish counties.
Uploaded data files in Gerda contain information about
projects, recording instruments, etc. This information is
accessible to the data suppliers, enabling them to create and
accessible to the data suppliers, enabling them to create and
47
Fig. 4. Web-based search form for the Jupiter database. By entering
search criteria the user can produce a list of boreholes. Each borehole
on the resulting list can be examined in detail.
Fig. 3. Display of well-log data from the Gerda database. The graphics
are available as a PDF file.
48
maintain data directly on the website. The procedure ensures
a very flexible and non-bureaucratic work routine.
a very flexible and non-bureaucratic work routine.
In 1999 GEUS merged four older databases into a single
database (Jupiter) to obtain a much higher level of automated
treatment of the collected data. This has made it possible for
GEUS to receive digital data reports of groundwater and
drinking water quality, water resources and water level obser-
vations from the districts.
treatment of the collected data. This has made it possible for
GEUS to receive digital data reports of groundwater and
drinking water quality, water resources and water level obser-
vations from the districts.
The data are received in the so-called `STANDAT' format
(generally used for exchange of environmental data in
Denmark) and is converted into the XML-format (Extensible
Markup Language). When completed, a comprehensive
quality control is undertaken. The supplier automatically
receives a load report by e-mail. The report is a detailed
description of syntax errors, data errors, data exceeding exist-
ing limits, and information on whether substance concen-
trates have been registered to be diverging substantially from
previous measurements.
Denmark) and is converted into the XML-format (Extensible
Markup Language). When completed, a comprehensive
quality control is undertaken. The supplier automatically
receives a load report by e-mail. The report is a detailed
description of syntax errors, data errors, data exceeding exist-
ing limits, and information on whether substance concen-
trates have been registered to be diverging substantially from
previous measurements.
In the near future it will also be possible to accept basic
borehole data digitally. GEUS has developed a program, PC
Jupiter, which will be used by the drilling companies for plan-
Jupiter, which will be used by the drilling companies for plan-
ning new water supply boreholes, as well as for registration of
well localities, the technical data of the borehole, the
observed geological stratification and test pumping. The pro-
gram stores the data in a database administered locally by the
drilling company. The data are also forwarded to GEUS
where the data are validated and finally loaded into the cen-
tral Jupiter database.
well localities, the technical data of the borehole, the
observed geological stratification and test pumping. The pro-
gram stores the data in a database administered locally by the
drilling company. The data are also forwarded to GEUS
where the data are validated and finally loaded into the cen-
tral Jupiter database.
Web-services
The Internet solutions described above are designed mainly
to make data accessible on the GEUS website using tradi-
tional HTML-technology.
to make data accessible on the GEUS website using tradi-
tional HTML-technology.
To further increase the accessibility of the geological data,
a new group of technologies known as web-services are under
implementation. A web-service is a function available on a
web-server, which on the request of a user or another web-
server delivers data in XML-format, or maps as images (Web
Map Services). This technology will enable other authorities
and companies who set up web-servers to make use of geo-
logical data without having to be concerned about keeping
local copies of data complete and up-to-date. The data are
retrieved on-line from GEUS' systems.
implementation. A web-service is a function available on a
web-server, which on the request of a user or another web-
server delivers data in XML-format, or maps as images (Web
Map Services). This technology will enable other authorities
and companies who set up web-servers to make use of geo-
logical data without having to be concerned about keeping
local copies of data complete and up-to-date. The data are
retrieved on-line from GEUS' systems.
An example of this is a solution GEUS is providing for an
Internet portal that the Danish counties are implementing.
The portal provides access to a wide range of environmental
data including borehole, groundwater and drinking water
data. The portal will make it possible for users to view data
on a map and to display graphs of time series and download
data. The data will be retrieved live from the Jupiter database
through a web-service interface. Data input to Jupiter from
the regional authorities will also take place through web-ser-
vices.
The portal provides access to a wide range of environmental
data including borehole, groundwater and drinking water
data. The portal will make it possible for users to view data
on a map and to display graphs of time series and download
data. The data will be retrieved live from the Jupiter database
through a web-service interface. Data input to Jupiter from
the regional authorities will also take place through web-ser-
vices.
Reference
UNEC 1998: The Aarhus Convention. Resolution on access to informa-
tion, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in
environmental matters, Fourth Ministerial Conference `Environment
for Europe', Aarhus, Denmark, 2325 June 1998. United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe, 4 pp.
environmental matters, Fourth Ministerial Conference `Environment
for Europe', Aarhus, Denmark, 2325 June 1998. United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe, 4 pp.
Author's address
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: jtu@geus.dk
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: jtu@geus.dk
Fig. 5. Example of surface geological map of Denmark available at the
GEUS website.
