The GPlates Portal: Cloud-Based Interactive 3D Visualization of Global Geophysical and Geological Data in a Web Browser

• Published in: PloS one 2016-03, Vol.11 (3), p.e0150883-e0150883
• Main Authors: Müller, R Dietmar, Qin, Xiaodong, Sandwell, David T, Dutkiewicz, Adriana, Williams, Simon E, Flament, Nicolas, Maus, Stefan, Seton, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D graphics; Abyssal hills; Abyssal zone; Application programming interface; Cesium; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer Graphics; Data management; Datasets; Digital Elevation Models; Digital mapping; Dynamic topography; Earth gravitation; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Embedded systems; Freeware; Geochemistry; Geological data; Geological time; Geology; Geophysics; Geospatial data; Globes; Gravitation; Gravitational fields; Innovations; Internet; Java (programming language); Libraries; Lithosphere; Logic; Magnetic anomalies; Magnetic fields; Management; Ocean floor; Open source software; Physical Sciences; Plate tectonics; Satellites; Scientists; Seamounts; Software; Software development tools; Spatial data; Topography; User interface; Vertical motion; Visualization; Web Browser; Web browsers; Web portals
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150883

The pace of scientific discovery is being transformed by the availability of 'big data' and open access, open source software tools. These innovations open up new avenues for how scientists communicate and share data and ideas with each other and with the general public. Here, we describe our efforts to bring to life our studies of the Earth system, both at present day and through deep geological time. The GPlates Portal (portal.gplates.org) is a gateway to a series of virtual globes based on the Cesium Javascript library. The portal allows fast interactive visualization of global geophysical and geological data sets, draped over digital terrain models. The globes use WebGL for hardware-accelerated graphics and are cross-platform and cross-browser compatible with complete camera control. The globes include a visualization of a high-resolution global digital elevation model and the vertical gradient of the global gravity field, highlighting small-scale seafloor fabric such as abyssal hills, fracture zones and seamounts in unprecedented detail. The portal also features globes portraying seafloor geology and a global data set of marine magnetic anomaly identifications. The portal is specifically designed to visualize models of the Earth through geological time. These space-time globes include tectonic reconstructions of the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields, and several models of long-wavelength surface dynamic topography through time, including the interactive plotting of vertical motion histories at selected locations. The globes put the on-the-fly visualization of massive data sets at the fingertips of end-users to stimulate teaching and learning and novel avenues of inquiry.