Not just a pretty picture: the database behind GGU's Thematic Map Series

Abstract

One of the tasks of a modern geological survey is to build the geoscientific databases on which exploration companies make decisions, thus confronting them with data handling problems which involve many different types of complex spatial data. Geoscience data, characterised as it is by its large volume, variable nature, inherent uncertainty and lack of completeness has always presented challenges. These challenges are particularly acute when a demanding client base requires and expects access to this data in digital form and in standard formats. The Geological Survey of Greenland's (GGU) own mandate to provide industry with data has been previously described (Ghisler 1990: Dawes 1994) and the importance of GGU's data­base and the benefits of Greenland's unique 'underexplored/good geodata base’ duality has been discussed by Dawes (1994). A tangible result of GGU's attempt to deliver data from its databases to external clients has been in the Thematic Map Series, first published in 1990 as one of several new initiatives aimed at increasing interest in mineral exploration in Greenland.