Still, this understanding and intuition does not come naturally to all students, and we aim a lot of effort in teaching structural geology at the development of this understanding. The visualization of structural features in a three-dimensional (3D) context is an essential aspect of geological understanding-both implicit in the context of imagination and explicit in the form of generated 3D geometric models. The provided methods are transferable to other locations, and we further expect exciting future extensions on the basis of current developments in the field of virtual reality. In addition, we intend to raise an awareness for the interesting scientific investigations possible through the combination of open datasets and open software with a basic understanding of scientific programming. In combination, we aim to support the 3D understanding of geological structures on the basis of mapped features and the link back to a geological map from a generated model. All required methods are combined in a specifically developed Python package.
Finally, the generated model is intersected with a digital elevation model to obtain a geological map, which can then be reimported into Google Earth. This information is subsequently used to construct a full 3D geological model with a state-of-the-art interpolation algorithm. Initial steps include the selection of relevant geological surfaces in Google Earth and the analysis of determined orientation values for a selected region around the Jebel Madar, Oman. We support this effort here with a full 3D geomodeling exercise on the basis of the excellent possibilities offered by open global datasets, implemented in Google Earth, and dedicated geoscientific open-source software and motivating the use of 3D geomodeling to address specific geological questions. This skill does not come naturally to all students and can require significant teaching effort. Geological structures are inherently three-dimensional (3D)-and the capability to think and understand in this full spatial context is an important skill that students have to acquire in the course of their studies.
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