Visualizing 3D geology in web browsers using X3DOM

Abstract

This work presents an application for visualizing subsurface geological data in 3D in web browsers, using the X3DOM framework. The data supported is 3D terrain, vertical subsurface cross sections and subsurface measurements from wells. Data is visualized for the area of Svalbard. To avoid low-level development, we use X3DOM, which hides the details of graphics rendering in high-level, declarative XML syntax. The resulting application is cross-platform and runs on computers, tablets and mobile phones with adequate graphics capabilities. The work is a summarization of the first author’s master’s thesis.