New interface approach to complex data archive systems for remote sensing and mineral exploration applications

Synopsis

The volume of remotely sensed information (both image and non-image based data) required to undertake geophysical processing is constantly increasing as processing techniques become more sophisticated. Often such data analyses depend upon the cross-correlation of elements from different data sets obtained from a variety of sources. It is therefore vital that the data is maintained in a suitable data archive and can be accessed easily and efficiently. The problems of data archive management are well known. However, powerful but flexible interfaces are becoming increasingly important as such systems grow in size and complexity.

ADIS (Advanced Data Interface System) is currently being developed by Earth Observation Sciences Ltd utilizing hypertext concepts to interface to large datasets of image, textual, areal and point-based data. Hypertext techniques can offer the following advantages which are directly relevant to the geophysical processing requirements of many mineral exploration activities:

• incorporation of graphics and icon-based control directives

• flexible data processing functions and data browsing

• handling of multi-format data (e.g. raster imagery, text, along-track data)

• multi-level menu access to all levels of database functions

• distributed database access

• remote, “intelligent terminal” access to mainframe data stores via communication networks

In addition, the application of CD-ROM and optical disk technology greatly increases the scope for fast access to large centralized data stores. The application of these and other techniques has been illustrated in a demonstration system which combines the main features of an extensive relational database with those of an interactive information resource.