An introduction to geoscientific languages, with particular reference to the OneGeology-Europe Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.124.1.004Keywords:
Europe, geology, interoperability, lithology, vocabulary of termsAbstract
The communication of geoscientific information via telematic networks is of limited value if there is no prior agreement as to the semantics involved. An understanding of the basic concepts expressed on geological maps is essential to their reuse and interoperability. Vocabularies of controlled terms play a key role in guaranteeing this matter, apart from constituting the main pillar of ontology. During recent years several international initiatives have been undertaken to establish lists of controlled terms to be used in the communication of digital geological information. The OneGeology-Europe Project (ECP-2007-GEO-317001) undoubtedly represents the greatest attempt made to harmonize the semantics of geological data. To facilitate web-accessible, interoperable, geological spatial datasets at national scale within the framework of the European Union, one of its achievements is to have developed a geoscientific language composed of 15 hierarchically structured vocabularies. Terminology referring to lithology and geological age, each containing more than 150 words and phrases, has been used to make multilingual queries in the OneGeology-Europe geoportal.
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