Chapter 1 Introduction

GaeaSynergy version 4 is the upgrade from StrataExplorer version 3. The name has been changed to better reflect the synergies between the various modules and base application. It is a Microsoft Windows compatible program for mapping, data management, and evaluation of contaminants, ore, oil sands, oil and gas, soil and rock properties. The application is ideal for the environmental, geotechnical, mining, oil sands, and petroleum industries. All of the data is stored in either the project and GIS databases or in the data store.

The program is comprised of a base application and several extension modules. The base application of GaeaSynergy is used as a platform that all of the other modules build upon.

The base application consists of the following components:

•Database Management

•License Management

•3D Display

•Import/Export

Projects are the primary building block of GaeaSynergy and are used to encapsulate all the data in the extension modules:

•One of the primary data sources in the application comes from wells and borings, the well and boring module is a major upgrade of our very popular WinLoG program.

•After the data has been entered in can then be used to create cross-sections and contour maps. The cross-section module represents a major upgrade of our popular WinFence program.

•The Environmental Data Management System (EDMS) module is used to schedule, record, quality control, import, report and store all of your environmental data.

•The Geotechnical Data Management System (GDMS) is used to schedule, report, and store a wide variety of geotechnical tests and data.

Basemaps are the starting point for GaeaSynergy, they are used to organize, find, and select projects. In addition, basemaps are used as the basis for the Geographic Information System (GIS) in GaeaSynergy. The GIS stores all of the basemap, project, boring/well, station, sample, cross-section, and other spatial data for the application.

In GaeaSynergy, basemaps represent the geographic information as a collection of layers. These layers represent different datasets that are overlaid on the basemap. Some examples of layers are web mapping services, satellite images, aerial photos, roads, lakes and streams, political boundaries, building footprints, utility lines, and terrain. There are a wide variety of sources of the layer data, some data is provided with the program and other data can be obtained from our various partners and government sources.

There are two types of basemaps, web map services or static. In addition, no basemap can be specified in this case the main window will display a list of projects instead. When the application is first run the type of initial basemap is selected. If a web map service is selected, the service must be selected. And if a static basemap is selected the static basemap must be selected and created.

In addition to subsurface data, environmental data, and geotechnical data the application can also be used to create and display 3 dimensional buildings, structures, and excavations. All of the wells and borings, cross-sections, contour maps, layers, GIS data, buildings, structures, and excavations entered in a project can then be displayed in 3D.