Project for a transparent earth

 
This "Transparent Earth" project is part of the science initiatives of the United Nations' International Year of the Planet Earth in 2008. Speaking on the sidelines of the Indian Science Congress, Ed De Mulder, the chair of the Commission on Planet Earth, explained that the project seeks to put together the geological surveys of all the world's nations. (In fact, an alternative name for the project is 'One Geology'). It will stitch together a seamless map of the first few layers of the earth, offering a scale of 1:1 million. Unlike the Google Earth, this will not be a photographic image, but rather a pictorial representation.

Initially, only a few metres depth will be available for some areas, going down to 25m in others. Only the continents are being mapped, leaving out the oceans. This translation of the earth's crust into digital form will use Geological Information System (GIS) technology and could cost "tens of millions of dollars". The project is being co-ordinated in London, since the British Geological Survey is taking a lead role.

The project was only started six months ago, and is unlikely to be available online till 2011. Following  Google Earth's example, a mixture of high and low resolution images will be used.

(The Hindu,6th January 2007)