Digital Geological Mapping to Facilitate Field Data Collection, Integration, and Map Production in Zhoukoudian, China

The development of innovative information technologies has improved the geological mapping process through the use of smart and portable equipment to collect field data, build a geological database and produce geological maps. This revolution has also brought great influence and challenges to practical training in field geology. In this paper, we present our workflow and application of the Digital Geological Survey System (DGSS) during field geology training for undergraduates in Zhoukoudian. The DGSS employs a Point-Routing-Boundary (PRB) model to reform the methods of geological section survey and geological mapping in terms of data collection and map-making and provides a pipelined solution from field data collection to map-making. The experiences of data collection, geological mapping, cross-section survey, and production of stratigraphic histograms and cross-section maps prove that DGSS can save time and reduce labor intensity for undergraduates during learning field geology. Based on the field practice of undergraduates in Zhoukoudian, the influence of the DGSS in promoting field geological teaching and the students’ feedbacks to DGSS are discussed. Overall, the DGM system is more popular than the conventional notebook and toolbox. The experience in Zhoukoudian proves that digital devices are efficient and useful for geological practical training of field geology for undergraduates.