Ebook: Geomathematics: Theoretical Foundations, Applications and Future Developments

This book provides a wealth of geomathematical case history studies performed by the author during his career at the Ministry of Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada (NRCan-GSC). Several of the techniques newly developed by the author and colleagues that are described in this book have become widely adopted, not only for further research by geomathematical colleagues, but by government organizations and industry worldwide. These include Weights-of-Evidence modelling, mineral resource estimation technology, trend surface analysis, automatic stratigraphic correlation and nonlinear geochemical exploration methods. The author has developed maximum likelihood methodology and spline-fitting techniques for the construction of the international numerical geologic timescale. He has introduced the application of new theory of fractals and multi fractals in the geostatistical evaluation of regional mineral resources and ore reserves and to study the spatial distribution of metals in rocks. The book also contains sections deemed important by the author but that have not been widely adopted because they require further research. These include the geometry of preferred orientations of contours and edge effects on maps, time series analysis of Quaternary retreating ice sheet related sedimentary data, estimation of first and last appearances of fossil taxa from frequency distributions of their observed first and last occurrences, tectonic reactivation along pre-existing schistosity planes in fold belts, use of the grouped jackknife method for bias reduction in geometrical extrapolations and new applications of the theory of permanent, volume-independent frequency distributions.

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Our world has entered the “Big Data” era, in which new data are produced with unprecedented speed and in large quantities. The new knowledge obtained through digital analysis and the novel methods of data mining are greatly benefitting the process of human decision-making. The arrival of this new era is gradually changing people’s life, work and thinking. In the field of science, “Big Data” has led to the emergence of “Data Science” which will affect, to some extent, all fields of science, by performing scientific research by using digital data and by using scientific methods to study digital data.

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Our wor ld has ente red the “Big Data” era, in which new data are produced with unpre cedented speed and in large quantitie s. Th e new know ledge obtaine d through digital analysi s and the novel methods of data minin g are grea tly benefittin g the process of huma n decisi on-maki ng. The arriva l of this new era is gradu ally changing peopl e’s life, work and thinki ng. In the field of science , “Big Data” has led to the eme rgence of “Data Sc ience” which will affect, to some extent, all fields of science , by performing scientific research by using digital data and by using scientific methods to study digital data.