Knowledge transfer in a digital world: Field data acquisition, uncertainty, visualization, and data management

Abstract

Knowledge transfer has gained political and social momentum in the twenty-first century. The emphasis of this momentum has been on encouraging the transfer of scientific expertise between academia and industry, and on informing the public. The widespread use of the World Wide Web has provided a mechanism for sharing large volumes of information, which enables knowledge transfer between all sections of society. In geoscience, this trend in online knowledge transfer, combined with a move to digital data acquisition, processing, and interpretation technologies, has provided a unique opportunity for rapid progression of the science and its understanding by the public. To maximize these opportunities, the geoscience community needs to embrace technologies in Web and data management, as well as consider how best to combine and share data sources and data interpretations in a digital world. To achieve effective knowledge transfer, geoscientists first need to understand the benefits and limitations of digital data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. In this paper, we consider four aspects of the “digital revolution” on geological workflows and knowledge transfer—sources of uncertainty in digital data workflows, combining data sources, presentation of data and models in 3D visualization environments, and the use of Web and data management systems for knowledge transfer. In considering these aspects, we have focused on the collection, processing, and management of field data and implications for data analysis and decision making. Understanding the benefits and limitations of digital data collection will place the community in a better position to represent data and geological models in a digital environment through online resources for effective knowledge transfer.