William Smith’s map brought alive by digital remastering

Alan Butcher, Duncan Pirrie, Gavyn Rollinson, Hannah Horsch, Stephen Hesselbo, Michael Owen, David Haberlah

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Abstract

The geological mapping carried out by William Smith, which resulted in the
publication of his famous map in 1815, was remarkable in many respects, not
least because it relied on him being able to make consistent and accurate
observations on the rock types he encountered during his fieldwork. This ability,
gained from his many years studying rocks, allowed him to observe features with
his own eyes (or at the very least, with the aid of a simple magnifying device) that
others could not. We take a new look at William Smith’s original stratigraphical
sequences, and with samples collected from his classic field areas (many of which
are around the city of Bath, Somerset, UK), demonstrate how spatial mineralogy
mapping can be incorporated into the modern age of digital mapping.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)175-182
Number of pages8
JournalGeology Today
Volume36
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2020

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