Geologic Unit Type
This scheme specifies concepts used to categorize types of Geologic Unit, as defined by the IUGS Commission for Geoscience Information (CGI) Geoscience Terminology Working Group. By extension, it includes all concepts in this conceptScheme, as well as concepts in any previous versions of the scheme. Unit types are differentiated based on their defining lithological, stratigraphic, or other physical properties.
This file contains the CGI Geologic Unit type vocabulary. Compilation and review in MS Excel spreadsheet, converted to MS Excel for SKOS generation using GSML_SKOS_fromXLS_2016.02.xslt.
2009-07-14. Generate SKOS encoding of vocabulary from Excel spreadsheet.
2009-12-07 SMR Update metadata properties for version, creator, title, and format. Change skos:HistoryNote to dc:source for information on origin of terms and definitions.
2009-12-07. SMR add collections for mineralogical and sedimentary petrographic categories, improve annotation and notes on vocabulary. Update metadata properties for version, creator, title, and format. Change skos:HistoryNote to dc:source for information on origin of terms and definitions.
2010-02-13 Add narrower relationship links by adding skos:narrower link in Protege, defining skos:narrower as inverse of skos:broader, calculating with Pellet reasoner to add inferred axioms, and using 'file/Export inferred axioms as ontology' in Protege.
2010-11-28 SMR replace URN with http URI according to CGI URI scheme (see https://www.seegrid.csiro.au/wiki/bin/view/CGIModel/PersistentIdentifiersInGeoSciMLServices)
2011-07-01 SMR correct logical inconsistencies in hierarchy; lithostratigraphic is not subtype of lithologic unit; lithogenetic is subtype of lithostratigraphic. Based on review comments from OR, Geoscience Australia. Create 201107 version.
2012-02-07 SMR update URI to replace numeric final token with English-language string as in original URN scheme.
2012-02-27 SMR add exact match triples relating to URIs in 201012 vocabulary scheme
2012-11-24 SMR Update to 201211 version; add collection entity, check all pref labels are lower case, remove owl:NamedIndividual and Owl:Thing rdf:types.
2016-07-15 OLR Create new SKOS version
2012-11-24
CGI Geoscience Terminology Working Group
Geologic unit defined by bounding surfaces. Not necessarily stratified. Donovon (2004, IUGS abstract Florence) makes good case for use of a noncommittal term for the bounding surface. While there may be no agreement that a given stratal boundary is a discontinuity, there is consensus that all the identified boundaries are stratal surfaces. Includes: 1. Unconformity bounded units (Salvador 1994), defined by bounding stratigraphic discontinuities ('significant unconformities', unconformity is defined as surface of erosion in Salvador 1994). 2. Sequence stratigraphic unit, an allostratigraphic unit that is used to interpret the depositional origin of sedimentary strata and assumes, though this is not always stated, an implicit connection to base level change. It does this by establishing how the sequence of strata accumulated in order in the sedimentary section over a subdividing framework of surfaces.
allostratigraphic unit
This vocabulary, Salvador, 1994, Donovon 2004 IUGS abstract.
Geologic unit defined by alteration process.
alteration unit
This vocabulary
Geologic unit defined based on fossil content. Five kinds of biozones are recognized by the revised NACSN (Lenz et al., 2000, Note 64, a recommended complete replacement of Articles 48 through 54 of the North American Stratigraphic Code (NACSN, 1983) accepted for publication 2000.): range biozone, interval biozone, lineage biozone, assemblage biozone, and abundance biozone. These represent different approaches to defining and recognizing biozones.
biostratigraphic unit
Lenz et al., 2000, Note 64 (see AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, no. 11, November 2005), North American Stratigraphic Code, 1983
Geologic unit that includes all rocks formed during a specific interval of geologic time
chronostratigraphic unit
Salvador, A., 1994, International Stratigraphic Guide, Second Edition
Geologic unit defined by surface landform, e.g. hummocky moraine
geomorphologic unit
Geologic unit defined by its geophysical characteristics. Denotes that the properties used to define the unit are measured by intrumental techniques, not directly observable by humans, e.g. density, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical conductivity.
geophysical unit
this vocabulary
Geologic unit defined by genesis. The genesis is manifested by material properties, but the material is not the defining property. Example-- alluvial deposits, glacial deposits.
lithogenetic unit
this vocabulary
Geologic unit defined by lithology independent of relationships to other units. Denotes a 'kind' of rock body characterized by lithology, e.g. basaltic rocks.
lithologic unit
this vocabulary
Geologic unit defined on the basis of observable and distinctive lithologic properties or combination of lithologic properties and stratigraphic relationships. Denotes a particular body of rock.
lithostratigraphic unit
Salvador, A., 1994, International Stratigraphic Guide, Second Edition
Geologic unit defined defined on basis of structural or deformation features, mutual relations, origin or historical evolution. Contained material may be igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic.
lithotectonic unit
Neuendorf et al., 2004
Geologic unit defined based on soil development and character. Pedoderm is not a surface classification unit because soil classification requires knowledge of the soil profile, which always extends some distance beneath the surface.
pedoderm
this vocabulary
Geologic unit that represents a single pedologic horizon in a sequence of strata (consolidated or non-consolidated). The presence of an overlying geologic unit is required, but locally the soil horizon may be at the Earth surface (in which case is may be coincident with a Pedoderm). See discussion at https://www.seegrid.csiro.au/twiki/bin/view/CGIModel/PedostratigraphicUnit
pedostratigraphic unit
North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, 1983, Morrison, 1995, INQUA/ISSS newsletter, Nov. 1995http://fadr.msu.ru/inqua/nl-archive/nl-8-11/howcan.html, ISSN 0256-2340.
Geologic unit defined by primary magnetic-polarity record imposed whien the rock was deposited or crystallized during a specific interval of geolgoic time. Kind of chronostratigraphic unit and kind of geophysical unit.
polarity chronostratigraphic unit
North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, 1983
Geologic unit defined by magnetic characteristics.
magnetostratigraphic unit
Salvador, A., 1994, International Stratigraphic Guide, Second Edition
Geologic unit defined by genesis involving direct human action to deposit or modify material.
artificial ground
this vocabulary
Geologic unit defined by human-made genesis involving excavation. Not necessarily defined by landform (a hole...), as they could have been subsequently filled/landscaped etc. If the excavation is filled becomes an excavation with artificial ground wholly or partly superimposed on it. This sort of thing can become quite important in urban geology where an excavation can be filled and landscaped.
excavation unit
this vocabulary
Geologic unit produced by gravity driven, down-slope displacemnt of material, and characterized by the type of movement giving rise to the deposit, and by how the individual movement types present in the deposit are related in time and space.
mass movement unit
this vocabulary
Lithostratigraphic unit that lacks stratification
lithodemic unit
North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, 1983
Lithotectonic unit defined by deformation style or characteristic geologic structure observable in outcrop.
deformation unit
this vocabulary
Type of geologic unit is unknown, unspecified, irrelevant, or some type not included in the vocabulary. Type makes no implication for required properties or cardinalities. This is the root concept for the type hierarchy.
geologic unit
this vocabulary
Geologic Unit Type - All Concepts