Gigapan Surveys

Imagine being able to see fine structural details whilst keeping the geological context … 
  • Gigapan Images are extremely detailed images that are generally landscape scale, but will retain definition as the viewer zooms in to selected areas
  • This tool is great for recording sites prior to work commencing, such as a predisturbance survey
  • Can be used to capture details of workings (such as open pit mines, road cuts and other engineering projects)
  • Great for sharing detailed imagery with a geographically dispersed team to allow technical input as it allows them to view details without losing the context of the setting.
Gigapan vs. Tide

How does Gigapan work?

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Standard Image
Starting to Zoom
Full Zoom

This image, taken in the Fraser River Canyon and about 1.5km from the outcrop, shows glacial sediments in the valley wall. 

You can see hints at bedding and texture, but defining more detail is hard.

With Gigapan, we can start to zoom in on the image. Now we begin to pick out more detail of the section with some definition starting to become clear in the bedding. The variance between coarser and finer materials are evident, but features for determining depositional environments are still blurred.

At full zoom, it is clear that the cobbles in the section are rounded and water-worn, as well as the presence of larger erratics. Extra detail shows that the banding is itself a series of ‘pulses’. Although some resolution is lost at this level of zoom, enough detail is captured to make confident determinations.

Explore a Gigapan!

Take the train cars below for a spin! You can use the navigation to the left of the image to zoom and pan, or if you are viewing on a mobile device, expand using your fingers. Depending on your internet connection, it can take a second to render after you zoom. 

Personal favorites with this image include being able to see individual pyrite growths in the ore rocks, fingerprints in the yellow paint and the veining in leaves in the background!