Open File NFLD/3310

Creating a 3D Fly-through of the Bay of Islands Area, Western Newfoundland

M. Noonan, P. Honarvar, A. Hinchey and M. Walsh

St. John’s, Newfoundland, December, 2017

Abstract

Digital elevation models (DEM) and 3-dimensional (3D) fly-throughs can provide an excellent overview of a terrain of interest. Layers of information, such as geology, trails or historical sites, can be draped on the DEM and a fly-through prepared to provide a birds-eye view of the association between terrain features and the draped information.

The area of interest for this project is the Bay of Islands and surrounding areas on the west coast of Newfoundland. It has a range in elevation from the sea shore to the highest peak in Newfoundland of 812 m at The Cabox in the Lewis Hills. The geology of the Bay of Islands area includes excellent examples of exposed ophiolitic rocks comprising mafic oceanic crust and ultramafic upper mantle rocks. These rocks stand out on the geology and geophysics maps, as well as airphotos, where the ultramafic rocks are barren of vegetation.

The procedures used to create the DEM, compile the ancillary information and prepare the 3D fly-throughs for the geology, geophysics and airphoto-drape layers are described using the Esri programs ArcGIS 10.3 and ArcScene 10.3. These procedures can then be applied to other regions in the province to highlight features of local interest.

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