User:Drsammy1998/NGMDBdraft

U.S. National Geologic Map Database
The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is mandated under the Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 and its subsequent reauthorizations, to become a National Archive of spatially referenced, standardized geoscience data, maps, and reports. The goal is to provide rapid access for the general public, scientists, and decisionmakers alike, to well-documented and standardized information to support research, understanding, and decisions on a wide range of societal issues. The NGMDB project began in 1995, and opened its Website in 1996.

History
The Geologic Mapping Act establishes the NGMDB as a cooperative project of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), and stipulates funding by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. In this partnership, collaboration also occurs with the private sector, universities, and geological survey agencies in other countries, especially regarding standards development.

In late 2012, the NGMDB released the first phase of its redesigned system, which represented the first major overhaul of the underlying database design and Website since the project's inception in 1996. This first phase focuses on the Map Catalog and its interactive map viewer (mapView). The public release of a redesigned Website for other major aspects of database (especially GEOLEX) is slated for 2014.

Geoscience Map Catalog
The Geoscience Map Catalog is the principal means for users to find geoscience information through the NGMDB. At present, it provides access to >95,000 maps and reports by >630 publishers. Although the focus is on geologic maps, the majority of these publications are on related subjects including stratigraphy, hazards, resources, and geophysics. Publications in the Catalog range in date from the early 1800s to present, and most are available in a digital format. The Catalog is searchable by various text, thematic, and geographic criteria.

Geologic Names Lexicon
The U.S. Geologic Names Lexicon (GEOLEX) a standard reference for the Nation's stratigraphic nomenclature. A summary of each geologic name, and pertinent publications, is provided. The redesigned site (see below) will include stratigraphic resources (e.g., correlation charts) and access to unpublished Geologic Names Committee records.

MapView
In 2012, an interactive map viewer, "mapView" was introduced, to offer a mosaicked view of selected geologic maps in the Catalog, as another means of searching the database. MapView shows a significant part of the NGMDB's national archive of geoscience information – that is, the systematic, regional mapping of the bedrock and surficial deposits. Other geologic maps and related information (geologic structure, hazards and resources, and so forth) will be included in later versions of the viewer.