Stratigraphy Enhancements The most important new feature in version 3.6 is the addition of time-based interpretation, which expands on the functionality of ODM3's stratigraphic schemes. Interpreting data using a stratigraphic scheme automatically builds a depth/age data set in the background. These mappings then let you view data in chronostratigraphic time (wheeler diagrams). The image on the right shows a single wellstick plotted in MD and again in chronostratigraphic age. Both can be found in the Example Database for ODM 3.6. Click here to view a presentation where we explain how the new strat stuff all works (you need to log in to view this).

New Scheme Properties

We've made some enhancements to ODM3's Stratigraphic Schemes to support the this new functionality:

1. A list of absolute ages associated with the Scheme units.
2. Lithology data - Each unit in a Scheme can now be associated with a unit from a Graphic Dictionary, allowing ODM3 to auto-build a lithology column as your interpret lithostratigraphy.
3. Automatically build picks - As you update your intervals, you can now specify a set of picks to be automatically updated. This saves you from having to do a conversion for export to OpenWorks.
4. Automatically recognise unconformities - ODM3 now displays gaps for unconformities and displays these on correlations viewed in Chronostratigraphic Age.

New Stratigraphic Tools

There will be a huge amount of legacy data that needs be upgraded for use with the new strat tools. To this end, a number of tools have been added to support this:

1. Rebuild/synchronise tools – using an existing interpretation, autobuild the auxiliary scheme data (ages, lithologies, etc)
2. Given an age interpretation, this tool will create further interpretations for unrelated data sets based on the ages of the first (eg build a chronostrat scheme based on a biozone interpretation). These are inferred from the ages of the original data and can be considered a ‘first pass’ interpretation. They are a huge time saver.
3. When editing stratigraphic data, the age mappings are initially pulled from the scheme/dictionary unit definitions. It is possible to refine these ages during the editing process by manually editing the ages of the intervals.

Strat Schemes toolbar

A new Strat Schemes Toolbar has been created, which provides access to this new functionality.

		To enable the Strat Scheme Toolbar, select View > Toolbars > Stratigraphic Schemes.
		The Scheme Toolbar will then appear on the main ODM toolbar, and provides access to the Strat Scheme Designer, the Strat Scheme Pick/Interval Converter and the Strat Scheme Age Builder.