Information of all geoscience fields such as astronomy, geophysics, geochemistry, geology, and mineralogy has essentially space coordinates as compared with other natural sciences. When such information characterized by essential coordinates is analyzed, the coordinates should be processed independently on the other data such as physical and chemical properties. For this reason, let us define“geoinformation”in order to clarify the characteristics. One of the most important characters of geoinformation is multi-dimensional nature. Some special techniques are necessary to display multi-dimensional information. If we combine contouring, stereoscopy, and overlaying of three principal lights, the relation among 7-dimensional variables can be displayed at once. Data processing appears to be main in the present information science. However, the most important point of information science is how to get information. Information is obtained for some purpose. If we do not know the purpose, we cannot get high-quality information. On the other hand, the purpose causes bias on the obtained information. This problem is especially strong in field sciences including geosciences. To avoid the trouble geoscientists always give their attention. Consequently, geoinformatics is expected to lead the field of getting information.

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Computer processing of underground structures is one of the most important problems in Geoinformatics to promote an advanced use of computer in geology and a wide variety of related fields. The present paper summarizes a mathematical basis of data processing for a 3D modeling of geologic structure that has been formed through a sequence of sedimentation and erosion. At the first, we present a mathematical model that defines recursively a logical relation between geologic units and surfaces. Next, based on the model, we formulate a flow of data processing for 3D modeling as the following six steps: (1) classification of geologic units, (2) ordering of geologic units and events, (3) derivation of a logical relation between geologic units and surfaces, (4) estimation of surfaces, (5) determination of a function g that assigns a geologic unit to every point, and finally (6) visualization of 3D geologic structure based on the function g. The formulation provides a theoretical basis for development of computer algorithms.

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In the recent development of mineral resources, GIS data are usually prepared, and remote sensing images are frequently employed as one of the databases. In order to investigate the geologic structure of the study area, regional information which is obtained from a series of images is important. For this analysis, a mosaic image which is made up of a series of images is produced. It is required in the mosaic image that a geometrically (geographically) position corrected among plural images, and that the radiometric factor is adjusted by the same criteria in every image. In the cases of the developing countries on the earth, and other planets and satellites, topographic information with a certain accuracy is sometimes not available. It is necessary in such cases to precisely orientate the relative position between images. We have developed the technique of preparing the regional mosaic image, and the method of radiometric correction of the image. The examples of the mosaic image of the moon acquired by the Clementine satellite are introduced in this article. Three major themes are studied: the image characteristics of the lunar surface, several difficult matters encountered during the image processing, and the newly developed technique of efficiently processing the regional images.

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Information on forest and its spatial distribution can be characterised by the keyword pairs: large and small, complicated and vague, changing and stable, and long term and short term. The information has been kept and managed using Forest Inventory Database and Forest Base Map in Japan. However the contents have not been updated usually and correctly. Forestry Agency of Japan proposed a new national forest resource inventory system based on GIS and remote sensing techniques to enhance monitoring functions. It is nessesary to revise Forest Base Map correctly to introduce GIS into forestry, as the map plays fundamental role in GIS. The author concluded that GPS aided forest boundary survey is very effective for this purpose through the experiments in the Tokyo University Forest in Hokkaido, by which made this survey method into practical use in the forest. The author also suggests nessesaty of developing a new forest GIS technique to handle natural objects which keep changing through time and space, and have no clear boundary.

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Nitrogen cycles in food and feed systems on global, national, local and land-use unit scales were analyzed using data bases on each scale. The results show that the whole land of Japan has been enormously loaded with nitrogen because of the import of a large amounts of food and feed for recent three decades. The situation is also recognized in local scales. We have to realize the new balanced system of nutrient cycling by learning from the old agricultural system of Japan. The necessary conditions are as follows: 1) the self-sufficient ratio of food and feed should be increased; 2) construction of toxicant-free sewerage systems should be realized; 3) new organic fertilizers and fertilizing technologies should be developed following the new sewerage systems.

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As the third-eye subsequent to the first-eye for imaging or visualization and the second-eye for computer simulation or virtual reality, new diagnosis of various defects and inhomogeneities embedded in materials is proposed in this paper. The acoustic specto microscopy is one of candidate third eye systems for quantitative nondestructive evaluation on various surface-treated materials on the route of coating, nitridation and ion implantation. Fist in the present paper, our developing acoustic spectro microscopy is introduced together with comments on the multi-layered elastic medium model to deal with the surface-treated materials. Three examples are taken for demonstration of our approach as the third eye: inspection of interfacial micro-defects, elastic characterization of coated layers and mechanical evaluation on the polycrystalline materials.

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In order to improve productivity and yield in iron ore sintering, the following factors of practical use has been investigated by pot test or plant test, and the effects on sintercake structure has been analyzed with a high-power X-ray CT scanner. High alumina content (4%Al2O3) prevents the coalescence of pores in sintercake, and hence impairs yieldand productivity. Magnetic levitation prevents shrinkage of sintercake, and improves productivity. Intensifying segregation decreases weekly-unsintered domain and excessively sintered domain, and enhances yield and productivity. These results suggest that the factors affecting sintercake structure are classified into at least 3 types: pore-diameter-control, porosity-control, homogeneity-control. In conclusion, an expected sintercake structure offering high productivity and high yield consists of appropriate volume of well-ripen pores.

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Recent large-scale, surface/subsurface utilizations has introduced complicated and significant effects on local natural water environment. To make reliable assessment of the behavior of the water system with the aid of numerical simulation, the author describes the comprehensive technology for treating surface/subsurface, multiple fluids flow, while emphasizing the importance of full inclusion of available field information into the numerical model. Results of a case study are presented, in which a 3-D model including large underground rock caverns is constructed to reproduce and predict the surface/subsurface water behavior through history matching of calculated performances with those got from various field information.

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