Research and technological advances have made it possible for geologists to get a better view -- and understanding -- of outcrops. The example below shows a clastic outcrop from the deep-water slope channels of the Tebernas Basin in southern Spain; it is a blended image that applies laser intensity texture to an optimized surface model. The optimization process selects data points that best define the outcrop shape while limiting excess points. next

Graphics courtesy of the Bureau of Economic Geology