虚拟现实技术及其在地球科学中的应用

虚拟现实技术以其具有的沉浸感、交互性、实时性、构想性等特点而越来越为广大地学工作者所关注。本文首先介绍了虚拟现实系统的组成，之后综述了近几年国内外地球科学部分领域应用虚拟现实技术的研究文献。与传统方法相比，虚拟现实技术在很大程度上提高了科学研究的效率，能提供更丰富的可视化和交互环境，使科学家能够操纵多达GB甚至TB级数据，以一种身临其境方式来对研究对象进行观察、分析和实时操作，而无需科研人员到达现场。通过虚拟现实系统，能将尽可能多学科的数据放到同一个环境下，增强科研人员研究问题的深度和广度，避免得出错误结论。同时能重塑不可再生资源，避免了在科学研究的同时对其造成的破坏，有助于科学知识在公众中的传播。与西方发达国家相比，我国的（沉浸式）虚拟现实技术在地学领域的应用还处在起步阶段，在拥有大量高精度LiDAR地形数据的活动构造等领域亟待引入该项技术，以一种全新的视野来重新审视地球科学研究，并推动该学科在未来的发展。

Virtual reality technology and its application in earth science

Virtual reality technology is increasingly concerned by the majority of geoscientists with its characteristics of immersion, interactivity, real-time, and conception. This paper first introduces the composition of the virtual reality system, and then reviews the research literatures on the application of virtual reality technology in some areas of earth science at home and abroad in recent years. Compared with traditional methods, virtual reality technology has greatly improved the efficiency of scientific research, providing a richer visualization and interactive environment, enabling scientists to manipulate up to GB or even terabytes of data in an immersive situation. Ways to observe, analyze, and operate in real time without the need for researchers to arrive at the site. Through the virtual reality system, the data of as many subjects as possible can be put into the same environment, and the depth and breadth of research problems of researchers can be enhanced to avoid erroneous conclusions. At the same time, it can reshape non-renewable resources, avoid the damage caused by scientific research, and help the spread of scientific knowledge in the public. Compared with western developed countries, the application of China´s （immersive） virtual reality technology in the field of geosciences is still in its infancy, and it is urgent to introduce this technology in the field of active structures with a large number of high-precision LiDAR terrain data to re-examine geosciences with a new perspective and to promote the future development of this field.