Photogrammetry—Fossils in 3D

Structure-from-motion

Structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry is a means to digitally document the surface details of an object in 3-dimensions using off the shelf cameras, computers and software. Photogrammetry historically has been used to measure details on the surface of the Earth, structures or other natural features. Employing SfM, like traditional photogrammetry, surface details and the dimensional aspects of even small objects can be precisely measured and digitally archived for future study. For paleontology, this method in recent years has increasing become important because the costs with recording an object are continuing to drop and easier to use as technology improves. SfM has broad applicability in paleontology for both body (think bones and teeth) and ichno- or trace fossils (think tracks, burrows or impressions). Additionally, the ease of transmitting the derived 3D data has allowed information on rare specimens to be shared with researchers and the public. The National Park Service uses photogrammetry to improve access to scientifically important or interesting objects and in turn enhance the visitor's experience (whether in-person or "virtually").

Grand Canyon—Ichniotherium trackway

fossil tracks in sandstone fossil tracks in sandstone

Left image
Fossil trackway model with true color overlay.
Credit: NPS image by Jack Wood.

Right image
Fossil trackway model with color ramp overlay.
Credit: NPS image by Jack Wood.

Ichniotherium tracks found within the Grand Canyon are important clues to how early tetrapods colonized land. These tracks are especially important because the Coconino Sandstone was deposited as an erg and characteristic of a desert environment during the Permian (~280 million years ago). To help scientists, photogrammetry data can be used to create a map of the tracks, also known as a "heat map", which uses color to represent the changing  height of the surface features. Here, lowest areas are in blue and the highest are in red. Using the true color and the heat map together, the walking behavior of the animal can be better understood.

Photogrammetry Applications for Paleontology

Showing results 1-8 of 8
  • Chaco Culture National Historical Park

    Series: Chaco Collections—Paleontology

    • Type: Series
    artist rendering of giant mosasaur swimming and feeding on ammonites

    The fossils at Chaco represent ten to fifteen million years of life on Earth, during the Late Cretaceous when New Mexico sat on the ever-changing coastline of an inland sea. This ocean, known as the Western Interior Seaway, was home to sharks and giant reptilian predators like mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, as well as ammonites, relatives of today’s squids. NPS scientists used imaging techniques to create virtual 3D models of a few of the park’s paleontological treasures.

  • Grand Canyon National Park

    Series: Grand Canyon Collections—Paleontology

    • Type: Series
    3d model of cheetah jaw

    The fossils found within Grand Canyon span over a billion years of Earth history, from stromatolites found in the Bass Limestone (1.2 billion years ago) to Pleistocene megafauna (15,000 years ago) exhumed from cave sediments. The park’s fossil resource have been known to scientists for over 100 years. Recently, NPS scientists used imaging techniques to create virtual 3D fossils.The examples below are just some of your park’s paleontological treasures.

  • Mammoth Cave National Park

    Series: Mammoth Cave Collections—Paleontology

    • Type: Series
    painting of a prehistoric shark

    More than 40 different species of fossil sharks and relatives have been identified from Mammoth Cave specimens.

  • Geologic Resources Division

    NPS-Smithsonian Collaboration Promotes Public and Scientific Access to Important Fossils

    black and white photo of a small cave covered with small round fossils.

    Paleontologists and staff from both the National Park Service (NPS) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (USNM) have been working together to develop a website of interactive 3-D computer models featuring important fossils collected from several NPS areas and which are maintained in the collections of the USNM. Read more about how these 3D models are made and how to interact with them.

  • Paleontological Modeling Example—'Equisetites'

    • Sites: Geologic Resources Division, Capitol Reef National Park
    rock with fossil plant

    3D Equisetites – Fossil Horsetail Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

  • Paleontological Modeling Example—Redwood Trio

    • Sites: Geologic Resources Division, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
    model of fossil redwood stumps

    3D Fossilized Redwood Trio Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado

  • Paleontological Modeling Example—'Anchisauripus' track

    • Sites: Geologic Resources Division, Gettysburg National Military Park
    model of dinosaur track

    3D Fossil Anchisauripus track Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania

  • #Sciencedeskdigs: Cat Track

    a 3D printed cat track with the words 4 million year old cat track over the photo

    Geologist/GIS Specialist, Jack Wood, tells us what photogrammetry is and how he uses it to help protect geologic resources in parks. (Adapted from a post from the Instagram series called #sciencedeskdigs that highlights the stories and work of NRSS scientists).

Back to top

The Geologic Resources Division (GRD) of the Natural Resources Stewardship and Science Directorate has acquired equipment and software to develop a photogrammetric data program to support parks and regions. This includes technology and training for photogrammetric capture, analysis, and 3D printing, in the resource management areas of protection, research, mitigation, restoration, inventory, monitoring, interpretation, and planning. For more information on photogrammetry techniques and applications, contact us.

Last updated: October 14, 2020

Experience More

Subjects

Parks

Organizations

Tools

  • Site Index