GeoCore Ontology
type: Ontology
version IRI: geocore.owl
contributor: Alcides Lopes
contributor: Fernando Ciconetto
contributor: Joel Luis Carbonera
contributor: Luan Fonseca Garcia
contributor: Lucas Valadares Vieira
contributor: Mara Abel
contributor: Michel Perrin
contributor: Renata dos Santos Alvarenga
description: GeoCore Ontology is a core ontology for general use in Geology. It contains a limited set of concepts that are shared among various subdomains of Geology. Having a common core set of concepts is key in order to integrate and develop knowledge bases in the domain. GeoCore is a collaborative effort between the Informatics Institute at UFRGS (Brazil) and Geosiris Company (France). For more details check the original publication at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2019.104387
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
version info: 2024-04-06

participates in
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: has participant
domain: Class
  union of: specifically dependent continuant
  union of: generically dependent continuant
  union of: Class
    intersection of: independent continuant
    intersection of: Class
      complement of: spatial region
range: process
definition: (Elucidation) participates in holds between some b that is either a specifically dependent continuant or generically dependent continuant or independent continuant that is not a spatial region & some process p such that b participates in p some way
scope note: Users that require more sophisticated representations of time are encouraged to import a temporal extension of BFO-Core provided by the BFO development team. See documentation for guidance: <Link>

has participant
type: ObjectProperty
domain: process
range: Class
  union of: specifically dependent continuant
  union of: generically dependent continuant
  union of: Class
    intersection of: independent continuant
    intersection of: Class
      complement of: spatial region
definition: p has participant c =Def c participates in p
scope note: Users that require more sophisticated representations of time are encouraged to import a temporal extension of BFO-Core provided by the BFO development team. See documentation for guidance: <Link>

generically depends on
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: is carrier of
domain: generically dependent continuant
range: Class
  intersection of: independent continuant
  intersection of: Class
    complement of: spatial region
alternative label: g-depends on
definition: b generically depends on c =Def b is a generically dependent continuant & c is an independent continuant that is not a spatial region & at some time t there inheres in c a specifically dependent continuant which concretizes b at t
scope note: Users that require more sophisticated representations of time are encouraged to import a temporal extension of BFO-Core provided by the BFO development team. See documentation for guidance: <Link>

is carrier of
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Class
  intersection of: independent continuant
  intersection of: Class
    complement of: spatial region
range: generically dependent continuant
definition: b is carrier of c =Def there is some time t such that c generically depends on b at t
scope note: Users that require more sophisticated representations of time are encouraged to import a temporal extension of BFO-Core provided by the BFO development team. See documentation for guidance: <Link>

specifically depended on by
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: specifically depends on
domain: Class
  union of: specifically dependent continuant
  union of: Class
    intersection of: independent continuant
    intersection of: Class
      complement of: spatial region
range: specifically dependent continuant
alternative label: s-depended on by
definition: b specifically depended on by c =Def c specifically depends on b
example: Coloured object specifically depended on by colour

specifically depends on
type: ObjectProperty
domain: specifically dependent continuant
range: Class
  union of: specifically dependent continuant
  union of: Class
    intersection of: independent continuant
    intersection of: Class
      complement of: spatial region
alternative label: s-depends on
definition: (Elucidation) specifically depends on is a relation between a specifically dependent continuant b and specifically dependent continuant or independent continuant that is not a spatial region c such that b and c share no parts in common & b is of a nature such that at all times t it cannot exist unless c exists & b is not a boundary of c
example: A shape specifically depends on the shaped object; hue, saturation and brightness of a colour sample specifically depends on each other
scope note: The analogue of specifically depends on for occurrents is has participant.

bearer of
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: specifically depended on by
inverse of: inheres in
domain: Class
  intersection of: independent continuant
  intersection of: Class
    complement of: spatial region
range: specifically dependent continuant
definition: b bearer of c =Def c inheres in b
example: A patch of ink is the bearer of a colour quality; an organism is the bearer of a temperature quality

inheres in
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: specifically depends on
domain: specifically dependent continuant
range: Class
  intersection of: independent continuant
  intersection of: Class
    complement of: spatial region
definition: b inheres in c =Def b is a specifically dependent continuant & c is an independent continuant that is not a spatial region & b specifically depends on c
example: A shape inheres in a shaped object; a mass inheres in a material entity

occupies temporal region
type: ObjectProperty
type: FunctionalProperty
domain: Class
  union of: process
  union of: process boundary
range: temporal region
definition: p occupies temporal region t =Def p is a process or process boundary & the spatiotemporal region occupied by p temporally projects onto t
example: The Second World War occupies the temporal region September 1, 1939 - September 2, 1945

generated by
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: participates in
type: AsymmetricProperty
type: IrreflexiveProperty
domain: Class
  union of: geological object
  union of: earth material
range: geological process
IAO_0000115: A relation between an 'earth material' or 'geological object', and a process, in which the continuant was generated by the process
IAO_0000116: When a geological process creates a new geological object or earth material, we say that it generated this new geological object or earth material. Thus, every instance of earth material and geological object have a unique generation relation with one instance of geological process.

generated in
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: topObjectProperty
IAO_0000115: The Geological Time Interval in which the object was generated.

has age
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: bearer of
inverse of: age of
IAO_0000115: The relation between a Geological Object and its Geological Age.

age of
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: inheres in
IAO_0000115: The relation between a Geological Age and a Geological Object. Inverse of has age relation.

constituted by
type: ObjectProperty
type: AsymmetricProperty
type: IrreflexiveProperty
IAO_0000115: The relation between some material entity and the material that it is made of.
IAO_0000116: This is a material constitution relation intended to represent the relationship between material objects, such as geological objects and earth materials, or aggregates of them.
IAO_0000119: Evnine, S. J. (2011). Constitution and composition: Three approaches to their relation. ProtoSociology, 27, 212-235.

entity
type: Class
definition: (Elucidation) An entity is anything that exists or has existed or will exist
example: Julius Caesar; the Second World War; your body mass index; Verdi's Requiem

continuant
type: Class
subclass of: entity
disjoint with: occurrent
definition: (Elucidation) A continuant is an entity that persists, endures, or continues to exist through time while maintaining its identity
example: A human being; a tennis ball; a cave; a region of space; someone's temperature

occurrent
type: Class
subclass of: entity
definition: (Elucidation) An occurrent is an entity that unfolds itself in time or it is the start or end of such an entity or it is a temporal or spatiotemporal region
example: As for process, history, process boundary, spatiotemporal region, zero-dimensional temporal region, one-dimensional temporal region, temporal interval, temporal instant.

independent continuant
type: Class
subclass of: continuant
definition: b is an independent continuant =Def b is a continuant & there is no c such that b specifically depends on c or b generically depends on c
example: An atom; a molecule; an organism; a heart; a chair; the bottom right portion of a human torso; a leg; the interior of your mouth; a spatial region; an orchestra

spatial region
type: Class
subclass of: immaterial entity
definition: (Elucidation) A spatial region is a continuant entity that is a continuant part of the spatial projection of a portion of spacetime at a given time
example: As for zero-dimensional spatial region, one-dimensional spatial region, two-dimensional spatial region, three-dimensional spatial region

temporal region
type: Class
subclass of: occurrent
definition: (Elucidation) A temporal region is an occurrent over which processes can unfold
example: As for zero-dimensional temporal region and one-dimensional temporal region

spatiotemporal region
type: Class
subclass of: occurrent
definition: (Elucidation) A spatiotemporal region is an occurrent that is an occurrent part of spacetime
example: The spatiotemporal region occupied by the development of a cancer tumour; the spatiotemporal region occupied by an orbiting satellite
scope note: 'Spacetime' here refers to the maximal instance of the universal spatiotemporal region.

process
type: Class
subclass of: occurrent
alternative label: event
definition: (Elucidation) p is a process means p is an occurrent that has some temporal proper part and for some time t, p has some material entity as participant
example: An act of selling; the life of an organism; a process of sleeping; a process of cell-division; a beating of the heart; a process of meiosis; the taxiing of an aircraft; the programming of a computer

quality
type: Class
subclass of: specifically dependent continuant
definition: (Elucidation) A quality is a specifically dependent continuant that, in contrast to roles and dispositions, does not require any further process in order to be realized
example: The colour of a tomato; the ambient temperature of this portion of air; the length of the circumference of your waist; the shape of your nose; the shape of your nostril; the mass of this piece of gold

specifically dependent continuant
type: Class
subclass of: continuant
definition: b is a specifically dependent continuant =Def b is a continuant & there is some independent continuant c which is not a spatial region & which is such that b specifically depends on c
example: (with multiple bearers) John's love for Mary; the ownership relation between John and this statue; the relation of authority between John and his subordinates
example: (with one bearer) The mass of this tomato; the pink colour of a medium rare piece of grilled filet mignon at its centre; the smell of this portion of mozzarella; the disposition of this fish to decay; the role of being a doctor; the function of this heart to pump blood; the shape of this hole

fiat object part
type: Class
subclass of: material entity
definition: (Elucidation) A fiat object part b is a material entity & such that if b exists then it is continuant part of some object c & demarcated from the remainder of c by one or more fiat surfaces
example: The upper and lower lobes of the left lung; the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body; the Western hemisphere of the Earth; the FMA:regional parts of an intact human body

object aggregate
type: Class
subclass of: material entity
definition: (Elucidation) An object aggregate is a material entity consisting exactly of a plurality (≥1) of objects as member parts which together form a unit
example: The aggregate of the musicians in a symphony orchestra and their instruments; the aggregate of bearings in a constant velocity axle joint; the nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere; a collection of cells in a blood biobank
scope note: 'Exactly' means that there are no parts of the object aggregate other than its member parts.
scope note: The unit can, at certain times, consist of exactly one object, for example, when a wolf litter loses all but one of its pups, but it must at some time have a plurality of member parts.

site
type: Class
subclass of: immaterial entity
definition: (Elucidation) A site is a three-dimensional immaterial entity whose boundaries either (partially or wholly) coincide with the boundaries of one or more material entities or have locations determined in relation to some material entity
example: A hole in a portion of cheese; a rabbit hole; the Grand Canyon; the Piazza San Marco; the kangaroo-joey-containing hole of a kangaroo pouch; your left nostril (a fiat part - the opening - of your left nasal cavity); the lumen of your gut; the hold of a ship; the interior of the trunk of your car; hole in an engineered floor joist

object
type: Class
subclass of: material entity
definition: (Elucidation) An object is a material entity which manifests causal unity & is of a type instances of which are maximal relative to the sort of causal unity manifested
example: An organism; a fish tank; a planet; a laptop; a valve; a block of marble; an ice cube
scope note: A description of three primary sorts of causal unity is provided in Basic Formal Ontology 2.0. Specification and User Guide

generically dependent continuant
type: Class
subclass of: continuant
alternative label: g-dependent continuant
definition: (Elucidation) A generically dependent continuant is an entity that exists in virtue of the fact that there is at least one of what may be multiple copies which is the content or the pattern that multiple copies would share
example: The pdf file on your laptop; the pdf file that is a copy thereof on my laptop; the sequence of this protein molecule; the sequence that is a copy thereof in that protein molecule; the content that is shared by a string of dots and dashes written on a page and the transmitted Morse code signal; the content of a sentence; an engineering blueprint

process boundary
type: Class
subclass of: occurrent
definition: p is a process boundary =Def p is a temporal part of a process & p has no proper temporal parts
example: The boundary between the 2nd and 3rd year of your life

one-dimensional temporal region
type: Class
subclass of: temporal region
definition: (Elucidation) A one-dimensional temporal region is a temporal region that is a whole that has a temporal interval and zero or more temporal intervals and temporal instants as parts
example: The temporal region during which a process occurs

material entity
type: Class
subclass of: independent continuant
disjoint with: immaterial entity
definition: (Elucidation) A material entity is an independent continuant has some portion of matter as continuant part
example: A human being; the undetached arm of a human being; an aggregate of human beings

continuant fiat boundary
type: Class
subclass of: immaterial entity
definition: (Elucidation) A continuant fiat boundary b is an immaterial entity that is of zero, one or two dimensions & such that there is no time t when b has a spatial region as continuant part & whose location is determined in relation to some material entity
example: As for fiat point, fiat line, fiat surface

immaterial entity
type: Class
subclass of: independent continuant
definition: b is an immaterial entity =Def b is an independent continuant which is such that there is no time t when it has a material entity as continuant part
example: As for fiat point, fiat line, fiat surface, site

relational quality
type: Class
subclass of: quality
definition: b is a relational quality =Def b is a quality & there exists c and d such that c and d are not identical & b specifically depends on c & b specifically depends on d
example: A marriage bond; an instance of love; an obligation between one person and another

fiat surface
type: Class
subclass of: continuant fiat boundary
definition: (Elucidation) A fiat surface is a two-dimensional continuant fiat boundary that is self-connected
example: The surface of the Earth; the plane separating the smoking from the non-smoking zone in a restaurant

geological object
type: Class
subclass of: object
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: has age
  some values from: geological age
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: constituted by
  some values from: Class
    intersection of: earth material
    intersection of: Class
      complement of: earth fluid
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: generated by
  all values from: geological process
disjoint with: earth material
IAO_0000115: An object that is 'generated by' some 'geological process' and has at least one part 'constituted by' some 'earth material' that is not an 'earth fluid'.
IAO_0000116: A geological object is a naturally occurring entity because a geological process generates it, and some earth material constitutes it. Thus, we can differentiate geological objects from artificial objects, such as a well-core, because even though some earth material constitutes artificial objects, they are human-made rather than generated by some geological process. Furthermore, Geological Objects are specializations of BFO Objects, meaning they must necessarily have some unity criteria. The unity is what differentiates geological objects from Earth Materials.
alternative label: objeto geológico @pt

geological process
type: Class
subclass of: process
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: occupies temporal region
  some values from: geological time interval
IAO_0000112: Examples are the process of deposition, the process of folding, a tectonic process, a sedimentary process.
IAO_0000115: It is a physical, or chemical, or biological, naturally occurring process that occurs on the Earth’s surface or subsurface and occupies some 'geological time interval'
IAO_0000116: Geological processes are macro processes that generate, transform, deform, transport, or destroy geological objects and earth materials. These processes are not necessarily atomic and may have other geological processes as parts.
alternative label: processo geológico @pt

geological age
type: Class
subclass of: quality
IAO_0000115: It is a quality that 'inheres in' a 'geological object' or 'earth material' that corresponds to the 'geological time interval' in which the 'geological process' that it was 'generated by' occupied.
alternative label: idade geológica @pt

geological structure
type: Class
subclass of: generically dependent continuant
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: generically depends on
  some values from: geological object
IAO_0000115: It is a 'generically dependent continuant' that is the pattern of a non-atomic 'geological object''s internal arrangement.
IAO_0000116: Geological structures are general material patterns repeated in many geological objects. The pattern comprises the material configuration and the mutual relationships of the object’s different parts. Structures result from one or a series of geological processes that generated or transformed the geological object they generically depend on. Thus, there is some historical dependence relation between the structure and this geological process, but what concretizes the structure is some complex quality inhering in the object, not the process.
alternative label: estrutura geológica @pt

geological time interval
type: Class
subclass of: one-dimensional temporal region
IAO_0000115: It is a BFO temporal interval that corresponds to a time interval within the Geological Time Scale.
alternative label: intervalo de tempo geológico @pt

earth material
type: Class
subclass of: material entity
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: has age
  some values from: geological age
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: generated by
  all values from: geological process
IAO_0000112: Examples are an amount of sandstone, an amount of petroleum, an amount of natural gas.
IAO_0000115: It is a natural amount of matter 'generated by' some 'geological process'.
IAO_0000116: Earth Materials are natural amounts of matter. Thus, they come into existence by nature, without any artificial aid. Since they are amounts, they don’t hold unity criteria, but they are ontologically rigid and provide an identity criteria. Earth Materials and BFO Objects are disjoint. They are either solid, fluid, or unconsolidated. We usually observe earth materials when constituting other objects, such as an amount of rock constituting a geological unity or an amount of sand constituting a dune.
alternative label: material geologico @pt

amount of mineral
type: Class
subclass of: earth material
IAO_0000112: The amount of quarts that constitutes some grain, the amount of feldspar that is part of an amount of rock.
IAO_0000115: An amount of rock is an 'earth material' that is a naturally occuring, inorganic, solid, homogeneous chemical compound with a crystalline structure.
IAO_0000116: Amounts of mineral lack a unity criteria as every other 'earth material'. We usually observe them when they are constitution objects such as crystals or grains.
alternative label: quantidade de mineral @pt

amount of rock
type: Class
subclass of: earth material
disjoint with: earth fluid
IAO_0000112: The amount of sandstone that constitutes a lithostratigraphic unit.
IAO_0000115: An amount of rock is a solid consolidated 'earth material' that is 'constituted by' an aggregate of particles made of mineral matter or material of biological origin.
IAO_0000116: Geologists define rocks at a scale of observation where they consider them homogeneous, even though an aggregate of solid particles constitutes it. These particles are usually geological objects, such as grains or crystals, or the rest of dead animals or plants. Amounts of rock, like other earth materials, are independent rigid entities that do not hold any unity criteria. We can observe them in nature when they are constituting objects such as geological unities.
alternative label: quantidade de rocha @pt

earth fluid
type: Class
subclass of: earth material
IAO_0000115: Earth fluid is an 'earth material' that is fluild.
IAO_0000116: Earth fluids can be water, oil, gas or a mixture of those fluids.
alternative label: fluido da terra @pt

unconsolidated earth material
type: Class
subclass of: earth material
IAO_0000115: Unconsolidated earth material is an 'earth material' that is consituted by an aggregate of solid particles but is not consolidated into a 'rock' it self.
alternative label: material geológico inconsolidado @pt

geological boundary
type: Class
subclass of: fiat surface
IAO_0000115: It is a fiat surface that is 'located in' the external surface of a 'geological object'.
IAO_0000116: The 'geological boundary' of a 'geological object' coincides with the complete physical discontinuity that delimits it.
alternative label: limite geológico @pt

geological contact
type: Class
subclass of: relational quality
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: inheres in
  qualified cardinality: 2
  on class: geological object
IAO_0000115: It is a 'relational quality' that 'inheres in' two distinct 'geological object' that are 'externally connected with'
IAO_0000116: A geological contact exists when two distinct geological objects are externally connected with, i.e., their external boundaries are physically adjacent. Objects that are in contact do not have any kind of proper parthood relationship between them.
alternative label: contato geológico @pt