Outcrop

Outcrop lets users read the rocks around them. Using the phone camera in its Live mode, it draws the geologic map onto the terrain, names the unit under the reticle, and labels peaks and lakes in view. Tapping a unit shows its name, age, composition and how it formed, and unit pages show where the age falls in Earth's history. The app also provides a rock column view for the spot selected, a PALEOMAP-based globe showing where a rock lay at its age, and search for units, ages, rocks or faults. Geologic maps and soils for a chosen area can be saved to the phone for offline use, though fossil finds and Live's active faults require a connection. The website states geology comes from Macrostrat and the Paleobiology Database, terrain from Mapterhorn, and place names from OpenStreetMap. It is free, available on Google Play, and in beta for iPhone via TestFlight. It is made by the team behind Flyover Country.

Key features

• Augmented reality Live mode draws the geologic map onto the land through the camera and names the unit under the reticle
• Labels peaks and lakes in view
• Offline saving of geologic maps and soils for chosen areas
• Rock column view showing units, ages and gaps from the surface down, with fossils found in the column
• Geology reading for the spot under the user, with name, age, composition and formation
• Globe view using Christopher Scotese's PALEOMAP maps showing where a rock lay at its age, with animation
• Search for units, ages, rocks or faults, with distance to the nearest result
• Earth's history timeline showing where a unit's age falls
• Quaternary geology and active faults for the US, bedrock and faults worldwide
• Optional satellite imagery for saved areas

Best suited for

• Geology students and enthusiasts exploring landscapes
• Hikers and travelers wanting to understand rocks around them
• Field users who need geologic maps without cell signal
• Travelers wanting to learn the geology below them

Pricing

Free, for iPhone and Android