For the purposes of training AI-based models to identify (map) road features in rural/remote tropical regions on the basis of true-colour satellite imagery, and subsequently testing the accuracy of these AI-derived road maps, we produced a dataset of 8904 satellite image ‘tiles’ and their corresponding known road features across Equatorial Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea). Methods

1. INPUT 200 SATELLITE IMAGES

The main dataset shared here was derived from a set of 200 input satellite images, also provided here. These 200 images are effectively ‘screenshots’ (i.e., reduced-resolution copies) of high-resolution true-colour satellite imagery (~0.5-1m pixel resolution) observed using the Elvis Elevation and Depth spatial data portal (https://elevation.fsdf.org.au/), which here is functionally equivalent to the more familiar Google Earth. Each of these original images was initially acquired at a resolution of 1920x886 pixels. Actual image resolution was coarser than the native high-resolution imagery. Visual inspection of these 200 images suggests a pixel resolution of ~5 meters, given the number of pixels required to span features of familiar scale, such as roads and roofs, as well as the ready discrimination of specific land uses, vegetation types, etc. These 200 images generally spanned either forest-agricultural mosaics or intact forest landscapes with limited human intervention. Sloan et al. (2023) present a map indicating the various areas of Equatorial Asia from which these images were sourced.
IMAGE NAMING CONVENTION A common naming convention applies to satellite images’ file names: XX##.png where:

XX – denotes the geographical region / major island of Equatorial Asia of the image, as follows: ‘bo’ (Borneo), ‘su’ (Sumatra), ‘sl’ (Sulawesi), ‘pn’ (Papua New Guinea), ‘jv’ (java), ‘ng’ (New Guinea [i.e., Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia])

– denotes the ith image for a given geographical region / major island amongst the original 200 images, e.g., bo1, bo2, bo3…

1. INTERPRETING ROAD FEATURES IN THE IMAGES For each of the 200 input satellite images, its road was visually interpreted and manually digitized to create a reference image dataset by which to train, validate, and test AI road-mapping models, as detailed in Sloan et al. (2023). The reference dataset of road features was digitized using the ‘pen tool’ in Adobe Photoshop. The pen’s ‘width’ was held constant over varying scales of observation (i.e., image ‘zoom’) during digitization. Consequently, at relatively small scales at least, digitized road features likely incorporate vegetation immediately bordering roads. The resultant binary (Road / Not Road) reference images were saved as PNG images with the same image dimensions as the original 200 images.

2. IMAGE TILES AND REFERENCE DATA FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT

The 200 satellite images and the corresponding 200 road-reference images were both subdivided (aka ‘sliced’) into thousands of smaller image ‘tiles’ of 256x256 pixels each. Subsequent to image subdivision, subdivided images were also rotated by 90, 180, or 270 degrees to create additional, complementary image tiles for model development. In total, 8904 image tiles resulted from image subdivision and rotation. These 8904 image tiles are the main data of interest disseminated here. Each image tile entails the true-colour satellite image (256x256 pixels) and a corresponding binary road reference image (Road / Not Road).
Of these 8904 image tiles, Sloan et al. (2023) randomly selected 80% for model training (during which a model ‘learns’ to recognize road features in the input imagery), 10% for model validation (during which model parameters are iteratively refined), and 10% for final model testing (during which the final accuracy of the output road map is assessed). Here we present these data in two folders accordingly:

'Training’ – contains 7124 image tiles used for model training in Sloan et al. (2023), i.e., 80% of the original pool of 8904 image tiles. ‘Testing’– contains 1780 image tiles used for model validation and model testing in Sloan et al. (2023), i.e., 20% of the original pool of 8904 image tiles, being the combined set of image tiles for model validation and testing in Sloan et al. (2023).

IMAGE TILE NAMING CONVENTION A common naming convention applies to image tiles’ directories and file names, in both the ‘training’ and ‘testing’ folders: XX##_A_B_C_DrotDDD where

XX – denotes the geographical region / major island of Equatorial Asia of the original input 1920x886 pixel image, as follows: ‘bo’ (Borneo), ‘su’ (Sumatra), ‘sl’ (Sulawesi), ‘pn’ (Papua New Guinea), ‘jv’ (java), ‘ng’ (New Guinea [i.e., Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia])

– denotes the ith image for a given geographical region / major island amongst the original 200 images, e.g., bo1, bo2, bo3…

A, B, C and D – can all be ignored. These values, which are one of 0, 256, 512, 768, 1024, 1280, 1536, and 1792, are effectively ‘pixel coordinates’ in the corresponding original 1920x886-pixel input image. They were recorded within the names of image tiles’ sub-directories and file names merely to ensure that names/directory were uniquely named)

rot – implies an image rotation. Not all image tiles are rotated, so ‘rot’ will appear only occasionally.

DDD – denotes the degree of image-tile rotation, e.g., 90, 180, 270. Not all image tiles are rotated, so ‘DD’ will appear only occasionally.

Note that the designator ‘XX##’ is directly equivalent to the filenames of the corresponding 1920x886-pixel input satellite images, detailed above. Therefore, each image tiles can be ‘matched’ with its parent full-scale satellite image. For example, in the ‘training’ folder, the subdirectory ‘Bo12_0_0_256_256’ indicates that its image tile therein (also named ‘Bo12_0_0_256_256’) would have been sourced from the full-scale image ‘Bo12.png’.

This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core sourced from the South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with two shapefiles representing the locations of the samples and drill hole collars. The samples were collected and core was drilled in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the South Kawishiwi Intrusion in the Duluth Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using a high-resolution digital camera on a macro stand. The data is organized into five zip files, containing three zip files with images sourced from drill core, one zip file with images sourced from hand samples and one zip file containing shapefiles. The zip files containing image data are organized into a folder containing the 'RAW' unprocessed .CR2 images and associated .xmp metadata files, and a folder containing processed .jpg images. Folders with "DH" in the folder name contain images taken from drill core samples. The folders with "hand_samples" in the file name contain images taken from the hand samples. The file name of each photograph correlates to the sample ID or name and depth (in feet) of the drill hole from which the thin section was sourced, and whether the photograph represents a plane-polarized (ppl) or cross-polarized (xpl) light image. For example, the "MEX-142W2-3486.2_xpl.jpg" file is a cross-polarized image of the thin section sourced from drill hole MEX-142W2 at a depth of 3486.2 feet. Multiple images from the same sample are identified with "(2)" in the file name. The .jpg and .CR2 images have Section 508 compliant metadata as per USGS section 508 compliancy officer guidelines. The .xmp files are included with the 'RAW' .CR2 files because the original .CR2 metadata cannot be altered. In order to add descriptive information to the metadata, the .xmp files must be included. The edited image metadata for the .jpg files can be viewed using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Elements, or windows file explorer. The raw .CR2 images edited metadata can be viewed in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Elements, but is not viewable using windows file explorer. For the .CR2 images, only the original metadata, created when the photograph was taken, can be be viewed using windows file explorer.

This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples collected from the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the samples. The samples were collected in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions in the Duluth Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using a high-resolution digital camera on a macro stand. The data in each zip file is organized into a folder containing the 'RAW' unprocessed .CR2 images and associated .xmp metadata files, and a folder containing processed .jpg images. The file name of each photograph correlates to the sample ID from which the thin section was sourced, and whether the photograph represents a plane-polarized (ppl) or cross-polarized (xpl) light image. For example, the "1608_xpl.jpg" file is a cross-polarized image of the thin section sourced from the 1608 sample. The .jpg and .CR2 images have Section 508 compliant metadata as per USGS section 508 compliancy officer guidelines. The .xmp files are included with the 'RAW' .CR2 files because the original .CR2 metadata cannot be altered. In order to add descriptive information to the metadata, the .xmp files must be included. The edited image metadata for the .jpg files can be viewed using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Elements, or windows file explorer. The raw .CR2 images edited metadata can be viewed in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Elements, but is not viewable using windows file explorer. For the .CR2 images, only the original metadata, created when the photograph was taken, can be be viewed using windows file explorer.

This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core collected from the Lake Owen Complex, Wyoming, a shapefile representing the locations of the hand samples and drill core collars, and images showing examples of the approximate scale on the images. The samples were collected in order to help define platinum group element (PGE), gold, and titanium vanadium iron resources associated with the Lake Owen Complex. The images of the entire thin section, in plane-polarized (PPL) and cross-polarized light (XPL), were taken using a high-resolution digital camera on a macro stand. The PPL and XPL images were exported from the camera in both raw .CR2 and compressed .jpg format. Reflected light (RL) images of the thin sections were taken using a Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope. The RL images were exported from the Keyence as .tif images. Thin sections with a coverslip were not imaged in reflected light. The data are organized into four zip files, three containing the thin section images (LakeOwen_thin_section_images_part1.zip; LakeOwen_thin_section_images_part2.zip; LakeOwen_thin_section_images_part3.zip), and one containing a shapefile of the locations of the hand samples (LakeOwen_thinsection_sample_locations_shapefile.zip). The image files were divided into three zip files due to file size upload restrictions. The thin section images within each zip file are in two folders, one containing the 'RAW' unprocessed .CR2 images and associated .xmp metadata files, and unprocessed .tif images (LOC_Original_Images_part'x'), and another folder containing processed .jpg images (LOC_Processed_Images_part'x'). The processed images were run through a series of tools in Photoshop in order to improve the appearance of the images. The images taken in reflected light were not run through the Photoshop processing. The file name of each photograph correlates to either the drill hole and depth of the sample, or the hand sample ID from which the thin section was sourced, and whether the photograph represents a plane-polarized (PPL), cross-polarized (XPL), or reflected (RL) light image. For example, the "CLO-11_71.5_XPL.JPG" file is a cross-polarized image of the thin section sourced from a sample taken from the "CLO-11" drill hole at a depth of 71.5 feet. The RL images include a scale bar. The PPL and XPL images do not show a scale bar, however the thin section holder, viewable in the images, can be used as an approximate scale bar. The width of the rectangular opening of the thin section holder is approximately 48 millimeters wide. See the "Scale_bar_example_PPL.JPG" and "Scale_bar_example_XPL.JPG" image files for examples. The image files have Section 508 compliant metadata as per USGS section 508 compliancy officer guidelines. The .xmp files are included with the 'RAW' .CR2 files because the original .CR2 metadata cannot be altered. In order to add descriptive information to the metadata, the .xmp files must be included. The image metadata for the .jpg and .tif files can be viewed using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, or Windows file explorer. The raw .CR2 images edited metadata (.xmp files) can be viewed in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge, but is not viewable using Windows file explorer. For the .CR2 images, only the original metadata, created when the photograph was taken, can be be viewed using Windows file explorer.

developed view of the two triumphal pillars of Karlskirche, Vienna Austria;first version with cylindrical unrolling of the whole pillar with one vertical cut;second version with unrolling the iconography in one continous ribbon; please contact eva.kodzoman@tuwien.ac.at for access base dataset mesh from Meixner ZT GmbH; unrolled using point sampling and unroll command within CloudCompare;continous ribbon aligned using adobe photoshop; numerical value in file name represents the horizontal image width in meters to scale;due to unrolling the horizontal direction is distorted, only the vertical direction is in scale

These datasets include photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core collected from mafic to ultramafic rocks from different locations across the U.S., shapefiles representing the locations of the hand samples and/or drill core collars, and images showing examples of the approximate scale on the images. The samples were collected in order to help define platinum group element (PGE), copper, nickel, gold, or titanium vanadium iron resources associated with the rocks. The images of the entire thin section, in plane-polarized (PPL) and cross-polarized light (XPL), were taken using a high-resolution digital camera on a macro stand. The PPL and XPL images were exported from the camera in both raw .CR2 and compressed .jpg format. Reflected light (RL) images of the thin sections were taking using a Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope. The RL images were exported from the Keyence as .tif images. Thin sections with a coverslip were not imaged in reflected light. The data is organized into zip folders containing the thin section images for each area, and zip folders containing the shapefile of the locations of the hand samples and/or drill core collars for each area. Some of the image files are split into multiple zip files due to file size upload restrictions. These zip files will have “_part(x)” as the file suffix. The zip files containing the images contain two folders, one containing the original 'RAW' unprocessed .CR2 images and associated .xmp metadata files, and unprocessed .tif images, and another folder containing processed .jpg images. The processed images were run through a series of tools in Photoshop in order to improve the appearance of the images. The images taken in reflected light were not run through the Photoshop processing. The file name of each photograph correlates to either the drill hole and depth of the sample, or the hand sample ID from which the thin section was sourced, and whether the photograph represents a plane-polarized (PPL), cross-polarized (XPL), or reflected (RL) light image. For example, the "CLO-11_71.5_XPL.JPG" file is a cross-polarized image of the thin section sourced from a sample taken from the "CLO-11" drill hole at a depth of 71.5 feet. The RL images include a scale bar. The PPL and XPL images do not show a scale bar, however the thin section holder, viewable in the images, can be used as an approximate scale bar. The width of the rectangular opening of the thin section holder is approximately 48 millimeters wide. See the "Scale_bar_example_PPL.JPG" and "Scale_bar_example_XPL.JPG" image files for examples. The image files have Section 508 compliant metadata as per USGS section 508 compliancy officer guidelines. The .xmp files are included with the 'RAW' .CR2 files because the original .CR2 metadata cannot be altered. In order to add descriptive information to the metadata, the .xmp files must be included. The image metadata for the .jpg and .tif files can be viewed using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, or windows file explorer. The raw .CR2 images edited metadata (.xmp files) can be viewed in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge, but is not viewable using windows file explorer. For the .CR2 images, only the original metadata, created when the photograph was taken, can be viewed using windows file explorer.

This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples collected from the Lady of the Lake intrusion, Montana, a shapefile representing the locations of the hand samples, and images showing examples of the approximate scale on the images. The samples were collected in order to help define platinum group element (PGE), gold, and titanium vanadium iron resources associated with the Lady of the Lake intrusion. The images of the entire thin section, in plane-polarized (PPL) and cross-polarized light (XPL), were taken using a high-resolution digital camera on a macro stand. The PPL and XPL images were exported from the camera in both raw .CR2 and compressed .jpg format. Reflected light (RL) images of the thin sections were taken using a Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope. The RL images were exported from the Keyence as .tif images. Thin sections with a coverslip were not imaged in reflected light. The data are organized into two zip files, one containing the thin section images (LotL_thin_section_images.zip), and one containing a shapefile of the locations of the hand samples (LadyoftheLake_thinsection_sample_locations_shapefile.zip). The thin section images are in two folders, one containing the 'RAW' unprocessed .CR2 images and associated .xmp metadata files, and unprocessed .tif images (LotL_Original_Images), and another folder containing processed .jpg images (LotL_Processed_Images). The processed images were run through a series of tools in Photoshop in order to improve the appearance of the images. The images taken in reflected light were not run through the Photoshop processing. The file name of each photograph correlates to the hand sample ID from which the thin section was sourced, and whether the photograph represents a plane-polarized (PPL), cross-polarized (XPL), or reflected (RL) light image. For example, the "LL90-17_XPL.JPG" file is a cross-polarized image of the thin section sourced from the "LL90-17" hand sample. The RL images include a scale bar. The PPL and XPL images do not show a scale bar, however the thin section holder, viewable in the images, can be used as an approximate scale bar. The width of the rectangular opening of the thin section holder is approximately 48 millimeters wide. See the "Scale_bar_example_PPL.JPG" and "Scale_bar_example_XPL.JPG" image files for examples. The image files have Section 508 compliant metadata as per USGS section 508 compliancy officer guidelines. The .xmp files are included with the 'RAW' .CR2 files because the original .CR2 metadata cannot be altered. In order to add descriptive information to the metadata, the .xmp files must be included. The image metadata for the .jpg and .tif files can be viewed using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, or Windows file explorer. The raw .CR2 images edited metadata (.xmp files) can be viewed in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge, but is not viewable using Windows file explorer. For the .CR2 images, only the original metadata, created when the photograph was taken, can be be viewed using Windows file explorer.