Research themes

Geology & Landscape: Scotland

We provide high-quality applied geoscience solutions in 2D and 3D for Scotland's many environmental and social challenges.

Collaborating widely, our Edinburgh-based team ensures our science contributes to the needs of the private sector, local and central government, non-governmental organisations, academia and the wider community.

Scotland's geology – a fly-through from the Solway Firth to Stirling.
This movie, compiled in Virtalis GeoVisionary, begins over the Solway Firth and flies over to Carlisle. The pinks and yellow are Permo-Triassic rocks and the light blues and greens are Carboniferous rocks along the Scottish – English Border. Read more on YouTube

Selected research. Click on the drawing pins for more information.

Selected Research

Glasgow and the Clyde

We are making geoscience information more accessible, relevant and understandable to the wide range of users involved in the sustainable regeneration and development of Glasgow and the Clyde Gateway — the national urban regeneration priority for Scotland over the next 25 years.

Plus exciting new applied research includes investigating the potential of Glasgow's abandoned coal mines for geothermal energy.

Moray coast and Inverness

We collect digital geological and hydrogeological data from the land around the Moray Firth to produce linked 3D shallow groundwater models. This helps us to understand the influence of geological deposits on groundwater flow, the hydrology of flood-prone rivers, and the dynamics of past ice-streams; information used in the construction of the Forres area flood defence scheme.

Grampian and Northern Highlands

We capture key digital datasets underpinning the UK geoscience knowledge base and the national 3D geological model. We research the processes of mountain building and landscape development. Our current research focus is along the Great Glen and in the North West Highlands. We provide applied geological and tectonic expertise to the renewable energy sector, particularly hydroelectricity.

Geodiversity, geoheritage and geotourism

We work in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on the strategic assessment of the value and state of Scotland's geodiversity to help develop the basis for a national policy framework on geodiversity. We also collaborate with the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) on developing geodiversity within the Park and with the Scottish Geoparks in raising awareness of Scotland's geological heritage.

See also 2010 Engaging with geodiversity conference

Contact

Contact Dr Diarmad Campbell for more information.