UK geology : Scotland

Geology & landscape Scotland teams

Chief Geologist Scotland — Dr Martin Smith, Edinburgh Office

 

Teams

Responsive Surveys, Scotland — Team Leader: Hugh Barron

This team carries out a responsive research on the geology of Scotland providing expertise, advice and data meeting the needs of stakeholders including the Scottish Government, SNH, SEPA, national parks, local authorities and the private sector.

Services provided:

  • 3D geoscience modelling in support of urban regeneration
  • targeted geological revision for BGS data products
  • geodiversity auditing for planning and environmental management
  • popular geological products for the tourism industry.

Quaternary Earth Systems — Team Leader: Dr Tom Bradwell

This team focuses on the Quaternary – the most recent period of geological history.

Our aim is to tackle some of today’s key scientific questions:

  • are the Polar ice sheets stable or on the brink of collapse?
  • can we predict what might happen to our environment and in 100 or 500 years time?

Our approach is to study the high-resolution millennial scale record of environmental change to characterise global change.

The Quaternary team aims to focus scientific research both within BGS and externally through university collaboration, and directly linking into the NERC themes. Our current projects will bring together scientific specialists within BGS and academia, including: geologists, marine scientists, glaciologists, geomorphologists, geochemists, sedimentologists and numerical modellers for research of UK national and international importance.

 

Precambrian and Tectonic Processes — Team Leader: Dr Graham Leslie

This multidisciplinary team concentrates on the geological features and earth processes encountered in the Precambrian of the UK. Current focus:

  • two projects in the Scottish Highlands which capture the key digital datasets underpinning the UK baseline survey and the national 3D geological model and research the processes of mountain building including, orogenesis, tectonics and pre-glacial erosion
  • education and outreach activities with links to two UNESCO-endorsed Geoparks and the National Parks in Scotland, which contributes significantly to the visibility of BGS.

Contact Dr Martin Smith for more information.