The collection of map series held by BGS which correspond to the outputs of discrete projects. The maps often focus on a specific theme, and / or may have limited spatial coverage. The thematic maps include the following series: Applied Geology Maps (AGMs), also known as Environmental Geology Maps (EGMs) or Planning for Development maps, which were produced between 1975 and 1996 as part of 'geological background for planning and development' and preliminary sand and gravel projects carried out on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Scottish Development Department and the Scottish Office. Industrial Minerals Assessment Unit (IMAU) Mineral Assessment Report maps, published between 1971 and 1985 by the Institute of Geological Sciences. Oil-shale Seam Maps of the Lothians, published between 1977 and 1982 by the Institute of Geological Sciences (IGS) in Edinburgh.

The BGS Seabed Geology 10k: Offshore Yorkshire digital map provides detailed and accurate characterisation of the seabed geology, based on seabed and shallow-subsurface data. This dataset incorporates three complementary map components (Substrate Geology, Structural Geology, and Geomorphology) presented at 1:10 000 scale, provided as discrete layers for viewing within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The bedrock geology comprises Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, with bedrock commonly outcropping in the northern and central parts of the map area. Triassic rocks of the Bacton, Haisborough, and Lias Groups are dominant in the north, whereas Cretaceous Chalk is dominant in the central areas. Extensive folding, fracturing, and faulting are observed at rockhead, indicative of the complex structural evolution of the Southern North Sea Basin. Superficial deposits comprise several Quaternary deposits, in particular, Late Pleistocene subglacial till of the Bolders Bank Formation. Post-glacial channel-infill deposits are also common as well as Holocene through modern unconsolidated marine sediments. The seabed geomorphology records a range of relict and active processes, including bedrock ‘Bedding ridges’, Late Pleistocene ‘Ice-marginal moraines’, and active marine sedimentary current-induced bedforms (e.g. ‘Sediment Waves’). Each theme is provided as distinct layers for viewing within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The “Substrate Geology” layer shows the distribution of bedrock and unlithified superficial deposits present at the seabed (below a thin veneer of seabed sediments, ‘one-metre principle’ described below) as a series of polygons; The “Structural Geology” layer represents the structural features observed at rockhead as a polylines layer, and “Geomorphology” theme consists of points, polylines, and polygons layers to portray the main seabed morphological and geomorphological features.

Gridded model estimates of nitrate-N stored in the vadose (unsaturated) zone. This dataset presents annual gridded estimates of nitrate stored in the vadose zone for 1900 - 2000 on a 0.5 degree grid (units: kg N/grid cell). Data are supplied as a single netCDF for all years. This data was derived by Ascott et al. (2017). Global models of depth to groundwater table, subsurface porosity and groundwater recharge were used to derive estimates of nitrate travel time in the vadose zone. The travel time was combined with annual estimates of nitrate leaching from the base of the soil zone for 1900 - 2000 to estimate total nitrate stored in the vadose zone. For full details of the dataset derivation, please refer to Ascott et al. (2017). Ascott, M.J., Gooddy, D.C., Wang, L., Stuart, M.E., Lewis, M.A., Ward, R.S. and Binley, A.M. (2017) Global patterns of nitrate storage in the vadose zone. Nature Communications 8(1), 1416.

The IGRF is a global model of the geomagnetic field. It allows spot values of the geomagnetic field vector to be calculated anywhere from the Earth's core out into space. The IGRF is generally revised every five years by a group of modellers associated with the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA).

Data identifying landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with geological names and rock type descriptions. The scale of the data is 1:625 000, providing a simplified interpretation of the geology which may be used as a guide at a regional or national level, but should not be relied on for local geology. Onshore coverage is provided for all of England, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. Bedrock geology describes the main mass of solid rocks forming the Earth's crust. Bedrock is present everywhere, whether exposed at surface in outcrops or concealed beneath superficial deposits or water bodies. The bedrock geology of the UK is very diverse and includes three broad classes based on their mode of origin: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. The data includes attribution to identify each rock type (in varying levels of detail) as described in the BGS Rock Classification Scheme (volumes 1-3). The bedrock has formed over long periods of geological time, from the Archean eon some 3500 million years ago, to the relatively young Pliocene, 58 million years ago. The age of the rocks is identified in the data through their name in the BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units (published for each deposit at the time of the original survey or subsequent digital data creation). For stratified rocks, i.e. those arranged in sequence, this will usually be of a lithostratigraphic type. Other rock types (for example, intrusive igneous bodies) will be of a lithodemic type. More information on the formal naming of UK rocks is available in the BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units. Geological names are based on the lithostratigraphic or lithodemic hierarchy. The lithostratigraphic scheme arranges rock bodies into units based on rock type and geological time of formation. Where rock types do not fit into the lithostratigraphic scheme (for example intrusive, deformed rocks subjected to heat and pressure, resulting in new or changed rock types), their classification is based on their rock type or lithological composition using visible features such as texture, structure and mineralogy. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as an OGC GeoPackage and are delivered free of charge under the terms of the Open Government Licence.

Data identifying landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with geological names and rock type descriptions. The scale of the data is 1:50 000 scale providing bedrock geology. Onshore coverage is provided for all of England, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Bedrock geology describes the main mass of solid rocks forming the earth's crust. Bedrock is present everywhere, whether exposed at surface in outcrops or concealed beneath superficial deposits or water bodies. The bedrock geology of Great Britain is very diverse and includes three broad classes based on their mode of origin: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. The data includes attribution to identify each rock type (in varying levels of detail) as described in the BGS Rock Classification Scheme (volumes 1-3 ). The bedrock has formed over long periods of geological time, from the Archean eon some 7500 million years ago, to the relatively young Pliocene, 58 million years ago. The age of the rocks is identified in the data through their BGS lexicon name (published for each deposit at the time of the original survey or subsequent digital data creation). For stratified rocks i.e. arranged in sequence, this will usually be of a lithostratigraphic type. Other rock types for example intrusive igneous bodies will be of a lithodemic type. More information on the formal naming of UK rocks is available in the BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units. Geological names are based on the lithostratigraphic or lithodemic hierarchy. The lithostratigraphic scheme arranges rock bodies into units based on rock-type and geological time of formation. Where rock-types do not fit into the lithostratigraphic scheme, for example intrusive, deformed rocks subjected to heat and pressure resulting in new or changed rock types; then their classification is based on their rock-type or lithological composition, using visible features such as texture, structure, mineralogy. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.

This Web service provides layers containing data from the BGS Geology 625k (DiGMapGB-625) dataset. BGS Geology 625k provides small-scale (1:625 000 scale) bedrock and superficial geology mapping for use at a regional and national level. The bedrock and superficial data are symbolised by lithology and lithostratigraphy, and a bedrock age layer is also provided for the bedrock layer. Additional linear features (faults) and dykes layers are provided for use in conjunction with the bedrock layer. For more information about the digital maps available from the British Geological Survey, please visit https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geological-data/. The data are provided through this service for view and download under the Open Government Licence.

The BGS Seabed Geology: Offshore East Anglia digital map provides detailed and accurate characterisation of the seabed geology, based on seabed and shallow-subsurface data. This dataset incorporates three complementary map components (Substrate Geology, Structural Geology, and Geomorphology), provided as discrete layers for viewing within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The bedrock geology of the mapped area comprises Cretaceous age Chalk Group sedimentary rocks. These rocks crop out extensively at seabed across the southern and central parts of the dataset forming an extensive bedrock platform and Europe’s largest known offshore chalk reef. This reef has been designated the Cromer Shoal Chalk Beds Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) owing to the range of unique floral and faunal habitats that it supports. The Chalk Group is covered across the central (partly) and southern parts of the dataset by natural superficial deposits that accreted during the Quaternary. These include preglacial delta bottom-set (Westkapelle Ground Formation) and delta top-set (Yarmouth Roads Formation); and glacial sediments and landforms that were deposited and formed during at least two separate phases of glaciation that inundated parts of the southern North Sea and adjacent East Anglia during the Middle Pleistocene (Anglian / Elsterian) and Late Pleistocene (Late Devensian / Late Weichselian). Collective geological evidence includes extensive areas of out-cropping subglacial till; the presence of largely concealed and infilled over-deepened (>100 m deep) subglacial tunnel valleys, ice-marginal moraines, and a glacially disrupted chalk surface that includes the development of incised meltwater channels, detached and transported glacitectonic bedrock rafts and megablocks. Post-glacial environments from the Late-Pleistocene – Holocene (prior to marine inundation) included fluvial and estuarine deposition, that together with variable infill of late-glacial valleys are included within the Botney Cut Formation. Holocene marine transgression flooded the region, with shallow marine sedimentation active through modern times resulting in the variable cover of unconsolidated marine sediments, as well as the distribution of extensive current-induced bedforms, e.g., sediment banks, sediment waves and fields of mega ripples which are recorded within the Seabed Geomorphology dataset. Each theme is provided as distinct layers for viewing within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The “Substrate Geology” layer shows the distribution of bedrock and unlithified superficial deposits present at the seabed (below a thin veneer of seabed sediments, ‘one-metre principle’ described below) as a series of polygons; The “Structural Geology” layer represents the structural features observed at rockhead as a polylines layer, and “Geomorphology” theme consists of points, polylines, and polygons layers to portray the main seabed morphological and geomorphological features.

Linear features (shown as polylines) in BGS Geology 50k are used to portray geological features and concepts that are normally depicted on maps in linear form, rather than polygonal form. The data is presented at 1:50 000 scale. Onshore coverage is provided for England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. Approximately 99% coverage is available and BGS is committed to completing the coverage, and ongoing updates as part of its ongoing national survey. Linear features are associated most closely with the bedrock theme either as an intrinsic part of it for example marine bands or affecting it in the case of faults. However, landform elements are associated with both bedrock and superficial deposits. The linear features are organised into seven main categories: Alteration areas: areas indicating zones of change to the pre-existing rocks due to the application of heat and pressure that can occur round structural features such as faults and dykes. The linear feature defines the estimated boundary of the change. Fault: where a body of bedrock has been fractured and displaced by a large-scale process affecting the earth’s crust. The linear feature is used to represent a 3-dimensional plane of disruption on a 2-dimensional map. The line itself typically defines a broader zone of displacement/failure, rather than an individual fault plane. Fold Axis: where strata are bent or deformed resulting from changes or movement of the earth’s surface creating heat and pressure to reshape and transform the original horizontal strata. Folds appear on all scales, in all rock types and from a variety of causes. The linear feature is used to represent the “hinge” of the folds (which is a 3-dimensional plane being represented on a 2-dimensional map). Fossil horizon: where prolific fossil assemblages occur and can be used to help establish the order in which deposits were laid down (stratigraphy). These horizons allow correlation where sediments of the same age look completely different due to variations in depositional environment. The linear feature is used to represent a layer of material that is typically too thin to be shown as a polygon on the map. Landforms: define the landscape by its surface form; these include glacial features such as drumlins, eskers, and ice margins. The linear feature is typically used to represent a boundary, or centre line that defines the form of the feature. Mineral vein: where concentrations of crystallised mineral occur within a rock, they are closely associated with faulting but may occur independently. The linear feature defines the estimated extent of the mineralised vein, but does not indicate the volume of wall rock that has been affected. Rock: lines representing beds of notable geological materials and key marker beds, e.g., coal, gypsum, ironstone relevant to the Bedrock theme. The linear feature is used to represent a layer of material that is typically too thin to be shown as a polygon on the map. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.

Data identifies landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with type of artificial or man-made ground. It indicates areas where the ground surface has been significantly modified by human activity. Types of artificial ground include: Disturbed ground areas of ill-defined shallow or near surface mineral workings where distinction cannot be made between made and worked ground. Infilled ground areas where original geology has been removed and then wholly or partially back filled includes waste or landfill sites. Landscaped ground areas where surface has been reshaped includes former sand and gravel workings for recreation and amenity use. Made ground man made features including embankments and spoil heaps. Worked ground areas where ground has been removed including quarries and road cuttings. Disturbed ground areas of ill-defined shallow or near surface mineral workings where distinction cannot be made between made and worked ground. Whilst artificial ground may not be considered as part of the 'real geology' of bedrock and superficial deposits it does affect them. Artificial ground impacts on the near surface ground conditions which are important to human activities and economic development. Due to the constantly changing nature of land use and re-use/redevelopment, caution must be exercised when using this data as it represents a snapshot in time rather than an evolving picture hence the data may become dated very rapidly. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.