A global geological map has been launched online this week. Image courtesy of OneGeology.

Scientists from across the world have joined forces to create a global geological map of over 80 nations, which from this week is accessible online.

Led by the British Geological Survey (BGS), the OneGeology project pools existing data about what lies under our feet, and, from this week, has made available online between 60% and 70% of the Earth’s surface down to the scale of 1:1,000,000.

The project was initiated in England in March 2007, when leading scientists from more than 43 countries around the world, from as far apart as Australia and Brazil, Canada and Russia, Namibia and Japan, met to agree and plan the details.

Supported by UNESCO and nine other international umbrella bodies, OneGeology sees national Geological Surveys across the globe make a tangible contribution to the UN International Year of Planet Earth 2008, by developing the geological map data and converting it to a new international standard – a geological exchange language known as ‘GeoSciML’.

Increased use of this new language will allow geological data to be shared and integrated across the planet. It will also transfer valuable know-how to the developing world, hence shortening the digital learning curve.

The project is basically doing the same for the rocks beneath our feet that Google does for maps of the Earth’s surface – the resource displays geological information with the use of a “virtual globe”, in much the same way as Google Earth now presents satellite images.

In the future, it is hoped that the maps will be detailed enough to help companies find the Earth’s exploitable resources, such as minerals and oil.

Ian Jackson, Chief of Operations at the British Geological Survey, and the man  responsible for coordinating OneGeology, explained: “Geological maps are essential tools in finding natural resources e.g. water, hydrocarbons and minerals, and when planning to mitigate geohazards e.g. earthquakes, volcanoes and radon.

“Natural resources are a crucial source of wealth for all nations, especially those that need to develop and build their economies. Identifying geohazards is often a matter of life or death. Other challenges facing all nations in the 21st century include rising sea levels, management of waste (nuclear or domestic) and storage of carbon. Knowledge of the rocks that we all live on has become increasingly important and sharing that knowledge at a time of global environmental change is crucial.”

The official launch of OneGeology will take place at the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway on 6 August 2008.

Visit OneGeology at: www.onegeology.org