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Uncertainty of a geoscientific map derived from data sampled by sensory engagement of human experts cannot be quantified from within the processing chain followed to produce the map due to subjective components in the underlying data. Nevertheless, quantified uncertainty associated with such maps would be essentially required for correct information retrieval from such maps. An approach mimicking an expert elicitation through digital agents in an information fusion procedure is suggested to quantify the trustworthiness of a partially subjective map (such as a soil map or any other geoscientific map inherently linked to partial subjectivity, e.g., a geological map). This procedure links a partially subjective map with collocated maps resulting from technical measurements provided with quantified uncertainty. Variation of methodology in this approach results in an ensemble of maps with variable degree of matching with the partially subjective map which allows for probabilistic statements about the trustworthiness of the partially subjective map. This enables including partially subjective maps in further data integration relying on numerical analysis, e.g., in the context of computational modeling or machine learning. By being able to assign a quantitative trustworthiness to a partially subjective map the risk of over-utilization of this map is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Piemonte (north-western Italy), an intense extraction activity of ornamental stones widely used for historical buildings, developed throughout centuries. This is due to the wide geodiversity of the region, characterised by mostly metamorphic and magmatic rocks in the Western Alps and by terrigenous and carbonate sedimentary rocks in the Alps-Apennines syn-orogenic basins. The work presents the description and classification of the main Piemonte ornamental stones, referring to a simplified lithological Map Legend. To enhance the remarkable historical and contemporary stone heritage of the region a database (DB) was developed addressing a proper cataloguing of the ornamental stones and related quarries. The classified instances have been referred to the geologic units of a regional-scale, interactive geological map, in which each ornamental stone was attributed to few geo-lithological classes. The map was developed as a WebGIS service hosted on a geoportal () that allows interactive querying and download of the DB information, regarding the main rock types and the corresponding quarries, as well as their historical-architectural uses, to underline their value as witness of cultural heritage. The WebGIS service is progressively fed by new data, in order to become a relevant source of information for those working in the field of cultural heritage and geo-environmental sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological map of the Klenov Pluton (Moldanubian Batholith), and its 3D visualization, brings the new findings in the context of granite emplacement within late-Variscan settings. The Klenov Pluton has a peraluminous composition resulting from partial melting of metasedimentary sources and subsequent differentiation. The new ages 327.14 ± 0.21 Ma and 327.80 ± 0.37 Ma, reflect the narrow time-span of magma emplacement and cooling. The 327 Ma Klenov Pluton was emplaced syntectonically as a ‘sheet-like’ granite intrusion at depth ca. 10 kilometers during the later stages of the Pelhřimov Core Complex exhumation (at ca. 329 to 327 Ma) associated with ∼N–S oriented compression. Gravity modelling suggests that the Klenov Pluton has an asymmetric shape where its western flank is parallel to the ∼NW moderately dipping Pelhřimov Core Complex. The eastern margin of the Pluton is shallower and has been later modified by ∼SE-side-up normal faulting (Lodhéřov Fault Zone).

This 1:30,000 scale geological map describes Oxia Planum, Mars, the landing site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. The map represents our current understanding of bedrock units and their relationships prior to Rosalind Franklin’s exploration of this location. The map details 15 bedrock units organised into 6 groups and 7 textural and surficial units. The bedrock units were identified using visible and near-infrared remote sensing datasets. The objectives of this map are (i) to identify where the most astrobiologically relevant rocks are likely to be found, (ii) to show where hypotheses about their geological context (within Oxia Planum and in the wider geological history of Mars) can be tested, (iii) to inform both the long-term (hundreds of metres to ∼1 km) and the short-term (tens of metres) activity planning for rover exploration, and (iv) to allow the samples analysed by the rover to be interpreted within their regional geological context.

In this work we present a 1:50,000 geological map of the basement rocks of Andorra that is the harmonization of the results of two decades of field work and data analyses in the frame of the 1:25,000 Geological Map of Andorra Project by CENMA–IEA (at present AR + I, Andorra Research + Innovation). The study area lies entirely in the Axial Zone of the Pyrenees, where only late Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic rocks and Quaternary deposits crop out. The map is produced at 1:25,000 scale and Quaternary deposits have been removed, in order to obtain a continuous basement map that can be used as the basis for stratigraphical and structural works. The main results of this work are the publication of new cartographic and structural data, as well as a better understanding of the stratigraphy in this sector.

We present the first geological map of the Aracruz pluton (Espírito Santo, Brazil), which belongs to the late Cambrian post-orogenic suite that intruded the Nova Venécia metapelites and Ediacaran syn-orogenic S-type granites of the Araçuaí belt. Our mapping coupled with airbone magnetic and radiometric observations reveals that the pluton is not regularly zoned. It is composed of porphyric alkali feldspar granites, into which charnockite and quartz-diorite bands intruded as several pulses while the granites were a deforming crystal mush, and an undeformed central norite emplaced when most movement of the host magma had ceased. Steep-dipping concentric magmatic foliation, magmatic foliation parallel to tectonic foliation in the country rock, the noritic core, and the irregular charnockite and quartz-diorite band alignment suggest buoyancy-driven diapirism as emplacement mechanism. The Aracruz pluton is a superb example of mantle-derived post-orogenic intrusion attesting for the production of continental crust during the final stages of a Wylson cycle.

This paper introduces a geological map of the Sila mountain block (Northern Calabria, Italy), realized as a tool to promote knowledge of this geological landscape uniqueness and to develop effective geoheritage management and enhancement strategies, also from a geotouristic and geoeducational perspective. The Sila block is defined as a plateau whose morphology is deeply connected to its lithological characteristics and tectonic evolution that combined with exogenous processes over time has conditioned the landscape. The 1:60,000 scale map provides an overall scheme of the main geological units and tectonic elements constituting the study area, as a synthesis of thematic cartography existing in the literature coupled to targeted investigations and field surveys. It also displays the main geosites and geosite systems, identified with the purpose of communicating geoheritage processes/products, which favour an understanding of the surrounding environment, and for tourist purposes.

This paper shows an example of how to create morphological and geological maps of the seabed combining high-resolution bathymetric data and onshore geological information. The mapped area corresponds to the BIMEP offshore test site, located in the south-eastern part of the Bay of Biscay, in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. In the Morphological map, using semi-automatic methods, the seafloor is categorized in 10 classes, obtained by the combination of terrain variables and a decision table. In the Geological map, onshore-defined geological units are extended into the continental shelf, and bedding traces, folds, and fractures are depicted. These maps could serve as valuable tools for stakeholders involved in marine energy projects, enabling informed decision-making and promoting sustainable development practices.

The evolution of map development has been shaped by advancing techniques and technologies. Nevertheless, field and remote mapping with cabinet data analysis remains essential in this process. Geological maps are thematic maps that delineate diverse geological features. These maps undergo updates reflecting changes in the mapped area, technological advancements, and the availability of new data. Herein, a geological assessment example focused on enhancing mapped data using digitally processed historical (legacy) aerial images is presented for a case study in the Dinarides karst area in Croatia. The study area of Bribirske Mostine is covered by the Basic Geological Map of Yugoslavia (BGMY) at a 100,000 scale, which was developed during the 1960s. As the BGMY was developed 60+ years ago, one of its segments is further analyzed and discussed, namely, faults. Moreover, applying modern-day technologies and reinterpretation, its data, scale, presentation, and possible areas of improvement are presented. Georeferenced digital historical geological data (legacy), comprising BGMY, archive field maps, and aerial images from 1959 used in BGMY development, are reviewed. Original faults were digitalized and reinterpreted within the geographic information system with the following conclusions: (i) more accurate data (spatial positioning) on faults can be gained by digitally processing aerial photographs taken 60+ years ago with detailed review and analysis; (ii) simultaneously, new data were acquired (additional fault lines were interpreted); (iii) the map scale can be up-scaled to 1:25,000 for the investigated area of Bribirske Mostine; and (iv) a newly developed map for the Bribirske Mostine study area is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theory about a young, evolving "stealth ocean" under the ancient-looking surface of Mimas, the moon of Saturn, triggered us to revisit the icy satellite and develop a revised geological map based on Cassini images. The re-mapping of Mimas's surface aimed to fill the decades-long gap that grew since the publication of the first Voyager image-based pioneering map, and it provided an up-to-date synthetic interpretation of revised and newly discovered features. Despite the map being in its early stage of introduction, it already showed some key features that may play significant roles in the reconstruction of Mimas's (surface) evolution. The Herschel crater, formed by a global-scale impact, undoubtedly left additional marks, including fault scarps, stair-step faults, and post-impact surface transformation, through mass movements around the crater wall and the peak. Smaller craters left various scars on the surface, including asymmetric craters, whose morphology and allocation we used to reconstruct the regional topographic changes on the surface of Mimas. In addition to the impact-related features, which dominated the surface of the icy satellite, groups of weak, quasi-parallel running linear features, such as undifferentiated lineaments, grooves/through, and ridges, were also observed. The appearance and pattern of those lineaments overlapped with the allocation of various modeled global nonlinear tidal dissipations, supporting the existence of theoretical subsurface stealth oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows an example of how to create morphological and geological maps of the seabed combining high-resolution bathymetric data and onshore geological information. The mapped area corresponds to the BIMEP offshore test site, located in the south-eastern part of the Bay of Biscay, in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. In the Morphological map, using semi-automatic methods, the seafloor is categorized in 10 classes, obtained by the combination of terrain variables and a decision table. In the Geological map, onshore-defined geological units are extended into the continental shelf, and bedding traces, folds, and fractures are depicted. These maps could serve as valuable tools for stakeholders involved in marine energy projects, enabling informed decision-making and promoting sustainable development practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first geological map of the Aracruz pluton (Espírito Santo, Brazil), which belongs to the late Cambrian post-orogenic suite that intruded the Nova Venécia metapelites and Ediacaran syn-orogenic S-type granites of the Araçuaí belt. Our mapping coupled with airbone magnetic and radiometric observations reveals that the pluton is not regularly zoned. It is composed of porphyric alkali feldspar granites, into which charnockite and quartz-diorite bands intruded as several pulses while the granites were a deforming crystal mush, and an undeformed central norite emplaced when most movement of the host magma had ceased. Steep-dipping concentric magmatic foliation, magmatic foliation parallel to tectonic foliation in the country rock, the noritic core, and the irregular charnockite and quartz-diorite band alignment suggest buoyancy-driven diapirism as emplacement mechanism. The Aracruz pluton is a superb example of mantle-derived post-orogenic intrusion attesting for the production of continental crust during the final stages of a Wylson cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a geological map of the Sila mountain block (Northern Calabria, Italy), realized as a tool to promote knowledge of this geological landscape uniqueness and to develop effective geoheritage management and enhancement strategies, also from a geotouristic and geoeducational perspective. The Sila block is defined as a plateau whose morphology is deeply connected to its lithological characteristics and tectonic evolution that combined with exogenous processes over time has conditioned the landscape. The 1:60,000 scale map provides an overall scheme of the main geological units and tectonic elements constituting the study area, as a synthesis of thematic cartography existing in the literature coupled to targeted investigations and field surveys. It also displays the main geosites and geosite systems, identified with the purpose of communicating geoheritage processes/products, which favour an understanding of the surrounding environment, and for tourist purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present a 1:50,000 geological map of the basement rocks of Andorra that is the harmonization of the results of two decades of field work and data analyses in the frame of the 1:25,000 Geological Map of Andorra Project by CENMA–IEA (at present AR + I, Andorra Research + Innovation). The study area lies entirely in the Axial Zone of the Pyrenees, where only late Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic rocks and Quaternary deposits crop out. The map is produced at 1:25,000 scale and Quaternary deposits have been removed, in order to obtain a continuous basement map that can be used as the basis for stratigraphical and structural works. The main results of this work are the publication of new cartographic and structural data, as well as a better understanding of the stratigraphy in this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological map of the Klenov Pluton (Moldanubian Batholith), and its 3D visualization, brings the new findings in the context of granite emplacement within late-Variscan settings. The Klenov Pluton has a peraluminous composition resulting from partial melting of metasedimentary sources and subsequent differentiation. The new ages 327.14 ± 0.21 Ma and 327.80 ± 0.37 Ma, reflect the narrow time-span of magma emplacement and cooling. The 327 Ma Klenov Pluton was emplaced syntectonically as a 'sheet-like' granite intrusion at depth ca. 10 kilometers during the later stages of the Pelhřimov Core Complex exhumation (at ca. 329 to 327 Ma) associated with ∼N–S oriented compression. Gravity modelling suggests that the Klenov Pluton has an asymmetric shape where its western flank is parallel to the ∼NW moderately dipping Pelhřimov Core Complex. The eastern margin of the Pluton is shallower and has been later modified by ∼SE-side-up normal faulting (Lodhéřov Fault Zone). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 1:30,000 scale geological describes Oxia Planum, Mars, the landing site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. The map represents our current understanding of bedrock units and their relationships prior to Rosalind Franklin's exploration of this location. The map details 15 bedrock units organised into 6 groups and 7 textural and surficial units. The bedrock units were identified using visible and near-infrared remote sensing datasets. The objectives of this map are (i) to identify where the most astrobiologically relevant rocks are likely to be found, (ii) to show where hypotheses about their geological context (within Oxia Planum and in the wider geological history of Mars) can be tested, (iii) to inform both the long-term (hundreds of metres to ∼1 km) and the short-term (tens of metres) activity planning for rover exploration, and (iv) to allow the samples analysed by the rover to be interpreted within their regional geological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTWe present an original geological map of the north-eastern Serre Batholith (southern Italy), together with new field and petrographic data of its main five granitoid units. Our study provides an overall picture of a c. 13-thick floor-to-roof batholith exposure, focusing on the relationships between the magmatic units, which were sequentially emplaced at depth from c. 23 to c. 6 km, in a time interval from c. 297 Ma to c. 292 Ma. Indeed, this composite and zoned batholith, with its crustal scale exposure and large compositional and structural diversity, is a real natural laboratory where to test models of granitoid magma production and batholith construction. The new geological map and related field and petrographic data provide a valuable addition to the existing knowledge of the Serre Batholith and, at the same time, a new starting point for further in-depth multidisciplinary investigations aimed to better understand its architecture and build-up mechanisms.

ABSTRACTIn this paper we show data from new detailed geological-structural field surveys, integrated with preliminary photogrammetric analysis, presented in a 1:10,000 scale geological map. The field-based investigations covered an area of about 60-km2, located at the southern termination of the Calabrian Forearc, in NE Sicily (Italy), at the intersection of two key regional-scale fault systems. These are represented by the Peloritani Sole-Thrust, along which the Kabilo-Calabride orogenic edifice overthrusted onto the Apenninic-Maghrebian Chain, and the Mt. Kumeta-Alcantara Line, which played a key role in the post-Oligocene evolution of the Nubia–Eurasia converging margin. The collected data permitted the recognition of a new terrigenous stratigraphic unit, the Malvagna Flysch, and the acquisition of updated structural information useful to better understand the kinematics of the easternmost portion of the Mt. Kumeta-Alcantara Line. The geological map provides new insights for the reconstruction of the geodynamic evolution of this sector of the Calabrian Forearc.

ABSTRACTThe geological survey has been carried out in El Hierro with the aim to produce a new Geological Map at 1:12,500 scale for the Southern Rift. Almost 70 km2 have been mapped providing a detailed stratigraphic and volcano-tectonic reconstruction of its evolution. Our work focused on the last Rift Volcanism phase, where hundreds of cinder cones, associated with thin lava flows, cover most of the island’s surface. Lava flows fields (40), monogenetic volcanic edifices (>90), and volcano–tectonic structures (69), such as dykes, eruptive fissures, and faults have been surveyed and stored in the Geological Map. The map poses fundamental constraints on the Southern Rift geological evolution, mainly concerning its recent activity and allowing the definition of 4 main stages during the last 40 ka. Moreover, this 1:12,500 scale detailed map represents a primary tool for the volcanic hazard assessment of the Island, volcanic monitoring, urban planning, and further stratigraphic data-based investigations.

ABSTRACTWe present the first geological map of the Neruda Quadrangle (H13), Mercury. H13 is in Mercury’s southern hemisphere between latitudes 22.5°S–65°S, and longitudes 90°E–180° covering a total area of just under 5 million km², equivalent to 6.5% of the planet’s surface. Map digitisation was carried out at scales between 1:300,000 and 1:700,000 for final presentation at 1:3,000,0000, from end-of-mission data products from NASA’s MESSENGER mission. We distinguish three main photogeologic plains units: intercrater, intermediate, and smooth plains. We also distinguish all craters and their materials ≥ 20 km in diameter based on their degradation state. We have completed two versions of the map, one using a three-class crater degradation scheme and one using a five-class crater degradation scheme. In addition, specific geological units were charted for the Rembrandt impact basin. This map has been constructed to provide context and targets for the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury.

This dataset provides detailed chronostratigraphic and lithological maps of the entire Ahr River catchment, which is located in Western Germany. The geological information was acquired using a transfer of the German chronostratigraphic terms into the international stratigraphic notation. Information about the geology and lithology was provided by publicly sourced data released by the German federal states North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. The dataset includes information about the international stratigraphy, the corresponding German unit, and the lithology in English and German. The dataset is essentially useful for catchment-scale research, for example with regard to the causes and consequences of the July 2021 flooding of the Ahr River.

ABSTRACTThis work presents a detailed volcano-geological map of the Northern region of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain). This map is a synthesis of gathered and interpreted field data and geological maps. We have integrated information obtained from: (a) detailed geological field surveys, (b) high-resolution digital elevation models (DTMs), (c) aerial orthophotographs, (d) morphometric analysis of eruptive deposits and volcanic structure (i.e. lava tubes), and (e) integrated with data from previous publications (IGME – Instituto Geológico y Minero de España). This map provides a detailed view of the volcanic diversity of the region and an overview of the lava tube system of La Corona, both of which may be used as references for future research work.

The geological map sheet Møn covers the island of Møn, the smaller adjacent islands Langø, Lindholm and Nyord as well as adjacent parts of Sjælland and Lolland. It comprises the geodetic map sheets 1511 I and 1511 II and areas on bordering sheets. Møn is surrounded by the Baltic Sea with the bay of Hjelm Bugt to the south, the straits of Grønsund and Ulvsund to the west, and the bays of Stege Bugt and Fakse Bugt to the north.Møn is divided into three glaciomorphological areas, namely a high, hilly landscape of Høje Møn to the east, a hummocky to parallel ridge landscape to the west and areas of marine deposits around Nyord and Ulvshale. The composite ridge landscape of Høje Møn constitutes a glaciotectonic complex comprising four individual glaciodynamic sequences, with the hill Aborrebjerg as the highest point (143 m a.s.l.). The parallel ridge hills consist of thrust-fault-displaced chalk sheets with superimposed glacial deposits. The thrust sheets are up to 80 m thick, of which 60 m constitute Maastrichtian chalk. The vertical displacement of the thrust sheets is about 150 m measured from the primary, undeformed pre-Quaternary surface located 25–30 m below sea level. The pre-Quaternary surface consists of chalk of Late Maastrichtian age, which forms a carbonate platform in the subsurface of Møn about 27 m below sea level. Chalk displaced by glacial tectonics is not restricted to Høje Møn but also appears in smaller thrust sheets and rafts in the small-ridged landscape around Stege Nor. In the chalk sheets along Møns Klint, most of the Late Maastrichtian succession is exposed. Cliff sections with chalk are also exposed at Hvideklint along the south coast of the island. However, here the glaciotectonic shear deformation has commonly altered the lithology into a chalk glacitectonite.The oldest Quaternary units deposited on the pre-Quaternary unconformity are Saalian till as well as sand and clay from the Eemian Interglacial. These units are overlain by Early Weichselian sand. The next Quaternary succession, the Ristinge Klint Till Formation, was deposited during the Ristinge ice advance in the early Middle Weichselian about 55 000–50 000 years ago. Then followed the Kraneled Formation (new formation) consisting of fluvial and lacustrine deposits. The following Klintholm Till Formation (adjusted formation) was deposited during the Klintholm ice advance 35 000–32 000 years ago. The Klintholm Till Formation is overlain by a more than 10 m thick unit of greyish glaciolacustrine clay with dropstones. Glaciofluvial sand with thin-layered intercalations of laminated mud and diamictites of the Kobbelgård Formation (new formation) are related to this unit and interpreted as deposited in a huge, partly ice dammed lake covering a large part of the present Baltic Sea and the southern part of Kattegat 32 000 to 28 000 years ago. The Kobbelgård Formation is overlain by sand and gravel of the Stubberup Have Formation (new formation) and tills of the Mid Danish Till Formation deposited by the NE Ice Advance from central Sweden about 23 000–20 000 years ago.Relatively shortly after the NE ice had melted away, the Young Baltic Ice advanced from the eastern part of the Baltic area. North-directed compressive deformation during this advance created the glaciotectonic complex of Møns Klint including the new unit Møns Klint Glaciodynamic Sequence. In the southern part of the complex, a steeply inclined imbricated fan was formed; towards the foreland to the north, the thrust faults became gently dipping and the tip-zone of thrusting is located under the landslides at Liselund. The composite ridges form a characteristic hilly landscape with elongate crests trending E–W.The curved coastline along Hjelm Bugt was formed by a glacial lobe, north of which a push moraine was built up. A number of spillways striking radially northward from the lobe were formed by meltwater discharged from its glacier ports, including the Borre, Maglemose and Røddinge depressions. Deposition of sand and gravel of the Ny Borre Formation (new formation) took place at this time. During the advance of the Young Baltic Ice over southern Denmark to the Eastern Jutland stationary line, a relatively thin lodgement till of the Lolland Till Formation was deposited, which is rich in chalk due to its truncation of the upthrusted chalk sheets.Towards the end of the Weichselian glaciation c. 17 000 years ago, the Young Baltic Ice melted back, leaving a residual ice cap in Skåne from where a recessive ice advance towards south-west reached Møns Klint, resulting in superimposed glaciotectonic deformation. During the Late Weichselian, freshwater lakes in the Hjelm, Tøvelde and Høje Møn areas were filled by clay and gyttja, with deposition that continued into the Holocene.During the Holocene, the former spillways were turned into fjords during the Atlantic transgression. Marine deposits mirroring the Littorina Sea are thus found in Maglemose and Borre Sømose. After the Atlantic transgression had established a sea level more or less corresponding to that of today, accretion of marine forelands and formation of a spit system started. In particular, this is the case for the areas of Ulvshale and Nyord. At the same time, vegetation migrated out into the numerous fjords, and peat began to accumulate. The last phase of sedimentation is confined to the formation of beach ridges in the coastal areas, typically covered by aeolian dunes, as can be seen on the coast at Klintholm Havn and Råbylille as well as along the north-eastern coast of Ulvshale.

Three-dimension geological models represent the subsurface geology based on the development of 3D geological structures as an extension of geological maps. This study aims to update the previous geological information of the Gallocanta Basin (NE Spain) by (1) extending the model domain to most parts of the basin and (2) developing a new 3D model. The ultimate objective is to obtain a 3D geological model which provides a more detailed conceptual understanding of the groundwater flow for a future hydrogeological model. We used MOVE 2017 software to render the geological data and develop the new model. The geological 3D model has shown the effectiveness of using three-dimensional analysis as a useful tool for the geological reconstruction of complex areas. The creation of the present three-dimensional model constitutes the basis for geological and hydrogeological works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered rock slopes are the most widely distributed slopes with the simplest structure. The classification of layered rock slopes is the basis for correctly analyzing their deformation and failure mechanisms, evaluating their stability, and adopting reasonable support methods. It is also one of the essential indicators to support the evaluation of urban and rural construction suitability and the assessment of landslide hazards. However, the present-day classification methods for layered rock slopes are not sufficiently automated. In the application process of these methods, a lot of manual intervention is still needed, and sufficient strata orientation data obtained through field surveys is required, which is not effective for large-scale applications and involves high subjectivity. Thus, this study proposes a semi-automated classification method for layered rock slopes based on digital elevation model (DEM) and geological maps, which greatly reduces human intervention. On the basis of slope unit division, the method extracts structural information of slopes using DEM and geological maps and classifies slopes according to their structural characteristics. An experiment has been carried out in the northern region of Mount Lu in Jiangxi Province, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of this semi-automated classification method. Compared to the existing manual or semi-automated classification methods, the method proposed in this article is objective and highly automated, which can meet the requirements of classification of layered rock slopes over large areas, even in the case of sparse measured orientation data.

A new map and digital bedrock surface elevation model of Latvia is presented with a horizontal resolution of 250 m. The local bedrock comprises largely undisturbed layers of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks covered by up to 200 m thick Quaternary strata composed mostly of glacigenic and marine sediments. The bedrock surface elevation model and the corresponding map were created by tessellation interpolation of the bedrock surface based on more than 20,000 boreholes and constrained by the present land surface. The known locations of paleo-incisions buried under Quaternary cover are indicated. The new digital map has applications in hydrogeological, environmental, and civil engineering, and fundamental and applied research.

The Piuro 1618 landslide is renowned as one of the most catastrophic historical events of the Central Alps. The landscape of the Bregaglia Valley has been successively modified to such an extent to make it difficult to ascertain the source of the landslide, the extent of its deposits and the setting of the ancient village. This study focuses on the identification of the source area of the landslide, its dynamics, the extent of its deposits and the estimation of the involved volumes. The geological map here proposed permitted to reconstruct the relationships between the pre-1618 setting, the 1618 restructuration of the landscape and the post-event changes that occurred owing to erosion by the trunk river, deposition of debris flow fans and slope dynamics. The paper shows how geological mapping may help to unravel landscape evolution of an Alpine valley even at the high-resolution required by historical and archaeological studies.

We present the first geological map of the Neruda Quadrangle (H13), Mercury. H13 is in Mercury’s southern hemisphere between latitudes 22.5°S–65°S, and longitudes 90°E–180° covering a total area of just under 5 million km², equivalent to 6.5% of the planet’s surface. Map digitisation was carried out at scales between 1:300,000 and 1:700,000 for final presentation at 1:3,000,0000, from end-of-mission data products from NASA’s MESSENGER mission. We distinguish three main photogeologic plains units: intercrater, intermediate, and smooth plains. We also distinguish all craters and their materials ≥ 20 km in diameter based on their degradation state. We have completed two versions of the map, one using a three)class crater degradation scheme and one using a five-class crater degradation scheme. In addition, specific geological units were charted for the Rembrandt impact basin. This map has been constructed to provide context and targets for the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we show data from new detailed geological-structural field surveys, integrated with preliminary photogrammetric analysis, presented in a 1:10,000 scale geological map. The field-based investigations covered an area of about 60-km2, located at the southern termination of the Calabrian Forearc, in NE Sicily (Italy), at the intersection of two key regional-scale fault systems. These are represented by the Peloritani Sole-Thrust, along which the Kabilo-Calabride orogenic edifice overthrusted onto the Apenninic-Maghrebian Chain, and the Mt. Kumeta-Alcantara Line, which played a key role in the post-Oligocene evolution of the Nubia–Eurasia converging margin. The collected data permitted the recognition of a new terrigenous stratigraphic unit, the Malvagna Flysch, and the acquisition of updated structural information useful to better understand the kinematics of the easternmost portion of the Mt. Kumeta-Alcantara Line. The geological map provides new insights for the reconstruction of the geodynamic evolution of this sector of the Calabrian Forearc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an original geological map of the north-eastern Serre Batholith (southern Italy), together with new field and petrographic data of its main five granitoid units. Our study provides an overall picture of a c. 13-thick floor-to-roof batholith exposure, focusing on the relationships between the magmatic units, which were sequentially emplaced at depth from c. 23 to c. 6 km, in a time interval from c. 297 Ma to c. 292 Ma. Indeed, this composite and zoned batholith, with its crustal scale exposure and large compositional and structural diversity, is a real natural laboratory where to test models of granitoid magma production and batholith construction. The new geological map and related field and petrographic data provide a valuable addition to the existing knowledge of the Serre Batholith and, at the same time, a new starting point for further in-depth multidisciplinary investigations aimed to better understand its architecture and build-up mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a detailed volcano-geological map of the Northern region of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain). This map is a synthesis of gathered and interpreted field data and geological maps. We have integrated information obtained from: (a) detailed geological field surveys, (b) high-resolution digital elevation models (DTMs), (c) aerial orthophotographs, (d) morphometric analysis of eruptive deposits and volcanic structure (i.e. lava tubes), and (e) integrated with data from previous publications (IGME – Instituto Geológico y Minero de España). This map provides a detailed view of the volcanic diversity of the region and an overview of the lava tube system of La Corona, both of which may be used as references for future research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological survey has been carried out in El Hierro with the aim to produce a new Geological Map at 1:12,500 scale for the Southern Rift. Almost 70 km² have been mapped providing a detailed stratigraphic and volcano-tectonic reconstruction of its evolution. Our work focused on the last Rift Volcanism phase, where hundreds of cinder cones, associated with thin lava flows, cover most of the island’s surface. Lava flows fields (40), monogenetic volcanic edifices (>90), and volcano–tectonic structures (69), such as dykes, eruptive fissures, and faults have been surveyed and stored in the Geological Map. The map poses fundamental constraints on the Southern Rift geological evolution, mainly concerning its recent activity and allowing the definition of 4 main stages during the last 40 ka. Moreover, this 1:12,500 scale detailed map represents a primary tool for the volcanic hazard assessment of the Island, volcanic monitoring, urban planning, and further stratigraphic data-based investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quetta and surrounding areas are part of the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian plates, named as Kirthar and Sulaiman Fold-Thrust belts. The collision is accommodated by folding, thrusting and the Nushki-Chaman Transform Fault System. Detailed high-resolution (scale 1:50,000) mapping and structural analyses were carried out using modern remote-sensing techniques of the ArcGIS to understand mutual relationships of the structural patterns and geometries, and the regional and local stress patterns in the study area. Fieldwork was carried out to acquire the stratigraphic, structural and geomorphological data, using topographic maps and satellite images as base maps in order to plot additional information and further incorporate them in the GIS-based map. Balanced structural cross-sections were also prepared along the selected lines using ArcGIS techniques. Based on new mapping, the understudy area has been subdivided into five distinct structural domains. These domains are classified as; Domain I: broad syncline intervened by a narrow anticline; Domain II: upright folds and thrusts; Domain III: tight, over-turned thrust zone; Domain IV: flysch and molasse successions of Paleocene-Holocene age; and Domain V: suture belt (ophiolites) and associated mélanges and sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A volcanological map merging continental and marine areas of the Phlegrean Fields and Procida Island (Southern Italy) is presented at the 1:25,000 scale. The map is based on 1:5,000 field mapping, and marine geology survey carried out during the Italian CAR.G (Geological CARtography, Servizio Geologico d’Italia) project and on bathymetric and seismic data. Geological data are represented on a digital terrain model of the volcano. This allows better visualization of the main morphological, volcanic, and geological features. The legend is organized in seven activity phases identified based on updated absolute ages of eruptions defining periods of high volcanicity and stasis. The geological map highlights the evolutive history of the Phlegrean Fields volcanic field both in the marine and continental portions, and the reconstructed structural framework and evolution of the caldera formed 39.3 Ky ago in its continental and submerged portions.

The map ‘Geology of the Monte Banchetta – Punta Rognosa area (Troncea valley, Western Alps)’ details the lithostratigraphy and structural setting of a key sector in the Alpine chain, characterized by close associations of continental and oceanic basements, and meta-sediments. The mapped Monte Banchetta – Punta Rognosa unit (BRU), tectonically juxtaposed to different metaophiolitic units, comprises the Punta Rognosa succession, made of serpentinized mantle overlain by Middle-Upper? Jurassic polymictic meta-breccia, with oceanic and continental clasts, and metasandstone, and the Monte Banchetta succession, consisting of continental crust and Lower–Upper? Jurassic carbonate-bearing quartzite, micaschist and polymictic meta-breccia. These two successions share the uppermost stratigraphic levels consisting of post-rift Upper Jurassic-Cretaceous carbonate-micaschists. The deciphered stratigraphic architecture indicates that the lower succession of the BRU represents portions of continental crust and exhumed mantle reworked and emplaced before deposition of post-rift sediments.

A 1:12,000 geological map of the Macao Special Administrative Region has been produced through detailed field work supported by petrographic, mineralogical, geochronological and geochemical data obtained in previous studies. This map aims to represent a reliable tool to understand the geological evolution of the region and for management of the territory. The geology of Macao is dominated by two groups of Jurassic granitic rocks belonging to an intrusive suite located along the coast of Southeast China: Macao Group I (MGI: 164.5 ± 0.6 to 162.9 ± 0.7 Ma) and Macao Group II (MGII: 156.6 ± 0.2 to 155.5 ± 0.8 Ma), including the associated microgranite, aplite and pegmatite dikes and quartz veins. Remnants of the metasedimentary wall-rock are present as Devonian xenoliths enclosed within the granites. Younger Jurassic to Cretaceous andesite to dacite dikes (150.6 ± 0.6 to

Det geologiske kortblad Møn omfatter Møn med de tilgrænsende øer Langø, Lindholm og Nyord samt mindre dele af Sjælland og Falster. Kortet består af dele af de topografiske kortblade 1511 I og 1512 II samt 1511 IV med randområder af tilgrænsende kortblade mod vest og nord.Møn opdeles i tre geomorfologiske områder: det stærkt kuperede Høje Møn mod øst, det småbakkede landskab omkring Stege Nor mod vest, og det flade marine forland omkring Nyord og Ulfshale. Høje Møn opbygges af opskudte skiver af skrivekridt og kvartære aflejringer, som det ses i Møns Klint. Skiverne er op til 80 m tykke, hvoraf skrivekridtet udgør ca. 50 m. Under hele Møn består prækvartæroverfladen af Maastrichtien skrivekridt i en dybde omkring kote –25 til –40 m. Mindre skiver af glacialtektonisk forstyrret skrivekridt optræder også omkring Stege Nor og langs sydkysten af det vestlige Møn ved Hvideklint.De ældste kvartære aflejringer er moræneler fra Saale-istiden og sand og ler fra Eem-mellemistiden. Derefter følger fluviale aflejringer og nedskylslag fra Tidlig Weichsel. Disse lag efterfølges af moræneler fra Ristinge Klint Till Formationen med over- og underliggende smeltevandsaflejringer fra Mellem Weichsel dannet under Ristinge Isfremstødet for ca. 55 000–50 000 år siden. Den næste enhed er Kraneled Formationen (ny formation), som efterfølges af moræneler tilhørende Klintholm Till Formationen (justeret formation) fra Klintholm Isfremstødet for 35 000–32 000 år siden. Formationen overlejres af mere end 10 m tykke enheder af gråt til olivengråt issøler med dropsten, smeltevandssand og lamineret fint sand samt diamikte aflejringer i Kobbelgård Formationen (ny formation). Denne formation blev aflejret i en issø, som dækkede store dele af Østersøen i en mildningsperiode for 32 000– 28 000 år siden. Denne enhed overlejres af eller er øverst sammenflettet med sand og grus tilhørende Stubberup Have Formationen (ny formation). Moræneler tilhørende den Midtdanske Till Formation blev aflejret under NØ-Isfremstødet for 23 000–20 000 år siden. Efter at NØ-Isen var smeltet tilbage fra østersøområdet, rykkede den Ungbaltiske Is frem fra den østlige del af Østersøen, hvorunder bl.a. Møns Klint og Hvideklint blev deformeret. En tilhørende strukturel enhed, Møns Klint Glacialdynamiske Kompleks, er defineret med fire sekvenser. Hele Hjelm Bugt dannede en glacial lobe, og nord herfor dannedes et randmorænestrøg. Radialt ud fra loben dannede smeltevandet store afløbskanaler fra gletsjerporte i den Ungbaltiske Is. Aflejring af sand og grus tilhørende Ny Borre Formationen (ny formation) skete i dette tidsrum. Under det Ungbaltiske Isfremstød blev Lolland Till Formationen aflejret som et relativt tyndt lag af moræneler.Ved slutningen af Weichsel-istiden for ca. 17 000 år siden smeltede den Ungbaltiske Is tilbage. Et residualt isdække i området nordøst for Møn sendte et genfremstød til det østlige Møn, som medførte en reorientering af skrivekridtskiverne i Møns Klint. I Sen Weichsel (17 000–11 700 år før nu) fandtes søbassiner på det sydlige Møn ved Hjelm og Tøvelde samt på Høje Møn, hvor en række ferskvandslag blev dannet, og aflejringen fortsatte et stykke ind i Holocæn.I Holocæn blev de tidligere afløbskanaler transgrederet under den atlantiske havstigning, hvorved fjorde skar sig ind fra nord og nordvest til midt på Møn. Herefter begyndte udbygningen af marine forlande, især mod nord i området Ulvshale og Nyord. De tidligere fjorde voksede til med planter, som omdannedes til tørveaflejringer. Den sidste sedimentationsfase skete langs kysterne, hvor strandvolde blev akkumuleret, og kystklitter af flyvesand blev dannet.

Greenough's large-scale geological map of India (1854) represents a significant landmark in the history of geological cartography in India, it being the first geological map of the entire Indian sub-continent. This paper attempts to provide an account of the production, distribution, variants and survivorship of this pioneering map. The geological information contained on the map is based almost entirely on published data sources, Greenough never having visited India, yet the map is far more than a mere compilation. Its construction required the preparation of a topographic base map, geological interpolation over large swathes of unmapped territory, the organizing of mainly lithological descriptions into a unified chronostratigraphic order, and the integration of palaeontological information. By modern standards the delineation of strata on the map is imprecise, stratigraphic resolution is poor, and structural data are entirely lacking, yet it remained unrivalled as the only available geological map of all-India until the Geological Survey of India produced a smaller-scale map some twenty-four years later. In terms of areal coverage and paucity of reliable information, Greenough's India map represents a far more ambitious and pioneering undertaking than his more famous geological map of England and Wales. 202 copies of the map were produced, sixty of which were purchased by the East India Company, while a further forty or so were gifted by Greenough to various public institutions and distinguished geologists. Edward Stanford acquired publishing rights to the map in 1855 and continued to offer copies for sale until at least 1898. A recent survey has identified three variant states of the map and has confidently located thirty-four surviving copies. For reasons outlined here, Greenough's India map has languished in obscurity since its publication. It deserves to be better known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Regional Administration of Sicily recently erected Isola delle Femmine—a small island of the Tyrrhenian Sea, close to Palermo—as a geosite. A detailed geological survey has been carried out in order to define the most important geological features of the island together with the development of a new geological map based on topographic data and a digital model at 1:2.000 scale specially processed. Finally, a geological pathway through the island has been traced and illustrated. The geological substrate of Isola delle Femmine consists of a Mesozoic carbonate succession belonging to the Panormide Carbonate Platform. Two lithostratigraphic units have been differentiated. The lowest one consists of dolomitic limestones cropping out in the intermediate and northern part of the island. Despite the absence of biostratigraphic constrains, analogies with comparable deposits from the Palermo Mountains suggested to ascribe this unit to the Upper Triassic. The overlying unit consists of well-bedded rudist and stromatolitic limestones organized in peritidal cycles. The macro- and micro-facies analysis of these Cretaceous limestones allows to attribute this unit to the Lower Cretaceous (i.e., Aptian). Patches of upper Pleistocene skeletal calcarenites rich in benthic foraminifers and calcareous algae overlap the Mesozoic units. Spectacular speleothems such as stalagmites, ray crystals (“raggioni”) of calcite, and mammillary calcite suggest a relative long-lasting exposure of the Mesozoic carbonate substrate to groundwater. This is not surprising since glacio-eustatic oscillations caused sea-level to fall up to 125 m during the Pleistocene thus exposing and linking to the mainland (Sicily) Isola delle Femmine and the surrounding area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach is presented to establish a state-wide basis for geochemical background values from the available data of the Geological Survey of Bavaria. For this purpose, typical element background concentrations of rock units in Bavaria were statistically evaluated and presented in a lithogeochemical map derived from the geological map at a scale of 1:25,000. The elements comprise 39 geogenic main and trace elements (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5, Li, Be, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and U). The distributions of element concentrations in the lithogeochemical units follow closely lognormal patterns in a large majority of cases. Statistical parameters (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th percentiles) of investigated elements were determined using the cenfit function of the NADA package in the open-source R program. The investigation, based on 8,838 analysed samples, provided data for about 2/3 of the area of Bavaria. The lithogeochemical map with medians (50th percentiles) and background values (90th percentiles) of the investigated elements is available in a web map application. Thus, the regional geogenic background values of the investigated elements in Bavaria are publicly available for a large variety of applications, such as environmental issues and applied research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Numbi district of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has high mineral interest; it has been exploited for decades by small scale artisanal miners for rare metals such as Sn, W, Ta and Nb. This area was investigated to elucidate the petrology of the basement rocks and to make their detailed geological map. From the petrographical and geochemical analyses, six lithological units were characterized. Granite and schist were the two main lithologies with some associated smaller rock units such as amphibolite, diorite, quartzite and pegmatite. Biotite is the common mineral found in all lithologies. The granite displays the mineralogical assemblages with the abundance of muscovite, biotite, feldspar, plagioclase and quartz. Diorite and amphibolite display less amount of quartz. Hornblende is very abundant in the amphibolite; less is the schist and a very small amount in the granite. Feldspar is mostly found in the granite, quite found in the quartzite and less in the schist rocks. In adding to these mineral assemblages, accessory and opaque minerals (iron oxide) are in a very small amount. Pegmatite is mostly found as altered veins. Schist, quartzite and granite samples share the fields of granodiorite while diorite and amphibolite samples share the fields of diorite and gabbroic diorite on the total alkalisilicate classification diagram and ranged under intermediate and acidic rocks. The area is abundantly rich in rare metals (pegmatite with Nb-Ta-Sn mineralization) and is fairly suitable for quarry activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geological structure of the Vrátna dolina Valley in the Krivánska Malá Fatra Mts. is composed of two main Western Carpathian tectonic units – Tatricum and Fatricum (Krížna nappe). Tatricum is represented by almost all common lithostratigraphic members, although mainly the Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments are either strongly reduced, or completely missing. Based on our field observation, sedimentary cover is thrusted over its own crystalline basement accompanied by the reduction of lowermost sedimentary formation – Lúžna Fm. Situation in the Krížna nappe rock sequence is even more extremly reduced. Radiolarian limestone of the Ždiar Fm. (Oxfordian) is the oldest lithostratigraphic unit. This causes considerable problems in defining the stratigraphic range of the particular units. We have defined the individual rock members into tectonic units on the basis of lithological character, because tectonic repetition or superposition of sedimentary sequences was not observed. All rock members form one apparently continuous sequence with stratigraphic range from the Paleozoic to the Early Cretaceous. We present different interpretation of the geological setting on the ridge under the Vrátna ropeway. Chaotic configuration and/or repetition of the Triassic members were documented in the older maps, which could indicate assumed folding or duplex structures. However, we suppose that these complications are the result of younger slope deformation, rather than the older tectonic deformations.

The ‘Ornamental Stones of Piemonte Region’ geo-lithological map at 1:250,000 scale aims at reviewing the ornamental stone heritage of Piemonte at the regional scale. The map derives from a thorough revision of the available literature, integrated with some unpublished original data. The map shows the location of the main quarries of ornamental stones of the region, selected on the basis of their historical, cultural and architectonic relevance. A geo-lithological basemap was produced, deriving it from a basic Geological Map of Piemonte, available at the same scale. The large varieties of lithotypes of Piemonte have been resumed, in the new map, into 21 classes, which all the ornamental stones have been assigned to. The Main Map is enriched by some significant examples of using the ornamental stones in historical buildings, and it is supported by a supplementary data base containing essential information about the quarry sites and the quarried material.

A volcanological map of the active Somma-Vesuvius volcano is presented at the 1:20,000 scale. The map is based on 1:5000 field mapping carried out during the Italian CARG project. Geological data are represented on a digital terrain model of the volcano. This allows a better visualisation of the main morphological, volcanic, and geological features. The legend is organised in four different panels, which depict the activity of the volcano and caldera development. The geological survey is based on recognition and description of lithostratigraphic units. The geological map highlights the volcanic evolution of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano, and it is propaedeutic for further studies aimed at improving the scientific knowledge and the volcanic hazard assessment of this world-famous volcano.