Sinkholes Tellus Border Earthquake - Geological Survey of Ireland

GSI at the EUROPEAN SPACE EXPO
Michael Sheehy
Geologist, Quaternary and Geotechnical Programme
GSI was a partner to the European
Space Expo when it visited Dublin
from the 4th to the 9th of June. This
successful event was hosted in its
own specially constructed dome in
Trinity College Dublin Front Square
and had 30,000 visitors. The
European Space Expo showcased
the wide range of benefits that
Space brings to Europe and how
these initiatives are improving
our quality of life. GSI contributed
two talks on space applications
focused on how observing the
earth from different vantage points
and in different ways can answer
important geological questions
for Irish, and European, citizens.
Visitors to the Space Expo were
provided with material illustrating
the process of combining space
data with geological data and
knowledge.
The role of Earth Observation
(EO) data in mapping Ireland's
maritime territory, one of the
largest in Europe was detailed by
GSI Director, Koen Verbruggen.
Director Verbruggen’s overview of
the contribution EO technologies
make to bathymetric mapping
also illustrated the useful
derivatives that are developed
as ancillary products when using
these technologies. Mapping
the submarine environment and
mapping from space present
similar sets of challenges; Director
Verbruggen also described some
of these parallels, how obstacles
are overcome to achieve good
outcomes and anticipated future
directions.
GSI geologist, Michael Sheehy,
engaged the audience when
he demonstrated how radar
data helps map geohazards
(landslides, subsidence, heave)
in urban areas. This talk came
from work developed during
GSI’s participation in the FP7
PanGeo project. The PanGeo
project (www.pangeoproject.eu) is
developing ground instability maps
and reports for 52 large centres of
population in the EU (~13% of the
EU population). PanGeo provides
a ‘ground stability layer’ which
describes the spatial location and
extent of geohazards for all the
cities mapped. Geohazards in
each participating city have been
mapped by the corresponding
National Geological Survey.
Geology Matters: Summer 2013
Michael Sheehy, addressing the audience at the EUROPEAN
SPACE EXPO in Trinity College, Dublin in June 2013.
Photo by @megafloods
Detailed local knowledge of
geohazards has been combined
with satellite observations of
ground movement to create
a comprehensive map of all
geohazards present in each town,
ensuring that different towns can
be compared. The Geological
Survey of Ireland has developed
‘ground stability layer’ maps and
interpretive reports for Co. Dublin
and Cork City (the combined study
areas cover >30% of the Irish
population).
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