Geological Map Skills

by

Alistair Scott, Rob Butler, Jane Francis and Andy Barnicoat, University of Leeds

This module involves basic mapwork and stratigraphic exercises on the Ten-Mile Geological Map of Great Britain. The aim is to teach students how to extract information about fundamental geological relationships from geological maps. The module can be used to teach basic map skills as part of a practical class or for independent study.

Description of the module

The module occupies approximately 6 Mb, and is structured into two main parts: a set of tutorials and a sequence of exercises. It is intended to be equivalent to about four hours of conventional teaching.

The exercises concentrate on geological features in three parts of the UK: eastern England, north-west Scotland and south-east England. Scanned colour images of these areas are reproduced on the screen accompanied by fully interactive exercises. Only cartoon versions of the maps are shown here. Each exercise requires the student to have a paper copy of the map to hand and also requires them to read and interpret the map itself, rather than relying on the computer image. Graphic illustrations of geological relationships in three dimensions are frequently given. If students require extra guidance during the exercises they can jump to the relevant tutorial.

East of England (Part 1). Six exercises covering grid references, stratigraphic column, and dip and strike.

East of England (Part 2). Six exercises covering width of outcrop, inliers and outliers.

East of England (Part 3). Seven exercises covering geological boundaries.

South-East England. Six exercises covering the stratigraphic column, Principle of Superposition, and folds.

North-West Scotland (Part 1). Eight exercises covering grid references, the stratigraphic column, and outcrops.

North-West Scotland (Part 2). Seven exercises covering the Principle of Superposition, the stratigraphic column, the Key to the 10-mile Geological Map, and unconformities.

Types of geological boundary are covered in Exercise 3.

Graphics and animation are used extensively throughout the module.

The tutorials can be worked through as a complete section or the relevant individual tutorial can be accessed from within the map exercises.

How to read the scale on a map. The scale on the Geological Survey 10-Mile Map of the UK.
How to read Grid References on the Geological Survey 10-Mile Map of the UK.
The key to the Geological Survey 10-Mile Map of the UK.
The stratigraphic column and how it is incorporated into the key on geological maps.
The direction of strike, the angle of dip. Dip and strike for flat areas.
Formation and tilting of sedimentary rocks.
The difference between true and apparent thickness. Calculating true thickness from the outcrop width and angle of dip.
How the width of outcrop is affected by bed thickness, angle of dip, and topography.
Anticline and syncline folds and how folds may also plunge.
Determining the direction of dip in a valley by applying the "V-rule".
Types of unconformity and how they may be recognised on maps.
Definition of inlier and outlier, how they might be formed and their relationship to low-angle thrusts

A page from the tutorial on outcrop widths.

A tutorial explaining the V-rule applied to dipping strata.

Part of the tutorial on inliers and outliers.

Running the software

A top-level menu provides users with three main options; 1. How to use this Module; 2. Exercise Mode; 3. Tutorial Mode. Sub-menus are used to select the exercise or tutorial required and navigation through the pages is by means of buttons.

This module is based in part on the British Geological Survey 1:625000 scale Geological Map of Great Britain.

Other Modules Available