The new digital map is based on 16 geological maps in scale 1:100,000. The maps were created between 1967 and 1998 and cover an area of 60,000 km2 of ice free land. In areas with no 1:100,000 scale data available, 1:500,000 scale data were used to fill in gaps.
The map sheets have been digitalised and harmonised into a single, seamless map with a new, common legend comprising 165 geological units.
The map was produced using ESRI software and topographic features are from aerial surveys.
Digital solution is easier to use
For more than 70 years, GEUS worked to map out the geology of Greenland and thus owns a number of very different geological maps. The new map is part of GEUS’ ongoing work, which – apart from additional mapping – includes combining and streamlining existing maps into a more user-friendly, digital solution.
“The original maps were produced by different geologists at different times and they vary greatly in terms of details, colours, boundaries, trend lines, structural information, names, etc., making them difficult to use in practice. For this reason, it was important for us to develop a uniform map presentation with a single, harmonised legend, which can be expanded to other parts of Greenland along the way,” says Mikael Pedersen, Head of Data and IT at GEUS.
The harmonisation was carried out by a team of experts within both geology and GIS at GEUS.