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The British Geological Survey (BGS) has been providing specialist services in the development of web-based spatial data delivery systems for over 15

years. We offer systems and expertise to a range of clients, including research institutes, UK Government and its agencies, international governments, geological surveys across the world, and the oil and gas industry.

Interactive web map viewersWe develop web map viewers which allow easy interaction with spatial data. One example is our Geology of Britain viewer (www.bgs.ac.uk/geologyOfBritain) which allows users to interrogate the 1:50 000 scale geological map of Britain, providing national coverage and attributed street-level scale geology data. Another example is our GeoIndex (www.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/) which provides geoscience professionals with a map-based index to our data holdings.

We currently run Fieldbank (www.fieldbank.com) with ARKeX, a data management service for gravity and magnetic exploration data, providing data discovery and retrieval via a web-GIS portal. Other industry partnerships have included UKDEAL, a spatial gateway to information on the UK offshore oil and gas industry, which we developed and ran for ten years.

Web servicesWe have expertise in making geological spatial datasets available in open, standards-based formats via web services so that they can be combined with data from other sources in geoportal applications as well as within GIS software. The BGS provides data in accordance with a range of international standards such as OGC (WMS, WFS, WCS, CSW), ESRI REST, KML, and GeoRSS. Over the last 10 years, the BGS has played a central role in the development of technical standards and data specifications underpinning INSPIRE.

PartnershipThe BGS has developed portals, combining data from multiple contributors, to provide scientific information to researchers and the wider public. These include the UK Soil Observatory (www.ukso.org) — a geocommunity initiative between nine leading soil research institutions, offering over 100 free national soil data layers in a web-based map viewer. Also, we administer the OneGeology project (www.onegeology.org), creating a dynamic, integrated, digital geology map of the world, based on OGC standards.

For more information please contact:

Enquiries British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG

tel: 0115 936 3143 email: enquiries@bgs.ac.uk

©NERC 2015. All rights reserved

Mobile appsWe specialise in developing mobile apps that deliver maps and spatial information to tablets and smartphones including iPhones and Android. Our iGeology app (www.bgs.ac.uk/igeology), downloaded more than 280 000 times, puts the geology of Britain at users’ fingertips. Other apps include mySoil (www.bgs.ac.uk/mysoil), myVolcano (www.bgs.ac.uk/myvolcano) and iGeology 3D (www.bgs.ac.uk/iGeology/3d), a 3D landscape explorer (above and below the surface) with augmented reality functionality.

InnovationWe use responsive design techniques to adapt map interfaces for optimal display on desktop, tablet and smartphone devices. Crowdsourcing enables the general public to get involved in citizen science, for example sending photographs and scientific measurements. We are also engaging new audiences with our geological maps and 3D models within the world of Minecraft. Groundhog (shop.bgs.ac.uk/Groundhog/) delivers 3D spatial data, creating virtual boreholes and cross-sections of 3D geological models.

TechnologiesBGS web delivery expertise covers the following technology:• ArcGIS Server• ArcGIS API for JavaScript• open source software: GeoServer, MapServer,

OpenLayers• mobile app development: Objective C development for

iOS, Java for Android• standards-based data delivery: WMS, WFS, WCS,

WPS, CSW, KML, ESRI REST• metadata catalogue services including ISO-compliant

19115 metadata via CSW and OAI.

Can we help you?If you think we can help you, or you would like more information about our services, please contact us using the details below.