Annual Report 2005
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Nature and environment |
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New data from the warm
Cretaceous sea
The period from late Cretaceous to Danian from 90-60 million years ago represents a prolonged period with a greenhouse climate, which differs considerably from the present with regard to oceanography, ecology, and geological sedimentation.At this time enormous areas of the continents were covered by sea, and in the vast sea covering north-western Europe, mainly limestone sediments were deposited, which today can be seen in the characteristic cliffs on Møn and Stevns in southern Zealand. In 2005 borings were drilled through the chalk at Stevns in order to study the climate fluctuations, marine currents, sedimentology and ecology of this interesting period in the earth's history.The 450 and 350-metre-deep boreholes represent the first complete series of strata through the chalk from the Maastricht period in eastern Denmark, and data from the boreholes will be included as an important part of clarifying the environment which formed the characteristic chalk layers. However, the prospects of the research project reach further. Most of the oil in the Danish sector of the North Sea is in limestone of the same age, and a large proportion of the drinking water pumped up from the subsurface originates from these rocks.The work is taking place in collaboration between two of the partners in the Geocenter Copenhagen, the Geological Institute, and GEUS, and it is being funded by a centre grant from the Danish Natural Science Research Council. |
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Relationship between
prairie fires and the climate
New studies show that there is a relationship between outbreaks of prairie fires in America and the climate.Over the past 4,500 years, there has been a cyclical shift between dry and more humid periods in the central regions of North America.The phenomenon has been studied in lake sediments which form a natural archive of past changes in the environment.The sediments are characterised by changes between high and low content of chalk, grass pollen and charcoal. During humid periods there was a widespread covering of grass, which nurtured extensive fires, while during dry periods the grass cover was so thin that only small fires could break out. Dating the sediments shows that each cycle lasts about 160 years. A similar cycle has been found in ice cores from Greenland, about 4,000 km away, showing that this is not a local phenomenon. Other data indicate that it is cyclicity in solar activity, which controls these brief changes in the earth's climate.The work is being funded by the US National Science Foundation. |
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Geological maps of Denmark
Geological maps are the foundation of both planning and many technical and administrative tasks. GEUS is carrying out geological mapping of several areas of Denmark, and the work has been organised so that, to a great degree, it provides the geological data currently required by Danish society. In 2005 field work concentrated on mapping the region near Ringkøbing, where the county is currently designating areas of particular interest for drinking water, and on Lolland Falster, Møn and in Rold Skov. Geological map sheet 1114 IV Ringkøbing was completed and printed in 2005.Work on mapping Rold Skov has been part funded by the Danish Forest and Nature Agency, and it will form part of the preparations for reforestation after the storm in January 2005. |
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Thematic map and data for
the National Park in
Greenland
In August 2002 the Greenland Home Rule agreed to prepare a strategy plan for the National Park in North and North-East Greenland and in the Scoresby Sund area to ensure differentiated protection of the region and to ensure that the area is included in regional development in Greenland. As a basis for the plan, GEUS compiled digital topographical data for the region and assembled selected geological theme data.The topographical data contains information on place names and coastlines, lakes, rivers, and glaciers as well as contour lines for each 100 metres.The geological theme data includes geological 1:250 000 maps and maps with associated descriptions of selected geological locations of special scientific interest, as well as maps of selected locations of interest in oil/- gas contexts, or locations containing economically interesting mineralisations. Finally, a map has been compiled of the area which collates geophysical and geochemical data.The work is being funded by DANCEA funds from the Danish EPA. |
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Balanced nature protection for the Baltic Sea
The vulnerable habitats of the Baltic Sea are exposed to many threats from sand pumping, fishing, tourism and pollution, and conflicting interests give rise to difficult problems.Therefore it is important that countries bordering the Baltic Sea agree on a coordinated management plan to relieve the problems. However, there is a great lack of data, and data is often in different formats which makes it difficult to exchange between countries.Therefore, the BALANCE project was started in 2005.The object of the project is to integrate the available data which can be used by administrations in all the Baltic countries.The BALANCE activities cover the whole Baltic, Kattegat and the Skagerrak, and focus on four pilot areas across borders. Within these areas a habitats map will be made on the basis of integrated data on sediments, bottom fauna, fish etc. Part of this work will involve developing a protocol for habitat mapping.The project is being funded by the EU, it is headed by the Danish Forest and Nature Agency and involves a large number of institutions in the Baltic countries. GEUS is coordinating the integration and organisation of the geological and physical data for the marine landscape maps and habitat maps for the whole of the Baltic region.The project is also helping MariNet activities, in which Danish authorities and research institutions exchange information and coordinate cooperation in order to ensure better utilisation of national marine efforts. |
