PATCHWORK NO MORE Unlike previous pastiches of maps generated by various nations, maps created by the OneGeology project will depict rock formations of various types and ages with a consistent color palette. Here, the Cretaceous limestones of Italy are shown in green, and igneous rocks such as those prevalent in south-central France are shown in shades of red.OneGeology

Scientists have officially launched OneGeology, a project that will produce a single digital map of the planet’s geological formations. The map data, which will be accessible via the Internet, could help researchers monitor large-scale environmental trends and developing nations attract international investments, team members say.

Currently, more than 83 nations are signed up to participate in OneGeology, says Ian Jackson, coordinator of the new effort and geologist at the British Geological Survey in Keyworth. Those nations represent around two-thirds of the Earth’s land area, he notes.

In the past, researchers have often encountered difficulties stitching together geological maps of neighboring countries, partly because the various mapping agencies had developed their own standards for representing different types of rock on a map. As part of the new project, researchers are developing a standard that will, in essence, enable geologists to assemble the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle using a consistent color palette. Jackson and his colleagues unveiled the venture August 6 at the International Geological Congress in Lillestrøm, Norway.

Eventually, the OneGeology maps will be assembled with a scale of 1:1,000,000, says Jackson. At present, the map of the United Kingdom has a slightly coarser resolution of 1:625,000, where 10 miles equals approximately 1 inch. Using that ratio, the entire nation can be represented on a 1-meter-by-1-meter map. At the same scale, scientists would need a football-field-sized map to depict Russia.

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