The UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM), a group of over 30 public sector organisations with a shared commitment to collect and share high-quality marine data, will undertake a seabed mapping survey – CSM2026 – to explore and map the seabed along the UK south-west coastline.

Throughout the four-week survey, using cutting‑edge survey technology deployed from the Research Vessel Cefas Endeavour, a team of 26 scientists from across the field of maritime research will collect vital hydrographic, geological and environmental data when they set sail from Lowestoft next week.

51ÁÔÆæ marine geoscientists Dayton Dove and Duncan Stevens will be on board, with a primary focus on acquiring sub-bottom profiler (SBP) data. An SBP is a type of sonar system, emitting sound waves that both reflect off, and penetrate through, the seabed to image the shallow subsurface. Those that penetrate through seabed reflect off the geological layers and buried structures, providing 2D cross-sectional images of the subsurface. This data (and resulting subsurface maps) are required for many offshore infrastructure applications, and importantly also provide further information on the nature, composition, and stability of the seabed itself.

Convening multiple government agencies, the survey represents an unprecedented level of collaboration within the maritime sector. By combining their skills and capabilities in a single survey, the team aim to secure data to deliver the UK government commitments and make advances in how our seabed is mapped, understood and managed.

51ÁÔÆæ are one of eleven UK CSM member organisations, which also includes: the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA); the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO); Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas); Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), The Crown Estate; Historic England; Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC); Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Northern Ireland (AFBI); Natural England and the Royal Navy.

Over the course of the survey, the scientists on board will have the opportunity to work with experts from other public sector organisations, share skills, and source key seabed mapping data that supports a wide range of applications including offshore energy and infrastructure, marine ecosystem science, safety at sea, marine policy, and defence. The four-week research survey is due to take place between 20 April and 19 May. This will consist of two survey legs, starting in Lowestoft, Suffolk and ending in Falmouth, Cornwall. All organisations are supporting the planning of alternative sites to maximise the opportunity.

“This is the first time that such a large-scale, multi-agency, collaborative survey has been undertaken in the UK and it a really exciting venture. We are fortunate to have expert scientists and surveyors from across government who will collect a wide range of highly valuable data. The partnership approach provides opportunities to share knowledge and expertise, as well as providing invaluable training and offshore fieldwork experience.

“The alliance of organisations is working together to increase efficiencies for data collection, processing and analysis under the gather once, use many times philosophy.

“Seabed mapping data provides the UK with a foundational basemap of its marine estate. Such valuable datasets are increasingly underpinning the maritime economy and energy security, enabling sustainable management of marine resources, development of marine policies and planning, and improves our understanding of the marine environment.�

Andrew Colenutt, Chair of the CSM2026 Project Team and Head of Hydrography and Meteorology at the MCA

“The UK CSM has proven to be an excellent forum for marine surveyors, scientists, and managers from across the UK public sector, increasing awareness, collaboration, and visibility of a disparate range of seabed mapping activities and applications.

This survey is an excellent opportunity for drawing the diverse expertise from across the UKCSM, and of particular significance for geoscientists, will include the collection of sub-bottom profiler (SBP) data. BGS has advocated for acquiring SBP data on hydrographic surveyors in order to provide crucial sub-surface data for a range of applications.

Scientists and decision-makers working in the offshore environment are reliant on high-quality seabed data to inform the siting, design, and installation of offshore infrastructure projects, such as Offshore Wind installations, habitat and ecosystem mapping, archaeology, marine aggregates, coastal erosion and management, and baseline geological and environmental science.”

Dayton Dove, BGS Marine Geoscientist

“This joint survey is a fantastic example of what public sector collaboration can achieve when expertise, capability and purpose are aligned. By bringing together organisations from across the UK maritime sector through the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM), we are not only improving how the seabed is mapped, but deepening our collective understanding of the ocean environment, while also providing an opportunity for various experts to learn from one another.

“High‑quality seabed mapping underpins everything from safety at sea and environmental protection to sustainable development and supporting national security. Working together through the UK CSM allows us to maximise the value of data, share knowledge, and deliver insights that no single organisation could achieve alone”

Rear Admiral Angus Essenhigh OBE, UK National Hydrographer & Director of Data Acquisition at the UKHO and chair of the UK CSM Steering Committee

About the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM)

The , administered by the UKHO, was established in 2022 and coordinates the collection, management and access of seabed mapping data. Through collaboration, the UK CSM aims to improve understanding of the UK maritime estate and inform the effective management of marine resources. There are currently over 30 public sector organisations who are members of the UK CSM with an interest in marine geospatial information and data.

In chemistry student Dorontina Domi first couple of months of her placement at BGS, she has rotated between different laboratories including organics, collagen extraction and modern environmental gas analysis. This has provided her with a broad experience of the different instruments and sample preparation techniques that are required within BGS Stable Isotope Facility (SIF). In this blog, Dorontina tells us about some of her experiences so far. 

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in organic materials

A wide array of instruments in the SIF can be used to analyse the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope composition of organic materials found in sediments, soils and plant materials. The bulk of the analysis is carried out using an Elementar isoprime precisION isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) with a vario ISOTOPE cube elemental analyser (EA). The samples are combusted in the EA and are then passed onto the IRMS on a continuous flow of helium carrier gas, selected for its inertness and separation efficiency for measurement.

While learning sample preparation, I gained experience in using microbalances to weigh samples down to 200 micrograms (or 0.0002 grams), which is a miniscule amount that is challenging to see with the naked eye. I compacted the weighed sample material into either crucibles or capsules, depending on the instrument and their auto sampling methods.

When analysing these sample materials for C isotopes, it is important to understand whether the results are representing organic or inorganic C fractions contained in the material. Organic carbon consists of compounds sourced from living organisms and their remains, and inorganic carbon, such as from carbonates, is formed from biological and geological processes. The two forms of C have very distinct isotope compositions (inorganic C typically has more carbon-13 compared organic C) and even a small amount of inorganic C contamination in samples can offset target organic C isotope values.

Samples must therefore be treated to remove inorganic C prior to isotope analysis. I acidified samples using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and rinsed them with purified water, using a centrifuge to ensure thorough washing, until the pH tested neutral. This process dissolves the inorganic C fraction and isolates the organic C fraction.

SIF houses 13 mass spectrometers, so I have also gained experience in how staff conduct maintenance, such as on the Elementar IRMS. I assisted in replacing the consumables to ensure that the analyses are performed with a high precision and accuracy.

Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotopes in prehistoric bone samples

Comparing carbon, nitrogen and sulfur isotope ratios from carnivores and their prey allows us to distinguish the palaeo-diet of animals and the of different species. This allows us to interpret their relationships during different ages and draw inferences from the data on changes associated with climate differences. For example, the higher the nitrogen isotope composition (δ¹⁵N) the more ‘carnivore-like’ feeding habits took place, therefore the main prey for each species can be identified.

Statistical tools called Bayesian mixing models will be used as a framework to integrate the large proportion of data from throughout modern and Pleistocene times and to infer the relevant data. Through this, the project will assess how changes in climate and environment influenced the feeding behaviour of the wolves and their resilience during reductions in prey availability. This information is crucial to understand the influence climate change will have on the endangered species in the future and help conservation strategies.

As part of the sampling programme, I was given an opportunity to spend a day at the laboratories in London, where I observed the meticulous drilling process used to cut small pieces of material from a variety of different fossil species for later analysis. The samples were cut from areas that will minimise damage of the structural integrity of the bone for conservation purposes.

As well as fossil samples, the project is also analysing contemporary wolves from Croatia and their prey as a comparison. These samples are less than 100 years old and required an initial solvent treatment in the geomicrobiology lab before collagen extraction could begin.

I have also helped to prepare the samples for isotope analysis, where a multi-step process takes place to extract the collagen, before it is purified and analysed via the EA-IRMS.

Carbon isotopes in methane samples

Another aspect of my training coversanalysing methane (CH₄) gas samples for their carbon isotope composition using a Sercon HS2022 with CyroGas.

This instrument works by purifying the sample gas via carbon dioxide (CO₂) traps and a cryogenic gas trap to remove any other sources of carbon present that are not from CH₄, thus reducing potential sources of contamination. The sample gas then flows through a combustion tube, where the CH₄ is converted to CO₂ and cryogenic trapping takes place, ensuring that the CO₂ is concentrated in the final trap and can be released to the mass spectrometer rapidly. This allows for a narrow, sharp peak that can be analysed and replicated with a high precision. I also hope to help with the analysis of hydrogen (H) isotopes via the pyrolysis of CH₄ to H₂.

Working at BGS as a student

If you are an undergraduate student looking for an opportunity within stable isotopes, I highly recommend BGS. Not only is it the largest UK producer of stable isotope data, but it is also a supportive workplace to be a part of. There are a variety of clubs to involve yourself in such as the BGS Wilding Group. Staff and volunteers maintain the natural areas at BGS to promote wildlife biodiversity, as a commitment to sustainability.

I would like to extend a massive thank you to everyone at the Stable Isotope Facility for welcoming me with such support and excitement. It has been an incredible start to the placement and I am looking forward to the rest of the year!

About the author 

Dorontina Domi is an undergraduate chemistry student at the University of Surrey, completing her industrial placement at SIF, which is located at BGS headquarters in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. 

The 51ÁÔÆæ (BGS) has released a new shallow subsurface geological synthesis of the southern North Sea in the first formal review of this region since the 1990s. A wealth of new subsurface data has been generated through the rapid expansion of offshore wind farm (OWF) development since the last assessment.

In total, the new synthesis draws on data from 22 OWFs and cable landfall sites from recent publications and open data available through The Crown Estate . Bringing these diverse datasets together presented a rare opportunity to enhance our geological understanding of the region, providing a detailed baseline resource to support more efficient and better-informed offshore development projects in the future.

Findings from the updated review have revealed much greater geological complexity within the region than indicated by the previous assessment, which was developed between the 1970s and 1990s on the back of data collected during oil and gas developments. Modern OWF investigations, supported by comprehensive borehole drilling, cone penetration tests and seismic datasets, show that many of the geological formations contain a variety of distinct sedimentary characteristics. This complexity has direct implications for foundation design and ground modelling, including the identification of geo-engineering constraints and geohazards, which is crucial information for a wide range of offshore infrastructure development.

The assessment examined evidence across pre-glacial, glacial, interglacial and post‑glacial periods from 200 million years ago to the present day. Understanding how different sedimentary units were deposited provides vital insight into geological formations that may present specific geo-engineering complications. This includes mixed soils, boulders, glacially compacted sediments or organic-rich layers. Organic units can be problematic for cable installation due to their fibrous nature, presenting considerable challenges to cable routing.

It is not a requirement for UK offshore infrastructure projects to collect samples for dating and biostratigraphy; however, where they are available, absolute dating (radiocarbon and optical stimulated luminescence data) information has also been included within the assessment. Neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands recognise the value of this data, as it can help to better predict age-based sedimentary characteristics and ultimately better inform geotechnical characterisation around a project design.

The report outlines several recommendations to enhance the resource further, including improving fine-scale mapping, ingesting geotechnical datasets for each geological subunit and strengthening international collaboration to harmonise North Sea stratigraphy. The findings presented in the main report can be aligned with results presented in the , which is a data catalogue highlighting the key geological features and associated engineering constraints for OWF development as part of the . Both resources provide complementary datasets and criteria essential for evaluating OWF site suitability.

This work provides:

• an opportunity to advance scientific understanding
• resources to strengthen national collaboration
• supporting baseline evidence for the energy transition, energy security and wider marine planning
  

The release of this report marks an important milestone in compiling geological observations from literature and offshore wind farm development over the past 30 years or so. It brings together a wealth of new offshore geological data that enhances our understanding of the shallow subsurface in the marine environment in the southern North Sea. We hope this dataset will provide strong baseline evidence to support national and international collaboration for efficient offshore development and act as a blueprint for other areas around the UK Continental Shelf.

Nikki Dakin, BGS Senior Marine Geoscientist

We would encourage similar consolidation of geological information across the wider North Sea, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, The Solent and English Channel, making full use of the substantial dataset holdings within the Marine Data Exchange. There is also significant potential to extend this approach internationally, working with neighbouring countries.

Such data provides a robust evidence base for industry, regulators and researchers, marking an important step toward a fully modernised geological model and improving our understanding of offshore stratigraphy across the UK Continental Shelf.

The report and geological assessment are now available online: .

51ÁÔÆæ would like to acknowledge The Crown Estate as well as wind farm developers for contributing reports and data to The Crown Estate Marine Data Exchange.

Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa rely on hand-pumped boreholes (HPBs) for their water supply, but they are often unreliable, with frequent breakdowns and long repair times. Although there have been previous attempts to understand the difficulty of access to water in rural areas and the functionality of rural water supply systems, they have typically taken ‘siloed’ approaches and focused only on the technical or social factors that influence the supplies’ performance.

A and local researchers in both Africa and the UK, shows that the failure of HPBs is not simply due to a single issue, such as a lack of water or a technical failure: it is the result of a combination of complex social, technical and physical interactions. The study provides crucial information for decision makers across governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities aiming to make rural water access more reliable.

The research found that the probability of any failure occurring is dominated by physical and engineering factors: a combination of water levels, the condition of the pump, aquifer yields, and borehole construction and configuration. The length of time the pump was out of action was dominated by social factors including demand, access to spare parts and financing. The project team, led by BGS, tested current HPBs and facilitated interviews and participatory mapping events with water users and managers across Ethiopia, Malawi and Uganda. Combining statistical patterns of HPB failure with lived community experiences led to a new conceptual model that represents the diversity of real-world water-management arrangements.

This paper invites those working in rural water supply in sub-Saharan Africa to consider infrastructure performance through an interdisciplinary lens. These complex interactions can be understood by using frameworks like the one proposed in this study to improve rural water supply performance, which is especially important as rural water systems evolve towards more complex solar and piped technologies.

It hoped that understanding these complex interactions around rural water supplies will help governments, NGOs and communities make rural water access more reliable and fairer for all.

Dr Donald John MacAllister, BGS Senior Hydrogeologist the paper lead author

This research provides valuable insights into the interconnected drivers of water service downtime. Its findings come at a critical time as groundwater will continue to play a central role in meeting future water demand and strengthening drought resilience. Acting on these insights will be essential to enhance public and private sector support for water service provision through stronger regulation, improved planning, increased financing and enhanced service management.

Vincent Casey, WaterAid

The paper is now available online:

Scientists from the UK Critical Mineral Intelligence Centre (CMIC) provided a live webinar, showcasing major research outputs from the last year:

• copper waste and scrap flows for the UK
• future of digital
• the methodological progress on criticality assessments

The presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session with the panel.
A recording of the event is now available below.

As acknowledged in Vision 2035: The UK Critical Minerals Strategy, critical minerals underpin the UK economy, technology, energy transition, industrial resilience and national security. As global markets and geopolitics become more volatile and supply chains more complex, the UK must continually refine how it identifies and manages supply risks for its material needs.

The lowland tropical rainforests of South-east Asia are complex ecosystems best known for their evergreen forests dominated by the towering dipterocarp trees and unique wildlife. The rainforests are among the most threatened ecosystems on the planet due to climate change, deforestation, logging and agriculture. Many key areas of South-east Asia are also located on the tectonically active Pacific Ring of Fire, which consists of a ‘ring’ of active volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions can be explosive, caused by pressure that has built up over time sending ash, rock and gas into the atmosphere. These eruptions can have an immediate destructive impact on the surrounding environment, negatively affecting forest systems; however, volcanic ash also contains nutrients such as phosphorus, which is essential for plant growth and productivity.  

Ancient environmental DNA

To understand the response and recovery of these tropical forest systems after a volcanic event, I am using lake-sediment cores to explore past records of volcanic activity and forest productivity.  

Lakes act like stores of environmental information, as the sediments found on lake floors are composed of organic and inorganic materials that have accumulated over time. These sediments can provide insights into past nutrient dynamics through geochemical analysis. By extracting ancient environmental DNA (aeDNA), which is genetic material derived from plant material and cells from animals and microorganisms, we can discover how forest biomes have responded to environmental change over time.  

Ancient environmental DNA is typically highly degraded, vulnerable to hydrolysis and oxidation, and easily contaminated by modern DNA. It is therefore crucial to work in a clean environment where the risk of contaminating the samples is minimal.  

Sample handling 

Before splitting the lake sediment core and subsamples for aeDNA extraction, it was first radiographically scanned at the Core Scanning Facility at the BGS campus in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. Radiographic scanning was also carried out to identify past volcanic events without opening the core, to avoid any potential contamination. I then travelled with the lake sediment core from BGS to the Globe Institute, part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, which specialises in geogenetics, for aeDNA extraction. 

The institute is located in the heart of Denmark capital city. It is surrounded by the Botanical Garden, the National Gallery for Arts, and the King Garden, where Rosenborg Castle is located. On arrival, you are met by one of the largest iron meteorites in the world, before entering the Centre for Geogenetics, where the clean aeDNA laboratories are.  

A strict protocol must be followed to avoid any form of modern contamination when working in these laboratories. This includes wearing a full protective outfit consisting of a hazmat suit, face mask, gloves, overshoes, extra protective sleeves and an extra pair of gloves. After suiting up for working the in laboratory, everything must be cleaned in bleach (and washed in ethanol afterwards). The selected samples and all laboratory equipment are then placed in a special clean fume hood, where the aeDNA can be extracted and prepared for sequencing.  

The core was not cut open until it arrived at the Globe Institute, where aeDNA samples were taken at 1 cm intervals using sterile syringes. The samples were taken from intervals pre-eruption, right after the eruption, and several intervals post-eruption, to help understand the forest system response to volcanic events. The selected samples were incubated overnight and purified the next day, after which the concentration was measured. Finally, the samples went through another preparation process, the crucial step that converts raw DNA into a library of adapter-ligated, standardised fragments that have been amplified to ensure enough copies are available for genetic sequencing.  

Next steps 

While the prepared DNA samples are awaiting sequencing, the final work for geochemical analysis and stable isotopes measurements is being completed at BGS laboratories back in Keyworth. These analyses will help explore the history of past nutrient inputs from volcanic events and improve our understanding of how such inputs influence the tropical rainforest system.  

Copenhagen, Denmark 

From working intensely in the laboratories to exploring the city surrounding the Globe Institute, I enjoyed my time in Copenhagen. It a vibrant city known for its blend of historic charm and modern design, exceptional cycling culture and world-class food. The city offers attractions like Tivoli Gardens, Amalienborg Slot (the royal castle), Nyhavn and Free Town Christiania, which are, in my opinion, places you must see while walking around with a Ristet med det hele (a hot dog with the works) and a cocio (Danish chocolate milk). And of course, you can never go wrong by entering one of the many bakeries to make the impossible decision of which pastry to choose… 

Thanks 

A big thank you goes to Dr Ana Prohaska for hosting me at the Globe Institute, training me in new skills in molecular biology, and giving me the tools to help me understand the processes of the work. Another big thanks must go to the rest of the team at the Globe Institute for making me feel a part of the group, even though I was only there for a short amount of time.  

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) underpins its commitment to excellence in environmental research with the provision of access to high quality facilities. BGS manages a subset of the NERC facilities on behalf of NERC and relies on advice from the science community to manage and govern the facilities and ensure that they support high-quality science.

We are looking for new members to join NERC’s facilities steering committees over the next four years. The four facilities within this call are:

• (GEF)
• (IMF)
• (NEIF)
• (NEOF)

GEF is particularly interested in recruiting new committee members in seismics and geomorphology.

We are additionally looking to recruit a new Chair for the NEOF steering committee to be appointed in 2026.

Further information:
– NERC Steering Committee membership call
–

Expressions of interest must be submitted by the deadline – extended to 17:00 on 2 April 2026.

More details: NERC Steering Committee membership call — 51ÁÔÆæ

In partnership with (ESC), BGS has successfully been awarded funding from the Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund, run by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) and funded by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The aim of this funding stream is to move public sector knowledge assets to identified potential markets.

Renewable geothermal energy technologies are an increasingly important option for decarbonisation of heating and cooling systems, supporting the UK net zero carbon emissions targets. BGS can play a part in accelerating the deployment and improve the cost effectiveness of shallow geothermal technologies by harnessing its extensive subsurface data and geological expertise.

Project aim

The aim of this project, which will run until June 2027, is to transform existing baseline data into products for renewable energy solutions, specifically for the exploitation of shallow geothermal energy for heating buildings. Data products will include estimated heat output of vertical boreholes using closed-loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) technology, at any location across Great Britain. The project is seeking input on how GSHPs and geothermal maps and products are developed and delivered, ensuring the products are fit-for-purpose.

This consultation will help us to gain an understanding of:

• stakeholders’ data requirements across multiple sectors in the shallow geothermal landscape
• market demand for subsurface geothermal information for GSHPs
• preferred delivery mechanism of geothermal data for now and the future
  

To ensure a diverse range of perspectives are captured and that BGS is developing a fit-for-purpose product, we are consulting stakeholders across multiple sectors, including:

• heat network utility companies
• industrial heat users
• the building services sector,
• housing developers
• value-added resellers of geoscientific information

Have your say

Implementing effective data products requires input from all our stakeholder groups andwe’dlike to hear from you.  BGS and ESCarehosting a series of focused interview sessions to really understand how individuals and organisations could use BGS’s geothermalproducts. What are the priorities and needs? What activities are being supported by our data? What are we missing?

If you would like to have your say in helping shape the current development phase of geothermaldata and products(thermal properties and closed-loop potential thermaloutput), as well as in longer-term future products and developing the geothermal portfolio, then pleaseget in touch.

51ÁÔÆæ is also working on a GOTT grant to create geotechnical data tools as part of the Common Ground project. We would love to hear from people working with this type of data, to ensure these tools are designed with our users’ needs in mind, and we will be reaching out next week with a research questionnaire, with our partners Difference Engine.

Expressions of interest should be made to Reace Edwards (ESC) quoting ‘geothermal interview’ by 2 March 2026.

We will only use your details to contact you in relation to this survey. All personal data provided to The 51ÁÔÆæ/Energy Systems Catapult in response to this survey will be processed in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. Further information on how we use personal data, and how you can exercise your rights as a data subject, can be found in our privacy notice and .