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The Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) launched in 2003 a comprehensive geoscientific mapping project - GEOS ( Geology in the Oslo Region). The area has a population of approximately 2 million, representing almost 50% of the Norwegian inhabitants. The area experiences the largest population growth in Norway imposing needs for new infra-structure such as highways, double-track railroads and construction of new housing. More than 40 tunnels are being planned. There is an increasing need for construction material such as sand and gravel and an increasing number of aerial conflicts arise.
The mapping programme includes defining areas with radon hazard, landslide hazard, anomalous subsidence (both natural or man-made), polluted soil and groundwater, 3D mapping of construction material deposits, thermal energy, bedrock weakness zones and palaeotropical weathering. Large deposits of sand and gravel are e.g. suitable as a resource for construction material, groundwater reservoir and as a media for cleaning large amounts of wastewater. The steadily increasing conversion of previous urban industrial areas into new residential districts necessities precautions with regard to old pollutions.
NGU has to a large extent utilised remote sensing techniques such as airborne geophysical measurements and INSAR data in combination with traditional bedrock and overburden mapping. Marine seismic and sonar surveying is applied in combination with 2D resistivity, magnetic and gravity measurements and drilling to explore the 3rd dimension. The project includes also research on the deep part of the Permian Oslo Rift that is often used as an analogue for the rift basins offshore Norway.
The GEOS Project has developed user-defined databases and maps that can be accessed on the Internet. New products include various thematic databases and maps such as heat flow, rock quality and various awareness and risk maps, e.g. radon, quick clay distribution, deep weathering in bedrock, ground subsidence and urban soil pollution.
The 6-year project has a total budget of approximately 12 million Euros and involves geoscentists in several national and international universities and institutions.
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