Near surface geophysical surveying of Northern Ireland from the air

A recent low-level high resolution airborne geophysical survey of Northern Ireland has provided detailed imagery of ground radioactivity, electrical conductivity and magnetisation. Although airborne geophysics is usually thought of as a regional mapping method, these results are being used widely for near-surface applications - for shallow mineral exploration, geological mapping, environmental management and for research in these fields. Data have been licensed to industry and have prompted significant inward investment in mineral exploration. Together with complementary geochemical datasets, these near-surface geophysical results support environmental monitoring by regulators. They provide a basis for research in other fields, including structural geology, environmental radioactivity, soil science, groundwater management and geostatistics. Some of these applications are described. The project illustrates the value of airborne geophysical data in a range of economic sectors.