BGS capabilities in geomorphological mapping and slope monitoring have been significantly
improved by the acquisition of a high-accuracy global positioning system (GPS) and terrestrially
based LIght Distance And Ranging system (LIDAR). This equipment was originally purchased
and developed by the BGS CliffScan project, (Project leader Peter Hobbs), part of the Coastal
Geoscience and Global Change Programme. The aim of this project is to carry out sequential
surveying and modelling of the changing profiles of various sites around the coast of England.
Cliff sections provided a good basis for the scanning process, providing the user with good
vertical and horizontal sections, constantly changing profiles and stable targets for back-sites (at
most locations). The cliff sections also provided definitive breaks of slope i.e. the cliff junction
with beach deposits and the top cliff line, which could also be recorded with the GPS. The
development programme, undertaken as part of CliffScan has enabled BGS to gain experience in
mapping and scanning coastal features. (Hobbs et al 2002, Gibson et al 2003 and Jones 2003).
This experience has been applied and further developed by the Landslides Project for the
application of these techniques to inland landsides
