Natural hazardous processes have significant effects on economic growth, the built environment, lives and livelihoods. Risks and impacts of disasters are particularly severe in developing countries and are likely to be exacerbated by climate change.
Our work with partners worldwide to enhance understanding of hazards, exposure, vulnerability and risk will ensure our science is usable, useful and used.
- Single hazard characterisation: improving our monitoring, characterisation, analysis and modelling of single hazard processes, such as rockfalls or earthquakes
- Multi-hazard characterisation and cascades: improving our monitoring, characterisation, analysis and modelling of the relationships between hazards, such as those between earthquakes and landslides
- Impacts, vulnerability and exposure: characterising the potential impacts of a hazard or multi-hazards on populations, societies and their assets.
- Forecasting: supporting the management of risks by governments by rapidly harvesting and analysing near
real-time data to provide information about a hazardous or multi-hazardous event. - Hazard and risk communication: working with risk-affected communities, particularly internationally, and tailoring science to meet their needs, improving the understanding of societies at risk and effecting action or behavioural change.
- Event response: providing responsive services, products or advice to decision makers such as governments before, during and after hazardous events.
- Resilience and recovery: working with partners to reduce risks, support redevelopment and identify ways to use the reconstruction process to improve a community’s resilience following a hazardous event.
- Data acquisition: collecting and managing data from the monitoring of hazards or multi-hazard events, their processes and impacts.
- Uncertainty: underpinning effective decision making by gaining a sound understanding of uncertainty in natural-hazard risk assessment.
Our research
![Aurora Borealis by Stein Egil Liland](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Geomag_feature_Pexels.jpg)
Geomagnetism
Measuring, recording and interpreting variations in the Earth’s magnetic field including those caused by space weather
![Yasur volcano - Anna Hicks](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/feature_volcanology.jpg)
Volcanology
Our scientists lead research projects and work in partnerships around the world to improve our understanding of volcanic processes, hazards and risks.
![Maintenance work.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/maintenance_work_feature.jpg)
Earthquakes and seismology research
We are measuring, recording and analysing ground motions from earthquakes and other seismic events across the UK and overseas.
![In 1979, the the A625 road was permanently closed to traffic and what remains today is an interesting example of landslide movement and repeated road reconstruction and repair.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/P757469.jpg)
Shallow geohazards
Measuring, recording and analysing near-surface geological hazards including landslides, sinkholes and discontinuities.
Our facilities
![Geotechnical research and design facility](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/feature_Geotechnical_RD.jpg)
Engineering and Geotechnical Capability
The BGS Engineering and Geotechnical Capability leads the development and application of field and laboratory infrastructure and long-term management of geophysical and geotechnical property data.
![The ALERT system generates a daily time-lapse image.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/geophysical_tomography_feature.jpg)
Shallow geophysics
BGS are developing and using leading-edge technologies such as Geophysical Tomography to image the shallow subsurface.
![ESA satellite](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/feature_ESA_satellite.jpg)
Geodesy and Earth Observation
We develop and use innovative Earth observation (EO) techniques to characterise and monitor Earth processes that impact lives and livelihoods.
![Kilbride Bagana from Wavovi](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Kilbride_Bagana_from_Wavovi_Feature_Brendan_McCormick.jpg)
Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET)
COMET analyses satellite measurements alongside ground-based observations and geophysical models to study earthquakes and volcanoes
Our core challenge areas
Related news
![The Lembang fault crosses the northern parts of Bandung city in Indonesia. BGS © UKRI.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/the-lembang-fault.webp)
Nearly three million people in Indonesia’s second city could be affected by an earthquake
17/07/2024
BGS-led research reveals the number of people in the Bandung metropolitan region who could be exposed to a major earthquake.
![Pale cliffs above a flat grassy area with ivy and trees growing across some of them. There are several, large and small caves in the cliffs.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/geograph-6702517-by-Sandy-Gerrard.jpg)
Creswell Crags Museum collections offer insight into the past and future of wolves
12/07/2024
Bones found at the site are helping scientists to understand the diet of wolves and how they differ over time.
![Murrayfield Stadium located in Edinburgh, Scotland - © Thomas Feige / iStock.com](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Murrayfield_Stadium.jpg)
Quake it off: Taylor Swift concerts shake Edinburgh
13/06/2024
Seismometers around Edinburgh were triggered by the rapturous Murrayfield crowds over the weekend.
![The aurora over Haddington, Scotland. Credit: Migle Petruskeviciute](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/aurora-over-haddington-scotland.webp)
A-roaring display
16/05/2024
The dazzling and colourful aurora borealis, or northern lights, observed by many across the UK last weekend was one of the most extreme and long-lasting geomagnetic storms recorded in the last 155 years.
![Professor Jonathan Chambers. BGS © UKRI.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/jonathon-chambers.webp)
New BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience announced
09/05/2024
Prof Jonathan Chambers has been appointed as the new BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience, effective from 1 June 2024.
![IGRF-13 map of declination angle (in degrees east or west of true north) for 2020. © UKRI](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IGRF-13_Declination_2020-960x645-1.jpg)
BGS leads update to maps of the Earth’s magnetic field
04/04/2024
The International Geomagnetic Reference Field, used for navigation on mobile phones and in space, is updated every five years.
![BGS staff sampling a chalk spring for microplastics in 2024. BGS © UKRI.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/P1038363.webp)
BGS to lead a new research project on microplastic occurrence in springs
06/03/2024
BGS has been awarded a two-year research project to undertake the first assessment of microplastic occurrence in springs in the UK.
![Margarita Segou. BGS © UKRI.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/margarita-segou-gji.webp)
BGS seismologist named editor-in-chief of Geophysical Journal International
29/02/2024
Margarita Segou has been appointed as the editor-in-chief of one of the world’s leading, peer-reviewed research journals in solid-Earth geophysics.
![Aurora borealis in northern Norway. © Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/henrik-heitmann-wQ1UIvNfgYQ-unsplash.webp)
Will 2024 be the Year of the Aurora?
23/02/2024
The Sun’s approximate eleven-year activity cycle is predicted to peak this year, prompting BGS scientists to anticipate that 2024 will be the ‘Year of the Aurora’.
![BGS Geomagnetism webinar](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/geomagnetism_lecture__website_banner.jpg)
From the Earth’s core to outer space: understanding the magnetic field
Event on 26/03/2024
A special webinar focusing on our our geomagnetism research, including how we measure the magnetic field, everyday applications and mitigating the threats of space weather.
![Vincent van Zalinge. Unsplash License.](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/vincent-van-zalinge-GvSLkDH7XdI-unsplash.webp)
Burrow-detecting devices could protect flood defences
23/01/2024
BGS scientists have trialled a new way of detecting animal burrows in clay flood embankments.
![Landslide in Seatown, Dorset. © James Loveridge](https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/landslide-in-seatown-dorset.webp)
BGS receives award at the World Landslide Forum 2023
30/11/2023
BGS’s landslide team has been designated a World Centre of Excellence on landslide risk reduction by the International Consortium on Landslides.