39052b52-a9d5-7611-e063-3050940a58f4 English dataset British Geological Survey +44 115 936 3100 Environmental Science Centre,Keyworth NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG12 5GG United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk pointOfContact 2026-03-12 UK GEMINI 2.3 http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13608434 WGS 84 (EPSG::4326) Predictive Seabed Sediments UK v1 2025-03-31 creation http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13608434 The BGS Predictive Seabed Sediments UK v1 dataset includes digital maps of seabed sediment (SBS) composition across the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The dataset includes one classified SBS map (Folk sediment class; vector), and three percentage-sediment maps (rasters) giving the proportions of gravel, sand, and mud. The dataset is generated using a machine learning algorithm known as a Distributional Random Forest (DRF). The model uses input data to predictively classify what seabed sediments are most likely to be the dominant sediment present. It does so, using more than 38,000 seabed sediment samples (collated from various sources) with measurements of the proportion of mud, sand and gravel from locations across the study area. The predictions are constrained against covariate variables that are known to influence which sediment is most likely to occur. These include bathymetry data morphometric derivatives (at multiple spatial scales), as well as hydrodynamic data layers (currents and tidal). The dataset was reviewed via a qualitative assessment (QA) protocol by subject-area experts (e.g. contrasting with previous mapping, and local examples of higher-resolution data and mapping), and following methodological improvements based on this feedback, updated SBS map products were prepared. The dataset is presented at a national-scale, with a spatial resolution of approximately 110m, covering the UKCS (slightly modified UKCS area based on data availability). Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3142 0115 936 3276 The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South EDINBURGH LOTHIAN EH14 4AP United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk distributor Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3142 0115 936 3276 The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South EDINBURGH LOTHIAN EH14 4AP United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk pointOfContact Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3143 0115 936 3276 Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG12 5GG United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk distributor Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3143 0115 936 3276 Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG12 5GG United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk pointOfContact Enquiries British Geological Survey United Kingdom not available distributor Enquiries British Geological Survey United Kingdom not available pointOfContact notPlanned https://resources.bgs.ac.uk/images/geonetworkThumbs/39052b52-a9d5-7611-e063-3050940a58f4.png Geology GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Marine sediments Continental shelf Sea floor BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences 2022 revision UK Location (INSPIRE) Citable Data BGS Data Products dataCentre NERC_DDC otherRestrictions licenceOGL Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]" otherRestrictions The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused. Available under the Open Government Licence subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced NERC materials "Contains NERC materials ©NERC [year]" vector English geoscientificInformation ISO 3166_1 alpha-3 2009 revision GB British Geological Survey Gazetteer: Geographical hierarchy from Geosaurus 1979 creation UK [id=139300] ISO 3166_2 2009 revision UKM -12.2400 3.4100 48.0600 62.2000 2025 Image (GeoTIFF) OGC GeoPackage (GPKG) ESRI Shapefile 1994 Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3142 0115 936 3276 The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South EDINBURGH LOTHIAN EH14 4AP United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk distributor Enquiries British Geological Survey 0115 936 3143 0115 936 3276 Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG12 5GG United Kingdom enquiries@bgs.ac.uk distributor Enquiries British Geological Survey United Kingdom not available distributor https://www.bgs.ac.uk/datasets/bgs-predictive-seabed-sediments-uk/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link BGS Predictive Seabed Sediments (UK) information https://doi.org/10.5285/5a74b5aa-ebe2-4079-a870-7f6c34e6ac3d WWW:LINK-1.0-http--related Citation Information - Digital Object Identifier (DOI) British Geological Survey. (2025). Predictive Seabed Sediments UK v1. British Geological Survey. (Dataset). https://doi.org/10.5285/5a74b5aa-ebe2-4079-a870-7f6c34e6ac3d information dataset dataset INSPIRE Implementing rules laying down technical arrangements for the interoperability and harmonisation of Geology 2011 publication See the referenced specification false Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 publication See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF false The dataset is the result of predictive numerical modelling of seabed sediment composition across the UKCS. The model employs a DRF approach, utilising more than 38,000 sediment samples and a series of physical covariates to help constrain the occurrence and distribution of sediment. Refer to ‘Data Listing’ for sources of the data. The model outputs are both quantitatively and qualitatively assessed and reconfigured based on QA, to produce maps across the UKCS at a spatial resolution of c. 115 m. The data, methods, analysis and map products are further described within the User Guide for the dataset (OR/25/040). The dataset and accompanying reports are credited to Dayton Dove for the project conception, geological QA and selection of model co-variates; Ben Marchant and Matthew Paice (ex-BGS) for modelling, development and refinement; Mary Mowat for data compilation and management.