Research fields

The aim, subject and task of environmental geological investigation

The environmental geological investigation of the Institute concerns all geological activities aimed at acquiring knowledge on the uppermost layer of the lithosphere and groundwater hosted in it i.e. on the soil-groundwater system and on the processes taking place there. We also examine the effects influencing the natural state of this system as a result of extensive human interference like construction of linear and area facilities, agricultural cultivation, disposal of different kinds of wastes, transport, water management, mining and industrial activities, etc. Furthermore, geological natural values, the geological features of nature conservation areas of different qualification as well as their geological values to be protected are also investigated.

Environmental geological mapping

Its task is the execution of methodological research providing the main guidelines for environmental geological mapping with special emphasis on the regions with different geology. Through the reinterpretation of geological mapping data according to environmental geological aspects, environmental geological mapping delivers different thematic maps on various scales (state of the environment, sensitivity and vulnerability of the geological medium; risk related to water bases; effects of different industrial, agricultural, mining and building activities on the geological environment; resistance of the geological environment against environmental impacts, etc.).

Environmental geochemistry

The task of environmental geochemical research is the summarising evaluation of the knowledge collected on the exceptionally polluted areas of the country as well as the adjustment of the latest results of investigation in the processed geological model. The revelation of geochemical problems occurring in the floodplain of rivers entering the country affected by mining and heavy industrial pollution is also a major issue. Research is underway on model areas aimed at learning the laws governing the attitude of potentially toxic elements and the factors restricting agricultural cultivation. Anomalies discovered during national geochemical campaigns are controlled and the areas designated upon the results are studied in detail.

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Geological nature conservation

The task of geological nature conservation studies is the geological description of nature conservation areas in Hungary, identification of geological natural values (typical rock outcrops, geological features, basic sections, etc.), recommendation for declaring protected. The management, documentation and presentation of special geological values in natural parks, nature conservation areas and protected areas are also important issues.

Agrogeology

Agrogeology studies the assemblage of surface and near-surface geological formations, the relationships in the soil-parent rock-groundwater system as well as the changes in this system as a result of human activities and it predicts the harmful or positive effects of these changes. Its major task is the compilation of the agrogeological map series of the country through the agrogeologically-oriented reinterpretation of geological mapping data as well as the execution of agrogeological methodological studies in model areas. Geological causes of agrogeological phenomena like salinisation, erosion, excess water inundation, nutrition budget, acidification, permeability, etc. are also studied together with the ecological features of different, typical habitats.

Regional geology

The tasks of regional geology include surveying the environmental geological state of the established planning-statistical regions of the country as well as its complex geological potential, determining the potential of mineral resources of the planning-statistical regions on the basis of the inventory and classification of the available mineral resources and the investigation of their environmental impact. The results are presented and displayed on maps.

Urban geology

Research activities in the frame of urban geology include the study of the effects of different building activities and the established built area on the geological environment and - vice versa what kind of effects are generated by the geological environment and related processes on the built environment. In the frame of the research construction suitability, state of the environment, occurring risks, and potential risk sources are studied in urban areas and in their environment together with geological and hydrogeological values to be protected. The related data are processed and displayed on maps. The interaction between urban architecture, built-up density, industry and host geological medium are also examined.