EVS-Islands

Earthquakes Plotted - USGS 1973 - 2006
Red = Great / Green = Major / Blue = Strong / Purple=Moderate

Why did I build this eathquake point file? I did it for the pleasure of building it. Having dealt with mappable data for many years and at one time having built an earthquake locations database, I thought I would give it a try again.

First the location of the data - Earthquake Hazards Program. I downloaded the data in logical groups: First magnitude 8.0+, next magnitude 7.0+, then 6.0+ and finally 5.0+. I stopped there because 5.0+ had 49,000 earthquakes between 1973 and 2006. It was a good place to stop

I worked the data into the format I require in Marplot: lon, lat, name. I got creative with the name. Each earthquake reads: magnitude - depth / yr-mn-dy /time of day (5.6 - 33 / 2006-07-29 / 55930.33). After preparing the data, I loaded them into my World Shorelines map file into 4 separate layers (EQ 8.0+, EQ 7.0+, EQ 6.0+ and EQ 5.0+). I selected an appropriate symbol, color and range to display icon and name. I then displayed them over my other data

Some of you might be saying, "So what. No big deal." But I say, "Cool!". I love putting a plotable point file together and loading it and have it work. And my little earthquake file works!

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/29/2006 10:10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

If my maps of islands could get half the response of my gripes the world would be a wonderful place. Okay, I am invited. It is just that I have to pony up $150 to attend as an educator. I wish it cost less, but I think that fee is reasonable. Now I just have to scrape together $150.

I do want to assure all of my readers that my students learn about maps. All sorts of maps and the information that is placed on them that makes them valuable sources of information. We fly over Africa and visit the various sites where Early Man tended to his business. Any opportunity we have to visit a place, we visit. We explore it as best we can. We zoom out to see what is around it.

As a private school teacher, funds are very tight. So we make do with hand-me-down computer systems that are 2-generations out of synch, but that's okay. My students learn about the Earth and how history was played out by visiting these places.

I don't know if I can afford to spend $150 for the conference. That is my problem, not the fault of ESRI and their marketing team. I am certain the conference will be a hit. If I make it there, great. If not, enjoy!

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/28/2006 04:47:00 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

I'm sorry, but I just have to vent. ESRI is coming into MY town for a visit August 7-11 2006 at MY Convention Center. I am a self-avowed map freak and would be more than willing to pay an entry fee to visit the Trade Show Exhibits. Maybe $20 for a one-day pass, just to visit the Exhibits. Seems reasonable.

According to Jennifer at ESRI, it isn't reasonable. She asked for my ESRI product number. I said, "Jennifer, I don't have an ESRI product number." She said, "Sorry, you can't come. This is a private affair for ESRI customers and friends only."

Honestly, that is ESRI's call. They are paying for the affair. But just as honestly, I think it is a poor way to do business. Why not open this up to the non-ESRI world? There are more non-ESRI people that might become ESRI people than there are actual ESRI people. Just maybe if you were more cordial you might get some business from us.

Why don't I buy some ESRI product? Maybe I can get that special number that will allow me in to their private show? Why? ESRI products are expensive and difficult to use for my purposes. I make fairly non-complex maps of islands. I do not need a Porsche to do the job a solid Chevy will do at a fraction of the cost.

That said . . . I still believe ESRI is number one in the mapping applications business for a number of good reasons. They have solid products that fit the needs of a diverse marketplace. Their products are used worldwide because they solve the needs of GIS professionals. They have managed to place their products into the hands of educators making ESRI products the tools new mappers learn to use. They are smart, profitable, well positioned and expensive. They have earned the right to throw their own private party. But they are a bit uppity coming into MY town and not extending an invitation to me.

There, now I feel better.

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/28/2006 11:14:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Gambier Islands FP - Image (S-08-15_2000)

Gambier Islands FP - Map Overview

Gambier Islands FP - Map Northern

Gambier Islands FP - Map Southern

Iles Gambier (23˚10'S., 134˚57'W.) lie near the E end of Iles Tuamotu. The group consist of ten islands and numerous islets enclosed by or settled on a barrier reef.

Ile Mangareva (23˚07'S., 134˚59'W.), the largest of four main islands, maintains a permanent population. The majority of the population surrounds the main port of Rikitea, on the E side of the island. There is another port at Totegegie, on the barrier reef, 5 miles NE. On the NE side of the barrier reef there are many low detached islets covered with green vegetation. Elsewhere, with the exception of Banc de Tokoruaat, its W extremity, the reef is submerged; the depths are generally shallow.

The islands lie within an extensive lagoon. Most are of volcanic formation and the larger islands are high, covered with high grass, reeds, and ferns. Some islets are in the lagoon, but most lie on the NE of the reef and they are wooded.

The barrier reef rises steeply from great depths on its seaward side, except for the gradual rise from the SE. The NE part of the barrier is almost awash. There are three passes through the reef, which are known as Passe de l’Ouest, Passe du Sud-Ouest, and Passe de Sud-Est. All the passes give access to anchorage in the outer part of the lagoon.

From a distance, the island may be identified by Mont Duff, 441m high, and rising to two wedge-shaped peaks at its SW end. From the NW, Mont Duff and Mont Mokoto appear as two pointed peaks close together.

Pilotage.—Pilotage is not compulsory, but is recommended for the channels and anchorages listed below. The pilot will meet vessels at the entrance to Passe de L'Ouest.

Caution.—As Passe du Sud-Ouest and Passe du Sud-Est are exposed to the prevailing sea, the swell may reduce the avail-able depth of water over the bar. It has been reported that the buoys and beacons marking the dangers and channels mentioned below are unreliable. (Sailing Directions Pub-126)

This is a redo of a January 2006 post. I had never finished this map until today. I added some additional reef layers and did some adjustments to names placed on the map. The maps are a much better representation of this group of islands.

Wikipedia has an informative article on the Gambiers. It also includes a number of links to additional information.

Enjoy!

Labels: atoll, EVS, Gambiers, Global Mapper, island, Landsat, map, Marplot, Pacific, Polynesia

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/28/2006 10:19:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Delos Island - Map (1:25,000)

I come from a time when the best map a person could purchase for those journeys of exploration into places like Yosemite Park were 1:24,000 scale USGS Topographic maps. They were great at depicting visible sites and those sites far beyond the horizon. My shoreline maps are typically very boring. They do show a well-tracked shoreline, but so what.

This post contains a series of Delos Island shoreline maps. Delos is the birthplace of Apollo and the "navel" of Greece. It is an island full of ancient sites. Explore it with the 1-meter imagery available on Google Earth. It is a treat.

My first map is of Delos Island at 1:25,000 scale. This is the scale typically used for large-scale national mapping efforts. Their shorelines are good, but mine are better. My Delos shorelines are extremely precise in comparison to other Delos shorelines (WVS, PGS, EVS), as mine have been digitized using GE 1-meter imagery. Let's explore further.

Delos Island - Map (1:12,500)

This is the scale one might see in a professional publication to depict the locations of a series of archeological sites being discussed. It allows for site names and very brief comments. It is a good intermediate scale.

Delos Island - Map (1:6,250)

This scale would allow for more detailed discussion of sites of interest. I, personally, would prefer to work at a larger scale to deal with individual sites. Perhaps the next map scale.

Delos Island - Map (1:3,125)

At this scale individual sites can be depicted, often in their entirety. It is a solid scale that can be used to discuss very precise locational information.

Delos Island - Map (1:1,563)

This scale is also excellent for the discussion of individual sites. What impresses me is the site details that can be depicted at this scale.

Delos Island - GE Image (1:1,563)

This GE image of the harbor on Delos Island is indicative of the degree of resolution that can be realized with 1-meter imagery. When working with 1-meter imagery, I typically digitized at 1:780. All of the features are clearly discernable, thus easy to digitize. The challenge is digitizing a shoreline battered by waves that is defined by fractured rocks above and below water. Within the next 5-years 1-meter imagery will be the norm. The satellites are in orbit snapping flicks. Companies like GE, Microsoft and NASA will, hopefully, keep the imagery coming. And the mapping that will be routinely accomplished will eclipse our current efforts dramatically.

What I like about this specific series of Delos maps is that they all came from the same map file. It is merely a matter of zooming in and the user gets a more detailed image. This Delos shoreline map file becomes imprecise at between 1:400 down to 1:200. The shorelines look clunky. However, above these seldom used scales the shorelines are excellent.

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/26/2006 09:22:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

PGS, EVS, WVS and 1-Meter Shorelines

I have just completed a new 1-meter shoreline of the island of Delos. It is a very good effort. I imported the finished shoreline into my mapping program. Curiosity got the better of me, so I turned on all of my shorelines at an exaggerated zoom scale (1:1,500). Two of the shorelines maintained an excellent track of the shoreline (EVS and Google 1-meter). The other two were pretty rugged looking in relation to the imaged shoreline (WVS and PGS).

So, what's my point? PGS needs an EVS adjustment to more precisely track the imaged shoreline.

Google Earth asks that the Google emblem remain on their imagery. I apologize to GE for leaving the emblem off of the 1-meter image. I had to make all of the images fit onto a single screen.

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/25/2006 07:46:00 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

PGS to EVS Precision

Here is another example of PGS to EVS Precision. The map scale is 1:15,000. At 1:62,500 the PGS tracks the Vietnamese coastline. At 1:15,000 the PGS does not track the coastline. It "sharp-turns" it's way up the coast. The adjustment of the PGS vectors into EVS precision was literally done in seconds. This short segment took less than 1-minute to adjust. I repeat, EVS tracks the coastline much more precisely then PGS is able to do.

A trained, experienced human operator makes digitizing decisions and evaluations quickly, consistently and accurately. The use of automated digitizing programs work, to a point. It appears that they do not place vectors on the imaged shoreline as consistently as humans are able.

I am not bashing PGS. I think it is superb compared to WVS shorelines. It is an excellent vector shoreline product. However, it needs to be finished. PGS should be completed to the EVS level of precision. It takes a plan of operation and the means to execute that plan. I believe that PGS can be adjusted to EVS precison within 12-months and, I am certain, at a fraction of the cost of the original effort.

First some facts about the magnitude of the effort. Out of 881 Landsat ETM+ 2000 mosaics, 631 contain shorelines. These mosaics would constitute the base imagery for this project. Out of the 631 mosaics, 41% (258) are primarily islands with little or no continental shoreline. These images would be relatively fast to complete. Often they contain only a single island. 32% (199) contain shorelines and islands. These images would be the most demanding. A single volunteer might spend 2-months on one of these mosaics. For example, Southeast Asia contains a number of these and the shorelines depicted are numerous and quite challenging. Finally, 28% (174) contain primarily shorelines. These will be fairly fast to digitize. Most of these shorelines are uncomplicated and are imaged with few shoreline obscuring clouds.

It is my belief that 100 worldwide volunteers could be selected, trained and supplied with the tools necessary to complete their assigned Landsat ETM+ mosaic(s). They would have a 2-fold reward. First, quality training and experience in compiling a product that will endure for years. Second, they would receive, for their efforts, the software and hardware they compiled their portion of the project with.

As work is completed, zipped packets would be sent to a Quality Control team, made up of professional/experienced mappers, that will ensure the finished work satisfies the EVS Project's rigorous expectations. Once completed and QC'd, packets will be assembled into a finished Enhanced Vector Shoreline product.

Each volunteer will require software to digitize with and a computer to work on. These tools will be donated and passed on to the volunteer upon completion of their phase of the project. The companies that make these critical donations will be rewarded tax-wise (deductions) and exposure-wise (they helped to build the preeminent world shoreline map). I am certain other benefits will come to those who sponser this vital effort.

This project can happen for about $100,000, plus donations of software and hardware. I know that some of you can benefit immensely from the EVS product. Others can derive benefits from the layers of information that will be added to this new shoreline.

Am I the only one that believes this effort needs to happen? I am convinced that one of my readers is the person that can make this project a reality! I will keep offering until the right person responds.

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/24/2006 06:04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Nisos Psara - Image (N-35-35_2000)

Nisos Psara - Map

Nisos Psara - Image Tilt (Google Earth)

Nisos Psara is part of the larger municipality of Chios. The village of Psara is located on the southern end of the island. Fewer than 500 individuals inhabit the island. It has always been inhabited. In the 1820, during the War for Independence, over 15,000 people were either sold into slavery or were slaughtered. The population has never recovered to those pre-war numbers.

This island is off the beaten track - no airport. Sounds like the perfect get-away!

The link above takes you into Wikipedia for some detailed information about the island. Happy learning!

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/23/2006 08:15:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Nisos Symi - Image (N-35-35_2000)

Nisos Symi - Map

Nisos Symi - Image Tilt (Google Earth)

Nisos Symi (aka Simi Island) is a small island located to the west of Rhodes. It has a small population (about 2,500 residents) and probably a sizable tourist population during the season. As you can see it is surrounded by smaller islands. I checked out a Rough Guide map of the island (mine is better for shoreline accuracy) and it shows one populated area and numberous churches and monasteries scattered about. There is regular ferry service to the island. Looks like a neat place to visit.

I have found an interesting link for Nisos Symi - Adriana's Symi. A well written site containing newsy information about island life.

Posted by Mr Minton at 7/23/2006 08:09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post