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Tag: Maps

Discover detailed maps of Earth and other planets on s-Ink.org. Explore tectonic plate boundaries, Pangea reconstructions, Mars topography, ocean temperatures, magnetic anomalies, Moho depth, and seismic activity—scientifically accurate visuals designed for geoscience communication, education, and exploration.

Plate tectonic Earth map

Visually accessible and scientifically accurate global map of key plate tectonics characteristics on the Earth.

Visually accessible and scientifically accurate global map of key plate tectonics characteristics on the Earth. Superposed on the Earth’s surface topography (from s-ink.org/surface-topography-relief) are the seafloor age (from s-ink.org/oceanic-plate-age), plate boundaries (from s-ink.org/subduction-zones-map) and tectonic plate names (from s-ink.org/tectonic-plates-simple), active volcanoes (from s-ink.org/global-volcano-distribution), largest earthquakes (from s-ink.org/historic-earthquake-distribution), major rivers, and the outlines of the world map. 

Data sets shown are from Amante and Eakins (2009), Müller et al. (1997), Argus et al. (2011), Bird (2003), Deep Sea Drilling Project (1989), NCEI Volcano Location Database, and Hayes (2018). The Scientific colour map ‘lipari‘ is used to represent data accurately and to all readers.

  • Light and dark background versions
  • Perceptually uniform colour map
  • Colour-blind friendly
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Magnetic Seafloor Anomalies

Global map of magnetic anomalies imprinted onto the seafloor of the Earth in form of characteristic stripes and other patterns.


Global map of magnetic anomalies imprinted onto the seafloor of the Earth in form of characteristic magnetic stripes and other patterns. The magnetic anomalies are not only observable on the seafloor, but also provide insight into the subsurface structure and composition of the Earth’s crust. Anomalies trending parallel to the isochrons (lines of equal plate age) in the oceans reveal the temporal growth of oceanic plate and crust: seafloor spreading.

Ever so often the Earth’s magnetic field flips its polarity in an occurrence called a geomagnetic reversal. These reversals throughout Earth’s history are recorded in solidifying rocks, such as in the ones making up the growing oceanic crust at mid-oceanic ridges. The successive bands of ocean floor representing alternating magnetic polarity parallel with mid-ocean ridges was important evidence for seafloor spreading, the concept central to the acceptance of the early theory of plate tectonics.

The data plotted is from the global Earth Magnetic Anomaly Grid (EMAG2) and was compiled from satellite, ship and airborne magnetic measurements.

  • Various other map projections included
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  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
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Pangea

Reconstruction of the supercontinent Pangea (or Pangaea) that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.

Reconstruction of the supercontinent Pangea (or Pangaea) that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. During the Carboniferous approximately 335 Million years ago, Pangea assembled from the earlier continental fragments of Gondwana, Euramerica, and Siberia, and started to break apart about 200 Million years ago, at the end of the Triassic and beginning of the Jurassic. Pangea extended between Earth’s northern and southern polar regions and was surrounded by the Panthalassa Ocean and the Paleo-Tethys and subsequent Tethys Oceans. Pangea is the most recent supercontinent to have existed and the first that was reconstructed by geoscientists.

Here shown is not only the position of the continents, but also the reconstruction of the Earth’s surface paleotopography and paleobathymetry from Scotese & Wright (2018) paleo-digital elevation model (PaleoDEMS). The Scientific colour map ‘bukavu‘ is used to represent data accurately and to all readers.

  • Dark and light background versions
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  • Perceptually uniform colour map
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  • Readable in black&white
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Earthquake distribution map (poster)

Global map of seismicity showing the distribution of large 5.8+ magnitude historic earthquakes derived from seismic wave measurements.

Global map of seismicity showing the distribution of large 5.8+ magnitude historic earthquakes derived from seismic wave measurements after the compilation by Hayes (2018). Shown are individual epicentres coloured by depth. For individual earthquake maps see: s-ink.org/historic-earthquake-distribution .

The Scientific colour map ‘oslo‘ is used to represent earthquake depth accurately and to all readers.

  • Light & dark background versions
  • High resolution
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Global Moho depth

Global maps of the Mohorovičić discontinuity, i.e., the Moho depth, across the Earth based on ESA’s satellite observations and the project GEMMA.

Global maps of the Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuity across the Earth based on observations by ESA’s GOCE gravity satellite and the GEMMA project. While the Moho depth is relatively constant below sea floor, it varies by more than 70 km below continental plates. The Moho is the boundary between the Earth’s crust and its mantle. It is defined by an abrupt density variation of rock causing a change in velocity of seismic waves as they pass through the discontinuity. The Scientific colour map ‘tokyo‘ is used to represent the Moho depth data accurately and to all readers.

  • Alternative map projections
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  • Light & dark background versions
  • Perceptually uniform
  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
  • Readable in black&white
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Sea surface temperature (2023)

Animated global map of the monthly average temperature of the top millimetre of the ocean’s surface throughout the year 2023.

Animated global map of the monthly average temperature of the top millimetre of the ocean’s surface throughout the year 2023. Sea surface temperature influences weather, including hurricanes, as well as plants and animals in the ocean. The sea surface tends to be warmer near the equator and colder near the poles and influenced by large currents moving warm and cold water around the planet. Some of these currents flow along the surface and are therefore visible in these sea surface temperature images. The underlying data is derived by satellite measurements (i.e., MODIS instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite). The Scientific colour map ‘glasgow‘ is used to represent data accurately and to all readers.

  • Dark-background version
  • Perceptually uniform colour map
  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
  • Readable in black&white
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Sea surface temperature (2023, July)

Global maps of the monthly average temperature of the top millimetre of the ocean’s surface for July 2023.

Global maps of the monthly average temperature of the top millimetre of the ocean’s surface for July 2023. Sea surface temperature influences weather, including hurricanes, as well as plants and animals in the ocean. The sea surface tends to be warmer near the equator and colder near the poles and influenced by large currents moving warm and cold water around the planet. Some of these currents flow along the surface and are therefore visible in these sea surface temperature images. The underlying data is derived by satellite measurements (i.e., MODIS instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite). The Scientific colour map ‘glasgow‘ is used to represent data accurately and to all readers.

  • Transparent background
  • Different map projections
  • Dark-background versions
  • Perceptually uniform colour map
  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
  • Readable in black&white
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Mars topography (poster)

Comprehensive global maps depicting the topography of the Martian surface (MOLA), featuring polar regions.

Comprehensive global maps depicting the topography of the Martian surface, featuring polar regions. Represented is the digital elevation model (accessible at https://astrogeology.usgs.gov), derived from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data collected by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft (Albee et al., 2001; Smith and Zuber, 1999). The ‘lajolla‘ Scientific color map is used to guarantee precise and color-blind-friendly representation of the data.

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 20.11.2023
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri adjusted from Crameri et al. (2020) is available via the open-access s-ink.org repository.
  • Related references:
    Smith, D. E., & Zuber, M. T. (1998). The relationship between MOLA northern hemisphere topography and the 6.1‐Mbar atmospheric pressure surface of Mars. Geophysical Research Letters, 25(24), 4397-4400.
    Crameri, F., G.E. Shephard, and P.J. Heron (2020), The misuse of colour in science communication, Nature Communications, 11, 5444. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19160-7
  • Printable version in CMYK and vector format
  • Suitable for light & dark backgrounds
  • Perceptually uniform colour map
  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
  • Readable in black&white
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Oceanic plate age (poster)

Visually accessible global map for poster print of oceanic plate age designed for color-blind readers.

Visually accessible global maps of oceanic plate age designed for color-blind readers. Highlighted are subduction zones (wide black lines) and other plate boundaries (thin black lines). Ages of the oceanic crust range from 0 (depicted in light colours) to approximately 200 Million years (depicted in dark colours), illustrating the dynamic process of ongoing plate motion and recycling through ocean-plate tectonics. This comprehensive representation is based on global seafloor age data from Müller et al. (1997), visualised on a custom Interrupted Mollweide map projection developed by Crameri et al. (2020a), with a specific focus on the world’s oceans. The ‘batlow‘ Scientific color map ensures accurate data representation and inclusivity for all readers.

  • Creator: Fabio Crameri
  • This version: 19.11.2023
  • License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri using data from Müller et al. (1997) is available via the open-access s-ink.org repository.
  • Related references:
    Müller, R. D., et al. (1997). “Digital isochrons of the world’s ocean floor.” J. Geophys. Res. 102(B2): 3211-3214.
    Crameri, F., V. Magni, M. Domeier, G.E. Shephard, K. Chotalia, G. Cooper, C. Eakin, A.G. Grima, D. Gürer, A. Király, E. Mulyukova, K. Peters, B. Robert, and M. Thielmann (2020a), A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation, Nature Communications, 11, 3750. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9
  • Printable version in CMYK and vector format
  • Suitable for light & dark backgrounds
  • Perceptually uniform colour map
  • Colour-vision deficiency friendly
  • Readable in black&white
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