The Mapping Module

Earthquake location without presentaion of results in a map does not make to much sense. The Locsmith package therefore contains a small module to plot map in several different projections.

The Locsmith Mapping Module originally was a separate collection of routines. I wrote these to have a simple and fast way to plot some elementary maps without the need to set up a GMT script. I initially intended to expand this into a complete toolbox, but didn't have the time to do so. The mapping routines now found a new home within Locsmith. This historical development explains why there is a separate options structure with a separate constructor routine.

The Mapping Module allows to plot Maps with surface shading, a coordinate grid and a shaded color bar. Several Map projections (equal area, equal angle, polar and equatorial) are available. Topography data can be read from file. A routine to convert coordinates of you own lines, points etc. into projected map coordinates is available to allow addition of custom data into maps.

The Mapping section of the Tutorial explains how the Mapping Module is used and gives a brief introduction to the available map projections and their properties.

The MKEARTH routine is an even older, completely independent routine which allows to produce impressive cutaway plots of globes.


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