The EarthScope Voyager, Jr. (ESV, Jr.) is an interactive map tool developed by UNAVCO with support from the National Science Foundation for the study of global-scale geodynamic processes. The imagery is taken from the Jules Verne Voyager, a map-making tool that uses the Generic Mapping Tool kit (GMT). Credit and contact information is at the bottom of this page.
This page provides an overview of how to use the ESV, Jr. It also describes the buttons in the ESV, Jr. box (left side): Help & Info, Did You Know, EarthScope, Smaller/Larger Maps, Legend On/Off, Zoom To Top, Zoom Out, and Make Changes. You can access this help system by clicking on any of the buttons at the top of the menu bar (Select a Base Map, etc.). Note that the site will be updated with new features and information periodically.
Basics for getting started...
You can change the map display by clicking on one or more items in the list boxes (base map, features, and velocities). Press CTRL on PCs or the Command key on Macs to select multiple items.
You must click on Make Changes for the selections or changes you make in the list boxes to take effect. (Pressing the Enter key may work on some systems.)
Click directly on the map to zoom in (4 zoom levels are currently available).
Click on Zoom Out to zoom out one level or Zoom to Top to go directly to the North American continental view.
Clicking near the edge of the maps may pan to a neighboring region instead of zooming in.
Legend On/Off turns the Legend window on or off. This window shows your current selections and has a key for each base map, feature, and velocity selected.
The maps are available in two sizes; clicking on Smaller/Bigger Maps toggles you between them.
Did You Know opens a special window of information and questions to explore related to the maps.
You can print a map by clicking the Print button. After it displays in a separate window, select File then Print from your browser.
You can view your map in the Jules Verne Voyager, a UNAVCO map-making tool from which the JVV, Jr. imagery is derived.
More detailed information...
Select a Base Map: The ESV, Jr. opens with a map of the North American continent displayed. You can choose from a variety of base maps by making selections in the Select a Base Map list box. Once you make a selection, a thumbnail view will display to the right. If you preview a number of maps, be sure that the one you want to view is highlighted at the end. To deselect a base map, click on the name again.
You can add a number of geographic and geophysical feature overlays and then superimpose observed and model velocity vectors representing a compilation of 2933 geodetic measurements from around the world. A remarkable characteristic of the geodetic compilation is that you can select from 7 frames of reference, allowing a visual representation of both 'absolute' plate motion (in a no-net rotation reference frame) and relative motion along all of the world's plate boundaries. You can zoom among at least three map scales.
Once you've made your selections, you must click on the Make Changes button to activate them. The new map, features, and/or velocities will not display until you've clicked on this button! Note that pressing Enter will work on some systems.
Add Feature(s): You can add one or more features by holding down the CTRL key on PCs or the Command key on Macs and clicking on several features. To deselect a feature, click on the highlighted item again. If you only have one feature selected, click on No Features to deselect it. Note that the feature will appear on all subsequent maps until deselected. For example, if you turn on Earthquakes, earthquake sites will appear on all maps until you deselect Earthquakes.
Add Velocities: You can overlay velocities on your base map, showing the direction and rate of plate movement.
First, select a plate in relation to which the velocities will be drawn. For example, if you choose Pacific, the velocities will be drawn in relation to the fixed Pacific plate.
Then, select the type of data to be displayed:
Model (a surface velocity model based on GPS measurements, geologic fault slip rates, and earthquake focal mechanisms)
Observational data (compilation of observed surface velocities based on GPS measurements)
Both
Note that in browsers other than Netscape 4, the data types will not display
until you have selected a plate.
To change your selections, choose another item in the list box or click on No
Plate Velocities to turn them off. Click on the radio buttons to switch between
Model, Observational, or both types of data. Note that the velocities will appear
on all subsequent maps until deselected.
Info & Help: This button opens this Overview page. You can access the other sections by clicking on the buttons at the top of this window. Alternatively, you can click on the buttons in the ESV, Jr. window (Select a Base Map, Add Feature(s), and Add Velocities) to directly access the related help page.
Did You Know: This button opens a 'Did You Know' window with information and questions to explore about the ESV, Jr. maps. The first area of study is the Long Valley Caldera, where users can explore such questions as how the caldera was formed and how earthquakes are related to volcanoes.
EarthScope: This button takes you to the EarthScope website, a bold undertaking to apply modern observational, analytical, and telecommunications technologies to investigate the structure and evolution of the North American continent and the physical processes controlling earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. EarthScope will provide a foundation for fundamental and applied research throughout the U.S. that will contribute to the mitigation of risks from geological hazards, the development of natural resources, and the public’s understanding of the dynamic Earth. The EarthScope site has an Education & Outreach (E&O) website, which aims to promote science literacy and increase interest, understanding, and appreciation of Earth science by instilling a sense of wonder and awe about the Earth. The E&O program will be developing and supporting products, facilities, and programs that engage audiences from the local to national levels using EarthScope data and discoveries.
Smaller/Bigger Maps: The maps come in two sizes, the default being the larger size. (The smaller set is intended for those with smaller monitors or slow internet connections. )
Legend On/Off: This button opens the Legend window, which displays your curent selections and has an interpretative legend for each selection. The information updates whenever you change the base map, features, or velocities. Clicking on the Legend On/Off button opens or closes the legend window.
Zoom Out: Once you have zoomed in on a world map, click on the Zoom Out button to move out (up) a level.
Zoom to Top: This button redisplays the original Face of the Earth & Relief continental-scale map, with the selected features and velocities still displayed.
Zooming In: You can zoom in on an image by clicking directly on it.
Panning: Clicking near the edge of the map may pan to a neighboring region instead of zooming in.
Make Changes: Once you've made your selections, you must click on the Make Changes button to activate them. The new map and overlays will not display until this button has been clicked! (Pressing the Enter key may work on some systems.)
Printing the maps: The Print button allows you to print the map currently displayed. The map will open in its own window. (Be patient as it can take several seconds to load). Once the map displays, select File, then Print from your browser.
View map in JVV: This opens the Jules Verne Voyager with the comparable map and overlays displayed. The JVV (the source of the JVV, Jr. imagery) is a precision interactive mapping tool developed by UNAVCO to help the GPS/GLONASS community locate places where high-precision GPS geodetic data have been collected and show the relationship of those sites to other world features.
Dr. Charles Meertens
Facility Manager
UNAVCO, Inc.
Dr. Michael Hamburger
Associate Professor of Geophysics
Indiana University
Dr. Lou Estey
Software Engineer/Programmer
UNAVCO, Inc.
Marianne Weingroff
Instructional Designer
Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)/University Corporation for
Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
Ryan Deardorff
Software Engineer/Programmer
DLESE/UCAR
Kevin Reitz
Student Assistant (Software Engineer/Programmer)
U
NAVCO, Inc.
Trevor Stone
Student Assistant (Software Engineer/Programmer)
UNAVCO, Inc.
To contact us with questions and comments, send us email.
Published on the World Wide Web by the UNAVCO Facility, 6350 Nautilus Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80301-5554. The UNAVCO Facility is Operated by UNAVCO, Inc. and is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and NASA. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this web document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or NASA.
Trademarks: All brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Reference to a company or product name does not imply approval or recommendation of that company or product to the exclusion of others.
© Copyright 1994-2004
UNAVCO Facility
All rights reserved.
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