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USGS Geologic Map of North America
Entry ID: USGS_GMNA

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Summary

Abstract: The Geologic Map of North America (published February 2005) portrays the grand
architecture of the continent as we understood it in the closing years of the
20th century. As the final product of the Geological Society of America's
Decade of North American Geology project, it was compiled by John C. Reed, Jr.
(USGS), John O. Wheeler (Geological Survey of Canada), and Brian E. Tucholke
(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution). The map is at a scale of 1:5,000,000
and covers about 15% of the Earth's surface.

The previous geologic map of North America (North American Geologic Map
Committee, 1965) was published before general acceptance of plate tectonics,
before radiometric dates were widely available, and when the geology of the sea
floors was largely unknown. The old map distinguished about 100 rock units, all
of them onshore. The new map distinguishes 939 units, of which 142 are
offshore. It also depicts many geologic features not shown on the previous map,
including volcanoes, calderas, impact structures, axes of submarine canyons,
spreading centers, transform faults, magnetic isochrons, and subduction zones.
For the first time it portrays the relationships between the geology of the
continent and the geology of the ocean basins that flank it. The map was
compiled over an interval of almost 25 years and its assembly spanned the
technological change from traditional cartography to digital cartography.
Although the map is not yet available in digital form, plans are underway for
construction of a digital database and ultimately for the release of GIS
compatible files.

[Summary provided by the USGS.]

Related URL

Link: GET DATA
Description: Comparisons of the 2005 Geologic Map of North America with the 1965 Map, Areas
1-4.

Link: GET DATA
Description: Comparisons of the 2005 Geologic Map of North America with the 1965 Map, Areas
5-7.

Link: GET DATA
Description: Order the Geologic Map of North America from the GSA bookstore.

Geographic Coverage

N: 89.0 S: 2.0 E: -18.0 W: -172.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: John C. Reed, Jr, John O. Wheeler, Brian E. Tucholke
Dataset Title: USGS Geologic Map of North America
Dataset Release Date: 2005
Dataset Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Geological Society of America
Data Presentation Form: map
Online Resource: http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/info/gmna/

Location Keywords

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > ARCTIC
CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA
GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

ISO Topic Category

ELEVATION
GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
IMAGERY/BASE MAPS/EARTH COVER

Platform

FIELD SURVEYS [Information]

MAPS [Information]

Project

ESIP >Earth Science Information Partners Program [Information]

Keywords

Maps

Geology

Geological Society of America

Geology of North America

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Originating Center

USGS

Data Center

EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES TEAM, CENTRAL REGION, GEOLOGY DIVISION, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [Information]
Data Center URL: http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/

Data Center Personnel

Name: ASK USGS
Phone: 1-888-275-8747
Email: ask at usgs.gov
Contact Address:
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
City: Reston
Province or State: Virginia
Postal Code: 20192
Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution_Media: Hard Copy Map
Fees: $120-$150

Personnel

TYLER B. STEVENS
Role: DIF AUTHOR
Phone: (301) 614-6898
Fax: 301-614-5268
Email: Tyler.B.Stevens at nasa.gov
Contact Address:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Global Change Master Directory
City: Greenbelt
Province or State: MD
Postal Code: 20771
Country: USA

ASK USGS
Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone: 1-888-275-8747
Email: ask at usgs.gov
Contact Address:
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
City: Reston
Province or State: Virginia
Postal Code: 20192
Country: USA

JOHN C. REED
Role: INVESTIGATOR
Phone: 303-236-1276
Fax: 303-236-0214
Email: reed at usgs.gov
Contact Address:
Mail Stop 913
Box 25046
City: Lakewood
Province or State: Colorado
Postal Code: 80225
Country: USA

Publications/References

North American Geologic Map Committee, 1965, Geologic map of North America: U.
S. Geological Survey, scale 1:5,000,000.

Okulitch, A. V., Lopatin, B. G., and Jackson, H. R., 1989, Circumpolar
Geological Map of the Arctic: Geological Survey of Canada, Map 1765A, Scale
1:6,000,000.

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2005-09-23

Last DIF Revision Date: 2009-01-21

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