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Bathymetry of North America |
What this map layer shows:
The depth of the ocean waters around North America.
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![opens the U.S. Geological Survey home page](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916182903im_/http://nationalatlas.gov/images/LOGOS/MLD/logo_usgs.gif) |
Background Information |
Sample Map
Bathymetry shows underwater terrain by indicating depth below sea level.
The Bathymetry of North America image was derived from the ETOPO2
2-minute data, which is a global data set showing land elevations and
waterbody depths at a consistent resolution of 2 minutes (latitude
and longitude.) Elevation and depth values are measured approximately
2 minutes apart, and each grid cell in the data base has a value that
represents the average height above or below sea level within that cell.
Bathymetry is used for a wide variety of scientific research including
petroleum exploration, studies of underwater geologic processes, and studies
of ocean currents.
The Bathymetry of North America map layer is a tinted image
showing the depth of ocean waters around North America, created by
grouping the depth values into ranges and then assigning colors to
the different ranges. The tint indicating the shallowest depths also
includes the land areas of North America. This image was produced by
the National Atlas of the United States® and is intended for visual
purposes only; the original ETOPO2 data must be used for conducting analysis
and determining specific bathymetric values. Further information on bathymetry,
including additional data sets, is available from the National
Geophysical Data Center Bathymetry and Global Relief page. The National Atlas also
includes a Bathymetric Shaded Relief of North America map layer that
shows depth below sea level with relief enhanced by shading. |
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916182903im_/http://nationalatlas.gov/images/common/transparent.gif) |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916182903im_/http://nationalatlas.gov/images/common/transparent.gif) |
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