Maps and Geographic Information

Science in Antarctica relies on a consistent geographic framework. SCAR encourages the community to share its information to make maximum use of all data; to develop and operate mechanisms to facilitate the collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of data and information for the common good; and to ensure that these mechanisms are effective. One of the major outcomes of combining a consistent geographic framework with available data are resulting maps with the best available information.

The Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SCAGI) manages and enhances the geographic framework for Antarctic scientific research, operations, environmental management, and tourism.

SCAR Map and Geographic Information Products

Product ADD ADD – Antarctic Digital Database

a compilation of the best international topographic mapping for Antarctica at scales between 1:250,000 and 1:10 M that can be viewed on a range of vector and satellite image backdrops. The underlying data can be downloaded free of charge in a range of formats for onward work in desktop GIS.

Product CompositeGazetteerComposite Gazetteer of Antarctica (CGA)

a searchable database of all Antarctic place-names from each country active in Antarctica including the names of features south of 60° S, both terrestrial and undersea or under-ice.

Product MapCatalogueAntarctic Map Catalogue

a catalogue of international maps for Antarctica, compiled and maintained by the Australian Antarctic Division Data Centre, containing entries for over 5000 hard-copy maps from 26 countries, and around 1000 digital maps from five countries.

Product MagneticAnomaliesADMAP – Antarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project

a digital database of all existing near-surface and satellite magnetic anomaly data collected in Antarctica and surrounding oceans south of 60° S.

 

AirOperationsPlanningMapsAir Operations Planning Maps

a series of maps at 1:1M scale, together with a continent over-view map, to support Air Operations planning. The maps are compiled collaboratively by Belgium (in cooperation with Australia), Norway, the UK and USA. The maps and digital data are freely available for download.

Product BEDMAP2BEDMAP2 – Antarctic Bedrock Mapping

a new suite of gridded products describing surface elevation, ice-thickness and the sea floor and subglacial bed elevation of the Antarctic south of 60° S.

 

Product GeoMAP ncGeoMAP – Geological Mapping of Antarctica

a collection of datasets comprising geological information for Antarctica, with both rock and surficial deposit information, gathered from existing mapping of the geology of the region and compiled it into a modern GIS framework.

 

Product OceanBathymetryInternational Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO)

an enhanced digital database that contains bathymetric data available south of 60° S latitude used to produce a consistent bathymetric chart of the Southern Ocean.

 

Drake Passage Bathymetry Map

A new map covering an area of 1470000 km2 between parallels 52ºS and 63ºS and between meridians 70ºW and 50ºW, where the high resolution bathymetric data covers more than 70% of the region with a 200 m cell resolution of the sea floor topography.

Product QuantarcticaQuantarctica

a downloadable collection of Antarctic geographical datasets which works with the free, open-source software QGIS and currently includes geography, glaciology and geophysics data, and will expand with contributions from the research community.