Introduction In this post, We learn how we can make publication quality inset maps in R using ggplot2 package (Wickham 2016). When publishing scientific research in journals or presenting research work at a conference, showing maps of data collection sites or experimental locations is one of the key visualization elements. Maps of study sites or sampling locations can help the audience and readers to fathom the data in a better way.
As an Oceanography, one key parameter that need to get right is the bathymetry. Bathymetry is the science of determining the topography of the seafloor. Bathymetry data is used to generate navigational charts, seafloor profile, biological oceanography, beach erosion, sea-level rise, etc. There prenty of bathymetry data and one of the them is the GEBCO Gridded Bathymetry Data.
The General bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) consists of an international group of experts in ocean mapping.
The Global Forecasting System (GFS) atmospheric model is a dataset from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). In this database, wind is stored as velocity vector components (U: eastward_wind and V: northward_wind) at 10 m above the Earth’s surface. The resolution of the data is 0.5 degrees, approximately 50 km. Wind velocities have been registered six times per day (00:00 – 03:00 – 06:00 – 09:00 – 12:00 – 15:00 – 18:00 – 21:00 (UTC)), since 6th May 2011 and is updated daily.
Elevation data is used for a wide array of applications, including, for example, visualization, hydrology, and ecological modelling. There are several sources for digital elevation models such as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), the USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED), Global DEM (GDEM), and others. Each of these DEMs has pros and cons for their use. Prior to its closure in January of 2018, Mapzen combined several of these sources to create a synthesis elevation product that utilizes the best available elevation data for a given region at given zoom level.
