« Python Scripting in World Wind
No, Not a “Marketing Blog” »
 

New Way to Look at Earthquakes

Written by Chad on February 26th, 2007

We have all seen how earthquakes are shown on virtual globes, a marker at the surface showing the position and magnatude of the earthquake.  Just like this screen shot here:

Now, how about a new way of visualizing this data?  Instead of a symbol showing the earthquake depth, we SHOW the earthquake at depth.  Observe what happens when the above view is tilted.

Now to rotate the view.  As you can see, these earthquakes are being shown at the depth they occured at.

There is still some work to do to make this version of the Earthquake plug-in’s better representing of the data.  Mainly we are thinking of adding a line to the surface to help depict where there earthquake is located. 

One of the other new ways of displaying the data is to use the “Beach Ball” focal mechinism, as is explained here.  You can see how NOAA uses this on this earthquake page.

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in General |

Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

5 Comments so far ↓

  1. Feb
    26
    11:38
    PM
    Erik

    Part of the problem is that WW’s icons were never intended to be 3d. They don’t change size as they get further from the camera and that makes it very hard to use them to show something in 3d. Also, earthquake beach balls definitely aren’t new. :p

  2. Feb
    26
    11:39
    PM
    woodse

    Beach Balls!!!!!!!!
    I love beach balls, they are a great tool for identifying the type of earth quake and you can train a student very easily in how to use them.
    I would be ecstatic to see Beach Balls in the new verison, particularily if it could be about before I have to put together my earthquake labs in April.

    The 3-D stuff could be very cool as well, particularily for Plate tectonics.

  3. Feb
    26
    11:41
    PM
    Erik

    Here is a video that makes it a little easier to see the locations in 3d:
    http://banjopho.be/worldwind/3dearthquakes_xvid.avi

    The westernmost zone of earthquakes is from the subduction zone itself (vertical exaggeration = 9x). The others are maybe from the resulting uplift of the Andes.

  4. Feb
    27
    6:24
    AM
    Chad

    New to World Wind they would be. But yes, the issues with the icons would need to be addressed.

  5. Mar
    10
    2:32
    AM
    Miguel Vera

    This is great. I like to report earthquakes in my blog with GE visualizations but this would definitely top the classic epicenter/shakemap presentation. About the icons, I guess it would be a matter of making them smaller?. Also, the line to the surface sounds like a good idea. It would be better if this could be used in combination with the 3d sections or the profile tool somehow. I’m looking forward from updates of this tool. Thanks for the news Chad.