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GeoMapApp is a free desktop application for exploring geoscience data on interactive maps. Maintained by the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS) at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, it combines curated global and regional datasets with your own grids, tables, images, and shapefiles. You can compare layers, inspect profiles and contours, digitize features, create 3-D views, and save a session for teaching or figure preparation.
What is GeoMapApp used for?
GeoMapApp is designed for map-based exploration of geophysics, geology, geochemistry, physical oceanography, climatology, and related Earth-science data. The application starts with a multi-resolution global elevation base map from the Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) system. You can then add curated regional or global datasets and specialized portals, such as seismic-reflection profiles and geodetic velocity vectors.
Typical uses include preparing research, checking spatial relationships before analysis, making presentation graphics, assembling publication figures, and teaching from high-school through graduate level. GeoMapApp is maintained as part of MGDS at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. The official site is geomapapp.org.
What can you do in GeoMapApp?
| Task | How GeoMapApp supports it |
|---|---|
| Build a map | Start with the GMRT elevation map, select Mercator, North polar, or South polar projection, and add data layers. |
| Browse geoscience data | Open curated global and regional datasets and portals for subjects including bathymetry, earthquakes, seismic profiles, and ocean-floor drilling. |
| Use your own data | Import grids, tabular data, images, and shapefiles; adjust their appearance and place them over other layers. |
| Inspect and analyze grids | Change palettes, shaded relief, and contours; extract profiles; digitize; and create contours or 3-D perspective views. |
| Compare layers | Reorder overlays, change transparency, and examine co-located datasets. |
| Prepare figures or lessons | Style symbols and layers, save the complete map state as a session, and export screen-resolution images. |
How do I import my own data?
GeoMapApp’s documented import workflows cover four broad data types: grids, tables, images, and shapefiles. The exact dialog labels can vary with the release and operating system, so use the current application help and official tutorials for the installation you have.
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- Open a map and choose the application’s data-import command.
- Select your grid, table, image, or shapefile.
- For a grid, set the color palette and, where useful, shaded relief or contour display. You can then extract a profile, digitize on the map, or generate a 3-D perspective view.
- For tabular data, edit values if needed, plot the records, and adjust map symbols.
- Move the new layer in the overlay stack and change transparency so it can be compared with the base map or another dataset.
GeoMapApp also includes tutorials for web services (WFS and WMS), tabular and gridded data, analysis, digitizing, sessions, and its specialized data portals.
Can I make profiles, contours, or a 3-D view?
Profiles
For an imported or portal-provided grid, use the profile tool to sample values along a selected line. This is useful for inspecting bathymetry, topography, or another continuous surface without leaving the map workspace.
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Contours and shaded relief
Grid display controls let you change the palette, add shaded relief, and draw contours. These settings help reveal broad gradients and local structure, but the visual result depends on the grid and display choices rather than representing a new measurement.
3-D perspective
GeoMapApp can turn gridded surfaces into a 3-D perspective view. Use it as a visual companion to the map when relief or surface form is the main question.
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Digitizing
Digitizing tools let you trace or mark features in the map view. Treat digitized geometry as an interpretation and preserve the source layer and settings when the result must be reproducible.
Can I save and share a GeoMapApp session?
Yes. A saved session can preserve the map area, loaded data layers and portals, symbol styling, layer transparency, and other display settings. Importing the session file restores that view, making it practical to hand a classroom exercise to students or keep a consistent map setup for figure preparation. Anyone opening the session still needs access to the relevant application and data services or files.
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What file formats can GeoMapApp export?
The official FAQ lists JPEG, PNG, KMZ, and GeoTIFF image exports at screen resolution. This is suitable for many previews, presentations, and map exchanges, but screen resolution may not satisfy a journal’s production requirements. Vector PDF and EPS export is described in the FAQ as being on the development list, so do not assume those formats are currently available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where does GeoMapApp run?
The official guide describes GeoMapApp as free Java software for Windows, Mac, Linux, and UNIX. The homepage provides downloads for Unix/Linux, Macintosh, and Windows and mentions a browser-based launch option. Java requirements and browser-launch behavior can change; check the current download and help pages rather than relying on an old installation recipe. The homepage lists GeoMapApp 3.7.7, released in March 2026, but version information is time-sensitive.
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How should you decide whether GeoMapApp fits?
Check these points before adopting it for a project:
- Data coverage: Confirm that the built-in datasets or specialized portals contain the region and measurements you need.
- Input compatibility: Verify that your existing grid, table, image, or shapefile can be imported and that its coordinate and metadata conventions are understood.
- Analysis: Match the available profiles, contours, digitizing, and 3-D tools to the work you actually need.
- Output: If a publisher requires vector PDF or EPS, plan a separate production workflow because the current FAQ lists screen-resolution JPEG, PNG, KMZ, and GeoTIFF exports.
- Setup: Confirm the current Java and operating-system requirements for your computer from the official download and help pages.
What GeoMapApp does not promise
GeoMapApp is presented as a free mapping and analysis application, not as a guarantee that every geoscience format, projection, web service, or publication-output requirement will work without preparation. Dataset availability, online portals, Java behavior, and version features can change. Keep the original data and record the session and display settings when a map needs to be repeatable.
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